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Development of the Maritime Sector

Maritime Sector
Trade and Industry Minister, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon addresses members of the media at the media conference. (Photo courtesy the Ministry of Trade and Industry)

Government announces plans for the development of the Maritime Sector.

June 10, 2016: ‘The opportunities that have been identified for further development in the maritime sector are Ship Repair and Dry Docking, Bunkering, Open Ship Registry, Transhipment, Cold Stacking, Port Operations, Yachting Infrastructure Development and Special Economic Zones/Maritime Logistics’ announced Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry at a Media Conference, held to outline the framework for the development of the maritime sector in Trinidad and Tobago.  The Media Conference was hosted on Friday 10 June, 2016 at the Ministry’s Port of Spain Head Office.

The Minister said that ‘the Official Policy Framework of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago identifies the maritime sector as one of the sectors for development. Our twin-island Republic possesses many strategic advantages which make this country an ideal location for maritime activities.  These advantages include this country’s geographic location, growing trade links with neighbouring countries, healthy export base, highly educated and diverse work force, vibrant energy sector and low fuel rates.  A major maritime infrastructural development within the Region is the expansion of the Panama Canal which has been completed and will be inaugurated at the end of the month. As a result, many countries within the Region have been investing heavily in the development and upgrade of their maritime infrastructure’. 

Minister Gopee-Scoon asserted that ‘to remain competitive, Trinidad and Tobago must accelerate the development and upgrade of its maritime infrastructure and also seek to benefit from inherent opportunities. Over the years, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has conducted various studies on the maritime sector to inform the development of the sector. However, no targeted advancements could be seen to date’.  She noted that ‘the Ministry proposes to phase the development of these sub-sectors in the short, medium and long-term. A Standing Committee for the Development of the Maritime Sector will be established under the chairmanship of the Minister of Rural Development and Local Government to direct the development and implementation of initiatives for the expansion of the industry’.

The areas that were elaborated on during the Media Conference included the expansion of the ship repair and dry docking facilities; expansion of the Bunkering Industry; Expansion of the Transhipment Industry; Expansion of Cold Stacking; Development of Yachting Infrastructure; Development of a Special Economic Zone/Maritime Logistics; Expansion of Port Operations; and the Development of an Open Ship Registry.

UWI Open Campus hosts lecture

UWI Lecture

The lecture hosted by UWI Open Campus forms part of a regional series which began in March and will end in December.

The UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia will, next week, host the lecture “Women, Politics and Transformational Leadership.”
The lecture will be delivered by Dr. Gabrielle Hosein of UWI’s Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), St. Augustine Campus.
The lecture forms part of a Regional Lecture Series which began in March, to commemorate International Women’s Day and will continue through to December.
Dr. Hosein has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Toronto, a Masters of Philosophy in Gender and Development Studies from The University of the West Indies, and a Ph.D in Anthropology from University College London.
Her current research areas are politics and governance, Indo-Caribbean feminisms and sexualities.
She is a lecturer and Graduate Studies Coordinator at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, and has been involved in Caribbean feminist movement building for two decades.
She also writes a weekly column, Diary of a Mothering Worker, for the Trinidad Guardian.
The lecture will be held on June 16, and begins at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

OECS Seeking Digital Interns

Digital Interns

The OECS Commission is seeking applications for its first ever Digital Internship Program. As part of the OECS Youth Strategy, this program will allow interns from across the OECS to be able to gain practical work experience – a valuable asset in today’s tough economic climate.

Director General of the OECS, Dr. Didacus Jules said the Digital Internship Program would provide youth with valuable exposure to Digital Marketing best practices, mediums, methods and environments to complement their future competitiveness in the job market.
“We recognise the enormous potential of youth across the OECS, and if they are to reach their full potential it is incumbent upon us to help them forge career pathways to the industries of tomorrow of which Information Technology and the digital space are increasingly playing a central role” said Dr. Jules.
Through this internship OECS Digital Interns will gain experience in Digital Marketing and will play an integral role in running the OECS Youth Strategy’s online campaign which launched on June 8th. The internship program will begin in July of this year and will run for an eight week period. The internship program is unpaid, however the best performing interns will receive a monetary stipend.
Topics for the internship include:

  • Marketing Strategy & Brand Management
  • Audience Segmentation & Outreach
  • Market Research Techniques
  • Social Media Content Development & Distribution
  • Marketing Performance and Social Media Analytics
  • Real Time Marketing

Interested candidates should:

