The Belize expo 2004 took place over the weekend at the S.J.C. gymnasium in Belize City. It was a massive event, both in terms of turnout and displays. But this year there was one other factor: the oppressive temperature made shuttling through the event like eating cotton candy in a cauldron, as products and people were wilting like fast fading flowers, here's the story:
Jules Vasquez Reporting
Thousands walked past the welcome sign to get into the SJC gymnasium where over 100 vendors, suppliers, distributors and manufacturers offered their products, ranging from hi tech electronics, to books and blank CD’s to fine wooden products to cleaners and degreasers - it was all there, from the most exotic, to the most mundane.
Julio Cubias – San Ignacio Commerce
“We bring our product to the expo for advertisement”
Effrain Medina- Medina’s Furniture
“A lot of people attend to these shows so we get a lot of exposure"
Rommel Perdomo- Travellers Liquors
“We still have to deal with our loyal customers that we have to deal with year round. So we come out to give them a little discount and a little taste of the product.”
Jorge M. Espat – Roses Paper Products
“I think we have people that are already accustomed to Roses and who are our customers, our traditional customers, loyal customers like Janine said. But we are also looking to meet different segments of the market as I mentioned earlier. And so we bring out different grades of paper and different sizes of paper to meet those demands.”
Q: “If you all had a stall if I could come out here and get a British passport. That’s what I would hoping, and I have been wanting a British passport for a long time. Is there any chance that I could get one right now?”
Miguel Hernandez – British High Commission
“Not here at this time. Unfortunately the officer that is in charge of that is not here.”
Q: “Is there any chance that you all will be buying some mahogany? I know the British are always interested in Belizean mahogany.”
“Well the opportunities are always there you know.”
And while most businesses were busy self-promoting, what none of them could run away from was the oppressive heat. It was over 90 degrees in the gymnasium and not much better outside - a factor that definitely affected business.
Kidd Notch - Cubola Books
“The heat is a big factor. You have like, most of the teachers came by they were like old people you know. So they are looking at the books and saying I would like to see the book but this heat is too hot for me I have to go. So people can’t even really stop and look at it because the heat is too… it’s so hot in here.”
Citrus Power Representative
Q: “If you got really hot like the Citrus Power couldn’t help you? The Citrus Power because I know that it is a multi-purpose type beverage. Like you could drink some?”
No, No it’s not a beverage. The Citrus Power is a degreaser cleaner so…
Q: “ But that’s a powerful thing it couldn’t cool you down if you were really hot?”
“Not Really.”
Efrain Medina
“Today it was very, very hot I mean its tremendously… the heat, it will dehydrate you a lot you have to drink a lot of water. But for the furniture it’s no problem.”
Q: “Has anyone come and asked to just come an lie down on one of the beds where the fan is?”
"We have a couple people come in and wand to sit and sometimes they want to lay down you know because it’s so cool there in front of the fan you know.”
Jody Williams - Marie Sharp Foods
Q: “Don’t you think it’s a bad idea to sell pepper, hot pepper when it’s already so hot?”
“Well this is what we thing. People really love the products that they ask for something hotter so my granny started to make pepper much hotter like the ‘Beware’ and the ‘No Wimps.’
Q: “The heat of Marie Sharp of the ‘Beware’ and the ‘No Wimps’ I think that has to do something with this excessively hot temperature that we’ve been having across the country.”
“Yeah, Yeah, Belize. People are really proud of Marie Sharp you know our products are just running.”
Jorge M. Espat
Q: “Like people buy more water when it’s hot. You think people buy more toilet paper?”
No I don’t think so. I think toilet paper is a necessity and it has a purpose and a use. I think what it does though is that it steps up the sales in the institutional products and also in the hand towels or the kitchen towels as some call it because some people do use that instead of a towel. So in terms of the toilet tissue sector I don’t think the heat has anything really to do with it."
And while the heat didn’t spike toilet paper sales, it acted as no real deterrent to this crowd which just wanted to feel the heavy combustion of commercialism as they sailed through the biggest shopping showcase in Belize.
Up to news time we were unable to get final numbers for attendance.