St. Lucia Business Focus 55

Issue No. 55

Jan/Feb 2011

Tapion Hospital 15 Years of Private Practice

A Healthier You For 2011 Hurricane Tomas The Urban Planning Lessons

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No. 55

BF Jan/Feb 2011

Contents

FEATURES Cover Story

49. Tapion Hospital: 15 Years of Private Practice

REGULARS

Editor’s Focus

04. On With The New

05. Get It Right In 2011 06. Business Briefs Business Tech

10. Going Thin For 2011 12. Backup & Restore Plan 14. Xerox Colorqube Introduced

Money Matters

16. Retirement: Getting Started 18. CAIB’s 37th AGM 20. Key Man Insurance 20 22. FCIB Expands Products Services

In The Know

23. New Local Energy Facility 24. Developing Agribusiness With Canada 27. Access Inputs: Part 1 29. St. Lucia: Shorely Amazing 32. LIME To The Bahamas

EXTRAS

Business Spotlight

38. 2nd Annual Spelling Bee 42. IAU: Beyond Learning 44. Emcare: Advancing Local Medicine 46. LansiMedical Inc: Supplying Needs

Health & Wellness

76. A Happy, Healthy 2011 77. Your Computer: The Pain 78. Unexpected Home Remedies 80. Choosing The Right Frames

Financial Focus

81. Customer Retention

Bizz Buzz

83. Rotary Supports Victims of Tomas 85. Digicel’s Role In Haiti 86. LIME & The Chamber: Holiday Mixer

88. Events 2011 90. Major Moves 94. New Companies Registrations

Profile Focus

34. Your Organisation’s Core Values 36. Hurricane Tomas: Part 1

BusinessFocus Jan/ Feb 2010 | 3

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 Tapion Hospital

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On With The New Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. – Oprah Winfrey Is 2011 really here? Yes it is, and this is a good thing! To most people, a new year means a new start – a fresh start!

St. Lucians in 2010 not only endured through the global recession, but also endured the destruction left by hurricane Tomas. In late 2010 many businesses took a major blow in the challenging recovery time post the passage of hurricane Tomas but the local business community continues to show resilience. This was showcased whether getting one’s own business back on track, or whether setting your business aside to assist through the relief effort. Tomas has opened eyes where urban planning is concerned in this country or the lack thereof for that matter, and moving forward means a new strategy for building and infrastructure.

The New Year to many people means New Year’s resolutions. To most, this means a change for the better in lifestyle. The focus is usually on health and wellness, hence the reason for our focus for the first issue of 2011. In this issue, we focus on Tapion Hospital, St. Lucia’s first and only private medical facility. The institution dubbed as a nexus of medical capability, which encompasses a broad range of offerings through continued upgrading and credentialing.

Every year people make New Year’s resolutions; but what about your business? What is your business New Year’s resolution and more importantly how do you plan on achieving it? Consider for 2011 along with a personal resolution make a business resolution that best suits the needs of your operation. The New Year also means planning the year’s event calendar; first up, the Chamber Business Awards and later on, the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival – two major events among many throughout the year.

On behalf of the Business Focus team, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our supporters and to all our readers a have a healthy, happy and prosperous 2011!

Enjoy the issue!

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 4

Christy Recaii christy.recaii@amsstlucia.com

Contributors: Dr. Harvey Miller | Bevan Springer | Christy Recaii Lincoln Price | Dona Regis | Fabian Glace Dr. D. M. Shah | ITC | Betty Combie First Citizens Investment Services | SLTB Leslie Collymore | Rashid Jean-Baptiste Desmond Simon | LIME | demerawaves.com Dr. Lindsay Duncan | Stefanie Olsen | SLASPA Tapion Hospital | Dr. Celia McConnell-Downes 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.

Reproductionofanymaterialcontainedhereinwithoutwrittenapproval, constitutes a violation of copyright.

Business Focus reserves the right to determine the content of the publication.

GET IT RIGHT

W

hy is it so difficult for us to do things right?

We complain frequently about poor work habits, bad planning, inadequate preparation and mismanagement. We spend so much time and money doing work over and correcting mistakes. How do we go about doing it right to ensure more successes and fewer failures?

In this New Year, let us make a commitment to get it right. Tackling any job with the intention to get it right, first and foremost it begins with a plan. The saying: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail is still so true. Here is what has to be considered in this plan.

We must first acknowledge that any job is carried out to fulfil a need – be it our need or someone else’s need. It is important to fully understand that need to be able to deliver satisfactorily. Communication with the user/customer/beneficiary is of extreme importance in determining that need.

Getting it right cannot be contrary to the law. Hence, we must identify and abide by laws relevant to the job or to its end result.

Unless this job has never been done before, chances are there is a guideline or standard document that can assist in getting it done right. We need to familiarize ourselves with that document. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Often, there is background information

IN 2011 related to the job that can contribute to it being done right. We must determine this information from available sources. For example, in planning a training session, it would be useful to know if the participants have undergone similar training in the past.

We must also utilize lessons learnt from persons, including ourselves, who have had experience with this particular job. This will help us to avoid repeating mistakes.

Let us also be proactive in our approach.

We must anticipate what could go wrong and determine ways of preventing, reducing or responding to these situations.

We should also note the associated opportunities related to the job so as to capitalize on them. As we progress with the planning, more of these situations will become apparent. Being aware of the need of the user/customer/beneficiary and the other requirements from our investigations/research, we must then determine our objective for this particular job. The objective must be measurable.

For example, a measurable objective can be to train at least 50% of the staff in Quality Service before the end of 2011. At the end of 2011, it should be very easy to determine whether this objective was met.

We then move on to listing the steps/ actions involved in this job. These should also include checks to ensure that the job

is progressing as it should.

We will use this list to assist in identifying all the necessary resources. Resources include “manpower”, method, materials, machinery/equipment, environment and time (Easily remembered as 4Ms + ET).

Identifying the resources will make costing the activity much easier. Pay particular attention to the human resource. People are the most unpredictable of resources and need to be catered for appropriately.

Once the job is complete, it will be necessary to check that the end result is in keeping with the need expressed by user/customer/beneficiary and the other requirements.

Determine how these checks will be done. Let’s not forget the undesirable by-products that can result from the job. We must decide what these are if any and how they will be handled.

For example, the left-over stationery from a training session – plan either to reuse it and/or dispose of properly.

Lastly, remember the purpose of the job was to fulfil a need. We must get feedback from the user/customer/beneficiary as to how well that need was satisfied or met.

The above is a useful guide to any organisation/business or individual who wants to deliver satisfactory results every time. In 2011 and beyond, let’s use it as a checklist to get the job done right. BF Betty Combie Quality Systems Trainer BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 5

BF No. 55

BUSINESS BRIEFS News In Focus

SLTB’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Nerdin St. Rose receiving award

Saint Lucia “The Caribbean’s Honeymoon Destination”

Awarded Leading

Saint Lucia accepted the award for “Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination” at the World Travel Awards Americas Gala Ceremony on October 22nd, travel and tourism’s biggest night of the year. This is Saint Lucia’s 8th win since 2002. Hosted at Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa on Jamaica’s beautiful south coast, the event, now in its 17th year, encourages world-class competition and innovation.

As the winner of this regional award, Saint Lucia is also nominated for the “World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination” at the World Travel Awards 2010 Grand Final in London on November 7th.

“We are thrilled to be accepting this award for Saint Lucia as this category includes some of the finest destinations in the Caribbean,” said Nerdin St. Rose, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This award further solidifies Saint Lucia’s status in the romance market segment, a position we do not take for granted. The combination of our world-class resorts, unique activities, exotic cuisine, unspoiled nature and warm people will continue to ensure Saint Lucia’s leadership position as the most romantic destination in the Caribbean.”

Additionally, Saint Lucia’s The Body Holiday, LeSport was awarded Caribbean’s Leading Spa Resort. The Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa was awarded Saint Lucia’s Leading Hotel and Sandals Grande Saint Lucian Spa & Beach Resort was awarded Saint Lucia’s Leading Resort.

With year-to-date arrivals a 16% increase over 2009, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board is poised for one of its strongest years on record and 2011 is on track to continue the growth with major on-island developments including hotel openings, major renovations and new attractions.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 6

SLTB’s Director of Tourism, Louis Lewis receiving award

Saint Lucia is World’s Best For Romance

For the fifth consecutive year, travel professionals the world over have voted the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia the “World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination.” After receiving the top Caribbean accolade in this category at the World Travel Awards Americas ceremony in Jamaica last month, the Eastern Caribbean destination earned even greater global recognition at the 17th World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony at Grosvenor House in London.

Accepting the award, Louis Lewis, Saint Lucia’s Director of Tourism, said: “We are humbled to be considered the best in the world when it comes to weddings, honeymoons and romance.” Lewis served notice that Saint Lucia will not be resting on its laurels, assuring “we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that we remain top of the class for many years to come.

Working in concert with our hotels, resorts and attractions, we intend to redouble our commitment to excellence in the New Year as we focus on delivering the world’s best experiences for the luxury and romance markets.”

The World Travel Awards encourages world-class competition, stimulates innovation and creativity as well as ensures that travelers receive exceptional value.

“This award bears testimony to the undisputed beauty of the island, the authentic warmth and friendliness of our people, our commitment to service excellence, and the appeal of our small luxury properties which continue to win the confidence of today’s discerning traveler,” said Senator Allen Chastanet, Saint Lucia’s Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation. The growing accolades reflect the country team’s commitment to providing visitors with an excellent product with high standards of service and legendary hospitality.

Henry Mac Donald, Suriname’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Five nominees Secretary General

for

Caricom

The number of nominees for the post of Secretary General of the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) grew to five, with Suriname’s announcement that that its Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Henry Mac Donald would be joining the race. Mac Donald, 40, is a human rights lawyer.

