Commissioner Frans Richardson’s opening remarks at the Caribbean Home and Garden Expo 2009

 

(AUDIO AVAILABLE)Allow me, on behalf of the people and government of St. Maarten, to welcome you to this 4th edition of Caribbean Home Expo and Garden Expo.

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This event has by now found its rightful place as a venue to promote Caribbean businesses in this regional area – bringing together building and home design professionals under one roof.

It is no small achievement when you can attract more than 100 exhibitors and over 4,000 visitors from the entire Caribbean region, to an event.

Over the course of the next three days, exhibitors, buyers, manufacturers and professionals get the chance to meet and greet one another; you will the opportunity to do some business and establish partnerships.

You will undoubtedly exchange ideas regarding:

New ideas coming out of the industry

New services and merchandise to satisfy your clientele

The theme chosen for the 2009 Caribbean Home Expo is "building an eco-tomorrow". This year, the Caribbean Home Expo is highlighting businesses specializing in renewable energies and ecological products and services.

What are the benefits of renewable energy? 

The most obvious benefits of renewable energy are that it is far less polluting than conventional energy and will not run out. Renewable energy can also be produced more locally.

This means that it can help local and regional economies by using local resources and creating jobs. It could also help reduce our dependence on overseas countries.

Countries and territories in the Caribbean may be small but we too are affected by the issues of Global Warming, Water Conservation, and Pollution.

We often do not even think about these issues – or at least not sufficiently as we should; sometimes we may be just uninformed.

But, we must recognize that these subjects have a potential to greatly influence the future course of human survival on this planet, and being informed is the only choice if you want to have any control of the future of your own survival.

I thus expect that participants will, this year, make use of the opportunity to showcase how we can save energy, enlighten visitors on how this can be done, and hopefully help us all to contribute to a better world, while at the same time save money in the long run.

I wish you a most successful exposition while you find the time to enjoy the warmth and hospitality of our island.

I thank you.