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TRADEWATCH • The Official E-Newsletter of the Caribbean Export Development Agency • Vol. 2 No.11 November-December 2009 •

The Official E-Newsletter of the Caribbean Export Development Agency • Vol. 2 No. 11, Nov.-Dec. 2009

IN THIS ISSUE:• ENABLING ENVIRONMENT:

MRAs in focus: architects and accountants PAGE FOUR

• COMpETITIVENEss:

Grant assistance helps Automotive Art PAGE FIVE

Be brave, step out, advises survey PAGE SIX

• HANDs ON:

Tips for an effective website PAGE EIGHT

A busy year for Caribbean Export

The year 2009 has been a busy one for Ca-ribbean export Development agency (Carib-bean export). The implementation of Phase 2 of the european Union-funded 9th economic Development Fund (eDF) Caribbean Trade

and Private, Sector Development Programme (CTPSDP), recruitment of two new project staff members, the set-ting up of Caribbean export Councils in a number of Member States, and the hosting of a number of work-shops on the economic Partnership agreement (ePa) and Standards were some of the activities undertaken.

In addition, Caribbean export continued its coop-eration with the Caribbean association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC), Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) and Caribbean regional Organi-

TRADEWATCH

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From grant assistance to workshops on the EPA, the Agency has worked to help the region realise its true export potential

From the Management & Staff of

TRADE WATCH wishes to thank you our loyal subscribers for your readership and support in 2009 .

“On behalf of the Staff of Carib-bean Export, I wish to thank all of our readers for your support

and cooperation in 2009 and to wish you and your families a Truly Blessed and Happy Christ-mas Season and a Successful 2010.” - Philip Williams, Executive Director, Caribbean Export Development Agency.

Now Available

CARIBBEAN EXPORT ANNUAL REPORT, 2008

The annual report presents Caribbean export Develop-ment agency’s (Caribbean export) activities undertaken in 2008 and results achieved within the agency’s four broad objectives:• Fostering an enabling envi-ronment • Enhancing Competitiveness• Promoting Investment • Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Networking.

To obtain copies of this publication contact Cora Lowe at email [email protected] or download from our website www.carib-export.com. •TW


Above: Caribbean Export’s Kirk Brown (second from left) hosting the first of several work-shops on grant proposal writing held during the year.

TRADEWATCHTHE YEAR IN REVIEW

sation for Standards and Quality (CrOSQ) on a number of projects.

The year’s highlights included the following events or activities:

• Caribbean Export hosted grant pro-posal writing workshops in all CarIFO-rUM Member States during the year. The aim of the workshops was to provide Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMes) with information on how to pre-pare successful grant proposals with a view to increasing the number of grants being awarded to the various countries.

• In March 2009, Trade Facilitation Of-fice (TFO) Canada, in collaboration with the Caribbean export and the Caribbean Spa and Wellness association (C-SWa) organised a four-country visit to Barba-dos, Dominica, Dominican republic, and Saint Lucia. The objective was to con-sult with local service providers to gain a better understanding of the supply side of the health and wellness tourism sector and to determine some of the key ini-tiatives which will be required to further develop this rapidly growing industry.

• The 3rd Meeting of CARIFORUM Business Support organizations (BSOs)

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was held March 24-25 at the hotel Melia in Santo Domingo, Dominican repub-lic under the theme “remaining Com-petitive in a global Crisis.” The meet-ing, one of the most important events of the annual calendar of Caribbean export, provided an opportunity for networking among CarIFOrUM Busi-ness Support organisations and compa-nies in the key sectors of fashion, audio Visual, ICT and health and Wellness.

• With the aim of facilitating tech-nology transfer and joint investments, Caribbean export, in partnership with the regional Council of Guadeloupe, under the INTERREG Programme, hosted the economic Partnership

agreement (ePa) Seminar and CarI-

FOrUM/FCOr/OCT renewable energy Workshop & Mission to Guadeloupe on June 8-9. The renewable energy Mis-sion comprised 36 CARIFORUM partic-ipants and enabled interaction between legislators, producers and consumers of alternative energy with a view to ex-changing best practice ideas and arriving at a regional approach on the subject.

• Caribbean Export coordinated the Caribbean Pavilion at the 55th Summer International Fancy Food Show (FFS) in New York June 28-30. 17 companies from eight countries participated in the show along with representatives from three national trade promotion organi-zations.

Pictured from left at the China Caribbean Dialogue held in Barbados last August are Philip Williams, Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency; Head of the Delegation Mr. Songgen Dong, Vice Chairman of the CCPIT, Barbados’ Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. David Estwick; China’s Ambassador to Barbados, H.E. Quiang Wei; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bentley Gibbs; and Barbados Ambassador to China, Sir Lloyd Sandiford.

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• The CARICOM Secretariat’s current review of the rules of origin under the CSMe was one of the major issues dis-cussed at the workshop on the subject hosted by Caribbean export in associa-tion with the Trinidad and Tobago Manu-facturers association (TTMa) at the Ken Galt hall, Centre of excellence, Ma-coya, Trinidad and Tobago, on June 26.

• August 5 marked the historic sign-ing of an agreement of Co-operation be-tween Caribbean export and the China Council for the Promotion of Internation-al Trade (CCPIT), a relationship which promises increased business opportuni-ties for Caribbean exporters. Caribbean export also began working to promote CarIFOrUM as a single market to at-tract investment. This initiative is being spearheaded by Ms Dixie rampersad who recently joined Caribbean export as the Senior Investment Promotion ad-visor. During the month of September, Ms rampersad visited IPas in the Do-minican republic, Jamaica and Trinidad

• On September 23-25, Caribbean export in collaboration with the re-gional Council of Martinique hosted an economic Partnership agreement (ePa) Workshop and Business to Business Meetings in the area of cultural indus-tries in Martinique. In addition, Carib-bean export also signed a Cooperation agreement with the regional Council of Martinique titled “Invest Karaib”, which seeks to establish joint programmes to promote trade and investment between CarIFOrUM Member States and Marti-nique as well as to jointly organise pro-motional events in third countries.

• A four-million-euro project focuss-ing mainly on services exports was the subject of a two-day regional workshop on October 26-27, facilitated by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and hosted by the Caribbean export De-velopment agency (Caribbean export).

• Six companies from Barbados,

haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago participated in the 4th module of the International Trade Management (ITM) export Marketing Programme from Oc-tober 27-31 in Cannes, France and No-vember 1-5 in Lidköping, Sweden. The 1st module began in Barbados in May.