  • Be a citizen of an OECS Member State
  • Be between the ages of 17 and 25
  • Completed Secondary School Education
  • Completed or Pursuing an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism or related fields.
  • Technologically savvy – will be required to use and learn multiple software tools throughout programme.
  • Have access to a personal computer and Internet access
  • Specific Skills of Interest: Content Writing, Blogging, Video Creation, Graphic Design

Applicants should submit their resume and completed application to oecsyes@oecs.org . For more information visit http://oecs.org/uploads/jobs/Digital_Intern_TOR.pdf

Coral Reef Report Cards

coral reef report cards

Six Eastern Caribbean countries launch region’s first coral reef report cards

June 10th 2016-As activities regarding on World Ocean’s Day (June 8th 2016) continue, six Eastern Caribbean countries have marked their commitment to preserving the region’s extraordinary marine ecosystems by launching the first Eastern Caribbean coral reef report cards.
The six countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Each report card was created in collaboration with local government partners, including fisheries, forestry, marine resource and environmental departments, and non-governmental organizations.
Coral reefs are home to over 25 percent of all marine species, protect the shore from storms, and create tourism opportunities. Despite their economic and environmental importance, it is difficult to understand their health and status without searching through complex data or becoming a regular diver.
The Nature Conservancy combined existing data, collected by regional and international scientists, to create individual report cards for six countries. The report cards not only provide information on reefs, but also assess mangrove and seagrass habitats, as well as management strategies to improve these ecosystems. They are a concise, visual and easy-to- understand tool designed to be accessible for audiences from students up to the policy level.
All of the data and report card scores are also available at www.caribnode.org, an online mapping tool where users can surf through data and create maps based on their interests. This allows researchers and scientists to access and share data across the region.
Agnes Esprit, In-Country Project Coordinator in Dominica, where the launch of the report cards coincides with the opening ceremony for the Cabrits National Park Marine Reserve office says: “Having reliable data that is accessible allows community and resource officers to take actions that preserve our reefs and marine resources.”
The report cards were funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety as part of the Climate- Resilient Eastern Caribbean Marine Managed Areas Network (ECMMAN) project, which aims to build a regional network of marine managed areas.
Data indicates that many reefs within protected areas recorded more complex coral structures with higher numbers and varieties of fish species, which can help rejuvenate national fisheries resources.
Patricia  Kramer,  a  coral  reef  ecologist, who led the data synthesis and development of the ECMMAN Report Cards says:”Report cards are an effective communication tool to consistently track reef health; show the ability of fully protected areas to support more fish; and raise awareness on the importance of protecting coral reefs. ”
The report cards are modeled after the Healthy Reef Initiative’s report cards from the Mesoamerican region, which have been used as a tool to advocate for marine conservation for almost a decade.

Trade Mission to Martinique

Trade Mission to Martinique

OECS Service Providers Completes Trade Mission to Martinique

Castries, St. Lucia: June 10th , 2016 – OECS service providers in the areas of Engineering, Architecture, Music, Management Consulting and ICT completed a programme of engagements which culminated on June 2nd with a Trade in Service Mission to Martinique. The Caribbean Network of Services Coalition (CNSC), the OECS Commission and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Martinique, with funding received from the Caribbean Export Development Agency  coordinated the activities including the Mission to Martinique.
The Trade in Services Mission was a one-day event which brought together OECS service providers in the five emerging and transformational sectors above-referenced. The Trade Mission adopted the format of a series of Business to Business meetings and other networking opportunities. These encounters were principally aimed at strengthening business to business relations and exploring opportunities for investment, joint ventures and related business development among OECS service providers, including those based in Martinique.
CNSC President, Ms. Yvonne Agard says the Mission, warmly received by Martinique counterparts was noted to be extremely beneficial to those who participated in the exercise: “this proves to demonstrate the power of networking and the possibilities for joint action in expanding trade among OECS Member States at this juncture.”  Ms. Agard who is also the Executive Director of the St Lucia Coalition of Service Industries (SLCSI) highlighted the tremendous value of undertaking such a Mission and noted its importance in providing service providers with market access opportunities for their services: “the Trade in Service Mission gave us a useful platform for exploring how we can better access markets in Martinique for the services sector in the areas of focus at this time…..the services sector has emerged as being one of the lead sectors of our economies and therefore we must do everything within our power to reach markets and bring more meaningful benefits to our membership. The Coalition of Services together with the OECS Commission and with the support of the Caribbean Export Development Agency used this mission to leverage benefits from existing relations with Martinique as the newest member of the OECS.”
In advance of the Mission, the CNSC and the OECS Commission with the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Martinique held two one-day OECS webinars on Partnering in Trade and Services, as a prelude to the Mission.  This allowed participants to learn first-hand of the many nuances of the service sector market in Martinique and the complexities of doing business in a French-speaking overseas territory. It further afforded them the opportunity to identify potential partnerships that would facilitate market penetration and create a pathway for the joint pursuit of extra-regional prospects.
The Trade Mission began with a short opening ceremonyat the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Martinique, with remarks delivered by Mr. Mark Frampton, Honorary Consul of Dominica to Martinique, Ms. Yvonne Agard of the CNSC, Ms. Marie Noelle Catayee, Head of International Relations at the CCIM and Mr. Sobers Esprit, Business Development Officer, Creative Industries at the OECS Competitive Business Unit, OECS Commission.  The pervading theme highlighted across each presentation was the importance of synergies and the need to build stronger alliances.
Mr. Ashton Hewlett Fearon of Antigua and Barbuda served as the ICT sector representative on the Trade Mission, while Mr. Mc Carthy Marie of Dominica represented the music sector. Mr. Nigel Mitchell of Saint Lucia represented the Management Consulting sector and Mr. Augustin Poyette, also of Saint Lucia served as the representative for the Architecture subsector.  These sector representatives were led by Ms. Yvonne Agard, Executive Director of the Caribbean Network of Services Coalitions and President of the Saint Lucia Services Coalition and Mr. Sobers Esprit, of the OECS Commission. Accompanying the sector representatives were Ms. Brenda Carrott, Executive Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Coalition of Services Industries, Mr. Lester Riviere, Executive Director of Dominica Coalition of Services Industries, Mr. Kenrick Quashie of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Mr. Richard Ramdhanny of the Grenada Coalition of Services Industries and Ms Shekita Walcott of the Saint Lucia Services Coalition.
The Mission was regarded as successful, having achieved its objectives, affording participants the opportunity to discuss the current situation in their respective sectors, share information regarding challenges confronting the industry, and identify possible opportunities and avenues for joint partnership and formalization of associations.

