Micro and Women Entrepreneur Learning Centre to be commissioned soon – GCCI President

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) will soon commission its Micro and Women Entrepreneur Learning Centre, a facility designed to build capacity and expand opportunities for small businesses, particularly women in agro-processing.

This was announced by GCCI President Kathy Smith during her feature address at the launch of GuyExpo 2025, where she praised the Government’s focus on entrepreneurship and diversification under this year’s theme, Transformation Through Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Smith said the centre, developed in partnership with the World University Service of Canada and supported by Global Affairs Canada, will provide training and resources to help micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) strengthen their operations. She explained that the initiative will target women who are already skilled in farming and marketing produce but need support to scale up.
“Guyana’s women know how to plant, we know how to reap, and we know how to sell. But then there is a lot of surplus from our product that has to go to waste. So, what this centre would initially solve is showing these women how you can put that produce in a bottle, in a package, and how you can put it on a ship or a plane to the US, to Canada, to the DR, or wherever it can accommodate us. So, we want our women, particularly in agro-processing, to move beyond. And that is how we at the chamber are focusing also on the small, on the micro, and on small and medium-sized enterprises,” the GCCI President said.
Smith emphasised that entrepreneurship and innovation remain central to Guyana’s economic transformation, pointing to success stories across agriculture, aquaculture, and small business development. She urged exhibitors at GuyExpo to maximise the opportunity to market their businesses and build partnerships, stressing that the expo should be seen as a platform for growth, not just sales.
“I want you to attract and capture attention with creative displays, samples, and engaging demonstrations. When persons come to your booth, they must be able to see not just you well-dressed, but they should be impressed by what you are displaying. I want you to see. See means to connect. Network with other businesses, Government agencies and customers to build lasting partnerships,” she added.
She also commended the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce for its continued work to support the growth of local enterprises, noting that the balance between oil and gas development and the wider economy remains critical.