The team of regional designers, with the guidance of international design expert Patty Johnson, is providing de-sign assistance to over 50 companies from 9 member states to produce a combined export-ready product collec-tion. Two product development meet-ings of the team were held during the period under review, and the team also made a number of visits to the relevant companies for hands on design assist-ance. This new collection will now be launched at the International Contem-porary Furniture Fair scheduled for May 15-18, 2010, at the Jacob Javitz Centre in New York.•TW

Above: The Caribbean Pavilion at the International Fancy Food Show in New York last June.Left: A working group at the GTZ meeting.

Continued from previous page

At the EPA Workshop in Martinique: (From left) Jean-Marc Ruiz, Head of the Political, Economic and Trade Section of the European Commission’s

Delegation in the Dominican Republic; Philip Williams, Executive Director, Caribbean Export; and H.E. Andres Vanderhorst, Executive Director of the Dominican Competitiveness Council.

Pictured from left: Philip Williams, Executive Director of Caribbean Export, and right, Alfred Marie-Jeanne, head of the Regional Council of Martinique, sign the cooperation agreement “Invest Karaibe” in Martinique.


MRAs in focus: Architects and accountants

Caribbean export Development agency (Caribbean export) in partnership with the Trinidad and

Tobago Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI) held a workshop on internation-al trade and the importance that Mutual recognition agreements (Mras) have on the ability for professionals to offer these services in the international mar-ket. This workshop was part of TTSCI’s services week of and it focused on archi-tects and accountants.

The discussion with architects and ac-countants revealed that these two im-portant sectors are distinctly different in being recognized in the international market. Whereas architects will defi-nitely be required to negotiate Mras to get recognition to qualify to do business in the european Union (eU) and Cana-da, the accountants through the associ-ation of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Certified General Accounts association of Canada (CGa) already have significant access to these markets.

This sensitisation workshop, facilitat-ed by Lawrence Placide, Alternate Ne-gotiator for economic Partnership agree-ment (EPA) negotiations, was the first in a series of workshops that are targeted at sensitising services providers on this

aspect of international trade measures that are required for them to export their services internationally.

Caribbean export hosted similar work-shops in Jamaica, Barbados and Saint Lucia (for OeCS member states) in early December.

Meanwhile Caribbean export also organ-ised a meeting with the architects Council of Europe on November 19-20 to discuss - as required by the eU - CarIFOrUM ePa, the preparation of the Mra between Caribbean architects (represented by association of Commonwealth Societies of architects in the Caribbean (aCSaC), The Federation of Carib-bean association of architects (FCaa) and ar-

chitects from the Dominican republic represented through CEDARQ-FUNGLODE) and european architects (rep-resented by the architects Council of europe aCe).

a Memorandum of Under-standing (MOU) for Mutual recognition of Professional Qualifications was signed by the parties. The parties ex-pressed their intentions to:

• Establish the es-sential bases and

criteria for mutual recognition• Work towards determining the con-

ditions to be met for recognition in each jurisdictions and the level of equiva-lence to be agreed between the parties

• Exchange information on issues related to architectural education, training and practice to include the conditions of practice, codes of ethics and conduct in each jurisdiction

• Facilitate mobility of professionals, aca-demics and students between jurisdictions

• Provide mutual assistance and sup-port in understanding, developing and sus-taining appropriate regulatory frameworks as they affect the practice of architecture

• Coordinate their respective efforts with the relevant authorities and collaborate ac-tions that may be undertaken in applying for cooperation funding to assist in their efforts in the implementation of the Mras. •TW

TRADEWATCHENABLING ENVIRONMENT

The european Union (eU) has agreed to the lowering of tar-iffs on Latin american bananas

entering europe. The deal is expect-ed to cut the eU tariff faced by Latin American exporters to 114 euros per tonne, from the current 176 euro per tonne over a period of seven years.

The african, Caribbean and Pa-cific (ACP) countries have warned that the new accord with Latin america would severely impact upon their struggling economies.

as part of the agreement, europe has offered the ACP 190 million euro (283.6 million dollars) in so-called “ba-nana accompanying measures” to help growers adapt to harsher market con-ditions and compensate those forced out of business by the liberalisation.

But the aCP is insisting that 250 mil-lion euro (US $373.2 million dollars)

is the minimum needed and have also called for the cuts in banana tariffs to be linked to progress in the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations, which they hope could open up more market opportunities for aCP farmers.

On December 2, Trinidad and To-bago’s Trade Minister Mariano Browne, said that even though the Caribbean was willing to agree to the conclusion of this dispute, it was insisting that a package, carefully crafted among aCP, eU and the Most Favoured Nations (MFN) suppli-ers that addresses 62 agricultural prod-ucts, should be favourably taken up.

he said CarICOM considered this to be a final package and would therefore not accept any attempts to alter its provisions, in particular with respect to major CarICOM ex-port products, such as rum and sugar.

Second, he said, CarICOM was de-

manding that the eC-funded Banana accompanying Measures (BaM) should be at an appropriate level for the budget period 2010-2013. The CARICOM de-mand for financial compensation is also based on Para. 150 of the draft Agricul-ture modalities that calls for preference granting countries to provide adjustment measures to mitigate preference ero-sion in affected developing countries.

Mr. Browne said that the region wel-comed an eC review of the effectiveness of the BaM in addressing its objectives of facilitating competitiveness and diversi-fication, adding that. CARICOM saw the review clause as an opportunity to se-cure additional funding beyond the cur-rent eC budget cycle. however, he said, CarICOM was insisting that the review should be conducted by both the eC and aCP banana exporting countries.•TW

From left, Gary Turton, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Institute of Architects, Lawrence Placide, Alternate Nego-tiator (EPA) Negotiations and TTSCI’s President and Carlos Wharton, Caribbean Export, at the MRA workshop.

EU signs Banana agreement with Latin America


Grant assistance helps Automotive Art find its e-commerce “competitive legs”Automotive art is the one of the

Caribbean’s leading retailer of auto-Care products and serv-

ices. Launched in Barbados on a mod-est scale in 1990 by founding partners Dereck Foster and hugh Blades, it cur-rently services a network of 27 fran-chised stores and distributors in over 20 countries around the Caribbean re-gion, including Belize and Suriname.

automotive art describes itself as a “one-stop superstore and service cen-tre” offering a wide choice of qual-ity brands including accessories, bat-teries, car care products, paint and ancillaries, tools, tyres, wheels and the services to install them. The com-pany’s vision is to be the leading re-tailer of automotive enhancement prod-ucts and services to our customers.

But despite its success over the past twenty years, automotive art’s parent company, art holdings, is not taking the future for granted. having previous re-ceived grant assistance from Caribbean

export Development agency (Caribbean export), the company turned to the agen-cy once again recently, and received further assistance for two projects: trade show participation and marketing for art holdings; and e-commerce and web-site development for F&B automotive under the european Union (eU) fund-ed Direct assistance Grant Scheme..

