The 2011 Trade Fair – the 5th biannual trade fair -- that kick started on the 8th December has winded up, with indigenous-made products taking the centre stage of the fair.
Ranging from architectural designs and electronic innovations to food processions and artifacts, the 2011 Trade Fair has seen Gambians and non-Gambians alike, made best use of the two-week programme that has garnered entrepreneurs, micro and medium scale businesses from the sub-region at the independence stadium in Bakau.
The trade faire, which is held every two years to amass wide range of economic operators into close contacts in order to erect effective partnership that will positively impact on development of the business community towards sustainable growth, was for the first time in the annals of the country attended by Asia’s leading industrialists – Taiwan and Malaysia.
Representing Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) was Mary Cheng, who works at the overseas exhibition section of the strategic marketing department. For her: “Taiwan has many excellent products that could be very useful to the Gambia.” She said TAITRA did not come to the trade faire to sell any product, but to promote their products that could be access online using http://www.taitra.org.tw.
Taiwan, as an export-oriented economy has been a close friend to the West African country, making Gambia a beneficiary of Taiwan’s largesse. Posting a real GDP growth rate of negative 1.87 percent for 2009, Taiwan was also ranked the world’s 17th-largest exporter in 2009, and had the fourth-largest foreign exchange reserves at the end of that same year.
Presently the Taiwan’s top export destinations are Singapore, US, the EU, and South Korea; but as Mrs Cheng observes, “Taiwan will also break new grounds in Africa, by exporting many of its widely-appreciated products to the continent.”
Ensign Global Malaysia was also seen breaking significance records at the trade faire; selling Asian-made food that was very well appreciated during the trade faire. Gambians, particularly students were seen in a queue grappling to get hold of the groceries.
One Fatoumata Baldeh, a student of St. Theresa upper basic school, who tasted the foodstuffs, explained to this reporter that she “appreciated the coming of the Asians at the trade fair”, and said the “food is unique”.
GTTI ON EXHIBIT
One of the most watched exhibitions was that of the Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI) where home-grown engineers and architects have their work put on display. This exhibition has stimulated a good number of students and visitors who took a careful watch of the vividness of young Gambians.
Miss Ya-Awa Njie, a lecturer on engineering accentuated the importance of taking somber with technical education, saying “That would help trim down the excess of expatriate demand that the country has relied on over the past years.” She challenged that scholarship for technical education should be intensified for students who had built interest in studying this field.
On display was an emulated traffic light and street lights that were the works of the engineering students of the school. The semi traffic light was powered by a ‘darkness detector’ that shows light whenever darkness penetrates into the system.
For Miss Njie, she would love to see a gender-equilibrium class, where both girls and boys are equal in number in the class; but this, she said, is far from achievable.
ACCESS BANK AND COMIUM SHINE
One of Gambia’s leading banks also stood out at the trade fair, introducing a new product: “Access Mobile”, which is a uniquely new-introduced product in the country’s financial market.
“Our passion to ensure our customers get the best of banking has always encouraged us to develop beneficial products that help our customers succeed,” said Muhamed El Kabir Fye, the head of corporate affairs at the bank.
He said with the Access Mobile, customers can have access to their account using their mobile phone everywhere; thus allowing them to have total control of their account.
He applauded the organizers of the event, saying “Everything goes smooth.”
Comium’s Joeking Mendy, marketing field promoter, was very happy with the level of participation this year. He said since the commencement of the day, Comium has adhered to the code of conduct that was put in place by the organizers, saying “[the possible] lack of adherence to the code of conduct, has kept away some companies,” that were making a lot of noise at the event last year.
Comium also introduced the ‘Kick and Win’ product, where everyone who buys a credit is a winner. This product was revealed on Saturday, during ‘My day of business’ invented by GCCI; where one buys a SIM card and kicks a ball; by scoring, one wins D100 credit plus a football or a t-shirt or a bag. If one fails to score, nevertheless, one wins a football or a t-shirt or a bag. “We hope to make this a tradition [something that will continue even after the trade fair],” he closed.
The 2011 trade faire that ends yesterday, Sunday 18 December, was the first of its kind in the annals of Trade Fair in the country, having garnered entrepreneurs from the sub-region and beyond.
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