St. Lucia Business Focus 54 by AMS St. Lucia

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No. 54

Nov/Dec 2010

Contents

FEATURES Cover Story

51. Home Improvement Investment: Investing in Your Abode

REGULARS Editor’s Focus

04. Remaining Resilient In Recession

06. Business Briefs Business Tech

10. iPhone Or Blackberry? 12. Counterfeit Software: The Down sides 13. lenovo Technology Briefing

Money Matters

14. BoSL’s RRIA – The Ideal Gift For You 16. Doing More With Less 18. Scotiabank Expands It’s Global Platforms 20. CDB Receives Top Rating 22. 8th Annual OECS Credit Union Conf.

Profile Focus

24. APC Frances Henry: Facing The Challenges Head On 26. 25 Years Of The ARC

In The Know

28. St. Lucia Remains A Leading Cruise Destination 30. CMEx 19th Conf. Ends On A High Note 32. The CARICOM – Brazil Connection 36. CLICO-Caught in the US Meltdown 38. Digicel Business Forum 40. Metricating Your Business

EXTRAS

Business Spotlight

42. gl foodmarket: Changing The Food Retiling Landscape 44. Synergies That Succeed 46. Sentinel Security: Leading The Way 48. St. Lucia’s Growing Northern Urbanisation

Financial Focus

74. The Credit Union Advantage 78. Questions Every CEO Should Ask 80. Importance Of Market Research 81. JQ Introduces Meineke To The Caribbean

Professional Focus

82. Preparing Yourself For Success 83. Get Your Life Back

The Tourism Axis

84. St. Lucia Wins At Taste Of The Caribbean 2010 85. Alva Preville: Caribbean Bar Tender Of The Year 86. Small Hotels Retreat: A Success 86. British Cabbies Cruise And Push St. Lucia 87. Tourism Arrival Statistics 2010

Bizz Buzz

88. Mix & Mingle: The Chamber Unveils DECBO

Health & Wellness

89. The 4-1-1 on Dengue Fever 90. Events 2010/2011 91. Major Moves 94. New Company Registrations

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Nov / Dec 2010

EDITOR’S FOCUS

BUSINESSFOCUS Business Focus magazine is published every two months by Advertising & Marketing Services Limited (AMS), Saint Lucia. Publisher / Managing Editor Lokesh Singh Editor: Christy Recaii Graphic Designers: Donald Brower Advertising Sales: Cennette Flavien Webmaster: Advertising & Marketing Services Photography: Video Ventures | Advertising & Marketing Services Clare Pengelly | Tim Wright | SLASPA | SLHTA Royal St. Lucia Police Force

Remaining Resilient In Recession As Albert Einstein once said, ‘In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.’

here is no argument that living through a recession is a difficult situation; what costs get chosen over another due to budget constraints and maximizing business resources become difficult decisions to make, to keep the economic machine running and turning out production. Therefore doing business in today’s economy requires a steady hand, a sharp eye and most of all, a focused mind. In this issue, Business Focus continues to celebrate success stories of businesses moving forward and by extension celebrating the opportunities in a difficult time. Though the recession is still on, their success stories continue to inspire as remaining hopeful, and pressing on become more and more psychologically valuable, when conducting business. The year 2010 is coming to a close, and the holiday season is when persons look forward to investing in their homes. For centuries, a home has been a reliable, solid investment and while it may not earn interest, the price appreciation from renovations, could more than make up for the lack of tangible interest. Our Feature on Home Improvement Investment is inspired by the holiday spirit, as there is an emphasis on the home for entertaining friends and family or hosting guests around this time – when ties are loosened, and feet are kicked up to enjoy the fruits of labour of the year gone by. From interior home improvements and remodeling, maintaining the exterior of the home to improve functionality and efficiency as well as curbside appeal, in a difficult economy, investing in your abode is by all means a solid one. How bad a recession is, is a matter of perspective. While the majority of members of the business community have felt the economic squeeze, some may argue that the spiral has plateaued at a low point and not increasingly worsening, may actually be an encouraging sign. Surviving a recession is about perseverance through various strategies – older companies re-brand, new companies form and others merge – as the landscape continues to evolve. These shifts are more encouraging and hopeful signs that the St. Lucian and Caribbean business community are surviving the recession storm. As you take advantage of the wide range of consumer choice during holiday shopping this year, have a safe season and happy holidays!

Enjoy the issue! BusinessFocus

Nov / Dec 2010

Christy Recaii christy.recaii@amsstlucia.com

Editorial, Advertising, Design & Production: Advertising & Marketing Services P.O. Box 2003, Castries, Saint Lucia Tel: (758) 453-1149; Fax: (758) 453-1290 email: ams@candw.lc www.amsstlucia.com, www.stluciafocus.com Business Focus welcomes contributions from professionals or writers in specialized fields or areas of interest. Reproduction of any material contained herein without written approval, constitutes a violation of copyright. Business Focus reserves the right to determine the content of the publication.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

No. 54

News In Focus

next twelve (12) months. All formalities of the acquisition are expected to be finalized by 31st October 2010. ECFH remains adequately capitalized and continues to generate steady returns to its shareholders despite the economic downturn. The market price of ECFH shares has remained stable and is currently $13.80 per share.

ECFH’s Group Managing Director Mr. Robert Norstrom

ECFH ACQUIRES NCB Saint Vincent

The East Caribbean Financial Holding Limited (ECFH) of Saint Lucia, has reached an agreement with the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, sole shareholder of the National Commercial Bank (SVG) Limited on the privatization of the Bank. This followed the invitation by the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to ECFH to consider acquiring an interest in the state owned bank. In pursuance of the Group’s vision of regional expansion, and in support of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s (ECCB) efforts at strengthening the banking system through mergers and alliances, ECFH was pleased to accept the invitation. ECFH’s Group Managing Director, Robert Norstrom, confirmed that the Group continues to explore all opportunities to grow its business. He further stated that the strong foundation built in recent years, based on effective corporate governance and sound business principles and practice, provides the Group with a solid base for profitable growth as the region slowly comes out of recession. The agreement will see ECFH holding majority ownership interest of 51%. The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will retain the balance of shares (49%), with the intention of divesting an additional 29% of their shares to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Insurance Service (NIS), citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including bank staff and citizens of the region within the BusinessFocus

Nov / Dec 2010

CLICO General Insurance new owner Bernie Weatherhead

CLICO General Gets A Buyer

The Barbados Nation reported in early September 2010, that an offer by the Weatherhead Group of Companies, headed by Bernie Weatherhead, to purchase CLICO General Insurance has been accepted by CLICO Holdings Limited. Weatherhead, who owns several tourism-related businesses, confirmed that CLICO Holdings had accepted his bid to purchase the insurance company. Among the businesses in the Weatherhead Group are Sugar Cane Club and Spa, Worthing Court Hotel, Going Places, Johnson Stables, Worthing Court Hotel, DriveA-Matic, Adventureland, I-Mart, Tropical Wedding, Sunset Crest Service Limited and Sun Tours. Weatherhead said, “We’ve been a CLICO agent for many years, and all our companies have been insured with CLICO General. Over the years we’ve also built up a relationship with the management and staff and have been active as an agent in building a relationship with the reinsurers of CLICO. This was an important part to our decision.” CLICO General Insurance is described by Weatherhead as a sound company that has performed well in settling claims and meeting their regulatory requirements. “I have a knowledge of their operations. CLICO was the first insurance company to fly into Grenada after Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Their settlement of claims was un-

believably quick. The company has great clients, and I have confidence in the staff,” he said. Weatherhead added that the insurance company would widen his base by the addition of offices in every island. “We are going to pay attention to the insurance company in the islands – as we see this as a potential growth area – and in Barbados, the head office. We will do everything possible to recapture the good clients who, because of uncertainties, had taken their business elsewhere. We appointed the company Ecklers of Canada to do due diligence and so far we are comfortable with the viability and stability of the company.” he further said. Weatherhead added, “It is our intention to maintain the staff complement, and we will embark on a major marketing thrust aimed at restoring faith in the hearts of people that were with CLICO General.” The new company will be backed by Willis, the second largest reinsurance broker in the world. It is also confirmed that Going Places, one of Weatherhead’s companies, purchased long-standing travel agency St James Travel, bringing their number of locally [Barbadian] owned travel agencies to six. Going Places also has travel agencies in The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Antigua, St. Vincent and Trinidad, as well as St. Lucia.

Dona Regis SLASPA’s Director of Marketing

SLASPA Launches A Radio Talk Show

The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) has launched its very own Radio Talk show called “Port Call”. The first show aired on Wednesday 13th October and will be aired on the first Wednesday of every month on Radio St. Lucia at 8:30am. Port Call airs during Radio St. Lucia’s popular “Agenda” programme hosted by Dave Samuel and co-hosted by SLASPA’s

BUSINESS BRIEFS News In Focus Director of Marketing and Product Development, Dona Regis. Complementing the organisation’s other public relations activities, Port Call’s content features interesting facts about the Island’s ports of entry, provide tips for accessing and using the airports, seaport or ferry terminal, profiles on SLASPA’s executives and other industry partners who play a major role at St. Lucia’s Airports and Seaports. “St. Lucia’s Airports and Seaports continue to be a critical link for access to the global marketplace. Effective communication to our customers, the media, Government, trading partners and the general public is essential to our future success as the agency responsible for the island’s ports of entry. Port Call is one of the avenues that we plan to use to enhance public appreciation of what we do as a Port Authority and increase the understanding of the Port’s contribution to the local economy and the quality of life of every St. Lucian,” said Ms. Dona Regis, Director of Marketing and Product Development.

LIME to launch in Dominican Republic

LIME Caribbean has announced the planned installation of a new undersea cable system linking the western Caribbean, Jamaica & Cayman Islands, to the Dominican Republic, a key market in the region, before landing in the east in the British Virgin Islands. The new “East-West” cable, as it has been named, will deliver increased regional and international capacity, in addition to furnishing an additional route to serve LIME’s carrier customers in North and Latin America. Commercial operations are expected to start by early 2011. The landing of LIME’s East-West cable in the Dominican Republic positions LIME as an alternative solution provider in a market that is largely underserved. LIME’s entry into the Dominican Republic market will drive competitive pricing, provide a third international cable to the country thereby producing greater international cable resiliency, and deliver the best value and quality of service. This will further strengthen LIME’s position as the regional hub for international capacity.

LIAT launches an air cargo service

LIAT has introduced an All Cargo Scheduled Freighter Service on October 5, 2010. Following a meeting with ministers that was deemed productive, LIAT officials are excited about this latest development in LIAT’s history. LIAT officials say they recognise that LIAT is the most suitable carrier to implement an Intra Caribbean Freighter Operation. Wilbur Edwards, LIAT’s Director of Ground Operations, Cargo and Quikpak said, “The governments of the Caribbean are aggressively promoting improved trade between the islands of the sub-region. In order for this to be achieved there will be need for increased opportunities of cargo uplift so that exporters could improve their markets both regionally and internationally.” He went on to say, “Because there is little or no cargo uplift facilitation between many of these islands, the time is now perfect for LIAT to take up the mantle as a true Caribbean carrier and provide the necessary uplift to facilitate trade and provide the opportunity for farmers and exporters alike to improve their business through market expansion.”

Patty Shack Opens Another Outlet

Just seven months after opening its doors here in Saint Lucia, allowing Saint Lucians to experience “real Jamaican patties,” the Patty Shack has expanded its growing franchise here. The first outlet was opened on New Dock road in Vieux Fort, and since then the response has said to have been very good, causing the owners to expand to various communities across the island, through local vendors and shop owners. However on Friday October 1, the

BF No. 54

Patty Shack opened another restaurant on Jeremie Street in Castries, opposite the old fire station. According to Yasmin McLauren of Patty Shack, the idea is to add to a variety of what is already established in Castries and to give customers something they can have on the run in a customer friendly environment. “Right now we have the patties and coco bread, but in coming weeks we will be adding hot soups, sandwiches and other items to our menu,” she says. The renowned pastries come with various fillings of vegetables, beef, chicken or shrimp inside a flaky shell, which is often tinted golden yellow and is best served hot and spicy.

Wendy’s/Arby’s Group to introduce restaurant chains across the Caribbean region

St. Lucia could be home to a new fast food restaurant chain, as the Wendy’s/ Arby’s Group Inc. has announced plans to develop 24 Wendy’s restaurants over the next 10 years throughout the Eastern Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago. According to the company, the first of these restaurants will open in Trinidad in 2011. The other Caribbean markets the company plans to have Wendy’s restaurants in are: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and Suriname. CEO Roland Smith says restaurants in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas are strong performers, and the company is growing in Central America, so the move expands on its momentum. The new franchisee will be led by Dane Darbasie, a restaurant industry insider who has served as leader of a restaurant management company for 12 years. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group, based in Atlanta, has struggled in the US in the weak economy as people eat out less, so expanding in the Caribbean market is a way to increase sales. BusinessFocus

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BUSINESS BRIEFS News In Focus

Cap Maison Party A Success Raising $19,000 For Charity! Cap Maison Luxury Resort and Spa celebrated its 2nd Anniversary with the most talked about event of the year “Mardi Gras: Incognito”. Some of the guests arrived in the free limousine service provided by Trim’s Luxury Service, for what started off as a cocktail event with the bluesy sounds of Rob Zi Taylor. The party, which was a paid private event, treated guests to a New Orleans/Venetian style carnival with everyone receiving a mask and beads upon arrival. The hotel spared no expense in showcasing its culinary prowess led by Chef Craig Jones of its restaurant The Cliff at Cap. Everyone was treated to unlimited premium drinks all night long. However, the hotel is even more proud of the auction event that was held to raise funds for charity. This year Cap Maison was able to raise $19,000 for a local children’s charity and $3,000 for Miss Saint Lucia World. This is a great achievement compared to the $16,000 raised last year.

CAACM’s 4th AGM Concludes With Enhancements The Caribbean Association of Audit Committee Members Inc. (CAACM), convened its 4th AGM and Conference at the Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium - the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, in Basseterre, St. Kitts, over 30th September to 02nd October 2010. The Theme for this year’s Conference was “Enhancing the Role of the Board and the Audit Committee in the New Business Environment.” This

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theme was deemed appropriate in light of renewed calls for increased Governance measures and appropriate monitoring and transparent business practices to be implemented by management and overseen by respective Board of Directors. Delegates in attendance benefitted from topical presentations on key issues relating to the emerging role of Audit Committees and the wider accounting profession, from leading industry experts from North America and the Caribbean. CAACM is an initiative of the Caribbean Association of Indigenous Banks Inc. (CAIB), which was developed and launched on the 27th June 2006 with technical support from the European Union sponsors PROINVEST comprising major regional indigenous banks, utility companies and various social security bodies in the Caribbean. The overall objective of CAACM is to improve the investment environment in the Caribbean region and to increase investor confidence in the integrity of financial reporting and investor information though the continuous development of audit committee members. The 4th AGM and Conference received broad representation from CAACM including members from Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. CAACM currently comprises 34 members and has recently approved membership for one of the largest business conglomerates in St. Kitts and Nevis. Coming out of this year’s AGM, CAACM is now run by a new Board comprising representation from Antigua Commercial Bank, the East Caribbean Financial Holdings Company Ltd, 1st National Bank St. Lucia Ltd., Global Bank of Commerce, the National Bank of Dominica and Caribbean Microfinance Grenada Ltd.

ECAB - East Caribbean Amalgamated Bank Officially Launched Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank (ECAB) has been officially launched as the replacement financial institution for the former Bank of Antigua. The new entity is born out of a rescue takeover by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, and its present shareholding includes the Government of Antigua & Barbuda – which has the largest stake – and five major banks in Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Addressing the function, Minister of Finance and the Economy, Harold Lovell noted that the transition had taken place without any depositors losing their savings. “I think it is a proud chapter in the history of Antigua & Barbuda and the Eastern Caribbean that the intervention effectively stopped the run on the bank, and it can be said that every single demand for withdrawal of funds from the Bank of Antigua was honoured.” he said. ECAB presently has four branches in Antigua.

BUSINESS TECH

iPhone Or Blackberry?

A guide on the facts to keep in mind when purchasing either handset

he much anticipated 4G iPhone has been released. The sleek, new redesigned look of the 4G iPhone is still turning heads, but in functionality and use, there are some challenges. Poor signal cast a shadow on this blockbuster device. However, Apple continues to work overtime to get all the issues resolved, with upgrades. Despite this, the dual camera, 4G browsing speeds and the iPhone’s strong interface with iTunes, still make Apple lovers smile and cling to their device more than ever. Similarly, Blackberry’s new flagship device, the Blackberry Torch, the 9800, is also out. This device has achieved a few milestones for Blackberry. It is the first ever slide up handset for Blackberry. Secondly, it is also the first touch screen that is not a click screen. It boasts the new blackberry OS 6.0 firmware. Users can BusinessFocus

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now expect faster web browsing, easier to find menus, and improved camera quality. As an emerging technology enthusiast, and repair technician, I am always asked for advice when customers are purchasing a new handset. The most common question I get is ‘Which device is better?’ My usual answer is with the question, ‘what type of device are you looking for?’ The basic choice of a cell phone now is one of function. I think the proper question is “how can I get the best performance from the device that I want to use, whether it’s the 4G iPhone or Blackberry 9800?” From my experiences, here are some hard facts about the iPhone and Blackberry, and the best way to use them in your dayto-day life.

Primary Functions Of The 3G iPhone Vs Blackberry

The iPhone 3G was designed to attract a certain type of consumer, and much of the success of the iPhone, is attributed to the iTunes interface. With the iPhone you can buy and download your favourite movies, music, and TV shows, wherever and whenever you need it. On the other hand, the Blackberry was designed for delivering your e-mail to you. For starters, a BlackBerry set up with Microsoft Exchange Server sports intelligent push email. When an email is sent to an account on a BlackBerry, the message is downloaded immediately and an LED on the phone notifies the user that he or she has a new message.

Battery Life Smartphones in general struggle for a long lasting battery life. Two major factors contribute to the strain or drain of one’s

battery, besides heavy talk time usage. The first is the screen resolution or size of the screen. I must say lots of improvements have been made by both manufacturers by tweaking hardware and software upgrades to offer the best in battery life span. Many improvements are and have been made to the battery itself. The screen size emits a lot of energy, so the more energy you burn the faster the consumption will be on the battery. The solution for that is setting your device to dim, the backlight in the shortest amount of time. Blackberry offers you the option for the backlight to be dimmed in 10 seconds. Another big drain on the battery is the use of the push e-mail. Every time a mail or message comes in, both devices have the ability to indicate that a message has arrived. The indication will be either with a beep or buzz. Every time the devices beeps or buzzes, energy is been used, thus battery consumption. So what is the solution? Unless you are in desperate need of an e-mail you can set your device to push mail in the longest amount of time, especially if you are in the office or perhaps asleep at night. The point here is the more often the email is pushed, the more energy is being used, thus battery consumption. Last but not least, the biggest drain in battery can be this subtle thing called Bluetooth. If you are not using your Bluetooth, turn it off, because it will drain your battery very quickly.

3G device On A 2G network, Will It Work? As you may know already, just about every Smartphone out there today supports 3G. So what exactly is 3G? In a nutshell, 3G has to do with the data transfer speed of a network provider. Most networks in the Caribbean with exception for Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic all use a 2G network. Both the iPhone and Blackberry that operate here in the Caribbean are GSM. Since both phones are 3G and support GSM and have four bands, the 850/900/1800/1900, they will work anywhere in the Caribbean.

What About The Camera? Both the iPhone 4G and the Blackberry 9800 now have a 5MP camera. However,

the iPhone 4G does not support flash. But it does support dual cameras. The picture quality of the iPhone is quite impressive.

Applications The great thing about both devices is that there are hundreds of applications out there to spice up your device. For example the Apple iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, have over 150,000 applications available for them on iTunes, applications from managing your weight, to remotely syncing your contacts to an online server. On the other hand, there are not as many applications for the Blackberry. Since the Blackberryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus has been communication, the Blackberry messenger is a big favourite. In fact many people purchase the Blackberry because of the Blackberry messenger. Research has even shown that Blackberryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increase in sales has been attributed to the fact that people like the Blackberry messenger. The iPhone can run a messenger like the Blackberry, but you need to purchase an application to get the iPhone to work messenger with a Blackberry.