In an interview with automotive art’s CeO Doug armstrong, Trade-Watch sought to understand better

the challenges facing the company in these two areas of export marketing, and how Caribbean export is helping.

In terms of the e-commerce initia-tive, Mr. armstrong said it was impor-tant because of the rapid growth of the company’s U.S. business. “We felt it was time to enhance our U.S. business model by developing an e-commerce interface for our growing customer base,” he told TradeWatch.

Mr. armstrong noted that, in con-trast to the Caribbean in general, “e-commerce is a way of life in the US,” and the company needed an e-com-merce presence “in order to relevant and competitive in that market.” au-tomotive art supplies the U.S. market through a network of jobbers, rather than through company-owned stores or franchisees, and so the e-commerce infrastructure has been built tailored on a business-to-business platform.

That platform will also help the com-

“We felt it was time to enhance our U.S. business model by de-veloping an e-commerce inter-face for our growing customer base,” he told TradeWatch.

TRADEWATCHCOMPETITIVENESS

CEO of Automotive Art Doug Armstrong is pictured above left, along with the stores in the Cayman Islands (top, middle), Guyana (top, right) and Jamaica (right), and an interior of the Welches, Barbados outlet.



pany to build efficiency into its order processing system at the U.S. distribu-tion hub, and in so doing reducing costs and improving customer service.

Mr. armstrong noted that the serv-er and software had been acquired, and the B2B e-commerce platform had been installed. It was now being tested with customers to get feedback and enhance the website prior to a full launch in about three to four months.

Mr armstrong said he learned of the Grant assistant Fund through an article in the press, and added that the assist-ance received has done a lot to help au-tomotive art move forward. “The fund has been a tremendous help. It provided us with the resources to jumpstart our project, and to acquire the hardware, software and consultancy resources we needed to get our ecommerce platform up and running sooner rather than later.”

Mr. armstrong noted that, as mid-sized businesses from small island de-veloping states like those in the region now found themselves competing with international corporate giants, “grants such as these can give us an edge in de-veloping our competitive legs in the con-text of the international marketplace.”

This is the second time automotive Art has been awarded a grant, the first being awarded from the eU funded eU-aCP Business assistance Scheme (eBaS) via Caribbean export in 2000. That first grant allowed Automotive Art to acquire the consultancy skills neces-sary to install the regional IT infrastruc-ture necessary to support its network of company-owned stores, franchisees and US operations. he said that while the company would have made this invest-ment on its own in order to realize its strategic goals, “grants such as these al-low companies to realize these goals in a much more timely and cost effective manner.”•TW

The Automotive Art store in Antigua.


RECENTLy-puBLIsHED CENTRE fOR THE promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) surveys of the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on developing countries (DCs) suggests that, in times of recession, successful companies often increase their market shares by using the slowdown to prepare themselves for the next upswing.

These companies continue to invest and do not cut back on research and development. They investigate new markets, improve processes, acquire certification, and try to get ahead of their competitors.

The survey, which was commissioned by Dutch Min-ister of Development Cooperation Bert Koenders, shows that, throughout all sectors, the crisis is causing a shake-out, with many small and medium-sized enterprises (sMEs) going down or struggling to remain standing.

Now, more than ever, exporting sMEs in developing countries should be brave and step out, the survey em-phasises. The top recommendations applicable to virtu-ally every sector and every export company include the following:

- Reduce costs;

Be brave and step out, says CBI survey on the impact of the recession


- Try to move ahead with your most ambitious plans;-focus on quality and, if necessary, implement a

recognised quality assurance scheme;-Concentrate on your two or three most profitable ex-

port products and improve them;-stick to a long-term strategy centred not merely on

survival, but on innovation and partnerships; -Accept smaller orders rather than hoping for large

ones and not getting any; -Identify new growth areas in your sector and decide

whether you should pursue them;-Try to avoid laying off employees as it will weaken

your company -Introduce energy-efficient production methods so as

to be less vulnerable to rising energy prices and decrease your own prices in the long term. •

ITM Export Marketing TrainingA sEVEN-MEMBER DELEGATION headed by Quentin Baldwin of Caribbean Export Development Agency par-ticipated in a two-week International Trade Marketing programme offered by ITM Worldwide and coordinated by Caribbean Export. This module was the fourth module in the programme.

Training sessions were held in Cannes, france in the last week of October and in Lidköping, sweden in the first week of November. Besides Mr. Baldwin, the delega-tion included Guirlene Cottin-Joseph and farah Woolley, Haiti; Tara Gaskin, Barbados; Burchell James, Jamaica; Anika McClean and Dr. Neil parsan, Trinidad and Tobago.

While in Cannes, the delegation participated in the 35th IATTO Conference. Caribbean Export has committed to hosting the 36th International Association of Trade Training Organisations (IATTO) forum in Barbados from October 27-30, 2010.

According to Hasse Karlsson of ITM, Jönköping In-ternational Business school is interested in cooperation with Cave Hill school of Business regarding research and as a partner for the new Master of Business and Trade for sMEs that will be developed together with ITM World-wide foundation.

One of the delegates, Tara Gaskin, had high praise for the programme: “As a representative of the Cave Hill school of Business-uWI, being a part of the programme was an amazing opportunity. The training was extremely intense. We had long days in the class room but we were

able to stay engaged because the knowledge shared was both timely and relevant, especially to sMEs looking to expand into the European market.”

Ms. Gaskin noted that the Caribbean now has a group of seven people from four countries that are trained to assist com-panies in trade management.

Another participant, Brian Linton of Garnet Technologies Inc., noted that European companies outsource a significant amount of their Information and Communication Technology business to companies outside of the European union (Eu), and given the education, skill set, experience and the signing of the Economic partnership Agreement (EpA) earlier this year, “it seems almost a no-brainer that regional ICT organizations would be well-poised to provide these businesses with the ser-vices that they require at a competitive price.”

However, he noted, participating in the ITM programme sponsored by Caribbean Export had made it clear that while this potential exists, realizing it would require more than an attractive website and “cheap” labour.

Modules 1-3 of the programme included training, indi-vidual export coaching and the development of business plans. The programme is designed for export managers, trainees and export assistance according to the needs of each profession. It also provides participants with access to lifelong learning, career and business contacts through a virtual learning voca-tional network.

