The 2007 National Trade Fair ended on Sunday at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, with the organisers rating it as a resounding success.

Bai Matarr Drammeh, president of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), which organises the annual event, said the trade fair was a ‘great success’, as it brought together various businesses and their people.

Mr Drammeh made these remarks on Saturday at a press briefing held at the Independence Stadium, where he announced that they have achieved their objectives as evident in the new partnerships that were forged between Gambian business people and their counterparts from other countries, including Spain.

“Most of the businessmen who participated in the trade fair also expressed interest for the trade fair to be organised every three months. Though it coincided with other trade fairs in the sub-region, other business people came from as far as Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.

Muhammed Jagana, chairman of the 2007 Trade Fair Organising Committees, said their biggest challenge was logistics in the area of security and cleansing.

Mr Jagana disclosed that they are now preoccupied with the possibility of acquiring a trade fair complex. “If we get a permanent complex, we will organise this kind of trade fair every three months,” he said.

Beatrice Allen, coordinator of the 2007 Trade Fair and Yahya Kassama, director of the Gambia Investment Promotion and Zone Agency, also spoke at the press briefing.