Backing up your Device This has to be the most important feature for any handset device - the ability to back up all data or information on a device. The Blackberry has software that enables one to sync all information. Everything can be backed up and saved to the computer. So in the occasion that your Blackberry is lost, you are able to just connect your device to the computer and restore from the back up that you have made, to your new Blackberry. The back up can also be used for a different model. The iPhone offers a similar feature, which allows you to sync and back up your device through iTunes. A backup can be saved in the iTunes library to restore to the same or new device. A remote backup can be also done using a simple software called Funambol.

things. The newest software for most blackberry phones is the 6.0. In a few months time, many different models will be able to upgrade from the 5.0 to the 6.0. The iPhone also offers frequent upgrades, but unlike the Blackberry, every time an iPhone is upgraded through iTunes the device is relocked and must be unlocked. It is advisable that you ask if a specific version can be unlocked before you make any upgrades.

Device Longevity Handsets will last for a while if they are given proper care. The enemy of electronics devices is dirt and water. Both the iPhone and Blackberry need to be handled with great care. Whether you have a touch screen, click screen, or regular display, your display can be broken, so get a good case and screen protector. In addition, your devices have to be handled with extreme care. That means phones should be kept away from water, small children, and pets.

Conclusion? Selecting a device is a matter of preference. Do all the research you can before you purchase. After all, it is a device that you need to get your work done. There is no right or wrong choice here. Then you can decide what best suits you! BF Micah Challenger Micah Challenger is the owner and Managing Director of StayMobile in Antigua. He has over 7 seven years of experience in the mobile phone industry.

The Operation system The great thing about Smartphone devices is that the operating system or firmware is upgradeable. For Blackberry, an upgrade comes out about every 6 months. Upgrades usually take care of small software bugs, and adjustments to improve battery life among many other BusinessFocus

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BUSINESS TECH

Counterfeit Software The Downsides And How To Stay Clear Fit It C

ounterfeit software is software, which has been copied and distributed without authorization from the publisher. The most typical example is one legitimate copy, which was intended for one computer, being distributed to multiple computers. With most software today, this is not a straightforward process since there are usually programmatic checks in place to prevent the re-use of a legitimate copy. Therefore, this one legitimate copy usually needs to be modified so that it can execute on multiple computers. It is this modification, which is the most troubling component of counterfeit software, which leads to the majority of the downsides. The following are the top three downsides to using counterfeit software.

could lead to crashes where you end up losing a lot of your valuable data. This could also lead to a significant loss in productivity because of the slowdowns and time spent bringing the system back from a crash.

1. Counterfeit software can slow down and even crash your computer. This is because the modifications made can lead to unexpected interactions between the counterfeit software, other software on your computer, and the hardware. These interactions

3. In some instances, counterfeit software cannot be upgraded. At various times software publishers release upgrades to fix issues with their software. These issues could be vulnerabilities in the software, which could cause harm to your computer or

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2. Counterfeit software can contain spyware. Spyware is a type of software, which can collect information from your computer without your knowledge. When the modifications are made to allow the execution on multiple computers, spyware can be introduced into the software. This spyware can send personal information, like credit card information and passwords, from your computer to others who could easily exploit this information.

give a hacker access to your computer. With some pirated software it is not possible to apply these upgrades thereby leaving your computer in a vulnerable state. What these downsides attest to is that in the long run the counterfeit software option is a very expensive one, although it may seem like significant cost savings initially. What can you do to avoid being a victim of counterfeit software? One key is to only buy software from reputable companies or resellers. If you have reason to believe that you may be running counterfeit software in your business, you should immediately engage with your IT consultant so that they can perform an audit of your system and help with a plan to upgrade. BF Rashid Jean-Baptiste Rashid Jean-Baptiste is the Managing Director of West Technology Group Inc, an IT Services Provider Company based in St. Lucia. Prior to this he spent over 10 years in senior IT roles at Microsoft Corporation.

Technology Briefing

J.E. Bergasse & Company Ltd. Briefs St. Lucia’s IT Community on the Lenovo Design & Engineering Advantages

.E. Bergasse, a leading supplier of computers and computing systems in St. Lucia in conjunction with Lenovo and Tech Data hosted a Lenovo Technology Briefing on October 14, 2010. Lenovo is in its 15th year since purchasing IBM’s Personal Computing Division and over the years has set various milestones for achievement in the industry. Lenovo has been making strides from 1984 and for the first time Lenovo has reached doubledigits on its worldwide market share. Lenovo showcased at the briefing what a difference it makes when Lenovo products are used in your business. According to Garret Dugger, Lenovo Ambassador, Lenovo builds systems that last. In addition, Lenovo is one of the few PC vendors that does its own design and engineering technology. “We focus on small details that end up making a big difference for our customers, differences in reliability, security, usability and manageability. We intend to continue

targeting customers in the Caribbean and hold a long standing partnership with J.E. Bergasse & Company Ltd.” Mr Dugger, the main presenter for the session said. Mr. Dugger’s presentation began with a slide which showed that the purchase price is a small part of the cost, of a computer’s acquisition, just 10-20% of the cost is the initial purchase price and 80-90% is in fact operational and support costs. The attendees were shown various methods of utilizing ThinkVantage Technologies (TVT) and its embedded features, an innovation available in ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkCentre desktop computers to protect and secure the equipment, data and network. One of the ThinkVantage Technologies which generated the most interest was the Computrace feature, which allows for the tracking and loss prevention of lost or stolen computers. In the United States and Canada the recovery rate for units with this feature enabled is 85%. A number

of participants commented that it would be great to have this feature on mobile phones. The feeling of goodwill was also felt by the attendees, who participated in a lively and interactive session, where they had the opportunity to win creative and functional Lenovo branded gifts. Some of these included flash drives, Lenovo Notebooks and the ultra portable. “The new ThinkPad® X100e is ultra cool and ultraportable. Cool, confident, with a slick new design and bold color options. But make no mistake; the X100e is all ThinkPad— reliable, rock-solid and well equipped. Best of all, it’s the most affordable ThinkPad ever!” said Mr. Domingo Alonso, Lenovo Territory Manager for Central America & Caribbean who reiterated the fact that Lenovo didn’t just sell hardware but provided IT Solutions. BF For further info: www.lenovo.com BusinessFocus

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MONEY MATTERS

Bank of Saint Lucia’s

RRIA—The Ideal Gift for You C hristmas is the season of spending time and money on your family and friends. It’s the season of sharing and giving to those about whom you care most. However, you shouldn’t forget yourself during this special time, and one of the most valuable gifts you can offer yourself is a sound retirement savings plan. All good financial providers will tell you that it is never too early to begin saving for your retirement; for that time in life when you’ve left the working world and can now fully enjoy the fruits of your hard work. As the island’s leading financial services provider, Bank of Saint Lucia has the ideal product that is tailored to meet this financial goal—the Registered Retirement Investment Account or RRIA offered by the bank’s Wealth and Asset Management Division (WAM). With just $100, you can begin to save BusinessFocus

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for your retirement as soon as you are employed by opening a Bank of Saint Lucia RRIA and you may increase this amount at any point if you wish. Another flexible feature of the plan is that you can choose any maturity date between the ages of 55 and 65 years depending on when you anticipate that you will need your retirement income. You can also name up to 3 beneficiaries of the plan, and you have the option of altering these choices at any point during the plan by simply completing the required form and submitting it to the bank. Apart from its obvious benefits as a savings strategy, RRIA is also a sound investment option for accountholders. The bank gives you 4% interest on your savings and you also receive a net annual return of 75% of the profits earned by the bank’s RRIA investment portfolio.

As a RRIA accountholder, you can also claim a tax-deductible allowance on your contributions of up to $8000 inclusive of NIC payments and other pension funds that you may have. Therefore, your RRIA earns you income while simultaneously allowing you to save for your retirement. When your RRIA matures, you have the option of either receiving a lump sum payment; a stream of fixed payments over a specific period; or a combination of part of the lump sum and part fixed payments. Bank of Saint Lucia’s RRIA is a sound and secure way of saving for a time in your life when you do not want to be worrying about your financial needs. So treat yourself to this financial product even as you shop for other types of products for your loved ones this Christmas. BF For further info: WAM@bankofsaintlucia.com. 456-6104 or 456-6898.

MONEY MATTERS

Doing More with Less Increasing Disposable Income!

hether you are a senior executive or entry level worker, we all have to prioritize our spending because our income is limited. This is the fundamental economics law of scarcity. We have unlimited wants and needs, but limited resources to satisfy them. Whilst there are many ways to legally increase our income, this article provides a few easy to follow techniques to smartly increase your disposable income.

Debt Management

Avoid the dreaded “debt trap” because once in, it can prove extremely difficult BusinessFocus

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to get out. Keep a structured monthly budget that clearly identifies income and expenses. This will highlight areas of over spending like that weekly “after work lime” and also areas we can allocate more money towards such as the rising credit card bill. Making minimum payments towards your credit card balance is one sure way to fall into and stay in the debt trap. Credit cards are designed to keep you in debt with their attractive minimum payments, occasional, ever so timely offer to skip a payment plus the surprise “rewards” of increases to your limit for being a “good”

customer. Credit Card debt is among the highest cost debt available, with interest charged at an average of 21-22.5%, but because of its convenience it is easy to abuse. Wherever possible, pay off credit card debts or at least apply a lump sum towards repayment to accelerate payoff and reduce interest paid. Definitely pay more than the minimum required.

Supermarkets

We are all guilty of occasionally going to the supermarket without a list, and coming out with ice-cream in the freezer, snacks in the pantry but no diapers for

baby. Shopping with a list is the best way to remain focused at the supermarket. Wherever sensible, purchase in bulk, but it makes no sense to buy that nicely packaged set of hot dog condiments unless you plan to open a hot dog stand outside your home. There is a high probability these items will expire before they are completely consumed. Take advantage of reward cards where ever possible. Be aware of all participating stores where the card can be used and us it every time! When there is a sale on necessities take that opportunity to stock up. Consider no name brands when brand is not important, but do not sacrifice quality where it matters.

Clothing

Avoid trendy fashions that will go out of style quickly. Stick with the basics and mix and match. Take advantage of sales on clothing you will use often such as work clothing. When shopping overseas visit brand outlets for bargains on quality items on sale. Never purchase expensive items on impulse. Think over each expensive purchase for at least 24hrs. Compare local

prices with online prices but remember to pay off the balance if your credit card if used.

suppliers instead of “dealers” as there are significant possible savings.

Insurance

Some of us have two or three or more cell phones and most are on prepaid plans. This is no surprise since the majority of commercials and promotions target prepaid customers as these plans are more profitable to mobile phone providers than postpaid. Per-minute rates on prepaid plans are generally higher, sometimes over triple the rate on postpaid and post paid plans also offer cheaper international call rates to nominated numbers. To avoid giving away money to phone companies, consider the average amount of time you spend on the phone and purchase a postpaid plan which suits you.

Shop around each year before renewing your Home and Car insurance. Insurance Brokers are good at finding you cost saving deals. Reassess your need for whole life insurance coverage e.g. if your children are on their own, your spouse is working and the mortgage is almost completed, you may be able to consider reduced coverage.

Vehicles

Keep tires inflated, as under inflated tires make the engine work harder resulting in poor fuel economy. Keep your car tuned as clogged air, fuel filters and old oil significantly impairs the performance and fuel economy of your engine. Purchase fuel injected cars as opposed to carbureted cars. Maintain your fuel level above a quarter tank as gas evaporates from the tank faster when low and in high temperatures. Practice filling up the tank on mornings when temperatures are cooler. Where possible and sensible purchase general car parts from auto parts

Mobile Phones

These are but some cost savings techniques we can all practice to make our hard earned dollar “stretch”. It may not be practical to attempt all at once but if we plan appropriately we can reduce our debt and expenditure and increase our available disposable income and satisfy more of those unlimited wants and needs. BF

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MONEY MATTERS

Expands Its Global Platforms Chris Hodgson - Group Head, Global Wealth Management

anada’s most international bank has announced a change in its organisational structure that will enable it to capitalise on opportunities for strategic growth. To support the new structure, Scotiabank also announced a series of executive appointments. “We have long been a leader in the international markets where we operate,” said Rick Waugh, Scotiabank President and CEO. “With these changes Scotiabank will be well-positioned to seize significant global business opportunities that align with our strategic plans.” Scotiabank announced a re-organisation into four business lines: * * * *

Rob Pitfield - Group Head & Chief Risk Officer

Brian Porter - Group Head, International Banking

Canadian Banking (CB) International Banking (IB) Scotia Capital (SC) Global Wealth Management (GWM)

Global Wealth Management becomes the fourth pillar in the Bank’s strategy of diversification across multiple geographies, product lines and strong businesses. Existing wealth management and insurance in Canada and internationally will be combined into GWM, along with Global Transaction Banking (GTB). In addition, Scotia Capital will have a broader mandate, which has been expanded to capitalise on the significant wholesale opportunities in international markets where Scotiabank has a strong presence, most notably in Latin America and Asia. Scotia Capital will continue to be led by Co-CEOs and Group Heads, Mike Durland, responsible for global capital markets, and Steve McDonald, who leads global corporate & investment banking. “The changes we are announcing will accelerate the progress of several initiatives that are well underway,” said Waugh. To support these changes to organisational structure, Scotiabank is making the following senior leadership appointments. * * * *

Chris Hodgson becomes Group Head, Global Wealth Management Rob Pitfield becomes Group Head and Chief Risk Officer Brian Porter becomes Group Head, International Banking Anatol von Hahn becomes Group Head, Canadian Banking

“Scotiabank remains firmly committed to our five key business priorities: sustainable revenue growth, capital management, leadership, prudent risk management and expense management,” said Waugh. “This new structure leverages our progress to date and positions us to compete and win in the global marketplace, recognising the breadth and diversification of Scotiabank, the strength of our team and our successful business model.” BF

Anatol von Hahn - Group Head, Canadian Banking BusinessFocus BusinessFocus

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For further info: www.stlucia.scotiabank.com

Scotiabank named 2010 Best Consumer Internet Bank in St. Lucia

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MONEY MATTERS

Dr. Compton Bourne - CDB President Standard & Poor’s Headquarters in New york City

Caribbean Development Bank Receives Top Rating

all Street credit rating firm Standard and Poor’s (S&P), has once again rated the Barbadosbased Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) as a ‘Triple A’ institution. In its recent full analysis of the Bank’s operations, S&P identified the bank’s strong capitalisation, diversified and wellperforming loan portfolio, prominent position as a lender in its borrowing member countries (BMCs), the recent demonstration of strong shareholder support in the form of a large paid-in capital increase, and adequate liquidity. “The performance of CDB’s loan portfolio to date has been excellent,” the credit rating agency said. “The bank has reportedly never written off a loan (although some have been rescheduled), and its impaired loans totalled less than US$11 million, 1.3% of total loans, as of year-end 2009.” “CDB’s core income increased to more than US$30 million during 2009 from less than US$25 million one year earlier, with the ratio of core income to average assets

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increasing to nearly 2.6% from 2.3% and the return on average shareholders’ equity to almost 6% from 5.1%,” S&P added. With regard to the rating outlook for CDB, S&P said it was ‘stable’, adding that it “expects any reductions in CDB’s capitalisation or liquidity to be modest and consistent with the current rating”. CDB’s Management has welcomed this development, and regards it as a vote of confidence in its stewardship of the bank’s assets as it seeks to promote the social and economic development of its BMCs. About Standard & Poor’s With offices in 23 countries and a history that dates back 150 years, Standard & Poor’s is known to investors worldwide as a leader of financial- market intelligence. Most notably, Standard & Poor’s is known as an independent provider of credit ratings. Standard & Poor’s is also widely known for maintaining one of the most widely followed indices of large-cap American stocks: the S&P 500. Approximately $1.1 trillion in investment assets is directly tied

to S&P indexes, and more than $3.5 trillion is benchmarked to the S&P 500 – more than any other index in the world. About Caribbean Development Bank The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programmes in its member countries. Created on October 18, 1969 by a conference of eighteen countries and territories in Kingston, Jamaica, it has its headquarters located in Bridgetown, Barbados. In 2004 and 2010, Standard & Poor’s gave the CDB a rating of (AAA) Triple A, the firm’s highest rating. According to Standard and Poor if the Caribbean Development bank “continues its prudent financial policies of the past, its rating should remain stable over the medium term.” At the end of 2000, the bank had shareholders’ equity of US$426 million. BF For further info: www.caribank.org

MONEY MATTERS Opening Ceremony Presentation

Aaron Moses of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions, the Keynote Speaker

Hon. Prime Minister Stephenson King giving his address

Cooperation to Withstand Economic Challenges The 8th annual OECS Credit Union Conference in review

wo hundred and forty delegates from across the OECS States met in St. Lucia in mid August for the 8th Annual OECS Credit Union Summit. The Summit was held under the theme ‘Cooperating to withstand our present day challenges’. The Credit Union Summit presented a forum for Credit Union leaders to deliberate on the critical factors affecting the Credit Union Movement and to strategize for the sustenance and development of this vital sector. The many challenges and opportunities for further development of the Movement were thoroughly dealt with during the three-day event. The Summit commenced with an elaborate opening ceremony, which was attended by Saint Lucia’s Governor General, Dame Pearlette Louisy, the Prime Minister, Honorable Stephenson King, representatives from the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU) and delegates from 45 Credit Unions, Leagues and Co-operative Departments from St. Lucia and the sub region. Honorable Stephenson King declared the Summit open after making some brief BusinessFocus

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remarks highlighting the importance of the Credit Union Movement. He explained the need for Financial Sector Regulation and the rationale for setting up the Financial Sector Regulatory Authority. He assured delegates that the Movement will be consulted before the Financial Sector Regulatory Authority and Harmonized Co-operative Societies Bill become law. Aaron Moses, of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Union, delivered the keynote address. He described the economic environment and some of the major challenges currently facing the Movement. In his address some survival strategies were offered. These includeded the need to focus on serving members’ needs, to identify and pursue key strategic priorities such as open membership, and to recognise the need to be financially sound and well managed. He concluded that cooperatives are strategic in the world and play a major role in improving the socio-economic conditions of their members. Presenters alerted participants that human resources are the greatest contributors to the success of the movement and

therefore it is important that the movement attract and retain persons who can make a contribution. The movement also needs to focus on strategic human resources development. Therefore if the success of the movement is to be sustained there must be concrete and deliberate measures and programmes instituted to engage the youth. Delegates cited the failure of regional government to engage the movement in the enactment of legislation that can impact negatively on this sector. Special attention was drawn to the Single Regulatory Unit (SRU) and Harmonized OECS Cooperative Acts. Under the SRU all credit unions will be regulated by the same body that regulates other financial institutions such as Banks and Insurance companies, which are profit driven unlike credit unions. The review session highlighted that a Central Finance Facility was not available in all member islands and urged all Credit Union Leagues to ensure that every island have a fully functional Finance Facility that strives to be provide financing to their local Movement. BF

PROFILE FOCUS Assistant Commissioner of Police Madamme Frances Henry

APC Frances Henry Facing The Challenges Head On

ith the St. Lucian crime situation being perceived to have escalated beyond the control of law enforcement and everyone feeling unsafe in their homes and places of business, Business Focus had a sit down with the new Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for Crime and Intent or the ‘Crime Chief’, Frances Henry on her vision for tackling the national crime scene. APC Frances Henry assures the reality on the ground is completely different to what is perceived by the St. Lucian public. She says on a national level, crime is not experienced across the board. There are some communities, like Canneries and Choiseul where crime is marginal or virtually non existent in comparison to the north of the island. She stands by having a zero-tolerance-to-crime approach, but the kind of crime that these communities experience does not raise the alarm because it does not threaten life. And that is where the problem lies, life threatening or violent crime, particularly in the north BusinessFocus