2nd Caribbean Design Network Planning MeetingTHE CARIBBEAN ExpORT DEVELOpMENT AGENCy (Ca-ribbean Export) is hosting the 2nd meeting of the Caribbean Design Network (CDN) on December 9-10 in the Dominican Re-public. This meting is a follow up to the inaugural february 11-14

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Mission to WOMEX“Increased participation in Trade

Fairs” is one of the activities related to Caribbean export

Development agency’s goal of providing exposure for Caribbean music industry Business Support Organisations (BSOs).

In this regard the agency coordinated a delegation of Caribbean music indus-try representatives to World Music expo (Womex) 2009, held in Copenhagen, Denmark from October 26 to November 2. The delegation included representa-tives from Barbados, Belize, Domini-can republic, haiti, Jamaica and the Organisation of eastern caribbean States (OeCS)-(St Kitts), all of which are repre-sented in the Caribbean Music Indus-try Network Organisation (CaMINO).

according to Tonika Sealy, Caribbean export’s Senior Services advisor, “Partici-pation in Womex 2009 marked the first time there has ever been a Caribbean del-egation at a major music trade fair. There were over 2,700 delegates and 650 ex-hibiting companies from 92 countries.”

escipión Oliveira, Caribbean export’s Program Manager, in summing up the outcome of the european Commission Dialogue, one of the activities at the fair, said “the major issues raised was that


overseas acts. he said that the headache of navigating the visa rules was mak-ing it prohibitive for european booking agents to contract authentic Caribbean acts. Therefore, if a Caribbean–sound-ing act is available on home ground, promoters simply choose to work with them. as live music and touring is one of the greatest export opportunities in the current world music scene and a critical step for other forms of distribu-tion, this point was potent and received a resounding applause of support from the music industry representatives.

WOMeX is an international world music support and development project based in Berlin, whose main event is an exposition held annually in different lo-cations throughout europe. It integrates a trade fair, showcases, conferences, film market, networking sessions and awards.•TW

while a lot of attention is given to the benefits being offered through the Eco-nomic Partnership agreement (ePa) for cultural practitioners from the aCP re-gions, on the other hand, market access, mostly due to visa constraints, remains a problem to the point of being prohibitive.

The european panelist representing the roskiilde Festival in Denmark ham-mered home this point by showing how it was affecting the choices made by eU promoters and booking agents and, consequently, the earning potential of

Escipión Oliveira, Caribbean Export’s Program Manager (front row, second from left), and Tonika Sealy, Caribbean Export’s Senior Services Advisor (front row, right), with Caribbean delegates to WOMEX 2009.

WITH THE CLICK Of A MOusE, you can access the vast information resources of caribbean Ex-port Development Agency (Caribbean export) available at www.carib-export.com/obic.

There, you will find an up to date collection of over 2,500 documents including reports and publications and presentations, information relating to market access conditions, bilateral agreements, product/market information, sta-tistics, trade policy and standards.

classified by subject, author and title the collec-tion is accessible via our website.

Also on the website www.carib-export. com

is a number of databases namely the Caribbean Trade, Investment and Related Organisations which provides profiles of institutions in 20 caribbean countries including chambers of commerce, Manu-facturers’ Associations, investment promotion Agen-cies, trade promotion Organisations, Bureaux of standards, customs Departments, Regional Organi-sations and statistical Departments. The database of small and medium-sized enterprises (sMEs) in the following sectors is also now accessible – agro-processing (hot pepper, processed foods) creative in-dustries, health and wellness, furniture, handicraft, information and communications technology (ICT), and professional services. •TW

Caribbean Export online resources

While the Economic Partnership Agreement offers great benefits to Caribbean artists, Mr. Oliveira pointed out that market access, mostly due to visa constraints, remains a problem “to the point of being prohibitive.”

meeting in Jamaica. The objectives of the meeting are

to review the progress of formation of the National Design Networks; arrive at a shared view of the role of designers in promoting Caribbean design; opera-tionalise the website of the Caribbean Design Network (http://www.acutein-novation.com/CDI; and develop an ac-tion plan for “Design forum 2010.”

According to Veona Maloney, Man-ager Core services, Caribbean Export, “The mission of the CDN is to raise the aware-ness of importance of design as a tool for marketing the Caribbean and its products.

Approximately 30 participants from all CARIfORuM countries (except Guyana) will be represented at the meeting The participants are trained designers, design advisers, art consultants, university visual arts lecturers, representatives of Business support Organisations (BsOs), consultants and artisans and Caribbean Export staff.”

Addresses will be made by philip Wil-liams, Executive Director, Caribbean Ex-port; Jaime Moreno, Dominican Republic National Council of Competitiveness; and Marianne de Tolentino, Director National Gallery of Beaux Arts. participants will also undertake sites visits to yamasa and Hermanos Guillen Workshop. •TW

Continued from page 62nd Caribbean Design Network Planning Meeting


Choosing a domain nameDomain names are Internet addresses, and are com-

monly used to identify and find websites. Over time, domain names have come to constitute business identi-fiers, thereby coming into conflict with trademarks. It is important, therefore, to pick a domain name that is not the trademark of another company, or a well-known mark. But ideally, it should be distinctive enough also to be protectable under trademark law, because domain names can be protected as trademarks in some countries.

Building a websiteInformation architecture refers to the layout and or-

ganisation of information in a Web site and the extent to which the site has a consistent and logical structure that allows users to quickly identify key pieces of information. Because companies are often pressed for time, it is im-portant that Web sites present information in a way that allows Web users to readily identify topics of interest and find information of specific relevance. The use of head-ers, sidebars, and other conventional Web site layout techniques is highly recommended, as it allows for the logical categorization of information and ease of naviga-tion through the Web site.

Information architecture dimension covers three key themes:

• Web-friendly structure. Does the home page set up well on standard pC screens, or is extensive scrolling required to view information?

• Ease of navigation. Does the site use navigation bars and prompts? Is it easy to move from page to page?

• Web site functionality. Does the site provide sign-posts to key topics? Is it downloadable in an industry-standard time? Do graphics and links function as they should?

Design refers to the general appearance and readabil-ity of a site. The “look-and-feel” of the Web site is imme-diately noticed by users. Although users have different preferences for color and shape, a few characteristics that have implications for the overall usability of the site should be given careful consideration:

• Look and feel. Does the page have visual appeal? • Reading ease. Do the site’s choices of colour and

text support readability? Are font sizes consistent? Are headings short and Web friendly?

Content pertains to the relevance, accuracy, curren-cy, and accessibility of the site’s information. The con-tent dimension covers seven key themes which are very relevant to investment promotion agencies, as follows:

• Clarity of purpose. Does the Web site introduce the com-pany’s services for investors on the home page?

• Core information. Does the site contain key information for foreign businesses that is both relevant and useful?