Secretary General, Sir Edwin Carrington leaves the job on December 31 after an 18-year stint but it is unclear how soon his replacement would be named. A Caricom official said that the nominees are being submitted to Barbados’ Foreign Minister, Maxine Mc Lean who is heading a searchcommittee. Other sources also said that the deadline and criteria for selecting and appointing the new Secretary General are not widely known. Other nominees are Caricom’s Assistant Secretary General for Regional Trade and Economic Integration, Irwin La Rocque of Dominica; former Caricom Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett of Belize, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ambassador to Caricom, Elsworth John, and Ambassador Edwin Laurent, a former diplomatic representative of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Trinidad and Tobago is unlikely to field a nominee because Sir Edwin is a national of that twin-island nation. With three nationals coming from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) being nominees, it is unclear whether the seven full members would vote collectively for one candidate from the sub-region and lobby non-OECS members for support. No national of an OECS member nation has been Secretary General, except for Sir Alister Mc Intrye of Grenada from 1974 to 1977.

BF

BUSINESS BRIEFS

No. 55

News In Focus

LIAT’s cargo plane being loaded

LIAT Cargo fresh produce

begins

hauling

As the Caribbean Community (Caricom) grapples with how best to shuttle agricultural produce across and outside the region; LIAT (1974) Limited has begun a cargo service, targeting produce.

LIAT’s Country Manager (Guyana), Winston Walton said one Dash 8-100 plane has been already converted and two others are on standby for conversion from passenger to cargo.

“It’s a cautious start,” Walton said.

At least 6,000 pounds of mangoes, golden-apples, and sweet potatoes left Guyana on the inaugural flight in November 2010 to Barbados for onward haul to London via British Airways. Leaving Guyana every Thursday, subject to load-availability, the LIAT cargo flight also connects with other major carriers.

LIAT’s cargo service is also targeting other agriculture producing nations like Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “The rates are competitive and we have to let everybody know,” he said.

The regional airline, which has for decades been relying on passengers and offering its QuikPak courier service, intends to continue offering more cargo flights but, according to Walton, that depends on the demand.

Caricom has long identified transportation and sanitary and phytosanitary measures as major bugbears to regional and extraregional trade in agricultural produce and products. A Caricom agency would be up and running next year to set the rules for plant and animal health.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY

HONOURSST.LUCIANBORNCARIBBEANBANKER One of the Caribbean’s most respected sons has been singled out by a leading American university as one of its most accomplished graduates.

Howard University’s School of Business in Washington DC recently recognised St. Lucia-born Cecil St. Jules as one of its 40 most distinguished and accomplished graduates at the School’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

“I am humbled to receive such a lofty recognition by my alma mater,” said St. Jules, a managing director of BNY Mellon Broker Dealer Services. St. Jules, who earned an MBA from Howard in 1987, saluted the distinguished business school for 40 years of educational excellence, and said he continues to honour the school for preparing him for a successful career in the banking field.

“Howard continues to be part of my life today even after graduating so long ago.

The foundational values that were learnt at The Hilltop have continued to serve me well today,” he added.

St. Jules has since played a leadership role with the company, helping the Broker Dealer Services Division grow from being a small business unit into the dominant worldwide collateral management provider. His responsibilities vary from Data Security, Customer Charging to Project Planning and Internal Controls. Cecil St. Jules is an active community volunteer and a member of several banking and risk management organisations. He is married and has one daughter.

Howard University is one of the country’s elite Historically Black Colleges which marked the four decades of the establishment of its Business School at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington DC in October 2010.

BNY Mellon is an asset management and securities services company, focused on helping clients manage and move their financial assets and succeed in the rapidly changing global marketplace. Headquartered in New York, BNY Mellon has US $24.4 trillion in assets under custody or administration and $1.14 trillion under management. BF

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 7

BF No. 55

BUSINESS BRIEFS News In Focus

Bank of Saint Lucia’s AGM, Joanna Charles accepts award from ECCB Representative

Bernard Fanis -TelevisionProducer

Bernard Fanis -TelevisionProducer

ECCB’s

New television station to focus on business

Bank of Saint Lucia has been awarded Best Corporate Citizen for 2010 by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).

The ECCB made the announcement at its headquarters in Saint Kitts at a special awards ceremony in early November. Bank of Saint Lucia also won the Good Corporate Citizen Award in four other areas: Educational Development, Environmental Awareness, Cultural Development, and Financial Education and Empowerment.

Bank of Saint Lucia competed against over a dozen other banks in the sub-region to emerge as the overall winner.

The award acknowledges Bank of Saint Lucia’s significant contribution to the socio-economic development of the island via its sponsorship and support of institutions such as CARE, the National Enrichment Learning Programme, and cultural festivals such as Carnival, Jounen Kweyol and the Jazz Festival. The bank was also recognised for its work in promoting financial literacy through saving and budgeting presentations to students; its television series, Financial Focus, and newspaper column, Financially Speaking; and its Gold sponsorship of Junior Achievement. The launch of the bank’s environmental campaign, Greedy for Green, was regarded as a proactive and responsible initiative that tackles the critical issue of environmental protection and conservation.

The bank would like to thank its customers, shareholders and other partners for their support without which this award would not have been possible.

A new television station has been launched in St. Lucia. Calabash TV, a subsidiary of ALL Biz Limited is committed to producing programmes targeting local communities including the diaspora, businesses, and the creative sector.

Television producers Bernard Fanis, Bradley Lacan and Kirby Allain are spearheading Calabash TV, named after St. Lucia’s national tree.

Calabash TV will bring a strong focus to businesses, in particular the micro and small business sector with a calculated concentration on their ‘developmental issues’.

Calabash TV brings to the media landscape a distinct advantage in the production of television documentaries, made for TV programming and a working relationship with the business community through the e-newsletter Caribbean Business Report which has been in circulation for over a year.

Calabash TV honors the memory of Sabinus ‘Sabby’ Thomas of Livity Arts Studio, who along with some members of his family perished in a landslide north of Soufriere town. Sabby’s work with the calabash helped inspire the name of the new television station, which will now keep his memory alive by a deliberate focus on arts and craft entrepreneurship and the creative sector.

Calabash TV is now on LIME Channel 44 with plans for inclusion in the line-up of Karib Cable and SpectrA.

Chairman’s Spice & TOZ Rum Wins International Spirits Challenge 2010 Gold Medals

Bank of Saint Lucia is Best Corporate Citizen 2010

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 8

St. Lucia Distillers Company Limited’s new product Chairman’s Spice Rum which was recently launched at the London Imbibe 2010 Trade Show has won a Gold Medal in its first entry at the International Spirits Challenge 2010.

The British “Imbibe” magazine which launched their first exhibition in London indicated that 12,500 drinks professionals were preregistered for the Imbibe 2010 Trade Show in which the Organise`rs would feature premium drinks brands world wide.

Chairman’s Spice which is an addition to the famous Chairman’s Reserve rum was designed to introduce another fine rum with authentic Caribbean spices such as Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg and other ingredients. The Brand, which will be formally launched in St. Lucia, United States, Australia, Italy and Spain in the coming months, is expected to appeal to Chairman lovers and add to the impressive line of products, which are produced by St. Lucia Distillers. As part of the Exhibition tastings were also conducted and Elements 8 Platinum Rum was judged the top white Rum in the United Kingdom by the panel, scoring the highest rating.

TOZ White Gold Rum also won a Gold Medal with Admiral Rodney Rum taking a Silver Medal and Chairman’s Reserve taking a Bronze Medal. St. Lucia Distillers were congratulated for its fantastic achievement with a higher number of products being entered across the Board in the 2010 International Spirits Challenge.

CONGRATULATIONS ON ACHIEVING 32 YEARS OF PEACE AND PROGRESS. CELEBRATING AND SALUTING THE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENT ST. LUCIA.

FEBRUARY 22, 1979

Lucia

THANKS TO ST. LUCIAN GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS FOR THEIR CONTINUED HOSPITALITY AND SUPPORT TO PRODUCE WORLD CLASS PHYSICIANS

BUSINESS TECH

Going Thin

for

the New Year

A Look at the latest gadgets for 2011 We have entered an era of thin and lightweight computers and rather than worrying about power, we have become obsessed with the concept of thinness. It first stared with computers when laptops burst on the scene, then on to mobile phones and lately tablet PCs. We first got a taste of thin with Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader. Though not a full fledged computer, it gave us a taste of the new concept of a thin, lightweight and functional device. We are now at the beginning of a gold rush! With the launch of the iPad, computer brands are rushing to get clones in the hands of the masses. Let’s take a look at some of these already out and expected for 2011.

iPad

Apple has a head start with the iPad coming out early in the game.

But what features do other tablet PC’s have to compete with? Apple sells the idea of the iPad as the best way to experience the web, email, photos and video. So like Apple’s other products, the iPod and iPhone, you can expect to have a large base of apps with the same user experience as their other devices but on a larger scale. The Apple iPad is on the market and available right now.

Dell Inspiron Duo

Staying close to its roots, Dell has built a tablet pc that is ‘dockable’ and so attaches to a keyboard. This design is familiar to laptop owners and provides some type of comfort and familiarity when using the device. It has an even more familiar interface with Windows 7 Home Premium. No new features to learn or applications to get used to.

The Dell Inspiron Duo is slated for 2011.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 10

BlackBerry Playbook

BlackBerry, not a company for standing still and letting the world of modern and mobile past it by, is coming out with a tablet PC. It will be a bit smaller than the rest with a 7” display, but with that small size there is a lot of power beneath. It has video playback, audio capability (mp3, aac, wma), wi-fi, Bluetooth and lots more. The amazing factor behind this device is that BlackBerry is using its own tablet OS designed specifically for the device. The Playbook is said to pair up with other BlackBerry smartphones. BlackBerry Playbook will be shipping in 2011.

Toshiba Folio 100

The biggest attraction (for me) of this device is the operating system that is being used. It’s none other than Google Android. Some may know of Android from HTC TV commercials for their mobile phones named Droid X. Google Android came on the market a few short years ago and has surpassed Apple iPhone in some markets. Android’s success is mainly because of its openness in which any mobile phone company can adapt the OS for their phones. This has excelled the adoption of Android and Google is hoping the same is true for tablet manufactures. Toshiba Folio 100 is due between November 2010 and early 2011.

