GUYANA, 31 AUGUST 2004

Details and Press Materials

TheCommission Report was launched on August 31, 2004 during an event organized by the UNDP supported Empretec programme (entrepreneurship and SME development programme), in cooperation with the Government of Guyana, the Guyana Manufacturers Association (GMA) and the Guyana Private Sector Commission.

The event was well attended (approximately 50-75 participants) with participants from the government, the private sector and select donors including DFID, USAID, CARICOM. Mr. Casper Sonesson, a UNDP policy adviser, noted that collaborative models of partnerships between the private sector and government are important in order to promote entrepreneurship.

A number of concrete potential followup actions were discussed, including building on and complementing the current UNDP-supported Empretec programme (a partnership with GMA). Several opportunities were discussed, including interventions to:

• Create a more favorable enabling environment for entrepreneurship, including possible capacity building and assistance to relevant Ministry (Tourism, Industry and Commerce)
• Streamline business registration processes in the country together with GoInvest
• Facilitate a more structured dialogue between private sector, government and civil society on constraints for entrepreneurship

Press

The event also received some media coverage on national television and in several of the major newspapers.

02 Sep 2004 Guyana Chronicle

"Private Sector Stresses Political Stability at Entrepreneurship Forum"