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of the island. In 2007 Gros Islet had spring boarded. The new frontier of developmental opportunities were being realised particularly as it relates to the tourism industry. Namely, the presence of the Beausejour Stadium promoting sports tourism, the expansion of the Rodney Bay Marina and all the new increased economic activity, brought into focus the vulnerabilities for crime would be escalated. Cut to 2010, these vulnerabilities continue to be of concern in Gros Islet but more specifically Rodney Bay, as that community continues to urbanise with new infrastructure; like the new mall and new commercial opportunities. The Rodney Bay Police Station which commenced operations this year is a collaboration between the Royal St. Lucia Police force and the business sector based in Rodney Bay, as it was recognised the need to commission a station within the community to be in the centre of activities. “To speak to this [urbanisation], one would recognise the opportunities for crime. We wanted to be able to respond

with immediacy so by reducing our response time when it comes to pursuit of offenders. We had to position ourselves strategically.” The APC said. So how did Frances Henry become the ‘Crime Chief’, that when she walks into a room of her staff, the occupants stand as if on command, a protocol that is done, when in the presence of anyone in her position? When she first came on board with the Force as a police officer in 1982, she struggled as to whether the Force was really a place for a woman. The then administration of the Police Department, she says, was of the view that women did not belong. “There were no equal opportunities. But as we developed, commissioners’ mindsets changed. I then knew definitively, that was my career path.” She also knew she would not be satisfied having spent 20 years or more in the service and to leave at the rank of Assistant Superintendent. (Before her, that was the highest rank any woman had got to.) She made herself very visible and moved up

the ranks very quickly. She is of the firm view that women have to be at the forefront; specifically women are an asset when dealing with crime against females, sex offenders and child abuse. As for her male counterparts, as her staff has been predominantly male, Madamme Henry says they have accepted her in the leadership role and from her experience, she believes the playing field is equal. Madamme Henry, as she is addressed, has been a part of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force for 28 years since her initial training at the Royal St. Lucia Police Training School. She has worked in a range of departments all over the island from more rural to urban communities, which has given her a strong background in the field. She has worked in all departments within Crime and even the Traffic Department. Some key points in the early days of her career include her being one of the initial members of establishing a Drug Unit in St. Lucia in the early 1980s. An opportunity to go in the police training school as an instructor, led to the successful completion of a prosecutor’s course. She was transferred to the Prosecution Department and she worked up to being in charge of Prosecution. In her current post, officially taking up the post July 1st of this year, she has responsibility in every aspect of Crime Management which covers Criminal Investigations, Fraud, Criminal

Records, Finger Prints, the Drug Unit and General Crime Management. A major priority is bridging the gap as it relates to those who have seemingly lost their faith in law enforcers. “I am of the view that we are plagued with some unscrupulous officers, but they are in the minority. This has to be dealt with beyond hearsay and we are trying to bridge the gap.” she said. She believes that everyone, law enforcer or civilian has a stake in the issue of crime and this is evident in her approach to tackling crime. “As a Police Department we operate from the theory of Robert Peel where he says ‘crime is not the business of law enforcement, it is the business of everybody,’ the only thing that distinguishes the police from the ordinary citizen is that we are being paid to perform a duty.” She believes while it is their responsibility to fight crime, it is also their responsibility to educate the masses. The Force is

moving in the direction of community policing is its ethos. Right now they have the expertise and sufficient training within the Department in the area of concern particularly to the private and public sectors so they can be the catalyst to the solution. “Being the crime chief, once I meet with my team I am now speaking of our core values which are honesty, trust, fairness, and of course the benchmarks of professionalism, efficiency and effective. That is the emphasis. I am the leader but I always include my team.” Primarily the Royal St. Lucia Police Force is charged with the responsibly of national security. They recognise if they do not control the situation, the economy is bound to fail because St. Lucia will not attract investors or tourists so it will place residents in an economic bind. ACP Henry’s approach has been to backtrack, including more proactive measures as a Force, rather solely reacting to a situation. “Our platform is to do an analysis of crime, and that is the way forward. Nationally crime has not exploded. We have concentrated pockets. We use intelligence on the ground and we can map out the crime situation, and focus our resources.” BF Christy Recaii BusinessFocus

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PROFILE FOCUS

ARC 2008: Yacht close to finish line under Spinnakers

The Silver Jubilee of the Atlantic Rally For Cruisers Sails

Years of the

ARC

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ovember 21st 2010 marks the 25th time that yachts have departed from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and headed across 2800 nautical miles of Atlantic to warm Caribbean cruising. This year over 250 yachts are set to make the crossing to Saint Lucia, the largest number ever for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC). Over the last 25 rallies, 4,600 yachts have taken part, with 17,000 crews from 43 nationalities (country of yacht registration). The ARC is a truly international event, and holds the record for the largest transoceanic sailing race in the world. The Atlantic Rally For Cruisers marks the start to a busy yachting season for everyone and all businesses stand to benefit. The spin-off into the local economy can

be counted from the patronage by ARC crewmembers of all Saint Lucia has to offer; from the marina tenants to restaurants and bars on the strip to entertainment and various tourist attractions on island, even the taxi drivers benefit from this annual event. This is a huge boost to the economy and a great way for the start of Saint Luciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main tourist season. The Saint Lucian yachting product has a direct contribution to GDP of US $40 million, with 130 businesses directly involved, 450 of persons directly employed, 700 persons indirectly employed and the linkage with all aspects of the economy. In recent years gone by, corporate sponsorship has included Digicel, provisioning by Mega J, Super J, Glace Supermarket and

Since 1986, 43 Nationalities Have Been Represented: Country 1986-2010 yachts 1 United Kingdom 1337 2 Germany 449 3 Norway 199 4 USA 161 5 Netherlands 131 6 Italy 107 7 France 97 8 Sweden 80 9 Switzerland 72 10 Spain 65 11 Ireland 64 12 Finland 62 13 Canada 47 14 Australia 42 15 Denmark 38 16 Belgium 28 17 Austria 26 18 Russia 19 19 South Africa 18 20 Portugal 11 Other countries of registration include: Israel, Greece, Poland, Japan, Hungary, Croatia, Turkey, Malta, Estonia, Slovenia, New Zealand, Mexico, Venezuela, Malaysia, Bermuda, Monaco, Lebanon, Columbia, Chile, Brazil, Argentina

boat repairs & marine supplies by Johnson’s Marine Centre, Island Waterword and the Boat Yard. From 1986 to 1989 the ARC finished in Barbados. However, 20 out of the 25 years, from 1990-2009 and 2010, the route has been and remains from Gran Canaria ending in Saint Lucia at the Rodney Bay Marina. The Rodney Bay Marina is synonymous with the event and is widely considered the home of the ARC. During 1986 to 2009, the 4,600 yachts that have taken part in the ARC, between them have sailed over 11,908,200 nautical miles between Gran Canaria and the Caribbean or almost 1/3rd the distance between the Earth and Mars. The ‘average’ cruising yacht will take 19-21 days, and can motor as required. Although prizes are awarded for line honours, most yachts take part in the ARC in the Cruising Division, which allows for motoring. Yachts have a time correction factor calculated using the World Cruising Club handicap. In the Racing Division yachts compete under IRC handicap under the auspices of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. From the very first event, one of the key considerations was for participant safety. Even in 1986, all yachts had to carry safety

The ARC 2008 Prize giving ceremony

Andrew Bishop, Managing Director of World Cruising Club.

Rodney Bay Marina, Saint Lucia.

equipment including a life raft, an EPRIB and a VHF radio. In the early years several yachts were lost on the reefs around Barbados as a result of navigational errors though no crew were seriously injured during these incidents. Improvements in crew training, and affordable and accurate navigation equipment such as GPS, chartplotters and radar have hopefully made these kind of catastrophic errors a thing of the past. The safety requirements have expanded over the years to ensure that yachts and crews are prepared for everything they may encounter during the crossing. In the 25 years that the ARC has been running, cruising has arguably become safer and more comfortable because of the technology available to the average yachtsman. Satellite communications equipment is now almost standard throughout the fleet, and yachts relying solely on SSB radio are the minority. Despite the shift towards satellite, SSB remains the glue that binds the fleet together through the twice-daily radio nets. Since 2003 all yachts have had to be able to receive email at sea, whether through SSB or satellite communications. The World Cruising Club provides a tailor-

made weather forecast for the ARC route, which is sent out daily by email. Yachts acting as relays, provide a verbal forecast during the noon radio net. From 2010 all ARC yachts will be fitted with a Yellowbrick Iridium tracking device. This is independent of the yacht’s system, and automatically sends position information to Rally HQ and the ARC website, so family at home can follow progress. When it comes down to it, the ARC is about comradeship. One of the key reasons that skippers and crews choose to sail in the ARC rather than crossing the Atlantic at their own pace, is the friendship, advice and support that the rally fosters between yachts. The camaraderie of the ARC ashore is transferred to the radio net while at sea, which becomes the link between the individual yachts. For all but a tiny number of yachts, this support is the intangible comfort derived from knowing over 200 other yachts are at sea with you, even when they are out of sight. For some yachts the support is a life-line, for others it’s truly life-saving. BF For further info: www.worldcruising.com

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IN THE KNOW

SLASPA

SAINT LUCIA AIR AND SEA PORTS AUTHORITY

Cruise Ships Docked at Port Castries

St. Lucia Remains A Leading Cruise Destination

he year 2007 marked the beginning of major growth in St. Lucia’s cruise industry. That year, Port Castries recorded the highest number of passengers ever in a single year, 70% more than the previous year. The Port has been able to sustain this growth each year surpassing the previous year’s performance. In 2009, Port Castries welcomed almost 700,000 cruise passengers the highest number ever in the history of the Port. This increase was no accident but through the strategic efforts of the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) together with the Ministry of Tourism and private sector partners which implemented effective marketing strategies to the cruise lines throughout the last few years. St. Lucia has therefore become one of the best performing cruise destinations in the Southern Caribbean. In 2009, St. Lucia BusinessFocus

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ranked 2nd in the Eastern Caribbean (and Barbados) with only Antigua surpassing St. Lucia’s cruise arrivals by 2%. For the 2010/11 cruise season however, SLAPSA expects a decline of 14% when compared to last year’s cruise season still remaining above the 600,000 cruise passenger mark. Despite this decline, Port Castries expects to see increased traffic for Celebrity, Holland America, P&O, Cunard and luxury liner SilverSea Cruises. The projected decline is largely as a result of the redeployment of three lines i.e. Aida, Costa and Pullmantur Cruises, while a fourth line Ocean Village cruise line is no longer in operation. Both Aida Cruises and Costa Cruises are expected to return to the island in the 2012/13 cruise season. “It is quite normal that every two years cruise lines change their deployment patterns. SLASPA together with the Ministry

of Tourism and local private sector continue to work towards the strengthening of St. Lucia’s product to ensure that the island remains a leading cruise destination. We also recognise the significant economic contribution of the cruise sector and therefore we do not focus exclusively on the quantity of passengers also quality passengers. In this regard, we are quite pleased that we have retained our major year-round calls with brands such as Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International and the return of lines such as Silversea Cruises which is known as one of the luxury brands.” Dona Regis, Director of Marketing and Product Development, SLASPA said. BF For Further info: www.slaspa.com

style

Hewanorra International Airport

Departing in

comfort

style Facilities & Amenities

• Fully stocked bar & complementary snacks • Tastefully outﬁtted with comfortable furnishings • Located within the Departure Lounge after security checks • Wireless Internet • Fax service • Card Swipe Telephone • Cable Television • Flight Information Display Monitor • Duty-free Shopping • Local and international magazines • Smokers’ Gallery • Personalized Customer Service by professionally trained staff • Iyanola Executive Lounge, Hewanorra International Airport, P.O. Box 373, Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, W. I. • Tel: (758) 454 - 8556, Fax: (758) 454 – 5581 • Email: marketingdepartment@slaspa.com

IN THE KNOW

Jamaica’s Director of Tourism John Lynch (at podium) addresses delegates at the opening session. Seated at the head table are: Lelei LeLaulu, Vice President of CMEx and Dr. Noel Brown, President of Friends of the UN and Convenor.

From L to R: David Shields, Deputy Director of Tourism, Carrole Guntley, Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, Director of Tourism John Lynch and Bevan Springer, CMEx President all smiles at the welcome reception.

CMEx 19th

CONFERENCE ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE

he 19th staging of the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) on Sustainable Tourism ended on a high note in Jamaica’s capital city, Kingston, on Sunday, October 3rd at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel with Bermuda’s Premier Dr. Ewart Brown receiving the 2010 World Leadership Award and Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett accepting the 2010 Exemplar Award. The closing dinner also saw a number of journalists being recognised for their excellent coverage of tourism throughout the region. Among the award winners were: Ingrid Brown of the Jamaica Observer; Dennis Morrison, Jamaican Columnist; Inderia Saunders of the Nassau Guardian and New York-based photojournalist Margot Jordan. Following the presentation of awards, delegates were treated to an entertaining and mesmerising performance by Israeli-Canadian mentalist Haim Goldenberg. The four-day conference, which was held under the theme “Tourism: Linkages for Growth,” saw a number of interesting panel discussions exploring the linkages between tourism and various sectors in-

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cluding culture, agriculture and education. Tourism Director, John Lynch, in issuing his charge to delegates and declaring CMEx XIX open, said there is no denying the importance of travel and tourism to the Caribbean, and added that much more needs to be done to ensure that the region is able to realise its full potential to grow the industry despite the threats posed by a volatile global economy. “Many citizens in our various islands feel disconnected from the industry, not realising that we all benefit from tourism in some way as a result of its contribution to the national economy; and each has a role to play in ensuring its continued success. Our livelihood in the region and our ultimate survival are inextricably linked to travel and tourism. It is up to us to communicate that effectively to the wider population, and to promote an understanding that we all benefit from tourism, either directly or indirectly,” noted Lynch. Organisers of this popular regional media and tourism gathering have reported that CMEx XIX, which attracted more than 100 delegates from the Caribbean, North America and Europe, was a resounding

success. “The exciting and innovative CMEx recommendations reflect the commitment of participants to use their collective brainpower to contribute meaningfully to sustainable tourism development in the Caribbean,” said Bevan Springer, President of the Caribbean Media Exchange. “From using tourism to boost farmer incomes while increasing local food in hotels through enhancing faith tourism to greater collaboration with the Caribbean Diaspora, and newly formed linkages to African American media professionals, our Kingston meeting has produced some strong outcomes.” Since 2001, CMEx has produced 19 conferences and symposia throughout the Caribbean and North America to underscore the value of the region’s largest industry, tourism, in improving the health, education, culture, environment and wealth of Caribbean communities, at home and abroad, in a sustainable fashion. BF For further info: www.caribbeanmediaexchange. com

“ Think Global Value is always in style, available at Renwick and Company.”

Vide Boutielle, Box90, Castries, St. Lucia Tel: 758 455 8000 Facsimile: 758 452 7602 Email: contact@renwickslu.com * Web: renwickstlucialtd.com

IN THE KNOW A product of the Private Sector outreach of the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN), formerly the CRNM

CARICOM OFFICE OF TRADE NEGOTIATION

Private Sector

Trade

The CARICOM - Brazil Connection

→ CARICOM-BRAZIL IMPORT OVERVIEW

Brazil remains a lucrative, but under ! exploited, market for the region’s exporters. CARICOM has been developing stronger trade linkages with Latin America including establishing trade ties with Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. However, there is still the need for a clear approach to establishing a stronger trade alliance with the largest Latin American market Brazil, which could assist in facilitating regional economic development. CARICOM incurred a significant merchandise trade deficit with Brazil in 2009. CARICOM’s ! merchandise exports to Brazil increased BusinessFocus

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by over 31% annually between 2001 and 2009 (see figure 1). Merchandise imports from Brazil expanded by 32% annually over the same period, exacerbating the problem of the trade deficit, and indicating some loss of international trade competiveness for the region’s private sector vis-a-vis Brazilian firms. However, CARICOM and Brazil are increasing their trade dependence. CARICOM firms increased their dependence on Brazil for export earnings from 0.04% in 2001 to 0.15% in 2009. Additionally, CARICOM importers sourced an increasing share of their total merchandise import spending from Brazil. In 2005, CARICOM sourced over 5% of its total import expenditure from Brazil, and this increased to just under 14% in 2008, making Brazil an important import source for the region. Brazil is also a significant global services import market. In 2007, the Brazilian market absorbed over US$37bn in services imports, growing from US$16.7bn in 2000. The fastest growing services imports in Brazil between 2000 and 2007 included the following: 1. Legal services (62% growth in import spending per annum between 2000 and 2007) 2. Construction in the compiling economy (59%) 3. Other direct insurance (34%) 4. Operational leasing services (23%) 5. Other transport services (21%) 6. Passenger air transport (19%) 7. Telecommunications (18%) 8. Architectural, engineering and other technical consultancy (13%). These areas provide a long list of service opportunities that CARICOM service providers can explore.

→ CARICOM’S EXPORTS TO BRAZIL CARICOM’s exports to Brazil are mainly resource based from Trinidad and Suriname. In 2009, Trinidad was the main CARICOM merchandise exporter to Brazil, generating over 92% of total export earnings. Suriname (4% of earnings), the Bahamas (1%), Jamaica (1%), Barbados and Guyana were the remaining notable exporters in 2009 (see figure 2).

Haiti was the most dynamic exporting country from CARICOM to Brazil between 2001 and 2009 with merchandise exports expanding by over 81% per annum. Other dynamic exporting nations were Suriname (70% growth per annum); Jamaica (63%); Guyana (58%); and Trinidad and Tobago (39%). Notable declines in exports were observed for The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda.

CARICOM exporters have intensified the export thrust to Brazil in that in 2001, fewer than 20 tariff lines were exported, whilst in 2009, 137 tariff lines were exported. Many of the top exports to Brazil included extractive resources such as Ammonia, LNG, Urea and Aluminium Oxide (see table 1).

! The most dynamic exports to Brazil between 2001 and 2009 included anhydrous ammonia (42.9% growth per annum between 2001 and 2009); essential oils (107%); and undenatured ethyl alcohol (74.3%).

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IN THE KNOW

→ CARICOM’S IMPORTS FROM BRAZIL St. Lucia was the top importer from Brazil in 2009, with its imports representing over three-quarter of the region’s total imports. Trinidad and Tobago (10%), Jamaica (7%), the Bahamas (2%) and Suriname (1%) jointly account for another 20% of total imports from Brazil (see figure 3). St. Lucia was the most dynamic CARICOM importing nation

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from Brazil between 2001 and 2009, recording almost 40% growth in import spending from Brazil per annum. Other dynamic importing nations were the Bahamas (27%), St. Kitts and Nevis (28%), Antigua & Barbuda (21%), Suriname (20%) and Grenada (18%). The top import from Brazil in 2009 was crude petroleum oils which represented over 77% of CARICOMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total import expenditure from Brazil. CARICOM importers source a large number of products that are also produced regionally (competing products). These products include poultry, sugar, wooden doors and frames, paper products, tobacco products, bovine meats and dairy products (condensed milk). These are areas that could be sensitive to competition from Brazilian imports. The fastest growing imports from Brazil observed between 2001 and 2009 included the following: 1. Paints and varnishes based on polyesters (79.4% growth per annum in import spending) 2. AC generators (alternators) of an output exceeding 75 KVA (41%) 3. Check valves (72%) 4. Finishing agents, dye, for use in the textile industry (104%) 5. Upright freezers not exceeding 900 litres capacity (54%) 6. Worked monumental/building stones, granite (52%) 7. Rotary positive displacement pumps (66%) 8. Fowls (gallus domesticus) meat, prepared/preserved (132%) 9. Tubes, pipes and hoses of plastic (95%) 10. Frozen swine cuts (51%) 11. Animal feed preparations (127%) 12. Maize (corn) groats and meal (70%) 13. Prefabricated buildings (55%); 14. Sausages (75%) 15. Milk and cream sweetened (35%) 16. Crude petroleum (44%) These products are important indications of areas in which the private sector could be facing more import competition from Brazilian imports. BF Lincoln Price For further info: www.crnm.org

Produced by the OTN Information Unit, 2009 DIRECT ALL COMMENTS OR QUERIES Mr. Lincoln Price Private Sector Liaison lincoln.price@crnm.org

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IN THE KNOW

CLICO Headquarters, Barbados

Caught in US meltdown The CLICO Debacle in Retrospect The recent contagion caused by the collapse of CL Financial Group, which owns CLICO, has sent shock waves across the Caribbean, with policyholders in Barbados among the hardest hit. With this comprehensive series of articles, The Nation seeks to set the situation in context. hen the housing bubble burst in the United States, wrecking companies and throwing people out of work and their homes, Caribbean people would scarcely have imagined that one of the firms caught in the meltdown was a regional one. But through its real estate investments, CL Financial Limited of Trinidad and Tobago, a regional conglomerate, was directly part of the United States housing calamity that has resulted in a worldwide economic recession. Consequently, like the United States, the Caribbean is attempting to salvage the savings, investments and jobs of individuals, and at a macro level, “mitigate any impact on . . . public finances [as well as] protect the financial system and investor confidence”. CL Financial, whose assets were put at US$14 billion in 2006, holds investments in insurance, banking and finance, real estate, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, services and communications. Through its subsidiaries CLICO and British American Insurance Company Limited (BAICO), the conglomerate is an integral part of the financial sector in almost every

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Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country. Therefore, when on January 30th , 2009, Trinidad’s regulators intervened in CL Financial’s operations citing shortfalls in the assets of its banking and insurance operations, CARICOM countries knew that another major financial problem was heading their way.