We’ve just seen a glimpse of what the tablet pc market will look like coming into the New Year. Just like mobile phones have change the landscape of the world for richer or poorer so will tablet computers. Affordable computing for the world stimulating growth in many industries, tablet pc’s will find their way in our lives and one day may take over from their bigger siblings, laptop and desktop computers. BF Fabian Glace www.glaceweb.com

BUSINESS TECH

The Fundamentals of a

Backup & Restore Plan T

he number of businesses who do not have a backup and restore plan for their company’s electronic data always amazes me. Or, they do have a plan but this plan is lacking in many respects. In this article I will lay out the key components of a solid backup and restore plan.

Firstly, like everything else the backup and restore plan for your company’s electronic data must satisfy your requirements. These requirements can be captured in the following questions: How much data loss can you live with?

This will determine how frequently backups are done. If you are able to easily re-create the past days’ worth of data then backing up once a day should be sufficient for your needs. If losing more than 30 minutes of data would severely impact your business then it makes sense to backup your data every 30 minutes or less.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 12

How quickly must you be up and running after a disaster? In the event of a disaster if you need to be up and running immediately, then it may make sense to have a full backup site that your employees can switch to and resume operations almost immediately.

What can you afford? It is wise to have a budget in mind before embarking on creating your backup and restore plan.

There are many different options, which can be pursued, and knowing the budget in advance can assist in narrowing down these options.

Secondly, the plan must be tested and verified on a regular basis. You don’t want to find out that there is a major flaw with your plan just after a disaster. The plan should be tested on at least a quarterly basis where you go through the motions from the beginning to the end to verify

that all will work as expected.

Thirdly, your plan should be monitored for any failures. There should be automatic notifications to your IT System Administrator when failures occur so that he or she can take the necessary action in a timely fashion. You don’t want to find out after a disaster that your backup programme had been failing for the past 30 days Finally, your backup and restore plan should be fully documented. In the event that your IT System Administrator is not available, it should be possible for anyone else to pick up the documentation and take the action which may be required at the time. BF Rashid Jean Baptiste Managing Director of West Technology Inc, IT Services provider Company Based in St. Lucia

FINALLY

COLOUR IS LESS! New Solid - Ink Based Multifunction Printers Bring Affordable Colour To The Office

® Great Color x 62% Cost Savings x 90% Less Waste x Easy to Use = Xerox ColorQube

Ask about

ColorQube™

Vide Bouteille, Castries, Saint Lucia, Tel: (758) 456-6500 Fax: (758) 451-9226, (758) 456-6508 Email: sales@jebergasse.com * Website: www.jebergasse.com

BUSINESS TECH

COLORQUBE INTRODUCED THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY & RECEIPENT OF MULTIPLE INDUSTRY AWARDS PRINTER Xerox introduces its first A3-size (11 x 17) solid ink-based multi-functional printers (MFP). The ColorQube 9200 series is guaranteed to offer businesses colour for less. The ColorQube should not be viewed simply as colour MFPs, but as universal machines designed to perform equally well for monochrome and colour imaging applications. With the ColorQube 9200 series, there is no sacrifice to monochrome printing speeds or operating costs, and the machines offer all the productivity features needed in a workgroup MFP. Considered a true “universal printer,” the ColorQube prints, scans, faxes and copies all in one device with advanced technology that simplifies use and maintenance, all while BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 14

significantly reducing the cost of a colour page.

Xerox’s ColorQube series consists of three new models: the ColorQube 9201, ColorQube 9202, and ColorQube 9203.

Aimed at the mid-level office market, the ColorQube series represents a bold step for Xerox in its attempt to transition more office customers to colour and, in particular, more office pages to colour.

Although these machines are based on solid ink technology, the ColorQube series does not take a back seat to any other toner-based MFP in Xerox’s lineup in terms of overall features and design.

Indeed, the ColorQube products are fully capable MFPs based on a wealth of proven

Xerox technology. In addition the new user interface offers videos to help with step-bystep procedures for device maintenance.

Solid ink delivers what no other technology can in terms of low colour page costs, ease of use and reduced environmental impact. High-yield ink sticks (based on Xerox’s latest ink formulation and ink forming process) allows for lower operating costs and improved productivity at reduced power consumption levels, when compared to previous generations of solid ink technology.

Some of the benefits of solid in technology are: 1. Ink costs less than toner

2. The writing system is typically less complicated compared to xerography 3. The print quality that can be produced with inkjet-based technologies is very good Xerox’s ColorQube 9200 series delivers all the important attributes of an inkbased product and as if breakthrough technology was not enough, the ColorQube 9200 Series MFP’s also deliver all the environmental benefits of Xerox’s solid ink technology. Of course, the most compelling attribute of solid ink from an environmental standpoint is the limited amount of waste that is generated by this technology. Another of the benefits of an ink-based platform is the ability to offer improved performance in reduced quality print modes. This can be very beneficial for certain applications where colour is required, but the documents are primarily intended for internal use. Xerox’s ColorQube series provides this capability in all models.

Based on the print samples that we have seen, the print quality produced in the default - Enhanced Mode is quite good and certainly comparable to that produced on toner-based devices. In Photo Mode, customers could expect to see the best possible image quality with full colour saturation. Nevertheless, it is expected that ―Enhanced Mode would be good enough for most general office applications.

There are also very few consumable supplies for the ColorQube and most of those are completely consumed as the device is used. Unlike toner-based technologies, there are no empty toner cartridges to dispose of, not to mention fuser units, imaging units, or any other consumable supply items typically

associated with a xerographic imaging machine. The solid ink sticks used in the ColorQube products are almost completely consumed and cartridge free which means that the only recycled supply item is the cleaning unit. The cartridge-free design generates 90 percent less supplies waste and reduces the effects of manufacturing and transportation on the environment.

Another important attribute relating to solid ink technology is the benefit provided in the system’s overall carbon footprint.

Xerox has conducted a full life cycle analysis and environmental impact study on its solid ink products and the results are quite compelling. The key findings from that study, which have been peer reviewed by the Rochester Institute of Technology, indicate that solid ink technology provides lower energy consumption throughout the device’s life cycle, less greenhouse gas emissions, fewer raw materials, and about 90% less waste than a typical laser system.

Another important benefit of solid ink is the environmentally friendly packaging for supplies. The solid ink sticks offered for the ColorQube MFPs come encased in a plastic tub that is packaged in a cardboard box.

According to Xerox, the plastic tubs are made of 100% recycled material and the cardboard boxes are made of 45% recycled content. The plastic tubs and the cardboard boxes are recyclable where options are available.

The ColorQube 9200 Series is ENERGY STAR qualified and meets all EPA energy standards. An environmental impact study found that on average, ColorQube uses 10 percent less energy over the product lifecycle and has a smaller carbon footprint than comparable laser equipment.

ColorQube uses Intelligent Ready software that manages the power.

Machines left idle will automatically go into lower power modes. Intelligent Ready actually learns the unique print usage patterns of your office - the device will be in ready mode when you need it and in its lowest energy state when not needed, maximizing energy efficiency.

Another strong feature related to inkbased technologies is the ability to image on a broad range of substrates. One important benefit of solid ink technology is the fact that the print heads are positioned over the intermediate drum so that the media never comes in contact with the print heads. Paper contains a lot of loose fibers that can clog aqueous inkjet nozzles, but that issue is greatly reduced with solid ink technology. This is one of the main reasons that the print heads used in the ColorQube products, or any other Xerox solid ink product for that matter, are considered lifetime components that do not have to be replaced. ColorQube and solid ink in general will provide naturally vibrant and glossy prints on a wide variety of paper stock, including recycled and even less expensive lower-quality paper. If extensive glossy media use is a requirement, solid ink may not be the best choice.

In addition, ColorQube technology can easily reduce paper consumption with its automatic duplex settings found in all its multi-function devices this is an environmentally friendlier choice for paper and printing. BF J. E. Bergasse & Company Limited officially launches the environmentally friendly and multiple award winning Xerox ColourQube 9200 Series in January 2011.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 15

MONEY MATTERS

Retirement ‘Getting Started’ R

etirement is a condition that most of us will have to face at some point in our lives, and based on the retirement goals we set ourselves, whether it’s relaxing on a tropical beach, traveling around the world, or simply lounging around the house, we need to plan for these events. Therefore, in order to ensure that our retirement goals are achieved in 10, 20 or even 30 years, we need to have a plan on how we will achieve them. We have been socialized by our parents and by extension society, to know that in order to enjoy a successful career in adulthood, we must attain an education. Similarly, the sooner we accept that retirement is simply another stage in our life cycle, the better equipped we will be to plan adequately.

Retirement planning, by definition, involves setting aside enough money during one’s working years to provide income during retirement. It is about more than investing and saving. It’s also about enjoying your life after you have retired from your career or job. Your retirement money can be set-aside in various investment options that will generate income during retirement. Some of these options can include the following:

Social security

Private or Employer pension plans Real assets – for example, property Financial assets – for example, stocks/ shares, mutual funds, bonds Insurance products – for example, annuities, cash value life insurance plans Financial wealth is important when planning for your retirement, but you BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 16

should also plan for the free time you will have once you retire. Remember, your retirement life could be in 20 or 30+ years.

Once you have an idea of how you intend to spend these years, you will need to estimate how much money you will need to cover your retirement plans.

The amount of money you will need at retirement will therefore depend on your:

Current lifestyle

Retirement plans, for example, travel & hobbies Estate needs – whether you plan to leave a legacy for your children and grandchildren It is estimated that one will need to amass 20 times their current annual income in an investment portfolio in order to provide the needed income at retirement. In order to build this nest egg, based on how early you start, age 25 or earlier, you may need to set aside 15% of your monthly income.

Starting much later, say above age 35, one may need to contribute as high as 25% of their monthly income. In fact, compounding of earnings is so powerful that those who start saving for retirement in their 20s can amass significant nest eggs with relatively little effort, as long as they invest regularly.

Having made the decision to start the process of investing for retirement, you need to first assess the adequacy of your current plans, as you may be contributing to social security and or your employer’s retirement plan. This assessment should entail the following: Examine your cost of living. Basically,

you need to sum up your current expenses; inflation must be taken into consideration to estimate the future value of these expenses. Financial Planners have estimated that at retirement one needs enough income to cover between 70% and 90% of current expenses to maintain the same standard of living.

Then add any future expenses you think you may have based on the retirement goals you’ve established.