HRWise launches Youth Development Program

HRWise - EDGE

Castries, 10 June, 2016 – HRWise is proud to launch E.D.G.E. (Empower.Discover.Grow.Excel) – a youth development program designed to equip young persons, ages 16-21, with the information and skills required to effectively transition from the school environment into the workplace.

The program includes a 3-week summer workshop, followed by 3-month internship opportunities for participants who are ready to join the workforce.
E.D.G.E. is aimed at providing coaching and guidance to young adults to improve the caliber of employees entering the workplace every year.  “Based on our experience in the HR field, we recognize that employers are generally unrealistic in their expectations related to school leavers.  We are expecting persons who have been in a school setting for the past 15 years or more to seamlessly transition into the workplace with no orientation” said Ms. Paul, Managing Director.  In the absence of formal orientation programs in most organizations, HRWise has decided to take action to address this issue, and bridge the existing gap.
E.D.G.E. is concerned with the holistic development of young adults and will cover a broad range of topics towards this end.  Interested individuals, as well as corporate citizens, are invited to partner with HRWise to make a meaningful impact on the social transformation of Saint Lucia’s future workforce.  Ms. Paul added “We are committed to this program because we are confident that it will give participants the EDGE to stand out and shine, as engaged new entrants in the workplace”.  The summer program starts 25 July 2016 and will be held annually.  Anyone interested in being part of this program can contact HRWise for more details at 758-458-4001 or info@hrwiseinc.com.
Website: www.hrwiseinc.com

Prime Minister to name Cabinet

St. Lucia Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet to name cabinet
Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Hon. Allen Chastanet

Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet is getting ready to formally reveal the composition of his Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday, June 14, 2016.

The declaration of the new Cabinet, members of which will take their oaths of allegiance on that day, will confirm the executive arm of the Government of Saint Lucia. The new executive will manage the affairs of the nation for the next five years, or until such time as the Prime Minister deems necessary.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place from 4:30 p.m. at the Phillip Marcellin Grounds, in Vieux Fort. To facilitate attendance, the Public Service will be closed at midday on that day. The general public is also invited and encouraged to witness the revelation of the new Cabinet of Ministers.
The elected Members of Parliament comprising the new majority include a former Prime Minister, seven other former Government Ministers, and three newcomers.