Eastern Caribbean exposure The liabilities of BAICO branches in the Eastern Caribbean have been estimated at EC$1.05 billion, including EC$842.4 million worth of annuities or investment contracts. Looking at the two companies CLICO and BAICO, St. Vincent’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonzalves said that the Eastern Caribbean’s exposure to them was about EC$1.6 billion, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) described that exposure as ranging as high as 17 percent of the Eastern Caribbean’s combined gross domestic product (GDP). The IMF noted though that “the extent of the subsidiaries’ financial distress varies across the region, with ECCU [Eastern Caribbean Currency Union] countries particularly vulnerable as funding gaps in that area account for larger shares of GDP”. Dominica and St. Lucia present good examples of the differences across the region. Dominica’s total exposure is estimated at EC$194 million or 19.4 percent of its GDP. In contrast, St. Lucia’s exposure to BAICO is relatively small, 0.3 percent of GDP.

Information on the status of CLICO, according to the IMF, is more limited but St. Lucia’s exposure amounts to about 5.6 percent of GDP. That country, though, has pledged assets from CLICO amounting to 50 percent of liabilities and 70 percent of deposit-like instruments. For Dominica, the exposure was broken down as EC$60.7 million worth of annuities/investment contracts; life policies valued at EC$6.4 million and general insurance of EC$0.2 million. For Eastern Caribbean countries, the CLICO/BAICO crisis further complicates their economic problems, including previous and ongoing high external debt burden, and difficulties associated with a worldwide recession. Antigua and Barbuda has added problems in its financial sector associated with the demise of its largest private company, the Stanford Group, which was highlighted by a run on the group’s bank. In the developing circumstances, the ECCU countries decided that it was imperative to adopt “a proactive and collective approach to the challenge”, and as a first step each government requested the high courts to appoint judicial managers (JMs) to conduct a financial review of the companies’ operation. Eight JMs from the firm KPMG were appointed, one in each jurisdiction with a BAICO branch. Dominica was the exception since its law does not speak to the appointment of a JM.

By October 2009, the JMs had concluded that BAICO was insolvent. They reported that as of June 30, 2009, BAICO had a deficit of EC$775 million, which was likely to increase in light of uncertainty over the value of some BAICO intra-group assets, including a loan note due from CL Financial and its US Property investments. They said that if BAICO was liquidated, policyholders would get ten cents on their dollar.

New company Instead, the JMs recommended that a new company be set up to take over its operations in the ECCU. Finding strategic investors for this new entity has been an issue of much debate, but what was certain from the start is that ECCU governments would have to provide an injection of capital. Conscious of the fiscal constraints facing the countries, it was suggested that the governments try to limit the cost by revising terms in some of the company’s contracts, including lowering interest rates, extending tenors and converting some liabilities into equity. A wider regional response is being developed for the troubles emanating from the CL Financial debacle. Discussions have

been extended to include the government ministers of Trinidad and Barbados, as well as heads of institutions such as the Central Bank of Barbados, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the CARICOM secretariat, Insurance Regulators of the ECCU and OECS secretariat. They have agreed to establish a liquidity fund to be financed by member states of the ECCU, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the financial sector within the ECCU. The money, which will be used in relation to BAICO, would be made up of US$50 million from the Trinidad government, which will come from its Petroleum Fund; US$5 million from Barbados; and US$10 million from government in the ECCU. Regional and international organisations were expected to contribute US$15 million.

CLICO Life sold Barbados agreed to sell CLICO Life (Barbados) and the Insurance Corporation of Barbados was named as the purchaser. The CLICO/BAICO crisis underlines the need for stronger monitoring and regulation of the non-bank financial sector. Governments in the ECCU are therefore getting ready to strengthen their laws so as to facilitate a regional integrated regulatory

and supervisory framework for non-bank financial institutions. As to individuals, the aggregate figures cannot paint clearly enough the suffering and pain which average folks are enduring as they try to deal with the possible loss of a high percentage of their investments. Their experience highlights the importance of investment diversification, or in more regular parlance the reason for not putting all your eggs in one basket. The JMs also add that individuals too can learn from the process the importance of understanding the nature of their investments and the attached risks. BF Marva Cossy

DISCLOSURE: The Nation Group is the holder of annuity policies in CLICO International Life Insurance Limited. Further, it is a matter of public record that Colonial Life Insurance Co. (Trinidad) is a shareholder in NATION parent company One Caribbean Media Limited (OCM). This disclosure is made in the interest of transparency. THE NATION wishes to assure its readers that the above will in no way inhibit its commitment to the time-honoured principles of journalistic integrity.

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We specialize in : Event Management and Venue Design Event Planning and Co-odinating Interior and Stage Design Merchandising Exhibitions Displays Wedding Planners Wedding Supplies and Services

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IN THE KNOW

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IN THE KNOW

g n i t a c i r t Me Your Business

“Businesses that upgrade to the Metric System are able to obtain benefits of improved competitiveness and market access, as well as savings from standardization” this is according to Pat Naughtin, world renowned metrication writer, speaker, editor and publisher. Transition to the Metric System can be quite simple, and does not have to be complicated. However, companies must plan the process carefully in order to make the change-over efficient and cost-effective. Many businesses all over the world have gone through the process of metrication and their experiences of successes and failures are available via the internet as lessons to be learnt. Some nations adopt direct metrication or phased metrication while others go the route of metric conversion. In his e-book ‘Metrication Leaders Guide’, Pat Naughtin advises that direct Distance (Area)

metrication “is rapid, smooth, and economical. Phased metrication is slow, painful and expensive. Phased metrication involves passing laws that permit the use of metric units parallel with old measures.” He made reference to the US, which has been using a phased metrication policy since the Kassen Act declared it lawful throughout the US to employ the weights and measures of the Metric System in 1866. The US is still going through the process of phased metrication in 2010 at tremendous cost. There are a number of steps companies can take to simplify the metrication process. At each step companies can use the opportunity to improve processes, increase markets, reduce costs and increase profits. The following can be utilized as a guide for your company’s upgrade of the Metric System:

Mass/Weight

Liquid volume

Millimeters Kilograms Litre Square metre Metres Grams Millilitre Cubic metre Kilometers Tonne Cubic metre

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Toma 1.9 to 9 per kg

• Establish a (cross-functional) Metrication Team • Set Team goals • Undertake : o preliminary investigations o procurement analysis o marketing analysis o processing analysis • Prepare a metrication plan • Identify training needs • Develop metrication policy • Review original goals • Implement metrication plan • Monitor & Evaluate The Metric System is able to measure anything in the universe from the smallest object to the size of the universe. But only the following 11 units would be needed by most people for measuring. BF Judy Rene Coordinator Saint Lucia Metrication Secretariat For further info: metcentre@candw.lc

METRIC IS THE WAY TO GO

METRIC SYSTEM

The following prefixes are based on powers of 10. What does this mean? kilo

hecto

deca

Base Units

meter gram liter

— From each prefix every “step” is either

deci

centi

milli

Have Fun with Metric!

10 Times larger or

How many grams are there in a kilogram?

10 Times smaller

How many kilograms are there in a tonne?

— For example Centimetres are 10 times larger than millimetres 1centimetre = 10 millilitres

for more info email us at: metcentre@candw.lc

How many millilitres are there in a litre? How many millimetres are there in a metre? How many metres are there in a kilometre? How many litres are there in a cubic metre?

Excellent! you gained

1000 points Lets Go Metric!

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

State-of-the-art delicatessen and bakery

changing the landscape of food retailing in St. Lucia

he launch of any new enterprise is a testament to investor confidence in an economy, which becomes an even bolder statement during a recession. Goddard Enterprises Ltd.’s opening of gl foodmarket, St. Lucia’s newest supermarket, is one such demonstration. gl foodmarket opened to the clamour and applause of would-be shoppers on September 24th, 2010 at the Baywalk Mall in Rodney Bay and has already generated a buzz in the food retail industry. The supermarket serves as the anchor in the exciting new Baywalk Shopping Mall and brings together the best of local and international consumer choice in a convenient shopping environment.

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gl foodmarket is a joint venture between Peter and Company and M&C Group of Companies which are both owned by Goddard Enterprises Ltd. (GEL). GEL represents a diverse group of companies including, insurance to rum production, ship chandlery, to motor car retail. gl foodmarket employs 120 persons bringing the total group employment in St. Lucia to approximately 1200. Speaking on the supermarket’s opening, GEL’s CEO Martin Pritchard remarked, ‘In St. Lucia we needed a retail food presence, therefore, when the opportunity came along for us to open a supermarket in [Baywalk] Mall, we made this decision, over two years ago, to go ahead.’ When questioned

about the challenges of opening a new business during a recession, he replied optimistically, ‘The recession has to end at some point.’ gl foodmarket is positioned to offer variety, consumer choice, and excellent quality, thus raising the bar for supermarkets on the island. ‘It is our aim to do this responsibly, consistently and affordably with excellent customer service,’ says General Manager Andrew Chard. Chard joins gl foodmarket with 28 years of food retailing experience, 11 of which have been in the Caribbean environment. He is supported by a management team of 5 which includes 2 Assistant Managers:

Wide selection of wines and cheeses from around the world

Quality local and international produce

From everyday items to gourmet

Brent Mertens, meat specialist and 12 year veteran with regional and international experience, and Adrian Eugene who has 11 years experience in the local food retail industry. gl foodmarketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to customer satisfaction is demonstrated by the addition of John Jacinto, consultant Operations and Service Trainer. The supermarket features a state-ofthe-art delicatessen and in-house bakery, and a fresh-to-go section, which provides healthy options for breakfast and lunch when on the go. Another exciting element is the inclusion of a specialty foods section,

which includes gourmet international foods, as well as lifestyle diet items for vegetarians and those who have food intolerances to gluten and lactose. Chard reports that some of the most popular features so far have been the extensive wine and cheese selections, and the fresh meat department, which offers premium meats, always fresh, never frozen. gl foodmarket provides a complete shopping experience, one that acknowledges that the preparation of great food starts from the point of purchase. As such, the supermarket is branding itself not

simply as a tool for better living, but as an entire lifestyle choice. Chard says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Good food starts with quality, fresh ingredients; the rest is information, preparation, and a little inspiration.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It is clear that details count with gl foodmarket, from customer service and product selection to even the design elements, and by all accounts gl foodmarket is meeting its mandate in changing the landscape of the food and grocery product retailing scene in St Lucia. BF For further info: www.glfoodmarket.com

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

www.GlaceGrafix.com

Keitha Glace - President GlaceGrafix Inc. MyCellyMyMoney.com

MyCellyMyMoney.com

HTwoSoftware.com

MyCellyMyMoney.com

HTwoSoftware.com

Hayden Patrick - Managing Director H2 Software Inc.

Synergies that Succeed M

ergers have always been about uniting strengths - finding that company that matches your company’s ideals, business philosophy and is a dominant force in their respective markets. A company that brings synergies that leads to cost reduction. The united company then emerges stronger and well positioned to take on the new frontier, expanding cost efficiency by boosting productivity. All this pointing to one thing, a satisfied and growing customer base! K & H Business Solutions, Inc. is now poised to make its entrance into this unique group. Merging software engineering and graphic designs, website development coupled with online and offline marketing seems like the odd couple. A “nuts” and “bolts” company merging with a flower shop, we see the beauty, not the beast! H2 Software Inc. engineers technically sound applications, while GlaceGrafix makes everything user friendly and “pretty”. GlaceGrafix Inc., is a full web development, business and technology solutions company, with over 400 clients worldwide and growing. This is an accomplishment that speaks volumes on its own behalf. GlaceGrafix Inc. is owned and managed by Ms. Keitha Glace, a Saint Lucian national who attended New BusinessFocus

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York’s School of Visual Arts, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Multimedia in 1998. After almost a 10 yearstint as an IT Project Manager and Web Developer at McKinsey & Company, (an international consulting firm), she started her own successful web development and consulting company, and now has offices in Saint Lucia and Miami, Florida. She manages a global team of IT and graphic designers and continues to grow and expand with her next thrust being a deeper penetration with her products and services into the Caribbean Region. Their motto is “Creating Value On and Offline”. (glacegrafix.com) Then, there are the nuts and bolts guys (htwosoftware.com) yes guys! But a lady carefully placed in the mix, engineering some of the most innovative ideas originating from the region. The company led by Hayden Patrick, Trinidadian by birth, but every bit a St. Lucian. It’s not often that a certified accountant develops software, but when your passion for numbers is lost, software development is the only “logical” choice. Having worked as the Financial Controller for a Fortune 500 company (American Airlines (MCLA) division) through their fully owned subsidiary based in St. Lucia and led by a CFO who

was equally passionate on the merits of software applications in the workplace, the new passion was birthed and charted the course for the incorporation of H2 Software Inc. and the never ending search for software engineering talent and expertise. It is against that background that H2 Software Inc. developed and grew. However, the challenges were many, often daunting but those were met with equal resolve, the same kind of tenacity that is evident in any project that the company undertakes. The merged entity has responded and has delivered to the business community H2 Web2 Office Suite; a suite of four programmes (Payroll, HR, Time and Attendance and Manpower Manager) and a MyCellyMyMoney, another innovative product, that converts your average cellular phone into an investment tool, while giving a voice to anyone who has an opinion. It’s the only cellular based network that pays the client for using his/ her phone. K & H Business Solutions Inc. is the result of passions, sweat and building long lasting relationships, as they don’t sell products and services, they engineer solutions!! BF For further info: www.kandhbusinesssolutions. com

• Web & Graphic Design • E-Marketing & SEO • Virtual Tours • Multimedia Presentations • Customized Online Applications

• Procurement Services • Glace Couriers • St. Lucia Online Business Directory • Computers & Accessories

H2 Web Oﬃce Suite

The tool kit for Human Resource Managers

H2 Software Inc.

• H2 Web2 Payroll • Facial Recognition Time & Attendance System

• H2 Web2 HRM • H2 Web2 Man Power Manager

Unit 21 Gablewoods Mall, Sunny Acres, Castries, St. Lucia • TEL: (758) 451-7825 www.glacegraﬁx.com • www.htwosoftware.com • kandhbusinesssolutions.com

ST. LUCIA INSURANCES LTD. (Representing Caribbean Alliance Insurance Co. Ltd.) # 48 Micoud St. Box 1804, Castries, St. Lucia

Tel: 452-3240/ 6240/ 453 2437 Fax: 452 - 2240 Email: sl.ins@candw.lc Linmore’s Bldg., Theodore St., Box 283, Vieux Fort, St. Lucia

Tel: 454 - 6706 Fax: 454 - 8574 Soufriere, St. Lucia

Tel: 459 - 7257

At St. Lucia Insurance Ltd. integrity is our watch word backed by years of experience and certified expertise. We provide the widest range of competively priced general insurance products and are unbeatable for • Home • Motor • Private & Commercial fire • Contruction

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Sentinel Security Leading The Way In Security & Safety

entinel Security Company Limited, established in March 1982, is a longstanding and one of the leading security companies in St. Lucia providing a range of services ensuring the protection of life and assets of their current customer base and prospective clients. Sentinel Security Co. Ltd. is a St. Lucian based company providing security services to a wide range of commercial houses, institutions in the public and private sectors as well as private homes. According to Carlyn Phillips, the General Manager who has been with the Company for 15 years, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We assist in ensuring that clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; properties and lives are secure. We BusinessFocus

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offer electronic security for businesses and homes, and we make our rates affordable and ensure that we deliver excellent service.â&#x20AC;? For this longstanding company, providing a total and complete security service to customers is achieved through offering high quality security solutions, supported by a team of a highly competent staff. The more popular services provided include: security consultation and mobile patrol, burglary and fire alarm installation, a 24hour central monitoring station and CCTV (IP Compatible) installation. Another major aspect of the approach to customer service is the offerings of on-

going technical support maintenance of the products. The technical support becomes a major aspect after the installation process of the security products. In fact, this three-prong approach, of state-of-the-art products, high-quality customer service and maintenance of the service provided after installation as the Company is dedicated to long-term relationships with their customers, is what sets this security company apart from their competition. In purchasing a security system for your home or business clients are not only investing in a security device but also in peace of mind. BF

The Sentinel Team

Esther Eudoxie - CEO

Carlyn Phillips General Manager

Sentinel Half_Final:Layout 1 10/12/2009 11:06 Page 1

Christina Duncun-Antione Sales & Marketing Manager

Anderson Melius Technical Manager

Sentinel Security Co. Ltd. State Of The Art Security Solutions

We offer Residential & Commercial : n Burglary & Fire Alarm Installation

n CCTV Installation

n Central Monitoring Station 24 Hour Response Service

n Remote Camera Surveillance

n Access Control n Biometrics n Intercom Systems

n Vehicle Tracking Systems n Aviation Security Training n ID Service

“Proud to provide Aviation Security Screening at St. Lucia’s Airports” Visit us at Sunny Acres (behind Friendship Inn), Castries, St. Lucia Tel: 452-4242/453-2660/451-7180 • Fax: 453-2635 Email: sentinelxpress@hotmail.com BusinessFocus

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Baywalk Mall, Rodney Bay

Hewanorra House, Castries

St. Luciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Growing Northern

Urbanisation T

he topography of St. Lucia is evolving. With new buildings cropping up and popping up all over the northern part of the island, from Rodney Bay to Choc Estate to Castries, new cementbased, multi-storey structures are clearly visible from many points, at some stage of the completion process. This development

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of infrastructure serves as an expansion of the commercial space, which facilitates opportunity for the increase of the businessrelated sphere. Rodney Bay, St. Luciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier tourism hot spot is leading the great commercial way as it has propelled, growing in leaps and bounds and continues to stretch its commercial legs. Whether in

the form of restaurants, office space or a mall of storefronts, construction is front and centre as the driving force of this development. In dismal economic times, this robust thrust in the local construction sector perhaps serves as a beacon of muchanticipated, improved economic activity, on the horizon. BF

Building in Rodney Bay across from the Marina

Karlione Court, Rodney Bay

Building in Rodney Bay across from the Marina Building at the entrance of Rodney Bay

The New Home of Pinnacle St. Lucia, Choc Estate

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Home Improvement Investment

Investing In Your Abode

nvesting in your home is an excellent way to add value. However, in today’s economy, you may wonder if it is wise to make a large investment in your home. Improvements that look great can be costly sometimes. But there are ways to maximize the value of your home while minimizing the cost. Home improvement is not about getting a brand new home, you love your abode – it is about enhancing what you already have. It is about zooming in on certain areas of your space that you would like a new feel, fresh approach or that may need a facelift. In this time of economic hardships, it is still possible to add value to your space subject to your needs. On the market today is about options and pleasing the consumer, that’s you. The home improvement process entails many aspects, from products to customer service. The customer service is a major aspect as outlets are equipped to provide advice on what best suits your needs. BusinessFocus

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Home Improvement Investment

Protecting & Increasing

The Value Of Your Asset

hristmas is not the only time that home improvements should be considered. One would agree that a home is a life-time investment and like all investments should be protected; therefore, regular maintenance should be undertaken to avoid costly renovations/ repairs in the future. Home Improvements to increase the value of property usually involves an increase in living space, the addition of a master bedroom, an additional bathroom a garage or patio or the addition of apartments that can be used to generate extra income. When embarking on an extension consider the following; • Meet with your Mortgage Banker to discuss the project and how much you qualify for by way of a loan; this will assist in the planning of your project in terms of the scope and cost. • Consult your architect if plans are required. • Get necessary approvals (DCA, Health etc.). • Choose a builder/contractor. Interview the individual, ask to see some of the projects undertaken, ask for references, speak to clients; find out all you can about your proposed contractor. • After selecting a contractor, document the work to be done, the price and the time frame. The lawyer who prepared your title documents will be able to assist with a simple contract between

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the parties- this will avoid genuine misunderstanding of what is intended. • During the construction stages of your project ensure that you are kept abreast on the progress, challenges etc. • Ask questions to clarify and ensure that you understand what is happening; remain involved throughout the project. • When your project is completed ensure regular maintenance to keep the property in good condition. • Key areas that should be maintained regularly are:

• Paint job

Look for cracked or chipped paint, give your house a good power wash and a fresh coat of paint - this will also help improve the appeal of your property.

