Established October 1895 Growth seen in manufacturing Page 6 Friday November 29, 2013 $2 VAT Inclusive STAND ON YOUR OWN By Patricia Thangaraj back to the days when the Caribbean had is a situation where we are operating in a the Radisson Aquatica Resort,Gomez said special market access for goods such as globally competitive environment where that the time has come for business CARIBBEAN businessmen and bananas. we no longer have the ability to take a persons to start thinking about how they women need to get rid of the “I think that unfortunately for the product of any quality to market and still can enhance their product or service so preferential markets mindset. Caribbean we have taken way too long to receive a premium price on it.” that it stands on its own merits instead of This is the belief of Manager,Trade and transition out of the period and area when In an interview with The Barbados simply relying on finding ways of getting Export Development at Caribbean Export, the preferential market access dominated Advocate at a recent training workshop preferential market access. David Gomez,who said that some business our access into foreign and export markets. on ‘The Use of Intellectual Property as a persons in the region are still longing to go What we do find ourselves faced with now tool for Business/Export Enhancement’ at STAND on Page 3 Writers deserve more recognition THE contribution of Barbadian writers to the development of this country is often overlooked, in favour of other well recognised cultural practitioners. This was the view expressed by Senator Harcourt Husbands, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, as he spoke at an Official Book Launch Ceremony to celebrate the work of author Dr. Dan Carter, who wrote “The Story of Society Primary” to capture the prestigious history of the school, which was the first elementary school in Barbados for Blacks. Speaking directly to the work of Dr. Dan Carter,Senator Husbands, himself a former teacher, noted that it was during a recent debate of the Cultural Industries Bill in the Senate that he predicted that there would be an explosion of talent in the literary field, with a number of writers coming to the fore. Already, he said, there are numerous local writers who have made a mark on history’s page and the quality of their contributions cannot be overlooked in favour of musicians, artists and other cultural practitioners. “I also made the point that the contribution of our writers is overlooked and musicians, especially calypsonians (garner) the lion share of the public’s attention. At that time I noted a number of individual writers whose work I said had impressed me.I mentioned “Whispers of Peace to My Soul” by Ralph Thorne; “Listen to the Hills” by Cynthia Wilson; “The Shuffler’s Tale” by Sir Carlise Burton; “Eye Witness to Order and Disorder” by Harold Hoyte; “The Encyclopedia of Reggae” by Michael Alleyne; “Bengal to Barbados” by Sabir INDEPENDENT WOMEN: Women Entrepreneurs of Barbados’ (WEB) Technical Advisor, Undine Whittaker ad- Nakhuda and Andrea Stuart’s “Sugar in mires the wide range of items on display by WEB member Leona Lampkin of Caesar L.L Variety in time for Independence the Blood”, Husbands pointed out. Day tomorrow. The group transformed the Chamberlain Bridge in the City with a showcase of items during an event yester- day which was supported by the National Cultural Foundation and the Barbados Tourism Authority. (See Page 5) RECOGNITION on Page 7 2 • Friday November 29, 2013 The Barbados Advocate The Barbados Advocate Friday November 29, 2013 • 3 Clear strategy important New COB By Patricia Thangaraj BUSINESSMEN and business- branch women must have a comprehen- sive, defined strategy for how they plan to move their products into the international markets. by 2014 This is according to Manager, Trade and Export Development at Caribbean Export, David Gomez, who spoke to the THE City of Bridgetown (COB) Co- Barbados Advocate yesterday dur- operative Credit Union Ltd. will have ing a break of the Training Workshop a new branch by the first quarter of on ‘The Use of Intellectual Property as 2014. a tool for Business/Export Enhance- This was revealed by President, ment’ at the Radisson Aquatica Resort. Christopher Oliver, during an inter- He said that unfortunately, a lot of view with the press yesterday at the persons have not yet fully developed unveiling of the wall dedicated to their a strategy for their business and the 30 founding members. products that they produce. These per- He said that this branch is neces- sons also need to comprehend how the sary as their current two branches market works and develop an export have outgrown their over 53 000 mem- plan that meets these criteria. bers and therefore, they need more “First and foremost, you must have a branches on board to accommodate this clear strategy.A lot of companies don’t growing membership. have that. A lot of products don’t have Although he did not want to expand that. You must understand what your on this as yet, he stated that it would export plan is and then you must un- be located in the southern part of the derstand the market demands for the island since most of the population product or service you are trying to lives in that area and there would be sell, so the competitive intelligence is ample parking for customers. going to be critical. If you have all of He said that customers could expect those factors laid out, then you can be the same level of high quality service very creative in our own strategies and at those branches that they receive at how you go to market. That would be the current branches of COB. There your business secrets.” will also be significant benefits for He said that it is also about creating current employees, some of whom will a particular experience that is related be promoted, as they will need persons to your product, so that customers to head up these new branches. know that every time they use your Chief Executive Officer, Steve Belle, product, they would get the exact same expanded on this, stating that they experience. have always been a credit union that “That depends on the ability to bring has abided by the fact that they quality products to market. You must wanted to provide the same opportuni- create an experience and once you have ties for those who are less fortunate to created an experience and you have Manager, Trade and Export Development, Caribbean Export, David Gomez, ensure that they were also able to seek created a demand for that product, speaking at the Training Workshop on ‘The Use of Intellectual Property as a tool out and receive financing, so that they then you can leverage that further.” for Business/Export Enhancement’ at the Radisson Aquatica Resort yesterday. too could pursue their goals. Furthermore, these regional “When you look at our logo, you see businessmen and businesswomen us to grow the exports based on the the respective languages of the country a bridge and that is a testimony of also have to start looking at other composition of our export baskets.” – in this case Spanish and Portuguese something that has happened in the countries that they can export their He suggested that countries like respectively – that you are planning to past and our vision for the future and products and services to aside from the Mexico and Brazil would be viable op- export to. we see it as bridging the gap between traditional markets of North America tions, but then persons would need to However, persons must not think of the haves and the have-nots in terms and Europe. think about the extra things that they this as an added expense. “That is all of financially, bridging the gap between “We have to start looking at non- would have to do if they are going to a part of being in the international those who want to achieve their traditional markets for exports. Which export their products to these coun- market. It is not an added cost of busi- dreams of owning their own homes, ones present the best opportunities for tries. This would include labelling in ness, it is a part of doing business.” owning their own businesses and ulti- mately, bridging the gap between those institutions that have traditionally operated in Barbados.” Gomez: Caribbean people He said that they also see themselves as being the “go-to” organisation that every Barbadian would want to join regardless of their socio-economic must understand their products background and not just for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of their STAND from Page 1 competitive and are of the very highest with any other product onto the market. children. that the Caribbean can produce,” he If we are making cheese, are there any Oliver added that this would merely “What we must be able to do now is to explained. particular types of wines also coming be a continuation of the membership trade on the merits of the quality of our Gomez said that one of the ways that out of the region that we can say that that they have already attracted. own products and services. I think what this can be accomplished is by finding this is our wine and cheese tasting that “City of Bridgetown is the largest happens then is that we must find a creative ways to develop one’s product, gives you an experience? If we are pro- community-based credit union in way to move away from believing that so that customers get a different expe- ducing shoes, what are those shoes best Barbados.