Once you have an idea of how much you will need for retirement, calculate the income you have available, from sources other than your savings. For example, income from social security, private pension plans, property rental income etc.

You need to calculate any gap between your projected retirement income needs and your sources of income at retirement.

If there is a gap, you need to set goals for reaching the amount you will need to make up the difference between Social Security, pensions, and any other retirement funds you already have.

You may find it quite difficult to consider that kind of long-term planning for retirement with other urgent commitments like trying to meet your children’s education needs, your mortgage, and other obligations, but it is well worth your peace of mind to start preparing for retirement as early as possible in your life.

Assistance is also available from financial advisors and retirement planners to help you come up with an appropriate plan to meet your retirement goals. BF For further info: www.firstcitizenstt.com

MONEY MATTERS

Representatives of the CAIB Secretariat

HOSTS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL AGM and CONFERENCE The CAIB Secretariat and its LOC for Conference 2010 took a strategic decision to relocate what was shaping up to be the most talked about 37th AGM and Conference out of Saint Lucia, following the passage of Hurricane Tomas, to the Hyatt Regency Trinidad over November 9th – 12th 2010.

By all indications it was a decision that required a doubling up of efforts given that all was already in place to hold a successful conference at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa and Beach Resort. The organisers faced what appeared to be insurmountable challenges given the last minute change in venue that they were forced to consider.

This necessitated a partial change in the official programme of activities more BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 18

specifically, the Opening Ceremony.

Despite the above, the Secretariat and this year’s LOC remained resolute in ensuring that the last minute change of venue would experience minimal disruptions to the planned programme of activities for the respective conference days.

The Opening Ceremony convened on the same date as initially planned thus allowing delegates and special invitees to participate in what can be described as a second to none Opening Ceremony, that saw truly engaging and thought provoking speeches. The Feature Address was delivered by the Honorable Douglas Orane C.D. Chairman and CEO of Grace Kennedy Ltd. who challenged delegates to always remain true to all categories of clients

while recognising the need to be creative in what has often times been described as an uncertain business environment.

Delegates were also reminded that even in the current, less than impressive business environment, opportunities may exists and that with the implementation of the right strategies, regional companies can grow and become major players.

The official Opening Ceremony was held in Regency I and II Ball Room at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad.

Official Welcoming Remarks were delivered by Conference 2010 LOC Chairperson, Mrs. Carole Eleuthere-Jn Marie and the CAIB’s Outgoing Chairman Mr. Robert Le Hunte, Managing Director and CEO of the Barbados National Bank Inc.

Included in this year’s Opening Ceremony was an Awards Ceremony, which paid special recognition to persons and institutions that provided invaluable support to the CAIB over the years. This year’s excellence and Diamond Awards were presented by the CEO of CAIB, Mr. Desmond Simon to the following recipients; Mr. Brain Stuart-Young from Global Bank of Commerce, Mrs. Enid Bissember from the CARICOM Secretariat and Mr. Christopher Raymond on behalf a retired banker from Wachovia Bank. The Diamond Award went to IBIS Management in recognition of its contributions toward the growth, strengthening and development of the regional banking sector. The company also celebrated 10 years of conducting business in the region.

On the respective Conference days the ensuring presentations and discussions were influenced by excellent opening feature addresses from two well known Caribbean luminaries namely, Professor Avinash Persaud, Senior Fellow of CaPRI and Dr. Patrick K. Watson, Director of Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social & Economic Studies and Coordinator of the Economic Measurement Unit at the St. Augustine Campus, UWI. As mentioned in a previous press release, this year’s AGM and Conference programme of activities were guided by the overarching theme “Repositioning the Region: The Role of the Financial Services Industry.” This theme proved to be highly appropriate given ongoing developments in the global financial marketplace. Firstrate presentations were delivered in many core areas. Some of the core issues of the day, which were examined, were: • Enhancing Banks’ Capital and Customer Outreach • Deepening the Regional Capital Markets • High Performing Financial Institutions and the Keys to Success in an Uncertain Environment • Building and Ethical Culture - A Leadership Imperative • Implications of Basel III on the Operating Performance of Indigenous Banks Managing Security and Fraud in an Era of Mobile Banking and Virtual Services Delivery.

This year’s conference saw excellent thought provoking presentations delivered by senior representatives from major

Attendees of the 37th AGM

An Interactive forum of the 37th AGM

banking and servicing financial service providers, policy and regulatory institutions and academia. Lead presenters emanated from, inter alia, the Wachovia Bank NA, Oracle Financial Services, International Finance Corporation (IFC), SUNY Delhi, New York, KPMG, First Citizens Group, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE), Central Bank of Barbados and the Jamaica Central Bank, UWI and CaPRI, and the three major stock exchanges in the region, just to name a few.

Also meaningful were the decisions emanating from the 37th Annual General Meeting. Of worthy mention is the fact that the CAIB membership agreed to widen its membership base to include other financial services providers that are not indigenous to the region. The issue of expanding membership has been an ongoing one, which has been critically examined, in earlier meetings. The AGM’s decision was guided by the finding from a strategic research exercise which was completed by a regional consulting firm called Strategic Alignment Limited.

This particular issue generated much

discussion however members eventually endorsed proposals for an expansion, sighting the fact that the banking landscape in which indigenous and foreign banks operate in, are one and the same. It was also generally felt that a bigger and better representative institution would gain more mileage for its members when it comes to effectively lobbying and advancing certain issues that are important to the CAIB’s core constituents.

With these new developments it is likely that the revamped bankers and financial services providers association would be renamed the Caribbean Association of Bankers (CAB), where it is expected to work closely with the respective national bankers’ associations.

The culmination of this year’s AGM and Conference also witnessed the appointment of new Board of Directors emanating from the following member banks; First Citizens Bank Limited, the East Caribbean Financial Holding Company Ltd (ECFH), Signia Financial Group Inc, the Bank of Nevis Ltd, Republic Bank Limited, the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) and DeSurinaamsche Bank N.V. BF

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 19

MONEY MATTERS

KEY MAN INSURANCE A CRITICAL SUPPORT OPTION FOR BUSINESS

I

n St Lucia and the wider Caribbean many or most businesses are family owned and operated. In many such companies the business has been started with the investment of the owner or the family’s cash and collateral as support.

With rapid growth many small and medium sized businesses find themselves in difficulty through a lack of available financial resources to support their expansion. Banks and financial institutions are always looking for fixed collateral to give them guarantees as support for their exposure through financing the business with loans, overdrafts, etc.

Another issue of concern is the health and longevity of the key person or persons in the business especially if this is a sole trader where the business is heavily dependent on his or her output.

It is in this context that the principle of “Key Man Insurance” evolved. Key man insurance, a.k.a. key person insurance or key employee insurance is coverage that will protect the company in the case of an untimely death or disability of a top salesperson, executive or business owner. Key man insurance provides peace of mind to business owners and shareholders alike knowing that the business can continue operations without major disruption in BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 20

the event of the loss of a key employee.

If death or disability strikes your company, key person insurance may be the difference between the company’s demise and its ultimate success.

Many people and especially insurance agents themselves make the mistake of thinking key man insurance is simply life insurance. Yes, life insurance is one of the necessary elements of a good key man insurance plan, but in most cases key man disability insurance is equally important.

While the risk of death is always present, with most ages the risk of disability is much higher. Therefore, to achieve adequate protection, most companies should secure both key man life and key man disability on their key employees and executives.

Is your protected?

business

adequately

In many cases, and especially in small to medium size businesses, success depends upon a few top individuals that posses niche talents, skills and experience. These key employees are critical to the long term performance of the company. Losing one of these essential people due to a death or disability can have a damaging effect on any business.

The solution to protecting your business is key person insurance. Key person insurance provides the financial means to stabilize a company during the adjustment

period after the loss of a key employee or executive. When a death or disability occurs, the business may lose critical management skills and may experience periods of falling sales and productivity.

Additionally, significant costs will be incurred identifying and training the person or persons that have the ability to take the place of the key employee. If your business would be dramatically impacted by the loss of one or more of your top people, key man insurance can effectively protect against this risk and you should consider purchasing key man insurance policies to protect your company.

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How does Key Man Insurance work?

Businesses and business owners regularly use life insurance and disability insurance to protect themselves from the risks associated with the death or disability. Using life and disability insurance, a business can buy policies on the key employees to cover the amount of funds needed to adequately replace them in the event of a death or disability. In most cases, the cost associated with securing key man insurance policies is very small relative to the potential benefit if a key worker dies or is disabled.

With both key man life and disability insurance, the business secures the policy on the life of the key person. It will own the policy, pay the premiums and be the beneficiary in the event the key employee dies or is disabled. The premium payments made by the company are not tax deductible but in most cases, the proceeds received are income tax free.

Key person insurance policies are designed to protect the business not the key employee. If a key employee dies or is disabled, the policy proceeds can be used by the company for any purpose.

Normally, businesses will use the funds received from a key man policy to cover expenses associated with finding capable replacements or to cover short term revenue deficits.

Who Needs Key Man (Key Person) Insurance?

Key person insurance is needed by a wide range of companies and for many reasons but generally is most important for small and medium size businesses. These companies depend on the expertise and talents of a small number of individuals

for their success. The death or disability of one of these key employees or executives may well result in the demise of the firm.

Other businesses that must consider key man insurance include start-up companies, companies needing to secure financing, companies in niche markets where replacement employees may not readily be available, companies employing an exceptional sales person and companies where the business owner desires liquidity in the event of their death or disability.

Some of the benefits of such an Insurance Policy are as follows: • The banks hold it as security for the company’s debts.

• The banks monitor the payment of the premiums to ensure the policy is active.

• The policy is assigned to the bank and hence will enjoy the full financial benefit should the Policyholder die.

• All monies derived as death benefits are paid to the bank against the debts of the company.

• In many cases the value of the death benefit paid is adequate to cover the debts owed to the bank by the company.

• The longer the policyholder lives means that the Cash Surrender Value of the policy increases incrementally with each payment. These funds help to put the company in a stronger financial position.

• At any given point the company can surrender such a policy and have access to the cash provided the company’s debts to the assigned bank are fully repaid and the bank releases its lien on the policy.

