As the inaugural Green Expo kicked off on Thursday at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, with Finance Minister Winston Jordan reiterating government’s plan to place a ban on more plastic products by 2020.
Jordan was at the time addressing a gathering at the Ramada Hotel, also in Providence, at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Green Expo.
He said, “Having banned the use of certain plastic products in 2016, our government is committed to ban even more by 2020”.
The Member of Parliament noted the importance of imposing a ban on certain plastic products, as they are hazardous to human and marine life. Various agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been lobbying for a ban to be imposed on single use plastics.
In August as part of World Earth Day, a number of supermarkets partnered with the EPA to reduce the use of single use plastic bags as they introduce reusable shopping bags.
Meanwhile over 130 exhibitors at the Stadium are gearing themselves for packed days of questions and sharing samples of their products as the first ever Green Expo gets underway.
The expo and summit are being held under the theme “Sustainable economic growth through small businesses innovation, entrepreneurship and transformative Government policies”.
The expo which winds down on Saturday is opened to the public from 14:00h daily with the intention of promoting innovation and driving Guyana towards the Green State Development Strategy.
According to Minister Jordan, “This expo and summit brings together business experts from Guyana and around the world to educate and inspire local businesses to adopt new technologies and good practices that are necessary to build business resilience and competitiveness”.
He added that the expo will undoubtedly create opportunities for networking and facilitate trade at the same time to benefit locals.
The MP pulled out a pack of straws made of bamboo while explaining to the gathering that much can be done with the material, by young entrepreneurs.
Business Minister Dominic Gaskin endorsed the importance of the summit in helping small businesses. “This event that we are opening today (Thursday) is an important one for the country. It is also an important one for businesses, especially small businesses because businesses that understand where Guyana is heading over the next two decades will make better decisions than those who do not” he noted.