• Plumbing

Have your pipes and faucets looked at regularly; replacing leaking faucets or damaged pipes will not only prevent water damage but also save on your utility bills. • Electrical Experts recommend that your electrical work be inspected regularly, but do you know that it is a requirement of the Ministry of Communications that an electrical inspection be carried out once every 5 years for purposes of recertification? Regular inspections will detect faulty or damaged wiring or electrical outlets that can be fire hazards. One recommendation for homeowners is the installation of smoke detectors to alert them to potential

fires, and possibly save lives and property.

•Roof

Your roof is your home’s main waterproofing source. Leaks, if left unchecked, can cause considerable damage not only to your roof sheeting but to the ceiling, rafters, fascia boards and even the interior of your property. Check your roof regularly for signs of damage, plug in simple leaks, ensure that guttering and down pipes are functional and that there is adequate drainage to take water away from your property. Inspect the rafters and fascia boards for termite and water damage; changing damaged boards immediately will save you in the long run. Aside from the routine inspections and installation of fire alarms, homeowners should ensure that their properties are insured comprehensively and that the sums insured are reviewed periodically and especially after carrying out additions/ improvements. The sum insured should always reflect the current cost of replacing the building. The old adage “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is true-regular inspections, maintenance and improvement works will ensure that your property remains in excellent condition, saving you thousands of dollars in costly repairs. So remember; inspect, improve, enhance and protect your investment. BF Tessa N.Charles Loans Interviewer St.Lucia Mortgage Finance Co. Ltd.

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Home Improvement Investment

What To Look For In An

Architect

Architect - Sean Compton

f you are thinking about building or extending your existing home, it is probably because your house no longer meets your living requirements. It is always better to spend money, time and effort in the planning process, as it will cost you much less to do it on paper than to make changes during the building stage. Business Focus sat down with award winning, architect and Director of Melon Design, Sean Compton, for some advice about how to choose an architect. “A house is really your living space and what an architect does is try to enhance your living space and your experience of life,” he believes. Here is what he suggests: 1. Compatibility – the client-architect relationship is a long-term one but unfortunately compatibility is often overlooked, because often people choose an architect based on price not service. “It has to work both ways because it can be frustrating to work with a client who wants something that you don’t think is right and vice versa.” Therefore the style and taste of an architect must be in synch with that of the client. 2. Good Dialogue – an architect should be able to listen to a client. Only then are they able to understand what the BusinessFocus

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client is looking for, that is, the subtext below the images. For instance, some clients bring pictures they have seen in a book or magazine that they want in their homes, however these styles may be suited to North American climates and not the tropics. It is part of the architect’s job to advise on how best the ideas can be achieved within the constraints of the land, climate, etc. 3. Enhancement – even if it is just an extension, a good architect should consider factors such as the climate, location, and how light and air flow come into the house to enhance the living space. For instance the last thing that a client would want is a dark home that was not built with the sunrise and sunset patterns of a location. 4. Bring Something New – “For me it is always a pleasure to bring something new to a project that the client had not expected.” Sean said. The way to achieve this he reiterates, is through listening to your client, understanding how they live and visiting where the client wants to live. Look for an architect who is sensitive to these elements as it is more likely that he or she can add something to the project that you hadn’t considered.

5. From Start To Finish – For Sean, a project is finished when the keys to the building have been handed over to the homeowner. He also recommends that you have a defects and liability period (approx. 18 months), which is when the client can call on the architect or professional who supervised the job and the builder is still liable for defects in the work. A lot of clients however will opt to go on their own during the building process and supervise the project themselves. Sean says it may seem like you are saving money, but in the long run you end up getting charged more by the builder. You may end up in a situation where you do not understand what the builder is doing and there is no one to advise you through that process. As a final but critical point Sean Compton recommends that consultation with an architect begin at the earliest stages of the process. In the case of an extension you are allowed to extend your house up to 1/3 of the overall square footage without planning approval. If your extension includes toilets, waste processing, kitchen or pools, you will need to get Health approval and then Planning approval. BF

Home Improvement Investment

Renovation On A Budget

What to know when seeking a loan for home renovations.

hen undertaking home renovations, you would need funding to support the project. Though taking out loans can become complicated and tedious, Scotiabank advise on the three main factors to know to keep the process of getting a loan to fund your renovation project hassle-free. 1. Estimate At the starting point, for this type of loan an estimate is required. This estimate should be completed by the contractor/builder based on the work the customer is requiring. This should also be supported by an estimate or report from a quantity surveyor. The quantity surveyorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s report is to confirm that the amount the contractor has estimated is in line with the amount of work projected and that funds being

requested will fully complete the project. 2. Evaluate The bank then requires an evaluation to be done on the property as part of their policy. The evaluation is done on the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house (on the existing structure) as the bank would need to ensure that there is sufficient value in the property to cover the amount that the customer wants to borrow. For home renovations the bank would lend up to 90 percent against the value of the current property. This report would also determine whether the customer needs to inject any funds into the loan. 3. Fees For mortgage applications a customer also has to cater for closing fees which would include, legal fees, which is to be paid to the lawyer for preparation of the mortgage document, commission

banking fees, which is 1.1 percent of the amount that the customer wants to borrow and indemnity insurance. This insurance is a one-time payment and provides coverage to the bank when a customer is loaned up to 90 percent against the value of their property, as normal lending is 75 percent. The above fees can also be included in the loan request. It is also advisable that before proceeding to seek the above documents the customer should first visit Scotiabank to discuss their proposal with their personal banking officer who will advise them on the amount they can qualify for. When all the above is complied, the application can be processed. BF

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Home Improvement Investment

Add Value To Your Home Paint It Today!

emodeling your home can be costly sometimes. However by applying a fresh coat of paint to various parts of your home, you are able to give your abode the ultimate a facelift. For a relatively low cost, you can get a crisp, modern look by painting all the walls and rooms of your home with a fresh coat of paint. Paint is by far the lowest cost way to add new life, and value, to any space.

Re-do the interior of your home One of the ways to do this is to give the interior of your home a complete facelift. By using Harris’ new Language of Colour, you can create a distinct mood in a room - a warm, calm, fresh or luxurious mood. Paint can make small rooms look larger, and big rooms feel warmer and cozier. A freshly painted room always looks new, no matter how old it may be. Neutral colours help prospective buyers more easily see the space as their own, or see the potential for their own furnishings in the space. BusinessFocus

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Touch up the outside of your home stainless steel appliances and some decoYou can also paint the trims on the outside of your home or add a luxurious colour to your verandah. Add a pair of decorative lights to the outside and you can quickly improve the aesthetic appeal of your home.

Refresh your bathrooms Again, a fresh coat of paint on the walls, along with some new bathroom fixtures will not only make a bathroom look brighter today, but increase the value of your home, should you decide to sell it at a later date. Add a new toilet and sink if you’ve got the funds, to really make your bathroom shine! A vase of flowers or some new towels will allow you to highlight the new look of this room.

A cool new kitchen In The kitchen you can paint the walls or refresh the cabinets and save by not having to buy new ones. Add a few new

rative touches and you could see your asking price for a home considered even more favourably. So it’s clear - painting your home can add value to your investment. Even if you have to pay a professional painter to get it done, making these improvements will increase the value and the asking price of your home, if you decide to sell. Just remember, when you’re ready to make these improvements, your nearest Harris Colourcentre is your one-stop shop for all projects! As the Caribbean Champions of colour, we also understand the impact colour can have on your home and your life. Visit us for unique tools like the Harris Language of Colour and inspiration on the colour schemes to choose, decorative paint, woodcare, high performance coatings and accessories, to make your home improvement job a success. So decorate and protect your investment with help from Harris Paints, The Caribbean Champions of Colour! BF

Home Improvement Investment

TROWELTEX

The Perfect Way To Protect And Add Value To Your Home

arris Troweltex is a water-based acrylic textured coating made with Caribbean coral stone and is available in 3 grades – fine, medium and coarse. A one-coat application gives your home a beautiful, sculptured, stone-like appearance reminiscent of the old great houses of times past. Harris Troweltex is one of today’s most reliable and beautiful solutions to protect your home’s exterior and interior and add value to your home. It is currently used on some of the most prestigious buildings, landmarks and homes throughout the Caribbean.

What makes Harris Troweltex the right choice for your home? • Due to the fact that it is thicker than paint – it has a stone-like finish and contains acrylic (great for enhancing durability), it protects your home against sea blast to which many homes in the Caribbean are exposed.

• It is water and mildew-resistant – it controls the deterioration caused by water and mildew and the salt from sea spray will wash off with regular rainfall. • On new buildings – it provides an even finish on minor surface imperfections. • It can be applied to a variety of surfaces – cured masonry, interior drywall, plaster, hardboard, or wood paneling, so whatever your surface, we have you covered. • You can also use Troweltex over previously painted surfaces as long as they are in sound condition – thus enhancing your home and giving it a totally new

look! • Trowletex is also environmentally friendly – due to the low volatile organic content (voc). Harris Trowe l t e x brings a new dimension to your interior and exterior walls and its very durable surface withstands the harsh tropical conditions of the Caribbean. With the full palette of colours in which this product is available and the 3 different grades, you have an array of design possibilities which will allow you to not only create a unique look for your home today, but improve its value and preserve your home for years to come. BF BusinessFocus

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Home Improvement Investment

Your One Stop Paint Shop

Inspiring the Painting Process

olour is inspirational whether it stands alone or with other colour combinations. There is no set rule to follow other than your preference, your personality, your style and your choice. With Paint Plus’s wide range of quality products and knowledgeable and experienced staff, you can make the choice of that new colour scheme for your home. Over the years the company has expanded and diversified the product range to meet the needs of the ever-demanding customer base. And Paints Plus certainly does not shy away from the demanding customer. Whether the customer’s needs range from traditional paint coatings to textured finishes, from specialty paints to industrial coatings, from interior wood

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stains to high performance exterior wood stains, the services offered allow them to be up to any painting challenge. In keeping one step ahead of the competition Paints Plus was the first to introduce the MatchRite Colour Matching System into St. Lucia. Imagine bringing a sample of any colour of your choice and through the system’s ‘colour eye’ or spectrophotometer they can read and match it so there is no difference to the naked eye. That means they can match any colour from any other brand chart as well as their own line of products. Therefore. their paint colour choice options are endless! In addition to this, Paints Plus offers customers a Home Visualiser programme which allows you to see what your choice

of colour will look like before you buy it. The programme also recommends harmonious colour combinations to complement and accessorize any room in your home. Instead of wasting time and money in trial and error of finding the best paint color for your space, the home Visiualiser allows you to see it first before you commit to a colour scheme. Paints Plus, a locally owned St. Lucian company, brings to their customers quality decorative coatings and specialty products from around the world with their major brands being VOC compliant with the international regulations. What’s your inspiration? They urge you to defy the ordinary! BF Your One Stop Paint Shop

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Home Improvement Investment

Choosing The Right For You

Counter Top N

aturally, when you are choosing a kitchen countertop, the material of which it is made will be your first, and most important, consideration. To find the ideal material for your kitchen, determine how it will be used and how much you have to spend. There are several options when choosing a surface for your home. From high-end to more affordable, these options serve different purposes depending on your needs. Quartz The quartz is an engineered stone, which offers a sophisticated elegance and timeless beauty. It can be used in virtually any indoor surfacing application

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in kitchens and bathrooms including: countertops, island tops, vanities, tub and shower surrounds, backsplashes, walls, wet bars, tabletops, desktops, and more. Quartz is naturally scratch-resistant, i.e. you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about the kitchen knife scratching the counter top or your toddler scratching your surface. Quartz is non-porous and therefore it is highly resistant to stains from coffee, wine, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, makeup, and many other common household products. Unlike granite, quartz does not need to be sealed to keep its lustrous shine. Unlike solid surfaces, it is scorch-resistant. It will withstand limited exposure to heat without burning or scorching.

However, as advised by crock-pot and electric skillet manufacturers, do not place these items directly on any countertop. Always use trivets when placing hot items on any natural stone or quartz surface to avoid thermal shock. Quartz is four times stronger than granite or solid surface making it a lot harder for chipping or for it to crack. Because it is non- porous, the quartz doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be sealed regularly and as a result there is no need for maintenance. Granite Granite countertops are the classic, enduring choice. Granite is a natural stone made up of magma and bits of crystals of

quartz, mica, feldspar and other minerals, which is shaped and polish into slabs. It provides a unique pattern, as no two granite slabs are the same. Granite is a popular choice for countertops because of its rich, deep colors and many variations. It is a tough, durable stone that requires little maintenance. There are two types of granite styles to consider when choosing countertops: - Consistent - granite has the same pattern throughout each piece. - Variegated - granite has veins that vary from piece to piece. You can choose between premier granite, which has a better finish and shine, or a commercial granite, which is smooth but more open to staining. On a daily basis, you simply wipe down the granite with a paper towel and soapy water. Never use abrasive cleaning products. Once a year, your service provider should use a sealer to maintain the finish. Don’t let foods with high acid content, like lemon juice or vinegar, remain on the counter’s surface for any length of time as acids can mar the finish.

Marble Marble countertops are another classic choice. Marble is a porous type of metamorphic rock. Marble starts off as either a crystallized limestone or dolostone, with a lot of the mineral calcite in it. It is recommended in bathrooms, tabletop, pass bar or furniture pieces but not kitchen tops. Marble stone is a natural product and simple care and maintenance will continue to keep it looking beautiful for many years. Clean the marble surface with a few drops of neutral cleaner, stone soap or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. Use a soft cloth for best results. Too much cleaner or soap used during cleaning may cause a film residue and cause streaking to occur on your marble sculpture. Never use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on marble. Always rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently. Do not use scouring powders or creams, as these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface. In outdoor pool, patio or hot tub areas, flush

with clear water and use a mild bleach solution to remove algae or moss. Acrylic Solid Surface Solid-surface countertops are a manmade plastic-based material. Is a harden plastic made up of acrylic resin, aluminum trihydroide, pigments and additives. It provides the consumer with a wider variety of colours and patterns than the granite and quartz. Unlike granite or marble, solid surface is renewable, nonporous, and will not support the growth of bacteria and is heat resistant when kept in low heat. Heat damage next to cook tops and ranges is possible, most often seen as cracks in corners or near the largest burners. Because of the kind of material when scratched, it does not show on the darker colours. Scratches however, can be easy removed by your service provider. For stains and dirt use soapy water or an ammonia-based cleaning product, rinse and towel dry. To avoid water spots wipe with a soft damped cloth or paper towel. To disinfect the counter top, occasionally wipe the surface with a diluted 1:1 ratio of water and household bleach. BF

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Home Improvement Investment

All I Want

For Christmas-At Courts

his statement evokes a plethora of finishing phrases, from the proverbial “two front teeth” to more substantial wishes such as a new car, jewellery, clothing and the list goes on. In the traditional Caribbean thinking, a Christmas wish list usually begins with wanting to spruce up and beautify the home in preparation for hosting friends and family on and around the big day. One of the easiest ways to make a big impression is to make over the living area, and new furniture is the place to start. Investing in a lounge suite transforms the entire living room, and is a very personal style choice so take some time to think about “what you really want”: • What fabric suits your needs? Hardwearing tapestry fabrics are easy to clean and are children friendly; chenille has a luxuriant feel and looks great with wooden details; microfibre combines a soft touch with durability and is a popular upholstery trend. • Do you prefer a solid colour or an attractive print? Bright colours and lively designs look exciting, but remember you BusinessFocus

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will be living with your choice for some time to come. The most popular upholstery colours are neutrals – taupes, soft greens, mid and dark brown tones are the top picks throughout the world because they are versatile and match with a wide array of other colors. • Think about the size of your living room and choose the format of suite that best fits your space – a sofa and two armchairs may be just right for your family, but a larger room may require a sofa, loveseat and an armchair. If space is an issue in a smaller house or apartment, try a smaller scale model in just sofa and loveseat. Look out for Courts “Personally Yours” range that can be tailored to fit any room. • Details make the difference, and your personal taste is very important in choosing the style of any furniture piece, but particularly a suite. Contemporary styles use clean lines, solid colours and modern fabrics such as microfibre, while traditional styles include rolled arms, wooden facings and carved legs; coffee and side tables should match wood

tones, and metal and glass styles complement more modern styles. • Adding accents such as a beautiful rug, wall art or framed pictures, vases and other decorative accessories give that finishing touch, and allow you to really express your personal style. If you choose neutral upholstery, you can afford to go wild with accent colours and patterns, which can be changed seasonally or just to reflect your mood. Whether the budget is large or limited, Courts has exactly what you want to beautifying your home this Christmas. Our lounge range is the widest in St. Lucia, and includes international brands as well as beautifully-crafted, locally-manufactured styles, which meet international standards. With Courts Ready Finance, we can turn any want into a reality as our affordable, flexible and easy terms mean that you can have it now. So visit any Courts store and we guarantee that when you leave us you would have extended the words of that popular Christmas carol to “I got all I want for Christmas.” BF

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Home Improvement Investment

Tiling Your Bathroom What you need to know to get the job done.

ou are planning to tile (or retile) your bathroom. You have booked a titler who will be ready to start work shortly. Here is what you should know to help you with the installation in the best and cost effective way to accomplish the job in record time. Furthermore being equipped with information will help you communicate your vision effectively to your tiler.

Planning

Planning your tiling installation correctly and efficiently is the most important step for a smooth, easy and problem free bathroom tile installation. All the time spent planning your tiling installation will save you money and headaches through the process of the project. You must plan your bathroom-tiling project carefully; choose the tile design and tile patterns you desire, what materials you need and which tools you require. One of the key components of the process is to discuss with your tiler who may be able to offer advice and help the project along.

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Selecting Tile Design & Patterns

A large variety of standard tile designs, ideas and tile patterns are available. Choosing the tile design is obviously the first thing you need to do, without deciding this you cannot continue with your bathroom tile installation. The tile patterns you can create with different tiles are limited only by your own tile design ideas and vision. The selection process should cover how much of your bathroomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface area is going to be covered in tiles. Will the floors and walls be tiled, and if so how much of the wall surface will be covered? Is it from floor to ceiling or from floor to chest level and a different surface cover will be applied to the rest of the wall, like paint or wood panels? These decisions will determine how much material you require.

Tile Suitability

Tiles are made in porous and non-porous varieties. When planning a bathroom tile remodeling, the best option is non-porous ceramic tiles so that water does not seep

through the surface. If your bathroom is on the small side and the tiles have designs on them, you may opt for smaller sized tiles as they have smaller designs. Tile designs that are too large may not suit small bathrooms (as they make the room appear smaller) so choose a smaller tile design for smaller bathrooms. If you choose a plain color, the size is not that important, however lighter colours tend to reflect light (making the room brighter and even bigger) as opposed to darker colours which do not. A good tile design idea is to choose contrasting colors for the floor tiles and wall tiles. Then have a skirting line in the same color as the floor tile to keep the colours coordinated. Another tile design idea is changing color at chest level, which will change the look of your bathroom.

Materials

Determining how much materials you will need will help you budget efficiently and not over or under purchase. To calculate the quantity of materials that you need, you must take precise measurements

of the total area that you wish to tile. From the total area and the size of each tile, you can calculate the number of tiles required but you must know the size of the tiles you have chosen. You must also remember to take into account the gaps (for grout) between tiles when calculating the number of tiles needed, so make sure you include spacers appropriate to the tile size chosen. When calculating, consider more than half a tile as a full tile and less than a half tile as a half tile. If you have chosen a multicolored bathroom, calculate each color separately and note the tile requirements. It is a good idea to purchase extra tiles, as you can be sure that some tiles will break during installation (even the best professionals breaks tiles). In addition some of these extra tiles could be used in the future if any tiles need replacing, since the tiles you have ordered may not be available in future, and if you require replacement tiles, you will have difficulty finding a match. If this equation becomes a little complicated, you can always consult your titler. Be sure to budget for additional materials other than the tiles. Grout is a major material, which is the adhesive used to hold the tiles together. Another, is the cost to rent a tile cutter should your tiler not own one. Remember if any parts of the titling process become overwhelming, consult with your tiler as to the best way forward. Now, start the planning process. BF

NORTHERN ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES St. Luciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Electrician Store

Distributors

Of all types of Industrial & Commercial Electrical Lamps, Cables, Circuit Breaker Panels & other Electrical accessories on wholesale and retail.