• Sector information. Does the site provide sector-related information? Is that information consistent in depth and qual-ity across multiple sectors?

• Credibility of information. Does the site use statistics to support claims? Are the source and date of the statistics pro-vided? Are the sources credible?

• Currency of information. Is the information on the site up to date? Does the site include information on business events and product/service related news?

• Use of downloads. Can visitors download reports and presentations from the site? How comprehensive is this infor-mation?

• International accessibility. Is the site translated into other business languages in common use in the target mar-kets? Are the versions accurate and consistent in the level of information provided in each language?

Promotional effectiveness measures the extent to which the Web site is effective in its primary aim of selling the company’s services to prospective clients. The promotional effectiveness dimension covers five key themes:

• Branding. Does the home page include corporate brand-ing images or statements?

• Corporate roles and messages. Does the Web site clearly set out the role of the organization and the services it provides? Does it offer clear guidance on how to obtain further information and advice?

• Contact information. Does the site clearly present a range of contact options for site visitors?

• Promotional effectiveness for investment promotion agencies - Is the Web site selling the location to investors?

• Web prominence. Is it easy to find the site when search-ing the Internet?

Characteristics of best-practices Web sites • Quick downloads. Acceptable Web site download times

are getting shorter, as users have faster connections. Clients will not wait for slow downloads before moving on to the next Web site.

• Guaranteed uptime. Web site owners can and should demand 100 percent uptime from their Internet service provid-ers.

• Worldwide accessibility. Companies should test their sites on different Internet browsers and different platforms. They should invite users to contact them if they have trouble viewing pages.

• Hierarchical organisation of information. Informa-tion should be grouped according to key location factors or business interests, such as economic overview, priority sectors,

Every business realises the need to have its own web-site. In this edition, we look at ways your website can help you increase your market-

ing presence and help drive exports.

operating costs and infrastructure availability.• Finding home. Navigational bars on each Web page

should allow users to click back to familiar territory. for ex-ample: home, about us, contact us, or site map.

• Ease of reading. Text should be written in common in-ternational business languages and presented in a format that can be scanned and is appropriate for the Web. Texts should be short.

• Colour. Colours should be used to enhance the legibility of the text but should not be overpowering. Contrasting colours pose competing demands on users, so neutral colours are usu-ally safer in Web site design.

• Graphics. Well-designed and carefully positioned graphic elements are inviting, but graphics should be small to speed downloads.

• Navigational aids. Buttons and links should be well-designed and intuitive. Warn users of large file sizes and non-standard formats.

• Focus. Ensure that information meets the needs of users. The site should be client-focused and reflect knowledge of the end user’s needs. Investors are interested primarily in business conditions and the operating environment in the location. Information about the organisation or government should be confined to services offered to clients.

• Summaries. summarise the reasons why the location is suitable for investment.

• Comparisons. provide comparative data relating to key location factors to help companies evaluate locations.

Statistics. Marshal current statistics to support claims. Cite only reputable sources.

News. sections devoted to news and events should be cur-rent and of specific interest to business investors. Avoid news geared to general users or tourists.

Testimonials and case studies. If a major global com-pany has invested, this will be of interest to other investors, as it demonstrates that it is possible to conduct business there.

Downloadable fact sheets. Key information should be consolidated in convenient downloads, saving effort for the investor and reinforcing the Company’s role as information gatekeeper and promoter of the location.

Sector-specific information. sections on specific prior-ity sectors, industries, or business functions should accentu-ate market availability for potential customers. Information should be sufficient to inform the investor of the key capabili-ties and priority industries of the economy, with case studies or testimonials provided for individual sectors.

Contact information. List Company contacts prominent-ly. Name individuals with specific expertise and provide contact details for teams who work on particular sectors.

Promotional effectivenessFinding the site. The Web site must be easy to locate

on major search engines (Google, yahoo). It should be meta-tagged with these search engines and well linked to other sites so that the company’s site has prominent positions in search results.

Anticipating customers’ needs. Information should be tailored to investors’ needs. The location should be presented to show that it fulfills the investor’s requirements.

- Adapted from IPA PERFORMANCE REVIEW 2006 •TW

TRADEWATCHHANDS ON

Tips for an effective website


TRADEWATCHUSEFUL WEBSITES

AND PUBLICATIONS

Caribbean Export information resources

WTO ANNUAL REPORT 2009The new-look Annual Report 2009 of the World Trade

Organisation (WTO) is split into two main sections. The first is a brief summary of the organization and a review of 2008. The second section provides more in-depth in-formation illustrated with charts, tables and photos. The Report also features a personal message from the Direc-tor-General who reflects on 2008 and the challenges that lie ahead.

find out more at: http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/anrep09_e.htm

SPORT TOURISM ADRIENs announces the launching of their latest

book, sport Tourism, authored by peter Adrien. The book is the product of a five-year extensive research project funded by ADRIENs and the united Nations Development programme (uNDp). It was reviewed by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) .

The volume establishes the increasing importance of sport business, sport services export and sport tourism to the economies of the Caribbean. As part of the cultural industry, sport contributes considerably to infrastructur-al development, tourist arrivals, hotel occupancy, foreign exchange earning, and job creation.

for further information on the book, contact peter

Adrien, pO Box 1133, Basseterre, st Kitts, West Indies, Tel: +1(869) 465.1603, Cell: +1(869).668.9752, fax: +1(869).466.7831, Email: [email protected] , Web-site: http://www.goadriens.com

WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2010: DEVELOPMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

provides a comprehensive overview of the threat posed by climate change and how we should respond to it. It is essential reading and an invaluable reference for policymakers, scholars, development practitioners, and anyone interested in helping to shape the future of our planet.

for more information visit http://publications.world-bank.org/ecommerce/catalog/product-detail?product_id=9148591&cid=EXT_WBPubsAlerts_P_EXT

STRENGTHENING MULTILATERALISM: A MAPPING OF PROPOSALS ON WTO REFORM AND GLOBAL TRADE GOV-ERNANCE

A joint publication of the International Centre for

Trade and sustainable Development (ICTsD) and the Global Economic Governance programme, Oxford; by Carolyn Deere-Birkbeck and Catherine Monagle; with a foreword by Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz and Ambassador sergio Marchi; November 2009.`

starting from the premise that the WTO is an in-dispensible institution, the writers note that after an eighty-year history, the multilateral trading system faces many challenges and needs to be strengthened, espe-cially to respond to the priorities of its weakest members.

This report follows the authors’ earlier joint publica-tion Rebuilding Global Trade: proposals for a fairer, More sustainable future, a compilation of short essays on trade and global economic governance published in ad-vance of the G20’s London summit in early 2009.