Wheelchairs from the Government of Japan

Wheelchairs from Japan

Ministry of Health Receives Wheelchairs from the Government of Japan

Belmopan. June 10, 2016.    The Government of Belize through the Ministry of Health received a donation of 30 wheelchairs from the Government of Japan at a symbolic handing over ceremony today in the City of Belmopan.
The Ministry of Health received 30 foldable wheelchairs which were given as a donation by the Government of Japan under its Non-Project Grant Aid for provision of Industrial Products FY 2014 for Belize. The wheelchairs will be distributed as needed to hospitals and clinics across the country.
The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room where representatives from the Embassy of Japan and the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs were present. Hon. Angel Campos, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, received the donation on behalf of the Government of Belize.
Wheelchairs from Japan

Diverse Abilities Hit a Number of 1sts

BAPDA

Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities Hit a Number of 1sts

The Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities (BAPDA) participated in the First Regional Seminar for Women Leaders with Diverse Abilities from 7-10 June in Havana, Cuba.  President Roxanne Marin and Manager Eva Middleton were invited to Cuba by President Mabel Ballesturos López and Legal Advisor Bernardo Borges of the Cuban Association of Persons with Physical Limitations (ACLIFIM). They were also supported by the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation.
BAPDA announced at the seminar that they had joined with the Belize Red Cross, the Cuban Red Cross and City Emergency Management Organization (CEMO) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to better assist persons with diverse abilities during times of emergency.
Representatives from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean met to identify best practices to safeguard the rights of persons with diverse abilities. They learned how to improve advocacy for the implementation of practical domestic laws for equal treatment under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Diverse Abilities. They also looked at ways to build social inclusion and awareness in families and communities, as well as ways of building confidence and self-esteem.
Another first was BAPDA’s inclusion as the 19th Member of the Latin American Network of Non-Governmental Organizations for Persons with Disabilities and their Families.
BAPDA uses this opportunity to call on all Belizeans to embrace, celebrate and make the most of our diversity.
BAPDA

Improving Competitiveness in Guyana

Guyana - SMEs

Improving Competitiveness in Guyana and Strengthening of SMEs to Increase Non-Traditional Exports

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has received a grant of USD 226,195 from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) towards the cost of improving competitiveness in Guyana and strengthening of small and micro enterprises (SMEs) to increase non-traditional exports. The grant is provided through the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Standby Facility for Capacity Building under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF).    The grant resources will be used to enhance the export-readiness of enterprises in creative industries particularly music and art and craft, as well as in agro-processing.  The project also seeks to build the capacity of business and trade support of business organisations to deliver value-added support services to the targeted industries.
CDB, through its funding, seeks to assist Guyana’s most export-ready enterprises operating in the identified industries to improve their business and production practices and product quality in line with the market requirements in the European Union (EU), CARIFORUM and French Caribbean Outermost Regions (FCORs)/Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) markets. Participating enterprises and musicians will receive assistance to identify specific “best bet” trade opportunities, particularly those made possible through the EPA.    Participants will receive assistance to develop Export Development Plans which will outline the strategy and actions required for them to successfully enter or deepen their penetration of the targeted markets.
“It is no secret that the industries that supported Guyana’s economy for so many years will not be able to do so much longer. It is therefore critical that other sectors are developed for commercial and most importantly, export led growth. This initiative seeks to support this imperative by better positioning enterprises to take advantage of trade and development opportunities to compete under the rules, regulations and reality of the Economic Partnership Agreement,” said Lance Hinds, Chairman, Trade & Investment Committee, GCCI.
The project is expected to develop and initiate implementation of approximately nineteen (19) Export Development Plans and three-year Export Development Strategies and Action Plans for the three industries.  The project will positively impact the quality of goods and services produced by participants as well as the capacity of firms to identify market opportunities and meet market demands in the EU, CARIFORUM and FCORs/OCTs.
Also, the supporting business organizations within each sector will receive training to enhance their capacity to use the marketing information and the results of the export-readiness assessment to lead the implementation of the three-year Export Development Strategy and Action Plan for their particular industry.
“The project aligns to CDB’s strategy to support initiatives focused on building competitiveness, innovation and entrepreneurship, among women and men and within SMEs. We do this by providing technical assistance to assess the production capacity of these enterprises, identify genuine market opportunities, and design and implement plans to take advantage of market opportunities,” said Edward Greene, Division Chief Technical Cooperation Division, CDB. “The EPA Standby Facility is an integral part of the Bank’s efforts to collaborate with our development partners to support inclusive growth and diversification of the economies of Borrowing Member countries.”
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has partnered with several other agencies and is currently collaborating with regional and international development partners to deliver services critical to the growth and development of Guyana’s private sector.
“Sustainable business growth is driven by access to training and other business support that provides the necessary skills required to fuel innovation. It is critical that businesses use this support to move towards larger scale, export ready enterprises focused on generating employment and growing revenues,” expressed Vishnu Doerga, President, GCCI.
The project has commenced and is expected to conclude on March 17, 2017.
The CARIFORUM-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) & the Caribbean Single Market & Economy (CSME) Standby Facility focuses on capacity building in the region.

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