Also Available:

Undreground Cable, Ladders. All types of Lighting Fixtures Etc Box CP 5305 Castries, Bois Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Orange, ARP Warehouse Tel: 1 (758) 450 7866 Fax: 1 (758) 450 7867 email: nesupplies@candw.lc BusinessFocus

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Home Improvement Investment

Hard Surface Floors

Choosing Between Hardwood, Laminate and Tile

one are the days when the average homeowner immediately opted for carpeting when deciding to replace the flooring in their homes as design trends shift. The modern option of hard surface flooring, whether the final choice is title, hardwood or laminate has proven to be the smart move. There are several factors to consider when deciding which hard surface flooring is the best option for you from cost to longevity, to stay cutting edge.

Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is a traditional style that continues to grow in popularity. You may spend a bit more for this high-end option but its longevity may just outweigh the cost. For durability, no flooring can beat true hardwood. Once installed, hardwood floors can be cleaned easily with a barely damp mop. Also, if damaged, hardwood flooring is relatively easy to repair by removing and replacing the damaged board or boards. Its look and feel will add BusinessFocus

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instant luxury to any space installed.

Laminate

Contrast that with laminate. Laminate flooring combines natural looking designs with a tough, durable finish and can be used in almost any area of the home. Laminate floors also offer realistic designs and can replicate the characteristics of the popular hand scraped hardwood floors. Laminate floors can be cleaned and maintained as easily as hardwoods. However, while hardwoods will last a lifetime if well cared for, laminate flooring has a general life expectancy of less than 20 years. On the other hand, laminates tend to be more impact, scratch. For the budget-conscious homeowner, laminate can provide the best bang for your buck.

Tile

Tile is also a good option for a hard surface floor. While tile floors used to be reserved for wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens, an increase in product design and selection make tile the most popular

choice for living areas as well. Similar to laminate and hardwood floors, tile is easily maintained and cleaned. However, where there is tile, there is also grout, and while the actual tile is easy to clean, grout can be next to impossible to maintain pristine. Also, depending on the type of tile, cracks can be a problem, either as a result of improper leveling of the subfloor, or as a result of items being dropped on the tile. However, much like hardwood flooring, tile floors can be simple to repair by chipping out the broken tile, laying a replacement piece, and regrouting the area. Overall, the decision to go with a hard surface floor is a good one. With proper maintenance, all three options will far outlast even the best of carpeting choices. Replacing carpet with an easy-to-clean wood, laminate or tile can be a wise health decision as well. A homeowner must consider price, durability, and his or her ultimate design goal when making a flooring choice. BF

Since 1924 the St. Lucia Bay Rum Company has produced one of the finest Caribbean Bay Rum and Citrocol lotions. Splash on liberally after showering, bathing, or shaving.

Use to scent bath water. Refreshing and invigorating. Tones and conditions. Lightly scented with the clean, fresh scent of authentic Bay Rum.

Castries, St. Lucia, W. I. Tel: 1758 452 7460 Fax: 1758 572 7460

www.getezone.com * www.ezshopcaribbean.com NOW IT’S EASIER, FASTER & MORE AFFORDABLE TO SHOP THE EZONE WAY!

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Home Improvement Investment

Tips For improving your Wireless Network BusinessFocus

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f Windows ever notifies you about a weak signal, it probably means your connection isn’t as fast or as reliable as it could be. Worse, you might lose your connection entirely in some parts of your home. If you’re looking to improve the signal for your wireless network, try some of these tips for extending your wireless range and improving your wireless network performance. 1. Position your wireless router (or wireless access point) in a central location. When possible, place your wireless router in a central location in your home. If your wireless router is against an outside wall of your home, the signal will be weak on the other side of your home. Don’t worry if you can’t move your wireless router, because there are many other ways to improve your connection. 2. Move the router off the floor and away from walls and metal objects (such as metal file cabinets). Metal, walls, and floors will interfere with your router’s wireless signals. The closer your router is to these obstructions, the more severe the interference, and the weaker your connection will be. 3. Replace your router’s antenna. The antennas supplied with your router are designed to be omni-directional, meaning they broadcast in all directions around the router. If your router is near an outside wall, half of the wireless signals will be sent outside your home, and much of

and then click Windows Update. • In the left pane, click Check for updates, and then wait while Windows Vista looks for the latest updates for your computer. • Install any updates relating to your wireless network adapter.

your router’s power will be wasted. Most routers don’t allow you to increase the power output, but you can make better use of the power. Upgrade to a hi-gain antenna that focuses the wireless signals only one direction. You can aim the signal in the direction you need it most. 4. Replace your computer’s wireless network adapter. Wireless network signals must be sent both to and from your computer. Sometimes, your router can broadcast strongly enough to reach your computer, but your computer can’t send signals back to your router. To improve this, replace your laptop’s PC card-based wireless network adapter with a USB network adapter that uses an external antenna. In particular, consider the Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless USB network adapter, which adds an external, hi-gain antenna to your computer and can significantly improve your range. However, laptops with built-in wireless typically have excellent antennas and don’t need to have their network adapters upgraded. 5. Add a wireless repeater. Wireless repeaters extend your wireless network range without requiring you to add any wiring. Just place the wireless repeater halfway between your wireless access point and your computer, and you’ll get an instant boost to your wireless signal strength. Check out the wireless repeaters from ViewSonic, D-Link, Linksys, and Buffalo Technology. 6. Change your wireless channel. Wireless routers can broadcast on several different channels, similar to the

way radio stations use different channels. In the United States and Canada, these channels are 1, 6, and 11. Just like you’ll sometimes hear interference on one radio station while another is perfectly clear, sometimes one wireless channel is clearer than others. Try changing your wireless router’s channel through your router’s configuration page to see if your signal strength improves. You don’t need to change your computer’s configuration, because it’ll automatically detect the new channel. 7. Reduce wireless interference. If you have cordless phones or other wireless electronics in your home, your computer might not be able to “hear” your router over the noise from the other wireless devices. To quiet the noise, avoid wireless electronics that use the 2.4GHz frequency. Instead, look for cordless phones that use the 5.8GHz or 900MHz frequencies. 8. Update your firmware or your network adapter driver. Router manufacturers regularly make free improvements to their routers. Sometimes, these improvements increase performance. To get the latest firmware updates for your router, visit your router manufacturer’s website. Similarly, network adapter vendors occasionally update the software that Windows uses to communicate with your network adapter, known as the driver. These updates typically improve performance and reliability. To get the driver updates, do the following: Windows 7 and Windows Vista • Click Start menu, click All Programs,

Windows XP • Visit Microsoft Update, click Custom, and then wait while Windows XP looks for the latest updates for your computer. • Install any updates relating to your wireless adapter. 9. Pick equipment from a single vendor. While a Linksys router will work with a D-Link network adapter, you often get better performance if you pick a router and network adapter from the same vendor. Some vendors offer a performance boost of up to twice the performance when you choose their hardware: Linksys has the SpeedBooster technology, and D-Link has the 108G enhancement. 10. Upgrade 802.11b devices to 802.11g. 802.11b is the most common type of wireless network, but 802.11g is about five times faster. 802.11g is backwardcompatible with 802.11b, so you can still use any 802.11b equipment that you have. If you’re using 802.11b and you’re unhappy with the performance, consider replacing your router and network adapters with 802.11g-compatible equipment. If you’re buying new equipment, definitely choose 802.11g. It is important to note that wireless networks never reach the theoretical bandwidth limits. 802.11b networks typically get 2-5Mbps. 802.11g is usually in the 13-23Mbps range. Belkin’s Pre-N equipment has been measured at 37-42Mbps. BF Leslie Collymore Leslie Collymore is the founder of Advanced Intellectual Methods and is a recognised authority on Web-Solutions, E-marketing and Search Engine Optimizing in the region. In addition to being a Director of AIM, Leslie is the Assistant Marketing Manager for the ECFH Group.

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Home Improvement Investment

Security For Your

Home

Outside Protection

hen considering home security many individuals focus on protecting the occupants and valuables inside the house. While it is important to ensure that there are adequate protective measures to safeguard individuals in their home, there are other aspects of home security that must be considered. One important fact about Caribbean life that is often overlooked is that much of the social life in the Caribbean is conducted outdoors. Caribbean people spend much of their free time on their porch and in their backyard entertaining with friends and family. Any consideration of home security in the Caribbean must therefore also take into account securing the homeowner when they are outside of the home. BusinessFocus

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Shrubbery One of the visually attractive aspects of Caribbean life is the profusion of shrubbery that often surrounds residences. The varied colours of plants such as crotons, ixora and hibiscus beautify the areas around a home and many homeowners delight in encouraging the rich growth of these plants. Unfortunately, the luxuriant growth of shrubbery around a home can provide hiding places for criminals to attack a homeowner when they are in the yard or burglarize a property out of sight of the neighbours. Shrubbery around a home should therefore be kept low to eliminate potential hiding places. Porches & Patios Social life in the Caribbean often

revolves around the porch. It is on the porch or patio that we often entertain our friends and family. In the early evening hours many individuals use their porch to relax and unwind. Our porches and galleries are usually open to the elements allowing the Trade Winds to blow through. Homeowners however must now seek to strike a balance between aesthetics and security. While some want the open feel that un-enclosed patio/porch gives, there must be the recognition that such a design carries risks. Homeowners who opt for such an open design should then consider additional security measures such a guard dog in the yard or outdoor security beams that will detect anyone on the exterior of the home.

Secured Gates

Porches & Patios

Shrubbery Guard Dogs

Guard Dogs & Guests The dilemma of having guard dogs and entertaining guests is one that is faced by many homeowners. The practice of locking away the dogs is often the action chosen by the homeowner whenever he or she has to entertain persons at home. This practice however then exposes the homeowner and his or her guests to the possibility of a home invasion robbery. There are several more secure choices that a homeowner can make in this situation. If the activity involving the guests will occur inside the house, the homeowner can release the dogs once all the guests are inside. Thus the dogs will continue to patrol the yard while the homeowner and guests engage in their social activity. If the homeowner frequently has social activities that involve the guests, being both inside and outside the house, then the homeowner should consider dividing the backyard in such a manner that the dogs can be left to roam and protect one section, while not being able to enter the section where the guests are being entertained. In this dividing technique it is important to use chain linked fencing or steel grilles so that the dogs can see into that area. Thus if anyone enters that area while the guests are inside, the dogs can alert the residents.

Protecting Drains A common situation in the Caribbean is the existence of public drains running either at the back or sides of houses. These drains allow people to walk up the side of the property and are sometimes used by burglars to find a hidden area from which they can access the yard. To deal with this type of situation some homeowners and neighbourhoods have taken to erecting steel grills across the drain(s). Invariably in order to prevent people from simply using the crossbars of the grills to climb over the grill and continue along the drain, neighbourhoods are forced to place razor wire along the top of the grill. A simpler, lower cost and equally effective method is to string the razor wire across the drain. There is no need for the expense of the steel grill. The razor wire should be strung as 2 or 3 coils spanning the width of drain, blocking the use of the drain as an access point. An issue that has to be remembered by anyone using this preventative measure is that the coils of razor wire will trap debris brought down by the drain. The wire will allow water to flow and light debris to pass but heavier material may get caught. Therefore, it must be cleaned periodically to avoid reducing the effectiveness of the razor wire through blunting of the razors and also creating a

blockage that leads to water backup and flooding. Strangers at the Gate A common distraction type crime that is perpetrated on homeowners is performed by individuals who go to residential areas and give homeowners “sad stories”, about not being able to provide for their children. In its simplest form this is fraud because these individuals describe circumstances that do not exist. We do not want to advise individuals that they should not have pity on persons who come with “sad stories” because there are times when the persons are telling the truth. As such, we advise that each individual should listen to these tales while bearing in mind that some persons are fraudsters. In addition, homeowners should never allow these individuals onto their property because some criminals use these stories as an excuse to enter the home and then commit a robbery. BF Brian Ramsey Brian Ramsey holds a BA in Accounting & Management, along with an MBA in Finance and has over 25 years experience in the Caribbean security field. He is the Regional Development Director for Amalgamated Security Services Ltd, which is the parent company of Alternative Security Services St Lucia Ltd. BusinessFocus

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Home Improvement Investment

Security For Holiday Shoppers

GIVE THE GIFT OF SAFETY THIS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS

t’s Christmas. It’s that time when your business place will be beautifully decorated with colourful lights, and the numbers of customers visiting your premises will increase. Christmas is about caring and sharing. What better gift can you give to your staff and customers than the gift of shopping in a safe and secure environment? The St. Lucia Red Cross offers some reminders to ensure that your staff and customers have a safe and secure shopping experience.

lights you use are designed for outdoor use. If unsure, consult your electrician. • Be careful not to overload electrical circuits. As a rule, connect no more than three sets of lights together. • Examine lights carefully for broken or frayed wires before plugging to the electrical circuit.

DECORATIONS • When deciding on how to decorate your business place, bear in mind the potential hazards. As a general rule, decorations should not be placed in such a manner that it obstructs the view of exit signs, fire extinguishers or electrical main-switches.

TREES • The options for trees vary from natural trees to artificial trees. A dry tree increases the risk of fire. To test the dryness of your tree, bend a needle from the tree between two fingers. It should bend not break. • Decorate your tree with items that are non-combustible, flame resistant or flame retardant. • Decorate your tree before you plug the lights into the electrical circuit.

LIGHTS • Lights can be used to decorate both the outside and inside of the business. If you decide to use lights outside, verify that the

EXITS • Exits should be properly labelled and well lit. • Keep all exits clear of shelves, boxes,

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furniture, ladders etc. • As much as possible exits should not be locked. If it needs to be locked, a staff member with the key should be at that exit at all times. SECURITY • Ensure that all general lights are in good working condition. • Prepare a back-up plan in the event of a power loss during late opening hours. • Encourage your staff to be vigilant of suspicious persons or behaviours and to report these to your security personnel including the police. • Ensure that staff members know the police emergency number. It is 999. • Keep minimum sums of cash on the premises by clearing your cash till regularly. It is possible to enjoy a festive season, without accidents. However you should ensure that your employees have access to a well-stocked first aid kit should an accident occur. Your staff and customers would be happy you did. BF

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

The Credit Union Advantage

Credit Unions continue to grow in membership, capital and turnover in the face of the economic downturn.

ccording to a recent study commissioned by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), cooperatives are more resilient to crisis than other forms of enterprise. Amidst the current global financial crisis, credit unions are growing in membership, capital and turnover while other financial institutions such as the commercial banks are grappling to combat the economic meltdown. This continued growth is being fueled by the recognition of the safety and reliability of credit unions. There are many factors that set the Credit Union apart from the bank. These factors include structure, benefits products, location, ownership and financial objective. The structure of the Credit Union is one that consists of directors that are democratically elected by members. Those directors take decisions that are in the best interest of members. This can be explained as a situation of people helping people. On the contrary the bank comprises of directors appointed by shareholders who might not even be customers of the bank. These directors make decisions that are in favor of the shareholders and not customers. Every year Credit Unions share their financial surpluses among their member in the form of dividends. Credit Unions on the island pay approximately $6, 000, 000 annually in dividends and patronage refund to a membership of 60 000. Apart from low cost loans given to members, unlike the banks, the Credit Union offer products that will better the socio-economic situation of the member. Some of these products include medical and indemnity insurance, payment protector, as well as loans and savings protector. The indemnity insurance will cover funeral expenses for up to six members of the family; payment protector will meet all payments including loans and utility bill payments that were being made to the Credit Union in

Royal St. Lucia Police & Allied Services Co-operative Credit union Ltd. BusinessFocus

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the event a member is sick and is unable to pay. Also loans and saving protector will protect your family for baring the burden of commitment to the Credit Union after death. Most Credit Unions are located in the community and thus are easily accessible by members making them a user-friendly organisation where members are known by name rather than an account number.

The solidarity of the Credit Union is reflected in its growing asset base and the positive saving habits of its members. Public confidence in the movement has resulted in a significant growth in its membership base. From 2004 to 2008, credit Union membership grew by over 20, 000. With such an expansion in membership the asset base of Credit Unions jumped from $193, 940,030.00 in 2004 to $238, 218, 019.00 in 2005 and

reaching $342, 493,562.00 in 2008. Due to the consistent growth in membership and assets the Credit Union was able to offer more loans to its members. Those loans would be monies injected directly into the local economy creating jobs, building homes and building financial stability for Credit Union members and the general public by means of the ripple effect created by this injection of capital into the local economy.

Table Illustrating The Strength Of The Local Movement

Year Membership

Assets

Loans

Savings

2008

65, 029

342,493,562.24

248,368,704.92

21, 436,483.00

2007

60, 426

313,000,483.24

219,553,088.48

216,130,202.09

2006

56, 886

275,940,279.00

196,600,698.00

183,855,917.00

2005

52, 285

238,218,019.00

167,512,178.00

190,399,181.00

2004

43,041

193,940,030.00

140,725,415.00

143,007,447.00

Graph Illustrating Asset Growth From 2004 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2008

Graph Illustrating Loans And Assets From 2004 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2008

Note: A growing asset base translate into larger and more loans to member.

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

Based on the strength of the movement Credit Unions have played a major role in the enhancement of their members social and economic situation by providing low cost loans in various categories to members. The table highlights the amount of loans in four major categories that were granted to members from January to December 2008.

LOANS SUMMARY 2008 Credit Union Business

Education

Housing

$ 718,633.86

$ 253,120.38

$1,684,044.19

$ 1,563,624.74

$ 107,900.00

$ 163,699.00

$ 175,969.41

$ 4,200.00

$ 253,009.00

$ 382,905.00

$ 4,210,127.29

$ 8,155,235.89

$ 14,970.00

$ 4,749,191.42

$ 195,346.00

$ 957,523.00

$ 1,079,928.00

$ 1,105,769.00

$ 759,869.00

$ 6,730,657.28

Vehicle

$ 4,600,599.48

$ 3,243,898.67

$ 3,353,876.96

$ 72,000.00

$ 96,000.00

$ 230,076.13

$ 154,400.00

$ 150,365.00

$ 1,230,756.45

$ 247,202.56

$ 5,830,363.10

$ 221,805.75

$ 1,008,293.13

$ 1,860,787.63

$ 391,541.16

$ 1,783,558.45

$ 6,453,590.09

$ 10,083,026.47

$ 17,770,674.66

$ 1,417,782.72 $ 22,016,172.99

Agriculture

Active Cooperative Credit Unions In St. Lucia St. Lucia Hospitality St. Lucia Teachers National Farmers & General Workers Elkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Lucia Civil Service St. Lucia Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; La Resource Mon Repos Eastern Laborie Choiseul Saltibus Fond St. Jacques St. Lucia Adventist Dennery Royal St. Lucia Police and Allied Services West Coast

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Credit Unions constitute the core financial institution for approximately 60 000 St. Lucians. This is a significant contribution to the local economy. Credit Union members now enjoy up to six thousand dollars of tax exemption on the Credit Union sharers. The cooperative model of enterprise must be protected and should not be regulated by the same measure as banks. This is evident in the governments plan to institute the Single Regulatory Unit (SRU). This is where Credit Unions will be evaluated and measured by the same instrument. Credit Unions will be placed in the same category as insurance companies, banks and any other financial institution. This policy can prove to be detrimental to the growth and sustenance of the movement. BF

ST. LUCIA WORKERS’ CREDIT UNION ST

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Your bathroom retreat can become a reality at: or by Special Order Request Vide Boutielle • Bois D’Orange • Bridge Street • Queens Lane • Vieux-Fort Or call us for more details on: 1 (758) 458 8300

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

Questions Every CEO Should Ask

EOs need to ask certain high-level but tough questions to its marketing teams and agencies as it pertains to their online marketing strategy and agency. This can be a hard task when new digital programmes involve something your team may not have direct experience with or when the language employed is often a tangle of acronyms and terms for which they have no context. So, on behalf of the entire top notch CEOs out there (hopefully I’ll get there someday) - here is a primer on what you might ask your teams responsible for online strategy and execution:

mix preferred by their customers; however, that may be for a good reason. Certain channels may have historically been more efficient or productive and therefore, appropriately received out-sized support. Risk tolerance also comes into the conversation. Within the digital realm there are many channels, modes, and approaches to reach customers, but some are a better fit to motivate action at certain stages in a customer lifecycle. Find out if you have budget allocated all along that spectrum to cover both short-term and long-term objectives.

customer touch points online and off. Ask how you’re empowering your broad teams (customer facing or not) to be effective customer engagement accelerators. Find out if you have a listening tool that gives feedback on your efforts and what happens to that feedback. Establish the trending in Facebook, Twitter, or other social media as well as e-mail list growth (or shrinkage) if e-mail is appropriate to your audience. Focus on the level and depth of participation, not just the number of “friends,” “likes,” or “fans.”