European Commission overhauls its website for developing countries’ exporters

The Export Helpdesk has recently launched its re-vamped website http://exporthelp.europa.eu/index_en.html to facilitate market access from developing countries to the European union (Eu). Besides informa-tion on import tariffs, import requirements and trade statistics, the site now offers detailed information on the preferential arrangements in place between the Eu and developing countries. This is of particular interest for the Caribbean following the entry into force of the CARIfO-RuM- European Commission (EC) Economic partnership Agreement (EpA). Among the services provided are: Requirements and taxes; Import tariffs and other import measures; preferential arrangements; Trade statistics; Links; What’s New; and Contact.

since its launch in 2004, the number of visits to the Export Helpdesk has constantly increased. Its main visi-tors are in Latin America, followed by Asia, the Mediter-ranean countries, and the Africa Caribbean and pacific countries. The website is also widely used by European importers.

Explore the new site: http://exporthelp.europa.eu/index_en.html •TW

Editor’s note: Every issue of TradeWatch will highlight Caribbean Export’s publications, all of which are available on our website www.carib-export.com. Use this information to select the publication that is right for your business’ needs.

EXPANDING CARIBBEAN BUSINESS INTHE GLOBAL MARKETPLACEThis strategy document seeks to inform stakehold-ers of the current priorities and direction of the Agency and represents the first step in the process to develop a strategic plan for Caribbean Export. Readers are invited to read and provide feedback on this document.

REPORT ON THE GUIDELINES FOR TECHNICAL REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION MARKET FOR ARTISANAL PRODUCTSThis report was prepared for Caribbean designers and ar-tisans as part of the Onsite Caribbean 2 project, which is aimed at developing unique products using a merger of Caribbean-based design talent interfacing with artisanal producers. The report summarises legislative and non-legislative requirements and aims to familiarize small and medium enterprise (sMEs) of the market access re-quirements for the Eu market.

OVERVIEW OF THE CARIFORUM-EC ECONOMICPARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTThe publication provides information on the main provi-sions and operations of the CARIfORuM-European Com-munity (EC) partnership Agreement which was signed in

October 2008 and came into effect throughprovisional application in December, 2008.

MARKET BRIEF SERIESThe available titles in the Market Brief series are Handi-craft, speciality foods, furniture, Engineering services, Design services (fashion, Graphic, Interior Design, etc.), Management Consulting services and Health and Wellness services. The series provides opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises (sMEs) in the Ca-ribbean single Market and Economy (CsME) and is the result of a joint effort between Caribbean Export and Trade facilitation Office Canada.

To obtain copies of these publication contact Cora Lowe at Email [email protected] or download from our web-site www.carib-export.com. •TW

CARIBBEAN EXPORT PUBLICATIONS


Work continues to strengthen CARICOM Single MarketCARIBBEAN COMMuNITy (CARICOM) Member states continue to benefit from Component 100, one of the three substantive mechanisms of the CARICOM Trade and Competiveness project in the CARICOM Region (CTCp).

The project, which is funded by the Canadian Interna-tional Development Agency (CIDA), aims to standardise administrative practices under the CARICOM single Market and Economy (CsME). By year-end it would have been launched in a total of ten Member states with Guyana, Grenada, st Kitts and Nevis, st Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago being the latest group scheduled. The project will continue next year in the two remaining CsME Member states, Barbados and saint Lucia,

After each launch, a complete diagnostic and ana-lytical review of the Member state’s administrative sys-tems is conducted as well as a legislative review of the five single Market regimes - free Movement of Goods, free Movement of skilled Nationals, free Movement of services, free Movement of Capital and Right of Estab-lishment. In addition, technical action plans for reform of the Member state’s administrative systems, practices and procedures will be investigated.

Bahamas EPA offer acceptedMORE THAN ONE yEAR AfTER The Bahamas signed onto the Economic partnership Agreement (EpA), the Europe-an Commission has accepted the country’s services offer, according to Minister of state for finance Zhivargo Laing.

He told The Nassau Guardian that The Bahamas would be able to annex its offer to the completed agreement and therefore “preserve the essence of our National In-vestment policy to the satisfaction of the Bahamian pub-lic and also to the satisfaction of our European partners.”

Although The Bahamas signed the EpA in October 2008, it was only set to immediately begin enjoying ben-

efits on the export of goods until its services schedule is added to the agreement, which was to be concluded within six months of the signing. However, the European Commission had raised questions about The Bahamas’ services offer.

The Bahamian minister said the jobs of many Bahami-ans in the fishing and manufacturing industries depend on access to Europe’s markets at rates that are lower than in other parts of the world, and would now be able to ac-cess a larger market than had previously been available.

The EpA will progressively allow certain exports from the two regions to enter each other’s territories duty-free and quota free. It also defines how trade in services and investment can take place between the two regions.

New OECS TreatyTHE NEW TREATy Of THE ORGANIsATION of Eastern Caribbean states (OECs) will be signed in Basseterre, st Kitts and Nevis in December and will come into effect in June 2010, the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Basseterre , Grenada’s prime Minister Tillman Thomas has announced.

The draft treaty includes the process of removing barriers to trade between national markets in goods, services, movement of capital and labour forces, which will transform the islands into a single financial and economic space. Eleven sectors have been listed in the treaty for joint action. They include civil aviation, agricul-ture, tourism, education, environmental sustainability, marine, disaster response and telecommunications.

One of the measures contained in the new treaty is that British Overseas Territory Montserrat, one of the founding members of the OECs, will not have to nego-tiate its position within the establishment of the OECs Economic union.

“The OECs Economic Treaty is intended to further cement the integration of the member states, which include Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, st. Kitts and Nevis, st. Lucia, and st. Vincent and the Grenadines,” the Montserrat government said in a statement.

CARICOM Open for BusinessIN spITE Of THE GLOBAL economic downturn, the Ca-ribbean Community (CARICOM) has the capacity to be a dynamic location for foreign investment, says secretary-General of CARICOM Edwin Carrington.

Addressing 800 executives at Commonwealth Busi-ness forum in port of spain, Trinidad and Tobago, last month, Mr. Carrington said, “The current global eco-nomic and financial crisis has hit the region hard as re-gards commodity exports, for example bauxite, tourism, remittances and other activities.” However, he added, the situation could be turned into an opportunity to exploit the attractiveness of the CARICOM as an ideal region for doing business.

CARICOM Member states, the secretary-General pointed out, were open, market-driven economies, with significant natural resources and a stable political environment. High priority, he added, was given to the encouragement of private enterprise and foreign invest-ment, and Governments were positive to foreign invest-ments, especially those designed to make a contribution to the region’s economic and social development.

