Rain dampens Berbice Expo 2010

Jul 25, 2010 News

A fairly large crowd still braved the inclement weather and the muddy conditions to attend the 2010 edition of the Berbice Expo and Trade Fair now underway at the Rose Hall Community Centre in East Canje.
The activity, which is organised by the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC), got underway last Friday and is expected to continue until tomorrow.
The event, which is in its fifth year, is being held at the current venue for the first time having been previously staged at the Albion Community Centre.
The inclement weather has certainly taken a toll on the activity which the organisers had promised to be bigger and better than the rest.
The first night was severely affected. The opening ceremony was washed out as it rained for a large part of Friday. The major challenge, this year, is the inclement weather, which has made the venue sodden. White sand was poured all over the ground to make the surface less soggy, but this was of little help.
The foregoing difficulties underscored the need for a permanent venue in Berbice for activities like these, the organisers said.
Despite the setback, the organisers are pushing ahead and must be commended for still being able to bring off the event, despite the odds.
Co-ordinator of the event, Tajpaul Adjodhea, who is in his fourth year of co-ordinating the activity, and PRO of the CCCC, attorney at Law Adrian Anamayah, said that despite the dampening of the ground caused by the unseasonal weather, they are still pleased with what they are able to achieve so far.
They said that of the more than 100 exhibitors booked to participate in the Expo, more that 95 percent defied the odds and were there on the first night. Most of the others promised to be present from yesterday.
“A lot went to the venue and left, but they promised to return. As we speak, as you can see a number of persons are still coming in,” one of the organisers said.
“Despite the elements, we should have a full turnout from today (Saturday),” the enthused co-ordinator said.
President Bharrat Jagdeo, who was expected to give the feature address and declare the activity open, was a no show. It was not certain if he would attend some time later.
Minister of Trade and Tourism, Manniram Persaud, who along with other officials, trudged through the mud to view the many booths on display, was upbeat that the activity would be a success. He stopped for the occasional gaff and photo opportunity on the way and to give some sporadic advice as well.
The Shakti String Orchestra was able to slip in a few tunes during the latter part of the night.
The theme for this year’s Berbice Expo is ‘Promoting Economic Diversity ’.
The activity this year has been fully sponsored by a number of agencies including the Ministry of Agriculture, GT&T, Banks DIH, Digicel, GRDB, Nand Persaud and Company limited, NPG Packaging and Republic Bank.
International participants from India are expected to take part in the event. A few new products will also be on show at the expo this year.
An assortment of food stalls were evident and the different beverage companies, Banks DIH Limited, DDL, Ansa Mc Al, Guyana Beverage Company and CIDI, strived to outdo each other with their many giveaways and their impressive displays.
Telephone companies GT&T and Digicel were also in attendance with their many bargains.
President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, Imran Hamid, who, like the Co-ordinator hails from the East Canje area, was upbeat that this year’s event can still be the best, despite the odds.
He told Kaieteur News that he was excited to bring off the activity since it is his first major venture as President of the body.
He is urging Guyanese to come out and support the event because what they are offering this year will be special.
Security, once again for the opening night was tight with scores of policemen and private security personnel in attendance.
The main focus for the Chamber this year is to raise enough funds to start construction of a permanent office for the organisation. Another important project is to set up a permanent exhibition site in the Ancient County.

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Floating body in cemetery identified as West La Penitence man

The body that was fished out of a trench outside the New Roman Catholic Burial Site Le Repentir, on Friday has been identified as 49-year-old security guard, Cleveland Jarvis, of 76 West La Penitence.

Dead: Cleveland Jarvis

Andrea Jarvis, the dead man’s sister, said that relatives had last seen him on Thursday about 14:00hrs as he was leaving for work.
Jarvis was employed as a security guard at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA).
According to his sister, eyebrows were raised when Jarvis failed to return home Friday morning.
She explained that it was customary for her only brother to be at home no later than 07:30hrs, or sometimes before.
“After I see he ain’t come home we started getting worried and began calling friends and other relatives”.
But people had reported the body in the canal since Thursday evening. The police made a search but found nothing because they looked in the wrong area.
The woman said that a neighbour, after hearing that they were looking for Jarvis told her that a body was found in the cemetery.
Contact was made with the Lyken Funeral Home, where an assistant gave them a vague description of the body.
She said that she was able to contact the officer who was handling the investigation and after his description their worst fears were confirmed.
“After hearing what he was wearing I knew he was my brother…,”said the man’s sister.
The woman further told this publication that of recent times her brother began drinking excessively.
She opined that his drinking habits were encouraged by the fact that his employers were constantly accusing him of stealing.
“They would normally lose things at the workplace…..and they would accuse him, and then take it out from his salary,” explained the woman.
The woman said that her mother who suffered a stroke was not taking the news good.
“His mother isn’t taking it well…..she is crying and not sleeping.” Jarvis leaves to mourn his 76-year-old mother and three sisters.
The man’s dentures were found some fifteen feet away from his body floating on a tulip leaf, and a corked rum bottle was seen near his feet in the trench.
Onlookers opined that the man could have been climbing one of the Mahogany trees when he met his demise, since the tree was over the trench where he was found.
A post mortem examination is expected to be carried out on Monday.