On Lead Generation - Where do On Strategy - How do our online you forecast the majority of our efforts connect to and support our new customers coming from this broader corporate strategy? year? What are we going to pay for Hints: Challenge your team to directly each acquisition?

On Analytics - What are we using to track our digital efforts? What KPI (Key Performance Indices) are we capturing?

connect the dots between your business goals and your online programmes. Be aware that those programmes may support some subset of either your target audiences or your goals. There’s a danger that without strategic grounding, some less experienced marketers or business people may chase the cool factor or the latest shiny gadget, which are always abundant online. Ensure that your digital team is planning at least six months out and ask to see the plan. That requires you to provide budget guidance, of course. It’s possible and, in some sectors even likely, that digital efforts will lead rather than follow corporate strategy, so be sure to ask what you’re learning in your online efforts that can be applied successfully to other areas of the business. Find out how that learning is systematically shared across the organisation.

Hints: Find out if your cost of marketing (COM) goals are restricting your growth in customers. Efficiently acquiring new customers is fine, but if your efforts can’t scale they may not be worthy of the time and effort required to build and optimize the programme. It’s important to know the percent of new customers in the mix as you trend over time. Of course, if possible, you want to nurture existing customers for a long-term relationship and not just churn a bunch of expensive new customers each year. Scaling mature programmes requires some level of testing or experimentation. You would be wise to ascertain the percentage of the budget allocated to trialing of new digital efforts. That could broadly encompass new site content or features; it could be message or creative testing, or it might be a whole new channel like mobile or social marketing.

On Budget - How did you arrive at the marketing budget allocation between traditional and digital channels? Hints: Ask your team to show you the latest media consumption breakdown of your target audiences. Often, marketing plans haven’t caught up with the media BusinessFocus

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On Customer Engagement - How do our customers want to engage with us? How are we supporting those needs? Hints: Find out how social media practice guidelines have been communicated throughout the organisation and implemented in your site and at all

Hints: Find out if you have a coordinated analytics programme that captures a full view of customer activity and site and programme performance. Make sure the KPIs track back to key business goals and are not exclusive to digital efforts. If CTR (Click Through Rate) are the basis of your team’s reporting, make them go back to the drawing board and tie activity to the conversions that support your business. This may require additional investment in the right tools. Ask for a monthly dashboard report to have a baseline of all your metrics and trends. Include trending month-tomonth and year-over- year with spending included so that you can see the cause and effect of ramping up.

Is That All? These couple of questions should put your team on notice, create synergy with your broader business goals, and give you an accurate and actionable picture of your results. Then you can get back to all the other things a CEO has to take care of in their business. BF Leslie Collymore Managing Director Advanced Intellectual Methods Inc.

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

Importance of Market Research: The case of the home improvement industry in St. Lucia

arvin James, the fictional marketing manager of make-believe Company X, a hardware and home furnishings company, has determined his plan of action for Christmas 2010. The 2009 Christmas season was not as lucrative for Company X, and to improve performance, Garvin plans to request a larger advertising budget at his impending executive meeting. In his estimation, increasing advertising, both print and electronic, is the only surefire way of surpassing the previous year’s sales performance. I extend my fabrication into that executive meeting when Garvin presents his solution. I can see the accountant shaking his head, the CEO scratching his head, while Garvin sits there with no clue that he is in fact in over his head. His request could have been given greater consideration had he walked in with more than a hunch, a belief, a gut feeling. Maybe a dossier bursting with customer feedback and market analysis could have saved him from the accountant’s scathing remarks about ‘these marketing people’. Notwithstanding the fictive nature of the above, I conducted an actual survey of 258 St. Lucians to demonstrate the importance of market research and additionally

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question the basis of Garvin’s proposal. 1. 55% of the sample deemed home improvements during the Christmas season of some importance to them; women made up the majority. 2. Painting, minor repairs and new furniture/décor were the most popular home improvement projects mentioned. 3. 60% of the respondents reported no intentions of undertaking home improvements this year, and of the remaining 40%, three-quarters maintained a budget of less than $3000. 4. Limited time, shortage/ unavailability of supplies, late access to funds and unreliable contractors/ workers were the four major problems encountered in completing home improvement projects, according to respondents. 5. The recommendations to improve were fairly consistent. Respondents wanted companies in that industry to ensure higher stock levels and more variety, better customer service, additional sales promotions, more accommodative opening hours and better facilities e.g. credit, delivery.

6. M&C Home Depot and Sunbilt were named top favourites in the industry, based on product availability and pricing. Therefore, Garvin’s proposal of more advertising as the only way to better 2009’s sales performance may not be the most appropriate course of action if the above findings are taken into consideration. Such findings could have helped Garvin identify his competitors, their strengths and weaknesses; discover opportunities to improve, expand or provide new products and services; take a more targeted marketing approach. In short, market research can help companies (even fictional Company X) get the most out of their marketing dollars. BF Pilaiye Cenac Pilaiye Cenac is an entrepreneur. Her qualifications include a BSc in Psychology and Sociology, and MSc in Marketing. She is also a PMP® and a published writer. One of her companies— In Tandem— focuses on low cost approaches to enriching the customer experience.

FINANCIAL FOCUS

JQ Charles Group of Companies Introduces

To The Caribbean

t. Lucia is only 238 squares miles but this has never restricted the vision of the JQ Charles group of companies. 238 has always been just another number; a number that did not limit the exploration of possibilities; one that could not hinder the company from undertaking lucrative opportunities across industries and borders. JQ Charles Ltd. is poised to prove this yet again with the next step on its journey to achieving its strategic vision. JQ Charles Ltd. approached Meineke, a one-stop automotive service business and a member of the American Driven Brands’ family, with the mindset that both companies had much to bring to the negotiating table. JQ Charles brought in over 50 years of industry experience gleaned from JQ Motors Ltd, its vehicle dealership, well known for its portfolio of the Mitsubishi, Audi and Chevrolet brands. Meineke presented 38 years of experience, a recognised, quality brand, and a proven business model. JQ Charles put forward foresight, the drive and capacity to take up the challenge and Meineke conceded the master franchise for the Caribbean. The synergies, benefits and promise were obvious to both parties by the time they stood up from the negotiating table. As a result, this indigenous St. Lucian company will provide Meineke’s reliable world class car care, cheaper parts, efficient processing and greater affordability to the Caribbean, where consistently high standards in services and products in this industry have been difficult to achieve. Groundwork has begun, and the first Meineke shop should be established in St. Lucia by 2011. BF

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keep you feeling great. Read

Pick up a book and read about tips that can make you more positive in how to live your life. Choose a topic of interest from the internet or magazine which offers ideas on personal maintenance products like, lotions, clothes, exercise or how to approach a situation positively. Managing Your Time!

t seems to happen each year before we blink an eye, another year draws to a close. Many of us begin the process of looking toward the New Year and we start our yearly ritual of making resolutions, plans and new occupational pursuits. We achieve some of these goals at times and other goals that were not successfully achieved, on the back burner they go! The New Year signifies the beginning of new things and similarly the focus should be on the new and improved you, in keeping with the management of personal development. The focus on managing personal wellbeing often gets put on the same back burner and at times we underestimate the significance of the link between personal success and its impact on other aspects of our lives including professional success. The following areas of focus can assist in helping us manage personal success if we are prepared to make it happen.

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T o accomplish this, use tools that are effective and consistent in managing your personal schedule. Make sure to choose ones that work for you, not for someone else. Plan ahead of time and follow up. This may mean waking up earlier, or staying up later than usual on some occasions for some quiet break time to review plans you have for the next day or week ahead. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be over excessive, but use some extra time to help manage your thoughts and schedule and cross off what you have accomplished. Clean Out Your Closets!

Take this literally. Manage a period of time dedicated to doing just that. Whether it is a new look for your house, just getting rid of unwanted items or painting one room of your house, get it done now instead of later. Relax

If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to go to a spa type environment, create one at home. Allocate part of a day to yourself and use simple techniques to keep yourself feeling relaxed. You do not have to do it every week but start with once a month. The change in pace will make a difference and

Take Action And Try Something New

Do something different. It does not have to cost anything. Go to a different beach, try a game or a sport, socialize differently, explore your spirituality or pay to do something like taking lessons or a movie get together night. Try volunteering for something of interest and offer only the time you can manage. When you start focusing on your personal success you will be surprised how confident you will feel and in control of other aspects of your life. Your personal success will have an impact on your professional image and professional success. The more you learn how to manage yourself, the better prepared you will be to pursue other goals in your life. Your professional success is not a separate entity and areas such as networking; professional attire, time management and your attitude will be influenced by how you manage your personal life. Areas such as how to prepare for and conduct yourself in a job interview and on the job and how you choose to manage your professional goals will be more successful if you are successfully managing the personal you! BF Jasmin Lay-Charles Selection & Development Director Profind Recruit Ltd. www.profindrecruit.com

Thecla Deterville Presenting

Celectial

Attendees of the Seminar

Get Your Life Back

Through Time Management & Effective Delegation

n the world of business where time is money, successfully managing oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time partnered with effectively delegating work tasks to colleges to get the job done efficiently, are valuable skills to process. That is why Celestial Self Development Centre recently held a seminar zooming in on Time Management and Effective Delegation. Its, Managing Director, Thecla Deterville who utilizes a holistic approach to her soft skills training, conducted the seminar. Though her sessions focus on specific topics, the bigger picture is always self-development. Time Management and Effective Delegation are vital, particularly when you feel stretched, pressured always running out of time and struggling to make deadlines by the different aspects in your life, from professional to personal.

Time management requires you to get organised and to do so the process must be a personal one. That means the method that works for someone else may not work for you. Once you have figured out what organisational method works, getting organised should include your physical space as well as the virtual space. For instance, the desk at which you work should be neat with papers filed. The less clutter around you, the clearer you are able to think. Similarly, the contents on your computer should be categorised with folders labeled giving a hint as to what they contain. These should be laid out in neat rows for easy accessibility. Any hard copy of emails should be discard to ease the clutter. It is possible to save yourself an hour a day, just by getting organised. That is a total of 365 hours a year!

The other aspect of the seminar was Effective Delegation. The misconception is that delegation is being lazy or trying to pass off your workload onto someone else was addressed. If you are already swamped with your workload and you are given more tasks to carry out by your boss or family members, you will be unable to give the first set of tasks as well as the added tasks the time and effort they deserve to accomplish them effectively. Business people are always pressed for time, and restructuring your life does take time. However hours spent on the reshuffle will be saved in the long run. This is a sample of the variety of skills that can be developed at Celestial. BF For further info: www.celestialsdc.com

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TOURISM AXIX

n a e b b i r a C e f Th r of the Year” Award O e t s a T t A nde ns i W a i bean Barte c b ri u a C L “ 0 t 1 0 n 2

Sai

“Bartender of the Year”, Alva Preville, with CHTA Officials

Some Members of Team Saint Lucia

he St. Lucian contingent exploded with pride and joy when our very own Alva Preville, the bartender from Team Saint Lucia was announced “Bartender of the Year” at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Taste of the Caribbean 2010, culinary competition. The food and beverage competition was held in Puerto Rico from the 9th–12th September, 2010 at Rio Mar Beach Resort in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The chefs and bartenders were required to present food and cocktails respectively, which were judged on taste, execution of skills and presentation. In the first three rounds of the bartender competition, Alva Preville from Delirius Ltd. demonstrated his creativity, personality and showmanship bringing home a silver medal with his indigenous Saint BusinessFocus

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rns home w

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Lucian drinks; Thyme for Passion; Rosemary Grapefruit Martini and Melonberry Smoothie. Alva then raised his game in the finals of the competition when he captured a gold medal and the coveted “Bartender of the Year” award with his winning Chilli Grapefruit Raspberry Flip cocktail. In the culinary segment of the competition Team Saint Lucia was awarded one of the Bronze Medals. Despite the very competitive atmosphere, the judges were impressed with the display of the team’s culinary skills. The competing chefs were required to prepare a three-course meal within a set time, using a “mystery basket” of ingredients, which were kept secret until the competition began. Saint Lucia’s 2010 culinary team featured Dwight Calderon (Auberge Seraphine) as the stand-in Team Manager; Chef Bobo Bergstrom (The Edge Restaurant); Chef Ni-

codemus Joseph (Cap Maison); Pastry Chef Gilry Samuel (The Landings St. Lucia); Chef Royston Antoine (Ladera Resort) and Bartender Alva Preville (Delirius Ltd.). This year the Taste of the Caribbean competition featured 11 teams of Caribbean Chefs and bartenders who participated in exciting qualifying rounds of “live kitchen” and cocktail drinks’ mixing competitions. Teams from Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and U.S. Virgin Islands competed for the top honors. The SLHTA would like to extend its deepest appreciation to the sponsors for their support in facilitating the participation of Saint Lucia’s National Culinary Team at Taste of the Caribbean 2010. BF

Alva Preville:

TOURISM AXIX

Caribbean Bartender of the Year

o how did Alva Preville, become the CHTA’s Taste of the Caribbean Bartender of the Year, when he entered the competition never expecting to win? When BF sat down with the Bar Manger of Delirius St. Lucia, he first referenced the six-month gruelling process of preparation that clearly paid off. “You can have as much education as you want, knowledge of cocktails, but if you’ve never done it you get in there, it’s a different story.” Alva said. For Taste of the Caribbean, Alva got the opportunity to be on Team St. Lucia when

him winning title, of Caribbean Bartender of the Year. A mystery basket is where the contestants have no idea what ingredients they are presented with. The ingredients are revealed and they are given – 20 minutes to invent a cocktail, which they are then expected to produce with no additional preparation time. Alva describes Winning Cocktail – this as nerve racking! Chilli Grapefriut Raspberry Filp “I remember sitting there and wondering what am I going to do? I have all these ingredients in front of me, which direction should I go.” he said. Prior to Taste and Delirius, he started out at Club St. Lucia as a waiter, then to Rendevous as a glass washer and then bartender, he did a brief stint at Mojitos (now Xanadou Lounge) and then, Delirius. As far as his day job goes, Alva has been with the Deliruis team for two and a half years, coming on board just one month after the hotspot opened in February 2008. He came on board specifically for cocktail mixing. “I’ll be honest my cocktail experience at that time was average – the classic cocktail, nothing out of the ordinary.” Alva however thanks his bosses, Delirius owners Duncun and Michelle Ince for pushing him to achieve more. he received “My wife [Michelle] and I are amazingly a call from Team proud of him. It is a fantastic achievement, Manager, Chef Bobo Bergstrom on it took an awful lot of work many hours of the basis of his style in cocktail making of tasting sessions and he worked with my innovation, creativity and the use of fresh wife on the presentation side of things.” ingredients. Duncun Ince, owner of Deliruis St. Lucia For the first rounds of the competition, said of Alva’s Taste of the Caribbean Bar Alva was required to make a vodka, rum Tender of the Year accolade. and non-alcoholic cocktail. For the vodka, In addition to his title he received he made a Rosemary Grapefruit Martini, a scholarship to become a certified the rum round, was the Thyme For Passion bartender. But according Mchale Andrew, and the non-alcoholic round, he mixed Executive Vice President of the SLHTA a Melon Berry Smoothie, which were all this kind of accolade holds intangible cocktails invented specifically for Taste of rewards as well. “Alva Preville represents the Caribbean. the possibilities when one is disciplined, After these three cocktails there was intelligent, and is professional in his or a first award ceremony for which he her approach to what they do and Alva received silver medals and he got chosen represents all these things.” to be one of the final four contestants for So what’s next for Alva? “I would like to the mystery basket round, when he would stay with Delirius as long and I can and see create the Chilli Grapefruit Raspberry Flip the business continue to grow as I would which would be the deciding cocktail of like to be a part of that growth.” BF BusinessFocus

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TOURISM AXIS

British Cabbies Cruise And Push Saint Lucia REPORTS A SUCCESSFUL SMALL HOTELS RETREAT

From L to R: Josef Forsmayr, President of the CHTA, Coco Palm’s Claudine Gilbert and Feolla Chastanet, McHale Andrew Executive Vice President of the SLHTA and Alec Sanguinetti, CHTA’s Director-General

eolla Chastanet, Managing Director of the Rodney Baybased Coco Palm, said this Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Small Hotels Retreat at the Rio Mar Beach Resort, tailor-made for small, boutique properties, exceeded her expectations. Saint Lucia’s award-winning boutique hotel, Coco Palm, has reported the retreat in Puerto Rico highlighting small hotels in the Caribbean was a big success. Chastanet reports participants from around the Caribbean sharpened their skills during enlightening and educational seminars: “The workshops were on target as we examined current global trends, marketing tactics, revenue management and customer service training.” During the conference, the CHTA promoted its “Tourism Is Key” advocacy campaign, which underlines the importance of travel and tourism to local Caribbean economies, which are more tourism-dependent than any other region in the world. The Saint Lucia delegation to the Retreat included Coco Palm’s Operations Manager Claudine Gilbert, McHale Andrew of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association, Cheryl Skeete of Habitat Terrace along with a culinary team headed by Chef Bobo Bergstrom who competed in the Taste Of The Caribbean. Taste of the Caribbean provides education through seminars, workshops, tastings and demonstrations, created to enhance performance, style and profitability in food and beverage operations. Caribbean culinary teams and individuals compete for the honor of Caribbean Team of the Year, Caribbean Chef of the Year, Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year and Caribbean Bartender of the Year. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Small Hotels Retreat took place at the Rio Mar Beach Resort, A Wyndham Grand Resort in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico in mid-September. BF BusinessFocus

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A Saint Lucia-branded taxi cruises the streets of London

fter years of speaking of the wonders of the island, tourist officials in an effort to accelerate the promotional drive of selected London cabbies flew them to Saint Lucia. The drivers of three Saint Lucia-branded taxis in London experienced Saint Lucia’s legendary experiences first hand. The drivers, who were all revved up to participate in a novel Saint Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB)-coordinated familiarisation trip, saw them cruising and exploring the most attractive and interesting facets of the island. Explaining the innovative move, SLTB’s Vice President of Marketing and Sales Nerdin St. Rose pointed out that familiarisation trips usually target travel agents and journalists, however, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board thought it was important to sharpen the knowledge of taxi drivers since they come into contact with so many consumers, and potential tourists, on a daily basis. Studies show some 60 passengers ride in a London taxi every day so the improved product knowledge of taxi drivers will help strengthen Saint Lucian sales and marketing efforts in one of the world’s wealthiest markets. In addition, she indicated “the knowledge gained of Saint Lucia’s unique attributes will no doubt also filter to the drivers’ family members and friends.” It is already educational for the drivers who, in order to have qualified for the weeklong September Saint Lucia trip, had to answer 10 questions about Saint Lucia, covering basic facts on the island as well as activities and special events. Another condition was that drivers upon their return to London, hand out either a special offer flyer or brochure from the host Hotel they were stationed at to their passengers for a period of two months. Apart from taking in the island’s beautiful scenery, the drivers will also hold talks with their local counterparts. BF

Import Facts About The U.K. Market

- 2nd largest source market to Saint Lucia - 2 direct fights to Saint Lucia; Virgin Atlantic – 3 times a week and British Airways – 5 times a week - 2nd largest for expenditure in terms of visitor spending

TOURISM AXIX

TOURIST ARRIVALS BY MONTHS

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BIZZ BUZZ

Current Chamber Board Member, Trevor Lousiy with Past President, Dr. Charmaine Gardner

Brian Louisy - Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Director

Attendees of the Mixer

The St. Lucia Chamber Of Commerce Unveils Its New Project, DECBO

he St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture played host to a business mixer for the official launch of its new project DECBO (Developing East Caribbean Business Organisations), which took place at the Calabash Cove Resort and Spa. The event was held to inform the private sector on the possibilities of the project and to disseminate information on the key components of DECBO. The project seeks to increase capacity amongst

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partner countries through a series of workshops, conferences and secondments in Birmingham, UK and Florence, Italy. Key among the exchange of best practices and wider business experience, between the partners, is the need to develop long-term sustainable products and services that members, multipliers and stakeholders not only want but are also consulted in the creation. Consequently, a series of seminars, workshops, secondments, virtual meetings and networking events will take

place in both Europe and the Caribbean throughout the life of the project. Most recently, a workshop on Cluster Development, International Trade and Commercial Linkages was held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This workshop proved to be an informative one, which outlined practical approaches to the development of these important aspects of business and trade. BF

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The 4-1-1 On Dengue Fever D engue fever, also known as ‘break bone fever’ is a viral illness that is transmitted by the day-biting, Aedes mosquitoes. Mosquitoes remain infected all their lives and can in turn pass on infectivity to their eggs. Dengue may be caused by one of four serotypes of virus; hence it is possible to get dengue fever multiple times. However, an attack of dengue produces immunity for a lifetime to that particular serotype to which the patient was exposed.