• The company can treat this policy as a payout benefit to cover their indebtedness to the Executive if he or she is long serving and will need to be paid a significant amount due to retirement .

• In the case of ill health the company may still pay the annual premiums and allow the Executive to enjoy the benefit.

Many companies operating in St Lucia offer Key Man Insurance policies. Should you wish to explore this option ensure that you discuss this with your Banker if you wish to use it as Security for your financial support. It is then up to you to research the various policies offered and ensure that the chosen policy and provider satisfies your specific requirements.

The best financial benefit to the Company for owning and investing in such a policy is the long term survival of the Key Employee through to the maturity of the Policy.

Encourage your employees especially key personnel to exercise regularly and stay healthy to enjoy a long and rewarding life. BF

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 21

MONEY MATTERS

EXPANDS MERCHANT

SERVICES PRODUCT LINE

FirstCaribbean International Bank continues to provide innovative solutions to enhance the value it brings to its clients around the region. The bank has unveiled new product offerings to its business customers which enable them TO manage their businesses more efficiently and effectively. The latest merchant product and service offerings are new wireless merchant terminals, credit card payment acceptance online (with the added security of 3D Secure), recurring payment processing, and the acceptance of Union Pay cards.

Chief Administration Officer, Mahes Wickramasinghe, notes that these innovations and enhancements have been designed to meet the increasingly demanding requirements of our customers. “Creating these products and services further cements our relationships with our business clients by equipping them to maintain their competitive edge in the marketplace.”

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 22

Wireless Merchant Terminals

The new wireless merchant terminals have been introduced in Barbados and will be rolled out in the bank’s other markets across the region. It is an all-in-one hand held terminal/printer wireless merchant solution which is reliable and secure with the capability of processing all major debit and credit card transactions in dual currencies (where acceptable by law). It has the flexibility to allow merchants to accept payments anytime, anywhere.

E-Commerce ments

&

Recurring

Pay-

FirstCaribbean’s E-Commerce solution allows businesses to expand their customer base regionally and internationally. Our clients can now accept all major credit cards via their websites with the added feature of 3D Secure which gives both merchants and customers the added confidence of a secure environment.

3D Secure is a technical standard created

by Visa (Verified by Visa) and MasterCard (MasterCard SecureCode) to further secure Cardholder Not Present transactions over the Internet.

For added convenience business clients can opt to create recurring payment plans for specific customers where the customer account can be charged on a specific day each month or a specified frequency.

Union Pay

In addition to merchant’s being able to accept credit and debit cards from Visa, MasterCard, Discover and debit cards, FirstCaribbean has now added the Union Pay Cards to its merchant acquiring solution. UnionPay, established in 2002, has been expanding its global network in recent years issuing more than two billion of its branded cards in 13 countries, including China, Germany, Japan, and Russia. BF For further info: www.firstcaribbeanbank.com

IN THE KNOW

Ontario Companies Waste-to-Energy facility in St. Lucia

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wo Ontario-based companies, Island Green Energy (IGE) and their technology partner Elementa Group Inc., signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of St. Lucia on October 7, 2010, to build a non-incineration waste-to-energy facility to process the island’s municipal solid waste and generate electricity.

This facility will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 70,000 tonnes annually and produce power for 6,000 homes.

Using a patented process developed by Elementa Group Inc., based in Niagara-onthe-Lake, Ontario, the project will divert over 45,000 tonnes of municipal and industrial solid waste a year from St. Lucia’s two landfills, while generating an estimated seven megawatts of green electricity.

“With the introduction of the Elementa Waste-to-Energy technology, St. Lucia will become a green energy leader in the Caribbean,” says St. Lucian

Minister Guy E. Joseph. “Our commitment to support climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase our renewable energy assets will enhance St. Lucia as a preferred E c o - F r i e n d l y tourism destination.”

Elementa has been operating its technology since 2007 at its pilot plant in Sault Ste. Marie. Scientific third party reviews have confirmed that the plant has exceeded expectations and significantly outperformed all national and international air emission standards.

Joseph visited Canada and Elementa’s

pilot plant in Sault Ste. Marie to personally review the necessary approval and permitting processes required in Ontario.

The United Nations has initiated the Island Sustainability Growth Plan, which requires island nations to improve their existing infrastructures with regards to sustainable development. The project with IGE and Elementa will reduce St. Lucia’s carbon footprint by offsetting its dependency on fossil fuels as well as decreasing landfill methane emissions.

The agreement between IGE, Elementa and St. Lucia strengthens St. Lucia’s leadership of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as well as the UN’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, which are focused on social and environmental sustainability and combating global warming in the Caribbean. BF Taken from Solid Waste & Recycling - Canada’s Magazine on collection, hauling, processing & disposal.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 23

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 Note

Developing Agribusiness with Canada Preference margin measures the difference in tariffs applied on qualified CARICOM products and the tariff applied on products from countries who do not receive any special concessions from Canada (i.e. the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Tariff).

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN CARICOM-CANADA NEGOTIATIONS CARICOM and Canada have agreed to the negotiation of a Trade and Development Agreement. There are some specific sectors that can gain from these negotiations.

These agri-food sectors include Rum, ethanol products, liqueurs and cordials, aerated/mineral waters, sauces and baked products as without a replacement to the CARIBCAN, their market penetration may be stymied as high duties become applied on their exports (see table 1).

Whilst some sectors have a strong and organised position, such as Rum, Pork and Poultry, others such as the fisheries sector, spices, herbals and akees have not yet engaged the negotiating process.

All agribusiness firms are encouraged to intensify their lobby efforts towards appropriate positions for not only tariff treatment, but appropriate rules of origin, and even development cooperation proposals. For example, the fisheries sector may propose rules of origin provisions that permit import of let’s say tilapia, from an extra-regional market, such as China, for processing (e.g. breading, seasoning) in CARICOM and then onward export to Canada. Ultimately, the challenge is before the region’s “agripreneurs” to engage trade BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 24

negotiators to assist in crafting a relevant trade agreement for their international business development.

Two rounds of the CARICOM-Canada Trade Negotiations were hosted by the Government of Barbados on November 10, 2009 and March 29-31, 2010. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for the second half of 2010, and the agriculture sector could intensify its advocacy to ensure that the negotiations represent their international business development needs. There are so many examples of disappointing market penetration for the agribusiness sector in the face of trade agreements. The question is normally raised concerning some key factors which may need to be addressed for the agrifood sector to really stand a chance of building linkages with external partners such as Canada’s agri-food sector to enable survival and global competitiveness.

Some strategic considerations impacting Agri-food trade between CARICOM and Canada include: tariffs; sanitary and phyto sanitary measures (SPS); technical barriers to trade (TBT); trade facilitation (especially as it relates to perishables); trade related subsidies; rules of origin; development cooperation; innovation; and services (temporary work programmes especially as it relates to international movement of farm workers). Developing stronger business linkages, either through

investment, services and trade ties, should be one plank upon which agricultural discussions take place with Canada.

Below, one will see the approach that Canada takes to some of the same issues that the region is seeking to address to enhance integration into global agri-food value chains. It is being suggested that through these negotiations with Canada, the region should seek to build alliances with Canada’s agricultural sector towards adopting a relevant developmental path for the sector.

Comprehensive Agricultural Policy: Canada is a highly competitive producer of many agricultural commodities, and among the world’s largest exporters of agri-food products. Canada provides significant assistance to supply-managed products (which cover dairy products, chicken, turkey, eggs, and broiler hatching eggs), including through the use of high out-of-quota tariffs (frequently exceeding 200%). In-quota volumes are, in some cases, small, reserved to certain countries,

or available to preferential partners at reduced tariff rates.

In June 2002, the federal, provincial, and territorial governments signed the Framework Agreement on Agricultural and Agri-Food Policy for the Twenty-First Century (known as the Agricultural Policy Framework) to enhance the profitability of the agri-food sector. Programmes and services under the Agricultural Policy Framework are grouped into one of the following categories: business risk management (encompassing farm income support programmes), food safety and food quality, science and innovation, environment, and renewal (i.e., advisory and skills development services). As the region embarks on various attempts to address agricultural development, it may be useful to examine the Canadian approach to integrating the provinces in a coherent national agricultural development framework.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures: Health Canada is responsible for establishing standards and policies governing the safety and nutritional quality of all food sold in Canada. Specifically, Health Canada engages in research, foodsafety risk assessment, pre-market review and evaluation of all issues related to food safety and nutrition, and regulation and registration of pest control products and veterinary drugs used in food-producing animals.

Meat exports are one business possibility with Canada, however this trade is subject to a special approval system.

Upon request, the government reviews all pertinent statutes on a country’s meat inspection system. If these are deemed equivalent, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) carries out on-site audits of individual meat establishments. So, no

individual CARICOM meat exporter can access Canada without the national meat inspection system first getting approval.

As CARICOM furthers the establishment of our own CARICOM Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA), it could be instructive to incorporate some development cooperation with the CFIA and Health Canada in the framework of these negotiations where the region holds a little leverage as Canada could seek to enshrine improved market access for its pork, beef and poultry.

State/provincial Marketing boards: In some provinces, agricultural producer boards regulate the marketing of certain agricultural products, including by setting prices. The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has a monopoly on sales for export and for domestic human consumption of wheat and barley produced in Western Canada.

The issue of agricultural marketing is one area in which Canada has some success, and the region could seek to be informed by the Canadian experience in marketing agri-food products.

CARICOM-CANADA AGRICULTURE TRADE OVERVIEW The agri-food sector is not a major tradable sector for CARICOM. In 2008, CARICOM exporters generated US$34.3 bn in sales both within CARICOM and to the rest of the world. However, agribusiness exports did not provide a major share of regional exports, as CARICOM agribusiness firms generated

only US$246mn in export sales. As was the case for exports, agribusiness imports represented a negligible share of the total regional merchandise import bill of almost US$40bn. In 2008, importers of agricultural and agro processed products spent US$625mn. This also implies that

in 2008, the region was a net importer of agricultural and agro processed products spending almost US$380mn more than was earned from export sales.

