Guatemalans and Belizeans get down to business
With an economy perhaps fifty times bigger than ours, there doesn’t seem to be much incentive for the Guatemalan private sector to concern itself with doing business in Belize. But even in the world of international commerce, the saying “one-one fill basket” still applies…as News 5’s Janelle Chanona found out this morning at the Biltmore.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning, Guatemalan businessmen and women stepped into a room with their Belizean counterparts as part of a trade mission to discuss new investment opportunities on both sides of the border.
Arturo Galvez, Promotions Manager, Agexpront
“Our entrepreneurs are here with high expectations of this trade missions and we hope that the final is happy for us.”
Arturo Galvez, a manager with Agexpront, specializes in the promotion of non-traditional Guatemalan products.
Arturo Galvez
“We are looking for different kinds of products and other different kinds of markets. It’s like I said, it’s very dangerous for a country to depend on a little quantity of products. Guatemala is looking for new products…no sugar, no banana, no cardamom. And we are doing a big effort to diversify our agricultural production and even add value to the products through the industrialization of it.”
The Guatemalans are sniffing out new markets, planning to set up shop in Belize before branching out into the Caribbean.
Arturo Galvez
“The idea that Belizean market is a small market, but we have the opportunity to use this market, add value to the product, investing in Belize, looking for the Caribbean markets and the south side of Mexico.”
Janelle Chanona
“So you will use Belize as a gateway to a bigger market.”
Arturo Galvez
“Yes, of course. Approaching the general condition for investing in this country.”
Which is exactly what BELTRAIDE wants…hoping to encourage partnerships that will see a diversification in the kinds of products made here and sold on the local and international markets.
Daedra Isaacs, General Manager, BELTRAIDE
“Much of Belize’s trade is concentrated with countries outside of our region and we’re trying to generate more activity within our region and expose our private sector and introduce Belize as a potential investment home for international and regional investors.”
BELTRAIDE’s General Manager, Daedra Isaacs maintains the Guatemalans have a lot to offer.
Daedra Isaacs
“Prior to bringing them here we find out what are there interests in Belize, what they are looking to do. And we research our private sector to see how we can match-make and set up the meetings to force them together and then do a general invitation to the rest of the public and the other private sector. But the calendar of events or the program of events for today, they actually have programmed meetings. So some of them were very busy this morning and some will be very busy this afternoon because of trying to match-make and putting them with potential partners here in Belize and people who might be able to use their products and that sort of stuff.”
The products on display today ranged from leather shoes to plastic and cardboard packaging to items that should have a long shelf life in Belize.
Daedra Isaacs
“So it’s long term investment they are looking at, as well as trying to get their foot in, learn a little about Belize, see what we have to offer, meet our private sector people and learn how our system go. We had the customs department make a presentation to them about what is required to move goods into Belize, moving goods out of Belize, moving goods into CARICOM and that kind of thing, to kind of start educating them about business in Belize.”
On Saturday, the Belizeans take their wares to trade shows in Trinidad and Tobago and later this year, to Jamaica…hoping their sales pitch will bring even more business to Belize. Reporting for News 5, I am Janelle Chanona.
The Guatemalan delegation leaves tomorrow. A return visit by Belizean business people will take place later this year.
