The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) will host its annual Business Development Forum (BDF) on November 13 and 14 at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, bringing together local, regional, and international stakeholders to strengthen Guyanese enterprises in an evolving economy.
GCCI President Kathy Smith told OilNOW in an exclusive interview that the forum, launched in 2018, remains a space for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to engage on compliance, financing, and competitiveness. “It has always been a platform where businesses both locally, regionally and internationally meet to have meaningful engagement,” she said.
This year’s theme, ‘Empowering Businesses for a Resilient Future’, focuses on helping local companies transition from operating solely at home to adopting international standards and exploring partnerships abroad. Smith explained that the Chamber wants to “push them from operating locally and start to push them in a place where they can now look at how they can be more resilient in a green economy”.
The 2025 forum will feature Guyana’s new Minister of Tourism, Susan Rodrigues; Lorena Solórzano, Country Representative IDB Group Guyana at Inter-American Development Bank; CARICOM Deputy Secretary General Dr. Armstrong Alexis, and Patricia Bacchus, Chief Executive Officer of Caribbean Container Inc., among other speakers. “We have partnered with some very excellent speakers, and not just speakers, but people who can tell stories,” Smith said.
The event will include panel discussions, B2B networking sessions, and partner booths from institutions such as the International Development Bank (IDB), Demerara Bank, and Unicomer. “We plan to have desks from IDB, Unicomer, Demerara Bank, IPED, and others. We want small business owners to go and ask the right questions, meet the right people.” Smith noted.
She said the GCCI has made a deliberate effort to ensure the forum is accessible to all. “We would have put it to nothing, as we like to say, of $10,000 for two days. You cannot get that anywhere else.”
Smith said the forum’s broader goal is to help businesses think globally while maintaining Guyanese values. “You are not just selling your business, but you are selling Guyana. You are selling a culture of Guyanese,” she said.
OilNOW is the official media partner for the event.