At the macro level, CARICOM firms generated more merchandise export revenue from Canada, than the merchandise import spending bill with that country (i.e. a merchandise trade surplus). In 2008, CARICOM merchandise exporters generated US$1.5bn in export sales, whilst merchandise importers in CARICOM spent almost US$854mn on imports from Canada. Between 2001, and 2008, the merchandise trade surplus with Canada has actually improved from US$230mn to almost US$680mn. This positive outcome has been a result of export sales growing by over an annual average of 16%, offsetting the 15% average growth in import spending between 2001 and 2008.

While on the macro level the region generated a trade surplus with Canada, the agri-food sector generated a trade deficit with Canada between 2001 and 2008 (see figure 1). In fact, the agricultural trade deficit expanded from US$56mn in 2001, to almost US$150 mn in 2008 signifying a crude loss of trade competitiveness in agribusiness over this period.

In 2008, CARICOM agricultural exporters generated US$70mn in export sales to Canada, whilst importers in CARICOM spent almost US$219mn on agricultural and agro processed imports from Canada (see figure 1). For the agricultural and agro-processing sectors, Canadian agricultural exporters are penetrating the CARICOM market at almost twice the rate of the region’s agricultural exporters in the Canadian market. Between 2001 and 2008, CARICOM agricultural exporters expanded their annual international sales by 6% on average. However, Canadian agribusiness exporters were expanding their international sales at almost 12% per year between 2001 and 2008.

Between 2001 and 2008, Rum and Tafia has consistently been the top agri-food sector export from CARICOM to Canada.

Interestingly, the rest of the world pays a very high tariff on rum of 24.56 cents/litre of ethyl alcohol to access Canada’s Rum and tafia market, and as such, and on the assumption of rules of origin qualification, the rum industry may be competing in this market with dependence on the tariff preferences granted by the provisions of the CARIBCAN Rum protocol. Rock Lobster/ BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 25

IN THE KNOW

crawfish, papayas, beer and ethanol round out the top five agri-food sector exports to Canada (see table 1).

Interestingly, 11 of the top 20 agrifood sector exports to Canada could be dependent on CARIBCAN provisions for a preference margin, meaning that without the CARIBCAN, their shipments could experience a higher duty at the border. Rum, ethanol products, liquers and cordials, aerated/mineral waters, sauces and baked products seem heavily dependent on the CARIBCAN for duty preferences (see table 1).

Some dynamic agri-food exports to Canada observed between 2001 and 2008 included vegetables and mixtures of vegetables processes (akees); sweet biscuits; frozen fish fillets (excluding swordfish and toothfish); fresh or chilled fish fillet; rolled oats; yellowfin tunas (fresh or chilled as well as frozen); black tea; uncooked pasta; ethanol; fresh papayas; dogfish; beer; fresh guavas, mangoes, mangosteen; sauces; coffee; fruit and vegetable juices; and sweet potatoes.

Firms in these sectors can seek to use the platform of continued duty relief under a successor to the CARIBCAN to maintain dynamism in their sectors.

Between 2001 and 2008, wheat has consistently been the top agri-food import from Canada (see table 2). Of the top agrifood imports from Canada between 2001 and 2008, a number of competing imports (i.e. imports which are also produced regionally) were observed, and as such these products could represent some production competition from Canada.

Amongst these competing imports are fresh potatoes; pork products; cured bovine products; spices; homogenized prepared vegetables; and non-alcoholic beverages.

Additionally, the most dynamic agrifood sectors observed between 2001 and BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 26

2008 included durum wheat; malt, not roasted; dried red beans; sweet biscuits; soya bean oil and its fractions, refined but not chemically modified; live bovines for breeding; vegetable fats and oils; processed vegetables; whey; hams and cuts thereof of swine prepared or preserved; live swine for breeding; and cereal preparations.

Firms in these sectors are encouraged to pay attention to the CARICOM-Canada negotiations. This is encouraged because any replacement to the CARIBCAN will be a reciprocal agreement which will imply some amount of tariff liberalization in CARICOM. BF Lincoln Price

IN THE KNOW

Access Inputs & Capital Goods At Competitive Prices: Part 1

This is the first of a two part series, which focuses on accessing inputs and capital goods at competitive prices.

Background

Access to imported inputs at world prices is found to be crucial for export expansion. However, in general, tariffs and other measures, which protect domestic industries, create disincentives to export.

Firstly, tariffs raise the price of raw materials, intermediate and capital goods and thus reduce the profitability of export production. Secondly, nominal tariffs increase the relative return to production for the domestic market leading firms to shift production out of the export market and into the domestic market.

This problem, known as “anti-export bias”, occurs whenever the relative profitability of the home market as opposed to export sales is raised due to policy intervention.

In the presence of protection against imports such a bias will be unavoidable, unless compensatory supply-side export promoting schemes are provided.

An ideal trade policy approach would suggest that the best way to reduce anti-export bias and to improve the environment for export growth is to reduce protection of the domestic market.

This means reducing tariffs, reducing or eliminating tariff escalation, and avoiding the use of anti-dumping and quantitative restrictions (QRs). Although developing countries have made good progress in liberalising, such reforms are typically long and difficult.

Many countries favour using specialized schemes since they are easier to administer than larger-scale national reforms. Such schemes include, utilising duty drawback and special import licenses for exporters, as well as specialized schemes, like bonded manufacturing and export processing zones. Developing and least developed countries can benefit utilising more favourable rules regarding subsidies to support local industry, such as: duty drawback, special economic zones (SEZs), condoning or not collecting government revenues otherwise due and export credits.

This briefing focuses on the specialised export promotion schemes of duty drawback and special economic zones, and how they can contribute best to accessing inputs and capital goods at competitive prices. Further schemes will be profiled in the following briefing.

Duty Drawback Schemes

Duty drawback schemes are often used as a means to provide exporters of manufactured goods with imported inputs at world prices and thus increasing their profitability, while maintaining the protection for domestic industries that compete with imports. Duties are initially paid as goods are landed. Refunds are provided upon shipment of export goods, which include dutiable components. Such

schemes are in place in most countries and constitute an important tool to promote exports. These schemes are particularly advantageous in countries where tariffs for intermediate products are high, since the duties paid will be refunded when the product, into which the imported input has been incorporated, is exported.

Legal Compliance

WTO Members may establish duty drawback schemes provided that: * Customs duties have been paid on inputs used for the production of the finished product * The amount of drawback does not exceed the amount of duties levied on inputs consumed in the exported good * There is a verification system to check the inputs used in the production of the exported goods as well as amounts of the inputs concerned Also included in drawback schemes is what is known as “substitution drawback systems”. This system allows for the refund or drawback of import charges on inputs which are consumed in the production process of another product and where the export of this latter product contains domestic inputs having the same quality and characteristics as those substituted for the imported inputs. The main requirement for substitution drawback systems to be authorized is that the home BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 27

market inputs substituted for imported inputs in the production of a product for export must be equal in quantity to, and have the same quality and characteristics as, the imported inputs being substituted.

Developing Countries

In developed countries duty drawback schemes are sophisticated means, which normally allow for the establishment of clear linkages between the imported inputs for which exemption or remission of import charges is sought and the exported product. In developing countries by contrast, have not fared very well for various reasons, including: administrative weaknesses in customs administration; poor statistical infrastructure; and the failure of the government to reimburse pre-paid duties because of financial difficulties. In particular, some developing countries consider having in place and implementing the procedures of developed countries would be impracticable and places an onerous burden due to the prevalence of a large number of small and medium enterprises.

These countries consider that the administrative machinery required for such verification of inputs would be prohibitive in terms of costs. In order to meet the criteria, some developing countries, such as India, have developed and applied what is known as standard input-output norms or similar averaging procedures (SION).

Special Economic Zones

For many countries, providing trade liberalisation on a national scale is not possible in both the short and medium term.

Instead, they commonly favour an intermediary step and choose liberalisation of trade and investment in geographically delineated economic areas, such as export processing zones, special industrial zones, free trade zones or export promotion zones. As will be seen shortly, governments using, or considering using SEZs must abide by WTO rules, particularly those regarding subsidies, as well as give careful consideration to their economic feasibility.

The common feature of these schemes is that they all offer a range of benefits to the companies making use of them. These benefits vary from country to country and even within the same country, from one free zone to another. While each country defines its own objectives for such schemes, they quite often involve the following: BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 28

Increase exports Attract foreign capital, achieve accrued capital Introduce new technology, especially in the industrial field Provide employment opportunities, generate a substantial skill surge Free zones, and similar schemes, have therefore become popular tools to promote exports, especially in developing countries. This is particularly the case for countries in which import tariffs are, or have been, high. Companies operating under these schemes have traditionally been exempt from paying customs duties on imports of raw materials, and often intermediate inputs and capital goods, used for the production of exported goods. Zones can be publicly or privately owned or managed and can be “high-end” or “low-end,” depending on the quality of the management, facilities, and services they provide firms.

Policies For Success

Governments ought to be fully aware of the costs and benefits of the incentives they allow for in SEZs. Incentives should be in-line with WTO rules and timelines; or else host countries may face retaliatory actions by importing countries. In particular, several types of incentives (subsidies) that are typically part of SEZ policy are subject to disciplines under the WTO, most notably through provisions in the SCM Agreement and therefore need to be complied with.

Government should further provide efficient, streamlined, and prompt services for setting up and running export processing zones (approval of investment applications, customs and other supervisory institutions). Privately owned and managed zones should be encouraged.

If zones are public, considerable autonomy should be granted. Zone firms exporting from one member of a trade arrangement should be aware of potentially complex rules of origin and restrictions. Zones in countries that are members of preferential trade arrangements (regional or bilateral) may be more attractive to firms targeting these markets, because such a membership enlarges potential market size and eases entry barriers. Exports from these zones may, however, face complex rules of origin regulations and restrictions. Finally,

it is important to develop special customs rules and regulations drawing upon WCO and WTO provisions, and fast-track implementation of automated customs systems, with proper inventory controls and audit systems, within the special economic zones.