Dengue Fever Symptoms After being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, the incubation period ranges from three to 15 (usually five to eight) days before the signs and symptoms of dengue appear. Dengue starts with a sudden onset of fever and chills, headache, pain upon moving the eyes, and low backache. Painful aching in the legs and joints occur during the first hours of illness. The body temperature rises quickly, sometimes as high as 40 degrees C /104 degrees F, with a relatively low heart rate and low blood pressure. The eyes may become reddened. A flushing or pale pink rash comes over the face and then disappears. The glands (lymph nodes) in the neck and groin are often swollen. There may also be a generalised rash. Patients only transmit Dengue when they are febrile and bitten by Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti mosquitoes, or (much more unusually) via blood products. The classic Dengue Fever lasts about two to seven days, with a smaller peak of fever

at the trailing end of the disease (the socalled “biphasic pattern”). Clinically, the platelet count will drop until after the patient’s temperature is normal.

worsening hemorrhagic complications. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and codeine may be given for severe headache and for the joint and muscle pain (myalgia).

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF)

Preventing Mosquito-borne Diseases

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a more severe form of the viral illness. Cases of DHF will show higher fever, variable hemorrhagic phenomena including bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth and ear into the gut, and oozing blood from skin pores, thrombocytopenia (low platelet count in the blood). In severe cases, symptoms such as headache, fever, rash, and evidence of hemorrhage in the body. These petechiae (small red or purple blisters under the skin), usually appears first on the lower limbs and the chest; in some patients, it spreads to cover most of the body. Other symptoms may include bleeding in the nose or gums, black stools, or easy bruising are all possible signs of hemorrhage. This form of Dengue Fever can be lifethreatening and can progress to the most severe form of the illness, Dengue Shock Syndrome.

Is There A Cure? Because dengue fever is caused by a virus, there is no specific medicine or antibiotic to treat it. For typical Dengue, the treatment is purely concerned with relief of the symptoms. Rest and fluid intake for adequate hydration is important. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should only be taken under a doctor’s supervision because of the possibility of

It is important to prevent this disease by protecting against mosquito bites, or breeding. Wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers when possible, and apply effective mosquito repellent containing DEET to exposed parts of the body and clothes. Use mosquito screens or nets when the room is not air-conditioned. Place mosquito coils or electric mosquito mat/liquid near possible entrances, such as windows, to prevent mosquito bites. Another measure is to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water. Put all used cans and bottles into covered bins. Change water for plants at least once a week, leaving no water in the saucers underneath flowerpots. Tightly cover all water containers, and water storage tanks. Keep all drains free from blockage. Top up all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water. The use of sprays and insecticides to kill mosquitoes and their larvae is encouraged. These are cheap preventive measures as compared to the high costs of hospitalisation and danger to human lives. BF Dr. Tanya Destang-Beabrun Director Integral Health Care Medical Centre

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events 2010/11 REGIONAL TRADE SHOWS AND CONFERENCES

IF YOU HAVE MISSED THIS YEAR’S EVENTS, ENSURE TO PENCIL PLANS FOR ATTENDING NEXT YEAR. LOOK OUT FOR NEW DATES.

WORLD TRAVEL MARKET 2010 8 – 11 November 2010 ExCel, London, UK Staged annually in London, World Travel Market - the premier global event for the travel industry - is a

For further info: www.wtmlondon.com

CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION OF INDIGENOUS BANKS INC. - 37th Annual Conference 9-12 November 2010 Castries, St. Lucia Service Industry.

CARIBBEAN MARKETPLACE 16 – 18 January 2011 Jamaica

hotel members with approximately 125,500 rooms, and more than 600 supplier companies represented as 'Allied' members.

16th CARIBBEAN GIFT AND CRAFT SHOW 18-20 February 2011 Dominican Republic

INTERNATIONAL POWER SUMMIT 2011 23 – 25 February 2011 The Algarve, Portugal and a strategic level. This is the ideal opportunity to reach all those buyers and suppliers from the such as Central and Eastern Europe, India, China and South East Asia.

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MAJOR MOVES

Josef Forstmayr is now the President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). Forstmayr will serve from 20102012, taking over from outgoing President, Enrique de Marchena of the Dominican Republic. Under his watch, Forstmayr says he expects to provide greater support and tools needed by the 35 regional associations, allowing them to become more effective. The new CHTA head said more attention must be paid to the larger hotel chains whose presence has grown considerably in the Caribbean over the past few years. “Their needs are not necessarily the same as our smaller, independent hotels and allied members. We must, therefore, provide them with the regional and global lobbying and advocacy initiatives that are needed to protect our industry,” he stated. Acknowledging that he was expecting a difficult couple of years as a result of the global recession, Forstmayr said one of the crucial areas was regional tourism. “There is a pool of potential visitors in the region, but we have lack of airlift and lack of mobility as a result of restrictive and outdated visa requirements,” he argued, adding that airlift should be the priority in the Caribbean. Under his watch, Forstmayr wants to see the public and private sector redouble efforts in establishing a sustainable-tourism fund similar to the Tourism Enhancement Fund that can be channeled through the Caribbean Development Foundation. Such a fund, he said, would not only be used for marketing the Caribbean but would also assist in education, training and product development.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announces the appointment of Mr. Imran Khan as Corporate Communications Officer. Mr. Khan brings to the role vast experience in cricket media relations having worked in various capacities throughout the Caribbean region and the cricketing world. Among his previous engagements, the 31-year-old had served as the West Indies Cricket Team Media Relations Officer from 2004 to 2007 before moving on to Stanford 20/20 as Communications and Media Manager and then to West Indies sponsor Digicel as Cricket Media Manager – a position he held until the recent Digicel Series. “I am honoured to return to the WICB at such a vital juncture of the restructuring of the WICB and West Indies cricket as a whole. As always, I am fully committed to offering dedicated service specifically in the area of improving the relationships the WICB has with the media, the public and all its various constituents,” said Khan, a Guyanese. Mr. Khan will take the lead in managing the WICB’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations and serve as the point of first contact for the media on all matters relating to the WICB. Mr. Philip Spooner will continue as the point of first contact for matters relating to the West Indies team. Mr. Khan is a University of Guyana and University of the West Indies trained communications specialist who has also written extensively on West Indies cricket for the past decade. The WICB continues to interview various applicants for various positions as the restructuring of the organization continues under CEO Dr. Ernest Hilaire.

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Darren Sammy has been named Captain of West Indies Cricket Team to usher in a new era of leadership for the side. The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has announced that the 26-year-old all-rounder would take over from Chris Gayle, and lead the side until the end of next year’s home series. “Being appointed West Indies Captain is an honour and distinction, which I will treat with the highest regard and dignity,” said Sammy in a WICB media release. “I believe my captaincy of Windward Islands, a young team, which I have been molding into playing consistently competitive cricket, will stand me in good stead as West Indies Captain as we work on building a team for the future.” With limited options to replace Gayle, the WICB have turned to Sammy, whose commitment to the cause of West Indies cricket has never been a matter of public discourse. “I have always given my all, when I prepare and play for West Indies, and nothing will change now. I know this will be a difficult challenge, and I will take the torch from Chris, and hold it high as we forge ahead,” said Sammy. “I have been playing for the West Indies since 2004 and over those six years I have built strong relationships with many players, and I expect to have the full support of the squad.” He continued WICB chief executive officer Ernest Hilaire acknowledged Gayle’s tenure and thanked him for his contribution. “Chris Gayle, the former captain, led the West Indies during a challenging period and the board thanks him for stepping up then but it is now time to past the mantle on as the West Indies rebuilds,” he stated. BusinessFocus

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MAJOR MOVES

Mrs. Francine Hackshaw-Fortune has joined Renwick & Company Limited in the senior management position of Divisional Manager. She heads one of the most diverse divisions with a team of six support staff. She is a graduate of Mid Western State University in Texas and holds a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Her working experience has mostly been in the hospitality industry, and she views this position as the perfect opportunity for further self development while contributing effectively to the organisation’s strategic goals and objectives. Francine is married with two children. Vonetta Charles is the newest member of the Renwick & Company Limited senior management team. In her capacity as Divisional Manager, her primary responsibility is to manage the hair, beauty and cosmetics division. Ms. Charles is very excited about her new role and views this as an opportunity to contribute to the future direction of Renwick & Company. She is no stranger to the distribution industry and brings to the division a wealth of practical experience in the fields of marketing and sales. Having been employed as a Brand Manager, Ms. Charles held primary responsibility for the BusinessFocus

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development and initiation of the sales and marketing plans for her products. In addition, Ms. Charles has acquired ample experience leading and working within multi-cultural teams as an integral part of her education and past work experience. Ms. Charles holds a BSc. in Commerce with majors in Global Business Management and Small Business and Entrepreneurship from the St. Mary’s University, Halifax. She also holds an MBA with a focus in Marketing from the University of Birmingham in the U.K.

Richard Payne an accomplished pianist/composer with over 20 years experience in the music industry is the new Director of the St. Lucia School of Music. He replaces John Bailey, founder and Director of the School since inception in 1988. Mr. Payne also brings to the School a solid management background having worked in the private sector at the senior management level within the last 10 years. He is a graduate of Florida International University, USA. As Co-founder and Bandleader of BLUEMANGO (a regional Jazz Ensemble), Mr. Payne has performed extensively at local and overseas Jazz festivals including Paris, the French Antilles, and Trinidad. As a composer/recording artiste he is the recipient of a number of music awards including two M&C Fine Arts awards – silver in 2000 and gold in 2004. When asked about his vision, Mr. Payne indicated his desire to position the school as the premier institution of music education in the OECS, which also connects students with new and emerging opportunities within a viable music industry.

ECFH proudly announces the appointment of Ms. Gemma Marie, the newest addition to the ECFH Management Team. She has assumed the position of Manager Human Resource, Administration e f f e c t i v e September 2010. Ms. Marie’s credentials include a Masters of Business Administration - Human Resource Management, professional membership with CIPD UK, and certification as a Work Life Professional. She has acquired over ten years experience as a Human Resource Generalist, 8 years at a senior level at various regional institutions. Her most recent experience was with National Commercial Bank of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines where for three and a half years she was the Manager for Human Resources. ECFH welcomes Ms. Gemma Marie to the Group with the confidence that she will make a significant contribution to the Human Resource Team and to the continued success and expansion of the Group. ECFH proudly announces the appointment of Mr. Joel Allen as the new Senior Manager of ECFH Global Investment Solutions Ltd. Mr. Allen’s appointment was effective September 21st, 2010. Mr. Allen

MAJOR MOVES has approximately 9 years diversified senior level experience in the Jamaican financial sector, most of which was spent in the investment and merchant banking arena. Until recently, he served as Assistant Vice President at Scotia DBG Investments Limited. Mr. Allen is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) in Strategic Planning at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, UK. He is the holder of a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and International Business Strategy from the Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK. He is a member of the Chartered Management Institute in the UK. Mr. Allen has managed some large financial sector projects on behalf of the Jamaica Securities Dealers Association (JSDA), including the Jamaican - Financial Services Commission’s (FSC’s) Non-bank Compensation Fund Project and the Bank of Jamaica’s Central Securities Depository (CSD) and the Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) Projects. ECFH Global Investment Solutions and its parent company, ECFH, are very pleased to welcome Mr. Allen on board.

J o h a n n e Calixte, has been appointed to the post of Academic S e r v i c e s Coordinator at Monroe College, St. Lucia Campus. Ms. Calixte originally joined Monroe College as an adjunct lecturer in 2008. She holds a Diploma in Teacher Education, a B.Sc. in Human Resources Management, an MBA, specializing in Marketing, an Advanced Diploma in Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Studies and a Certificate

in Information Systems. An educator and business professional for 18 years, she started teaching at the Ave Maria Girls Primary School, then moved to the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School as a business teacher. She has served as a part-time lecturer with UWI Open Campus, St. Lucia, The National Research & Development Foundation (NRDF), The National Skills Development Center (NSDC) and the School of Accounting & Management (SAM), St. Augustine, Trinidad. Ms. Calixte will be assisting Dr. Robert Lewis, Academic Dean, and will have special responsibility for the internship programme, faculty training and scheduling.

SLASPA

SAINT LUCIA AIR AND SEA PORTS AUTHORITY

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), has named Sean Matthew, General Manager, of the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) Chairman-Elect of the Caribbean Delegation during its recently concluded annual

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Stephen Price has joined LIME Caribbean’s Commercial and Marketing team. He will be based in Antigua and will be managing special assignments in the Eastern Caribbean. Mr. Price is known regionally through his role as Commercial Director of ICC Cricket World Cup 2007; and, up until recently, he was employed to Digicel in a senior role. Mr. Price, who has some 14 years experience in the Telecoms industry, holds a Bachelor of Business Management degree from the University of Technology in Jamaica.

conference. Mr. Matthew has been in the Port industry for over twenty-years. Before being appointed General Manager of SLASPA in 2007, he held a number of positions ranging from assistant to senior management. Mr. Matthew sees the development of ports as key to the economic success of the Islands of the Caribbean. His immediate plans for St. Lucia’s ports is to oversee the successful completion of the redevelopment projects for Port Castries and Hewannora International Airport which will both contribute positively to the overall development of St. Lucia. Mr. Matthew will officially take-up office as Chairman in September 2011 and will represent the member Caribbean Port Authorities on the Board of the AAPA. BusinessFocus

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New Company

No. 54

New Company Registrations

Companies

Directors

Activities

SWEETDREAMS CUSTOM CAKES Janelle Joyeux The Business of Baking and Personalizing any type and style of cakes GLACE MART INCORPORATED Girard Glace, Gregory Glace Wholesale and Retail of General Merchandis EKAL Financial Ltd.

Shane Swetel, Joel Kay, Dominic Bartolone Ali Pascal Mahvi, Andrew Piltie

BAI YUN RESTAURANT LTD. Baicheng Cao, Jianhong Liang Professional Horse Riding Inc. Christopher Ferdinand, Lus Cap Dumas, Express Distributors Ltd Ramon George Esper United Producers Limited Paula James, Matthew St.Paul,Pius Louis The Kasbah Group, Inc. Raymond Matthew Constantine, Rachel Ann Constanine Emphasize Services ltd. Andie Wilkie Majaly Resorts Developments Ltd. Joseph Adjodha, Rosemarie Adjodha CyNor Ltd. Nicholas Devaux, Simonne Quiros, Mary Byrne, Anabel Kuhr

Real Estate Selling Foods & Drinks Professional Horse Riding Food Wholesale Producers ,Manufacturers and Service Providers Asset & Property Holding Company Real Estate and Property Acquisition Company Holding Companies, Vehicles and other similar goods Land Developers

MICA (ST.LUCIA) LTD. Peron Schouten Property Development Ceasar Inc Fouad Hadeed Restaurant & Bar And Entertainment Ficus Development Limited Louis Hammal Real Estate Development Darhen Enterprise Incorporated Amanda Wallace, Darron Henry Purchasing and selling land, Building or Purchasing and selling houses D lincs Company Ltd Shane Dexter Henry, Lincoln Greenidge Day Care, Pre School, Private School,Import , Export,Sales, Construction CALM Ltd

Concept Holdings Inc.

Celestin Laurent

Holding Company

Peter J. Devaux, Nicholas Pinnock

Property Holding Company

Sweet Orange Ltd.

Owen Bradley Sadoo

Asset & Property Holding Company

AFCS Investment Inc

Brenda Williams

Holding Company

Bay View Villa Limited Christopher Brian Beeching Property Holding International Linguistic and Tourism Andrew Leonce, Gabrielle Albertie leonce Facilitating the learning of foreign languages,with the Institute Provision of bording and lodging Dennery Filling Station Ltd Maria George, Jean L.David Earnest Parsad, Nicholson George AFCS INC Brenda Williams BusinessFocus

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Gas Station Provide Corporate Financial Services

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Companies

Directors

Activities

Authentic Designs & Brands Inc. Chantelle Barnard, Athley Livingston Wholesale & retail of general merchandise Forwad Focus Inc

Barrington Ahley Dolcie, Shirley Ann Pilaiye Cenac

Caribbean Movng Image Company Inc Beausejour Hill Ltd.

Michelle Serieux

Video and media production

CO. Direct Ltd, Rhory McNamara, Gloria Pettigrew

Property Holding Company

General trading of electronics products

Tisube Investments Inc. Robert Dionne, Christa Dionne Property Ownership Viridian Inc Michael John To engage in the supply o matrial and equipment for water supply and construction Good Goal Limited Andie Wilkie Real Estate & Property Acquisition Company V-Mutay Enterprises Inc. Victoria Ramdial, Terry Macoon General Trading Company Transit TV Inc. Andrew Robertson Carrying out the service of Advertsing S&B Agro Ltd. Bryan Paul Chitolie Production and sales of agricultural products EPOC Consulting Inc. Nicholas S.G. Johnny Civil Engineering Consultation High Performance Company Inc. Andie Wilkie Real Estate and property acquisition Company Dystreek Inc. Andie Wilkie Real Estate and property acquisition Company Blink Consultantcy Inc. Rebecca Anne Clare Nicholas, Steven Harvey Engineering and Marketing Consultants Optimum Group Company Ltd Norma Maynard Business & Managemnet Consultancy Petit Frere Incorporated. Dominic C.Gatineau, Karen Arthur Real Estate, Property Development and other General Business Flora Cottage Villas Limited. Marguerite Edward, Claudette Cecelia Edward Real Estate Melissa Rhonda Edward

Nela Resorts Development Ltd Joseph Adjodha, Rosemarie Adjodha Provide Services for hotel and resorts and ther similar services Regis & Regis Scanning Bureau Ltd. Albert Regis, Kandy Regis Scanning of Documents , Data transfer and storage .

Eugene Brothers Enterprises Ltd Rafati Eugene, Norbert Eugene Sports & Entertainment Malgretoute Hotel Management Company Limited. Wayne Girard, Robert Whitton Construction Secure Gates Inc. Malcolm Jn Baptiste Security Installation and the provision of General Security services Amaryllis Limitd Sophia Blenman , Fenton Blenman, Magnisia Pierre

Care Services

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New Company New Company Registrations

Companies

Directors

Malgretoute Hotel Construction Company Limited Wayne Girard, Robert Whitton Zur Distribution Company Limited. Rosario Wilson, Bernard Henry Caribbean Internet Advertising Corporation S&B Worldwide Development Inc

Feed & Flour Mills St.Lucia Inc.

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Peron Schouten

Activities Construction To engage in the distribution of food products manufactured in St.Lucia to a worldwide market Online Advertising

Michael Steve Burton,Terry Lee Stewart, General & Commercial C.W. Burks, Gay Lynn Stewart,Kenneth Martin Stewart Michael Chitolie, AlinChitolie Michelle Chitolie

Wholesale & Retail