Once again, the government’s idea of “development” is on full display at yet another conference, this time branded as the 3rd International Business Conference (IBC). Banners of “collaboration” and “regional prosperity” cover the real motive, propping up a struggling tourism sector and justifying a glut of overpriced hotels that are standing half empty.
Guyana has become addicted to conferences. Each new “business” or “investment” summit promises transformation, but the only things that seem to be transforming are hotel occupancy numbers for a few days and the organizers’ bank accounts. The first two conferences were celebrated with the same hype, hundreds of meetings, lofty declarations, and photo-ops, but to date, no measurable outcomes have been shared with the public. Where are the large-scale investments that were supposedly secured? Which Guyanese businesses grew as a result? What jobs were created?
The truth is, these events are not building an economy, they are feeding an industry of illusion. Organizers and consultants make quick money, hotel operators collect short-term bookings, and politicians get talking points. Meanwhile, the real sectors, agriculture, small manufacturing, digital innovation, education, continue to be underfunded and underdeveloped.
If the government believes that conferences equal progress, it is time to ask; progress for whom? With an astounding number of “business-to-business” meetings projected this year, one must wonder whether any will lead to real contracts, or if they will simply produce another glossy report destined for a filing cabinet.
Guyana does not need more conferences. It needs policy clarity, and unbiased ecosystem for innovators, industrial planning, export incentives, and transparency. The country’s entrepreneurs need access to credit, not another panel discussion about “regional cooperation.”
Until the government can show tangible results from the first two IBCs; new factories, export deals, start-ups financed, or meaningful joint ventures, this third conference should be seen for what it is, a taxpayer-funded spectacle designed to fill hotel rooms and create the illusion of momentum. Meanwhile, cost of living is ‘sky-high’ and half of the population is struggling to put two meals on the table daily.
Real development will come not from air-conditioned conference halls, but from factories, classrooms, and innovation labs built by people who actually produce, not just talk.