Owing to the distortions created, it is important to make clear that SEZs are a less than optimal strategy and should not be favoured over overall improvements to the business environment and economy wide strategies. However, SEZs, can be useful in countries at earlier stages of development, since they are usually easier to administer than full-scale national liberalisation reform. Further still, SEZs can logically serve as a bridge to trade liberalisation on a national basis. They reduce anti-export bias of high tariffs by permitting an exporting company to access inputs at global prices, and therefore may aid the creation of an export industry and improve a country’s trade balance. BF

St. Lucia Freezone

St. Lucia is ideally located for a Free Trade Zone in the centre of the Eastern Caribbean. The St. Lucia Freezone in Vieux Fort is within 200 metres of HewanorraInternationalAirportandfiveminutes drive from the Vieux Fort Sea Port, which boasts all modern container handling equipment. In St. Lucia, the Customs & Excise Dept. oversees all customs related activities for goods entering and departing the Freezone. A well-manned office is located within the Freezone to facilitate import and export of goods within minimum processing time. This Department operates under the Ministry of Finance.

IN THE KNOW

SLASPA

SAINT LUCIA AIR AND SEA PORTS AUTHORITY

St. Lucia

T

“Shorely Amazing”

he famous Spartan, Queen Helen of Troy was described as the face that launched a thousand ships in reference to her amazing beauty and the historic battles which were fought to posses her. Similarly, many years ago St. Lucia was dubbed Helen of the West Indies because of her striking natural beauty and the historical battles which were fought between the French and the British for her possession. Most of those conflicts were centered on Port Castries, the island’s main seaport. Today, Port Castries is a major port of call for cruise vessels bringing thousands of passengers all eager to experience the sheer magic of fair Helen.

In recent years, St. Lucia has grown tremendously as a cruise destination moving from 394,364 passengers in 2005 to 619,680 in 2008 and by 2009 Port

Castries welcomed almost 700,000 cruise passengers the highest number ever in the history of the Port. This growth is not only in terms of statistics, but of the entire destination experience. This is reflective in the theme developed for St. Lucia’s hosting of the 2009 FCCA Conference and Tradeshow – “Shorely Amazing”. While a decline is projected for 2010, passenger arrivals will remain above the 600,000 mark.

Undoubtedly, St. Lucia offers among the best on-shore activities in the Caribbean.

Cruise ship passengers arriving at Port Castries can enjoy an adventurous “day off the ship” with a scenic drive to the legendary Pitons and one of the world’s drive-in volcanoes. Along the way there is a choice of a refreshing splash at one of several waterfalls or a soothing soak at the mineral baths. Adventure seekers can

fall in love with St. Lucia’s rain forest and majestic mountains where some of the island’s rare bird species can be sighted.

For those who love the sea, St. Lucia offers a wealth of sea treasures from whale watching and scuba diving along the west coast to snorkeling in one of the island’s magnificent marine parks. Beach lovers can relax on a sandy beach with clear blue waters or be intrigued by the amazing black sand beaches on the west end of the island.

For historical and cultural enthusiasts, St. Lucia presents a colorful history and cultural influences from the French, British, African, East Indian and Amerindian.

Passengers can relive this rich history at the Desmond Skeete Animation Centre at La Place Carenage Duty Free Shopping Mall which is located at Port Castries.

The capital city of Castries is a perfect BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 29

mix of traditional charm and contemporary character. A leisurely stroll into the city’s centre would allow cruise ship passengers to visit the century old Cathedral, the Derek Walcott Square named after one of two Nobel Laureates, the Carnegie Library and Parliament buildings. A must stop is the Castries market, where passengers can purchase a locally made souvenir and mingle with locals in true St. Lucian style.

A mere fifteen minutes away from the city is Marigot Bay. Once the setting of famous movies such as Doctor Doolittle, today, Marigot Bay is home to a major Marina.

However, to many St. Lucians, Marigot is their perfect place to fall in love – the atmosphere is perfect for romance.

As Port Castries moves into a new era in its development as a cruise port, there is now need to ensure sustainable growth of this sector which will also allow St. Lucia

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 30

to become even more competitive. During the peak season, Port Castries is very often over supplied with as many as five cruise ships in port on particularly busy days, with cruise lines vying for the now limited berthing facilities. Against this backdrop, the Government of St. Lucia is considering a partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) to redevelop Port Castries, increasing the berthing capacity while creating an aesthetically-pleasing sense of arrival to our visitors. This redevelopment will serve as the “front door” to St. Lucia and create a stunning visual experience in and around the harbour.

This well researched developmental plan will consist of a mix of low to mid-rise condos or other residential configurations, such as hotels, waterfront retail, restaurants, yacht marinas, casino, and other related entertainment elements.

The harbour capacity will also be expanded to accommodate larger sized vessels such as the Oasis and Genesis class and assist the Port’s ability to provide berths to the growing number of cruise vessels wishing to call into St. Lucia. It will also capitalize on the 3-mile perimeter frontage of the harbour to create increased pedestrian movement and flow, including a pedestrian-friendly mass transportation system around the harbour.

The potential to create commercial opportunities for St. Lucia remains a key objective of the redevelopment project.

Therefore, the plan entails the creation of activity hubs around the harbour perimeter that will capitalize on local food, culture, and entertainment living up to its reputation of being ‘St. Lucia: An amazing shore experience’. BF Dona Regis Director of Marketing St. Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority

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IN THE KNOW

Tony Rice CWC’s Chief Executive

David Shaw LIME’s Chief Executive

CWC Acquires BTC

LIME ready to expand footprint to The Bahamas

Cable & Wireless Communications plc. (“CWC”), the parent company of LIME, announced that it has signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas (“Government”) to acquire a 51% interest in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (“BTC”).

BTC is wholly-owned by the Government and is the exclusive mobile operator in The Bahamas, as well as a leading provider of fixed-line and broadband services.

LIME is the leading full-service telecommunications provider in the region. CWC and the Government will now work together to complete due diligence, finalise contractual terms and obtain necessary consents and other regulatory clearances with the aim of completing the transaction in the first quarter of 2011.

Included in the MOU are:

* CWC will acquire the majority equity stake in BTC, including

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 32

management control of the business, for US$210 million. * BTC will enter into agreements with CWC for the provision, on an ongoing basis, of various support services, branding and use of intellectual property. * The liberalisation process for the mobile sector will commence no sooner than three years after completion of the transaction. * CWC will work with the Government and the management of BTC to develop a business plan for BTC, addressing its plans for the modernization of telecommunications throughout The Bahamas and for the development of BTC following privatisation.

Speaking on behalf of LIME, Chief Executive David Shaw commented: “We believe there is a solid strategic fit between LIME and BTC with many possibilities to build the customer experience and The Bahamas community.

If successful, this transaction can deliver a new era of innovative services like mobile TV and high-speed broadband in The Bahamas. This MOU is a positive first step. The due diligence will now provide a fuller understanding of BTC operations and the concerns of its stakeholders – which is the right way to start and a big part of getting to know the flavour of The Bahamas.”

Tony Rice, CWC’s Chief Executive added: “We are pleased to have taken this important step in the process to invest in The Bahamas, a dynamic economy and market with great potential. In partnering with the Government, we believe that we can deliver a world-class telecoms capability to the people and businesses of The Bahamas. Our immediate focus is now on finalising terms and completing this transaction.” BF

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PROFILE FOCUS

Core Values

Is Your Organisation Living Up to its Core Values?

Core values are those values of an organisation that form the foundation upon which it builds its business practices and behaviours. As such, core values help to define corporate culture. Further, core values help organisations to, among others: govern personal relationships; guide business processes; set standards and norms for employees; articulate what they stand for; guide decision making; identify the behaviours that should be rewarded.

All organisations possess a value profile that is driven by a set of implicit or explicit values whether they are aware of it or not.

Many companies choose to make their core values explicit because they recognise

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 34

the importance of core values. As an example, Disney Corporation’s stated core values are innovation, quality, community, storytelling, optimism and decency.

Ask any CEO, MD, or GM what are the core values of their organisation. More than likely you will get a confident answer.

The response may sound something like: “our values are creativity, innovation, customer loyalty, employee commitment, and teamwork.”

Then ask whether the company is living up to its values.

The response, I am sure, will be in the affirmative. After all which CEO, MD, or GM will admit that their company does not live up to its values. That would be an admission of failure of their leadership.

Then ask whether the company has measures and indicators that allow it to assess whether the company is living up to its values. More than likely, the answer would be no. Follow up with this question: “how then are you able to tell whether your company is living up to its values without any explicit measures and indicators?” Your respondent will likely find him/herself concocting an answer to mask the embarrassment.

Most organisations are quite proud to display a set of core values along side their mission and vision statements. For far too many, however, this is where it all ends. This truism is evidenced by an often visible disconnect between the core

values and the organisation’s behaviours and practices. It is not uncommon for organisations claiming to value customer loyalty to experience numerous complaints of discourteous and disrespectful customer service. Customer complaints about a lack of response by managers to their concerns about poor quality of service or products are also quite common, even for those organisations that claim to be customercentric.

Organisations that tout their employees as their most valuable asset can often find them complaining of a lack of commitment to their well-being; a lack of commitment to their development; a lack of recognition from their mangers or supervisors of their efforts, even when they go beyond the call of duty. Employees will often say that there is no team spirit – it is a “dog-eatdog” world, and that co-workers operate independently and in their own selfinterest. The list could go on.

The apparent disconnect between stated core values and organisational behaviour can be explained by a lack of continued and consistent focus on core values by the organisation’s leadership. Leadership is responsible for designing and enabling corporate culture and as such, must be held accountable for the corporate culture that exists. There appears to be an underlying attitude that “if we state it, it will happen”. Such an attitude is akin to a company stating, as a corporate goal, that it wants to grow market share by 15% but undertakes no relevant action beyond that statement. What is the likelihood of success on that goal if no growth strategies are developed and implemented? Can success be achieved if the change in market share is not monitored and measured? Most managers would agree with me that the growth goal would not be achieved. The underlying principle here also applies to core values - if there are no strategies to entrench the core values and there are no measures to assess progress, the organisation will fail to live up to its core values.

Research has shown that business performance is positively correlated to compliance with core values. That is

because values drive corporate culture and corporate culture drives performance.

For example, if teamwork is a core value and employees function as self-serving individuals and not as teams, business performance will suffer. Also consider customer loyalty as a core value. If customers are treated poorly, they will take their business elsewhere resulting in decreased sales and ultimately decreased profit.