Among the bonds the region shared with the rest of the Commonwealth that would help to strengthen busi-ness cooperation with CARICOM, the secretary-General said, were similarities in language, legal systems and certain institutional arrangements.

“CARICOM Is open for business: That is the message I bring you and we in CARICOM are beckoning you to come on board. We are ready and waiting to welcome you.”

Region prepares for Round 2 of trade negotiations with CANADADIRECTOR-GENERAL Of THE OffICE of Trade Nego-tiations (OTN) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) secretariat, Ambassador Gail Mathurin, says the region is satisfied with the first round of the CARICOM/Canada Trade and Development Negotiations that ended in No-vember.

With regard to CARICOM’s interest in a strong develop-ment component within the agreement, the ambassa-dor said the region was seeking a “distinct, separate and discreet chapter” on development co-operation.

The new trade pact will replace the more than 20–year–old Caribbean–Canada Trade Agreement

TRADEWATCHCARICOM NEWS UPDATE

TRADEWATCHREADERS’ SURVEY

We really want to hear from you. Continuous improvement of Trade-Watch is only possible if we measure our performance on a regular basis. help us by completing this survey and returning to us by January 15, 2010.

We value and appreciate your feed-back. all responses will be treated in confidence and we will share with read-ers a summary of the survey results when we have completed our analysis. To

download a copy of the survey please visit http://www.caribexport.com/Site-Assets/Trade-Watch%20Survey%20rev1.doc or contact Cora Lowe at email: [email protected] you for your cooperation.•TW

Please take our survey



Caribbean export Development agency will be hosting the 1st annual Consultation of Invest-

ment Promotion agencies on Decem-ber 7-8, at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad.

Caribbean Export will use this opportu-nity to update the Investment Promotion Agencies on planned Investment Promo-tion objectives and activities for the pe-riod December to April 2010. According to Dixie Rampersad, Senior Investment Promotion Advisor, “The objectives of the proposed action is to sensitise all CAIPA membership on status of the Investment Promotion Initiatives and the role of Ca-ribbean Export in implementing these

initiatives, to gain acceptance and feed-back for the work programme initiatives, to discuss the governing structure of CAI-PA and to discuss the Investment Code.”

The initiative will also seek to reach agreement on the regional programme of investment promotion activities during the next six months: these should include specific research, training and promotion initiatives. •TW

CAIPA consultation in Trinidad TRADEWATCHBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

MARKET ACCESS ADVISER FOR SMES IN AGRI-BUSINESS AND LIGHT MANUFACTURING

This project aims to improve the competitiveness and viability of enterprises through increased market access to profitable and sustainable local and international product and service markets. It focuses on Market Ac-cess for sMEs and will show how sMEs can be supported to access new markets. It will target specific sectors, namely, agri-business and light manufacturing, and will undertake a comprehensive project aimed at embedding skills for this type of programme in BELTRAIDE and with selected other service providers.

Purpose of the project: To support BELTRAIDE in its efforts to maximise value creation by building the sustainability and competitiveness of sMEs in the agri-business and light manufacturing sectors, through improved access to profitable and sustainable local and international markets.

An expert with the following experience and qualifi-cations is sought:

Essential: Degree and post-graduate professional qualification in Marketing or Business Management;

Minimum of 10 years’ experience in designing, implementing and evaluating MsME development programmes at a national and regional level, includ-ing, market development, business development, and MsME finance. Demonstrable specific work experience in sectors such as agri-business and light manufacturing; Excellent communication skills – written reports, oral presentations and documentations; Experience in men-toring and training.

Applicants who are nationals of Commonwealth Member countries and who meet post criteria are invited to apply with a detailed CV including names and contact details of three referees and the personal History form to: Mrs puja sharma, HR (CfTC), Commonwealth secretariat, pall Mall, London sW1y 5Hx, united Kingdom, E-mail: [email protected], Tel: + 44 207 747 6531, fax: + 44 20 7747 6520

The application should be forwarded to the contact officer as an attachment to an email / by post / by fax.

TRIPLE D ENTERPRISES LTD. is interested in being a dis-tributor of your products in Barbados. Contact: Miss sher-ryann Weekes, Head purchasing Officer, Triple D Enterprises, Mapp Hill, st. Michael, Barbados, Tel. +1(246)436-1560/2, fax.+1(246) 436-1563, Email: [email protected], Website: www.tripledenterprises.org

WANTED: CARIBBEAN FRUITCompany is interested in importing wholesale quantities of fruit from the Caribbean.

please contact Rick Bagel, Owner/Manager - Wetrock Re-sources, LLC, 714 Ninth street, Durham, NC 27705, Tel: (919) 794-1369, Email: [email protected] •TW

TRADEWATCHINVESTMENT PROMOTION

(CARIBCAN), which has since been ruled out of sync with World Trade Organisation rules.

Currently, trade and economic co-operation relations between CARICOM and Canada are covered under a num-ber of instruments, including the 1979 CARICOM-Canada Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement and its pro-tocols, including the 1998 protocol on Rum, and CARIB-CAN, which grants unilateral duty free access to eligible goods from beneficiary countries in the English-speaking Caribbean up to 2011.

Meanwhile, Canada says it is committed to negotiating a “beneficial trade agreement” with CARICOM. “for CARI-COM, a prospective trade deal would permanently lock in duty–free market access for goods currently provided through Canada´s Caribcan programme and expand CARICOM´s market access for other products,” Doug Hol-land, economic relations counsellor at the Canadian High Commission in Barbados. “It would also expand access to Canada for CARICOM service providers and investors.”

Canada, the largest single country donor to the region, has committed C$600 million over 10 years to the Carib-bean through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), as well as C$555 million over five years to Haiti. Two-way merchandise trade between CARICOM and Canada averaged more than us$700 million over the

last 10 years with a surplus averaging more than us$60 million in the region’s favour.

CARICOM unveils climatechange strategy THE CARIBBEAN COMMuNITy (CARICOM) secretariat in November, unveiled a campaign to promote the region’s collective position on climate change.

underpinned by the theme “1.5°C to stay Alive”, the campaign is intended to support and dramatize a com-mon regional approach for mitigating the effects of climate change on the region, which it articulated at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference in November and also at the 15th Conference of parties (COp15) of the united Nations framework C onvention on Climate Change (uNfCCC) held December 7-18 in Copen-hagen, Denmark.

CARICOM secretary-General Edwin Carrington said a rise in global average temperatures of 1.5°C would have devastating effects on the region, among which, he said, would be significant destruction of coral reefs, coastal barriers, and marine ecosystems, as well as excessive flooding and more intense hurricanes.

The strategy includes a digital display to vividly il-lustrate the harmful effects of rising green house gases on the small island states; a documentary entitled, “The Burning Agenda: The Climate Change Crisis in the Caribbean”; and several video presentations on the how climate change has been affecting human, animal and plant life within the region. •TW

TRADEWATCHCARICOM NEWS UPDATE


READERS’COMMENTSVery informative issue. Our interest is

mainly in developing winning business plans to take advantage of development financial and technical assistance from regional and international institutions. - Annie Dyer-Howe

Very informative, relevant and easy to di-gest. Keep it up. - Sonia Beaton, FirstCarib-

bean International Bank Thank you so much for your recent is-

sue of Tradewatch 2009. We do appreciate receiving this Newsletter and usually place the monthly issues on our intranet. Thank you for keeping our records up to date.

- Pamela Das, Documentation Assistant, CARICOM Secretariat •TW


ON THuRsDAy, NOV. 26, president Bar-roso confirmed to the president of the Eu-ropean parliament his decision to appoint Commissioner Benita ferrero-Waldner to take over the trade policy portfolio with effect from December 1, 2009.

Commissioner ferrero-Waldner will serve as Commissioner for Trade until the beginning of the mandate of the next Commission. During this period she will continue to be responsible for the Euro-pean Neighbourhood policy and for the operations of Europ Aid – Cooperation Office (Aidco).

The new trade commissioner was appointed two weeks after it was an-

nounced that Lord Baronness Catherine Ashton of upholland, formerly head of the uK’s House of Lords, had been cho-sen to become the European union’s first High Representative of foreign Affairs and security policy. she is expected to be officially confirmed in her new post in early 2010. In the meantime, she will serve as the Eu’s ‘acting’ foreign affairs representative.

Ashton was appointed to the Eu’s top trade post in October 2008 when the pre-vious trade commissioner, the uK’s peter Mandelson, was called back to London to serve as a member of the cabinet of prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The Eu and Korea have initialled a free trade agreement (fTA) that is said to be the most important ever negotiated be-tween the European union and a third country. The deal, estimated to be worth up to EuR 19 billion in new trade for Eu exporters, will remove virtually all tariffs between the two economies, as well as

many non-tariff barriers. It will also create new market access

in services and investment and makes major advances in areas such as intellec-tual property, procurement, competition policy and trade and sustainable devel-opment. •TW

Ferrero-Waldner is new EU Trade Commissioner

EU and South Korea initial trade agreement

radeTwatch

TRADE NEWS UPDATEWATCH

We are very interested in your feedback. please email your comments to: [email protected] material copyright © 2009 Caribbean Export

Tradewatch is a publication of the Caribbean Export Development Agency Head Of-fice: Mutual Building, Hastings Main Road, Christ Church, BB15154, p.O. Box 34B, Brittons Hill post Office, st. Michael, BB14000, BARBA-DOs Tel: +1(246) 436-0578 fax: (246) 436-9999 E-mail: [email protected]

sub Regional Office: Calle Carlos Lora No. 9, Ensanche Los Restaura-dores, santo Domingo, DOMINICAN REpuBLICTel: +1 (809) 531-2411 fax: +1 (809) 473-7532 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.carib-export.com

CARIBBEAN EXPORT’S KEY RESULT AREAS AND GOALS• Fostering an enabling environment – for trade and investment within the region through regional integration, cooperation and advocacy initiatives designed to position the region more effectively in the world economy. • Enhancing Competitiveness - Increase the competitiveness of firms in CARIfORuM countries in selected sectors through invest-ment, management and product develop-ment, market expansion and export diversi-fication.• Promoting Investment - promote the Ca-ribbean region as a prime destination for intra and extra-regional investment. • Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Networking - Enhance the capacity of public and private sector BsOs, particularly sector associations, trade promotion organisa-tions and investment promotion agencies, and support the development of vibrant Caribbean business networks to improve services to cli-ents. • TW

radeTwatchABOUT USWATCH

TradeWatch is made possible through the kind support of the European union.

DECEMBERCaribbean Export steering Committee MeetingDecember 16, 2009Bridgetown, BARBADOsEmail: [email protected]

23rd Caribbean Export Boardof Directors MeetingDecember 17, 2009Bridgetown, BARBADOsEmail: [email protected]

JANuARy, 2010MIDEM Cannes 2010January 24 – 27, 2010fRANCE

Haiti Private Sector Business Forum(hosted by the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the CARICOM secretariat (CCs) and the Haitian public/private sector)January 25 – 26, 2010Hotel Karibe, port-au-prince, HAITIfor further information contact:Ms. Courtney Lindsay, Trade policy OfficerCaribbean Association of Industry and Com-merce (CAIC)Tel: (868) 628-9859 or (868) 622-6761 ext. 28fax: (868) 622-7810Email: [email protected]

FEBRUARY 2010AgroFest 2010february 26 –28, 2010Queen’s park, Bridgetown, BARBADOsproduced by: The Barbados Agricultural society, The Grotto, Beckles Rd., st. Michael, BARBADOsContact: James paulTel: (246) 436-6683/84 fax: (246) 435-0651

Email: [email protected]

MAy, 2010Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) 2010May 19 – 22, 2010, The Hyatt Regency, port of spain, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGOfor more information contact: Richard RubliTIC sales Co-ordinatorTrinidad & Tobago Manufacturers’ Assoc., TTMA Building, 2nd floor, 42 Tenth AvenueBarataria, TrinidadTel: (868) 675-8862, ext 247Cell: (868) 712-3094fax: (868) 675-9000Email: [email protected]@gmail.comWebsite: www.tic-tt.comskype: trade.investment.convention

EXPO Jamaica 2010June 17 – 20, 2010The National Arena, Kingston, JAMAICABrought to you by the JMA and JEA in partnership with JTIfor further information please contact:Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association Ltd.Tel: +1(876) 922-8880-2/922-8869fax: +1(876) 922-9205Email: [email protected]: www.jma.com.jmJamaica Trade & Invest (JTI/JAMpRO)Tel: +1(876) 978 7755/3337fax: +1(876) 946-0090Email: [email protected] www.jamaicatradeandinvest.orgJamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA)Tel: +1(876) 968 5812fax: +1(876) 960-9869Email: [email protected]: www.exportjamaica.org

OTHER EVENTS7th Edition GULF MARITIMEDecember 14 – 16, 2009Expo Centre, sharjah, p. O. Box 3222sharjah, uNITED ARAB EMIRATEsTel: +971 (6) 5770000fax: 971 (6) 5770111Email: [email protected]: www.gulfmaritime.ae • TW

radeTwatch

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