What is surprising is that organisational leaders do not require a hard sell on the positive relationship between living up to one’s core values and business performance, organisational happiness, and organisational harmony. Yet they do very little to make it all happen.

Below are 12 steps that can assist organizations wishing to make the transition to a values-driven institution.

Step 1: Establish the core values needed to ensure the kind of behaviours and norms that will lead to organisational success. The articulated values must empower the organisation’s ability to fulfill its mission and vision.

Step 2: Articulate in as much detail as possible the kind of behaviours and norms that is consistent with each value.

Step 3: Establish performance measures and indicators for each value. This will allow the organisation to measure the extent to which its members live up to its values.

Step 4: Conduct a values review as part of an internal environment scan.

Using the performance measures and indicators identified in Step 3, assess how well the company is performing on each of its core values.

Step 5: Identify and prioritize the performance gaps.

Step 6: Identify the values requiring significant improvement.

Step 7: Engage the management team in establishing a values strategy for the organisation: establish goals, objectives, strategies and performance targets.

Step 8: Develop a values dashboard that will allow the organization to

get early warning signs about noncompliance with its core values.

Step 9: Communicate and implement the values strategy throughout the organisation.

Step 10: Provide the training for employees on the behaviours and practices that are consistent with the values.

Step 11: Conduct an annual review of value profile of the organisation.

Step 12: Celebrate accomplishments and reward employees who contribute significantly to the integrity of the company vis-à-vis its core values.

In summary, acting in accordance with core values is a critical success factor for any organisation. Core values drive corporate culture and corporate culture drives performance. As such, all organisational leaders should give focus to entrenching core values as a strategic imperative. A failure to act in accordance with core values will certainly create opportunities for organisational dysfunction and ultimately poor performance. Given the highly competitive nature of business environments today, performance requires “firing on all cylinders”. Organisations cannot afford internal disharmony or poor consumer trust. Hence organisations that have yet to identify core values, or those that are acting out of alignment with their core values must see the need for change.

The 12 steps identified before can bring such organisations closer to the short and long-term benefits that will accrue from an alignment between corporate culture and core values – benefits such as improved performance, greater organisational harmony and happiness, increased consumer and investor trust, and longterm sustainability. BF Harvey H. Millar Ph.D., P. Eng. Harvey Millar is strategic performance consultant, a full-professor in the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University, and a free-lance columnist. He can be contacted at Harvey.H.Milar@gmail.com. Please feel free to provide some feedback on the ideas in this piece directly to Dr. Millar. BF

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 35

PROFILE FOCUS

Damage to Road network

Hurricane Tomas H

The Urban Planning Lessons: Part I

urricane Tomas, between October 30th and 31st 2010, cut a path of destruction across St. Lucia.

Bridges were washed away resulting in the disruption of the road network. Many landslides and mudslides occurred leaving a large section of the population without homes. Flash flooding occurred in the heavy rains. The impassible roadways left communities across St. Lucia cut off from the rest of the island. Some of the major ones included Soufriere, Bexon and Marc; they were among the communities hardest hit by the natural disaster. Business Focus thought it imperative to facilitate discourse and discussion on the issues where devastation is concerned. We engaged directors Claude Guillaume and Duane Marquis of NLBA in a one of two part series.

BF: What are your thoughts on the destruction left by Hurricane Tomas, described as ‘the worst in St. Lucia’s history’?

Claude Guillaume: What we have seen in the Aftermath of Tomas are the early warning signs. The general public think this is the worst St. Lucia has experienced.

With tropical storm Debbie in 1994 we were told it was a 100-year experience, 16 years later we have another 100-year experience. The writing is on the wall. We BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 36

can expect to have more events that can be catastrophic; they are only catastrophic because we have allowed these unplanned developments to take place.

BF: What is planning neglected in urban development?

Duane Marquis: With unplanned development people tend to think they are saving a penny, saving a dollar. The back end of it in the case of a disaster, that is when you see all the things you should have done that you did not do and how you pay for it. The burden now stretches on government, the planning industry, banks and insurance. It basically affects the entire building sector and the economy by a few things people thought would not matter in the planning stage. With Tomas there is a little light in the sense that now that we see what happened when there is a lack of planning there is an opportunity for us to start from scratch.

Claude Guillaume: You have by tradition, if you look at the way nations develop and build, there is a distinction between town and country. If you start from the premise of strict land planning, the way you use the land that is available to you, if you analyze our land pattern, there are water catchment areas where you do not develop, for-

est reserves, which keeps the areas green, but you also have the distinction between zones for settlement and non-settlement.

Those have to be determined and that is where gray areas have to develop. We have allowed far too much in formal settlements to take place. So you find people settle on hillside with improper roads, drainage etc. What is noticeable in the Caribbean particular we do not have a strong distinction between town and country. The one island that demonstrates something of that in terms of town planning is Barbados.

How do you turn back the clock? The process now has to be how can we limit the effects of unplanned settlements. Consider a squatter settlement on the hillside, how do you bring roads and drainage into play. It is very complex. There is overcrowding, There is an avalanche of problems that carry through. How do you deal with that from a pragmatic standpoint? You have to rationalize.

BF: Discuss the idea of land being unaffordable to persons living in unplanned developments.

Duane Marquis: The word rationalize is dangerous in our business within the planning authority and government. Most of these unplanned settlements are on

Damage caused by Hurricane Tomas

Artist Impression Affordable Housing

crowned lands. There is a cycle where people circumvent the system, who cannot afford properties and they settle on government lands and build. Then a shackle house turns into a plywood house, then into a wall structure. Then a cousin builds next-door, then a sister. This is all on a hillside, possibly former agricultural land now there is no drainage, and then there is water off roofs onto the land. So this sets up for a potential disaster. Government has to step in and do something about it.

Claude Guillaume: You hit the nail on the head; because the frustration is that if you allow too much unplanned development you get an urban sprawl, which is a worldwide phenomenon. But if you seek to structure your urban areas, towns and villages you can improve accommodation by taking away problems of transport infrastructures being stretched. We are not talking about high-rise it can be low-rise, with proper planning and proper neighborhood settings space for recreation. And by doing that you get a much more connected urban fabric.

BF: As planners what are the recommendations?

Duane Marquis: The industry sees us as the barometer for development. We are planners by profession basically through our training we have gone through the rigors for standards and specification. When it comes to infrastructure and building the proper way, planned development, this is our forte; this is what we know this is what we do. There are regulations in place that the plan authority and other institutions have in place to take route and plan according to the design. But there are still issues where people tend to stray away from those standards and specifications and unfortunately in the case of Tomas you see the issues. That is why the government and other developers need to tap into the sources available to them. A lot of professional planners here, look that this outfit for instance, that could develop rural to urban areas and structure in such a way that you could have low income housing, residential communities with all the amenities available to them. If it is planned properly you could bring down the cost. And you could include corporate partners, the NHC (National housing Corporation) that could tap into the resources of the private sector.

Planners who have been at it for decades, we are an untapped resource.

Claude Guillaume: You may say we are talking ideals, but you have to start with ideals to translate for the reality of the future. The reality of the future cannot be the continuing process of the urban sprawl that destroys our hills sides and forest and creates mudslides and ultimately destroys our environment. Soufriere has just been badly damages in many ways, which means it is an opportunity, versus is a disaster. What we need to do now is utilize land use patterns; what land is best suited for settlement, agriculture, tourism, and forest reserve. We are not talking about draconian, militaristic take over. We need to have an open discussed with land owners that there is merit that is beneficial to the overall community, which is good business. That is the beauty of planning if you have planners who are looking at land dispassionately. BF In the next issue of Business Focus look out for HurricaneTomas:TheUrbanPlanningLessons Part II Christy Recaii BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 37

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

& Rotaract Host Regional Competition

Common Entrance Students Receiving Seven Seas Gift Hampers

B

ryden and Partners in association with Seven Seas Haliborange Omega 3 proudly presented gift baskets to 21 students, from primary schools all over the island who excelled at the Common Entrance Examinations held in June 2010.

This is the second year that Brydens decided to reward the students for their hard work and accomplishments and to make them BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 38

feel proud of their achievement. This will be an annual event so students can look forward to being recognised and presented with gift baskets.

Seven Seas has been represented in the Caribbean for over 120 years and they are very much involved in continuing to educate and promote healthy minds and strong bodies and haliborange omega 3

chewy is the product of choice for kids.

The product was launched some seven years ago in St. Lucia and we at Brydens have done quite a bit of marketing to build the brand and position it as the most beneficial omega 3 for kids.

Haliborange Omega 3 is a chewy capsule for children 3 – 12 years of age and comes in two flavors, Blackberry, Orange and

r u o Y t s o o r B e w , o P n i a r B s d l i h C It has been suggested that nutritional intake may be related to children’s mental performance and concentration levels at school.

Omega-3 nutrients include the DHA fatty acid, which is an important component of the brain and has been proven to play a role in healthy brain function and improve the ability to concentrate.

, as It s s a y eas 3 a g e m O 1,2

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

The Winner Aranique Jackson receiving her prize from Ms. Kate Boothe, Seven Seas Export Manager, UK

St. Lucia’s Jordan Serieux receiving her prize from Mr. D Shivnauth, Sales Manager Pharmaceuticals, Brydens

Six Regional Competitors with Sponsors Representatives and Officials

Teen Sense. Teen Sense is specified for teenagers. According to research 75% of brain development occurs in the first years of life and Haliborange Omega 3 contains fatty acids which may help to : * Improve a child’s behaviour and concentration in the classroom by 35% * Improve a child’s cognitive development. * Develop a child’s eyesight faster in the first years of life. * Boost IQ to improve overall learning, spelling and reading skills. * Develop a child physically and thefore mentally as well.

Brydens also took the opportunity to launch the 2nd Annual Haliborange Omega BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 40

3 Rotaract Spelling Bee Competition. This event was held at the Marigot Secondary School on the October 27th 2010. The Spelling Bee competition is open to students in grade 5, 9 – 10 years old, attending primary schools throughout the various districts.

Preliminary competitions were held between the schools and the winners then went on to the Haliborange Omega 3 Rotaract Spelling Bee Competition.

Rotaract has been holding this competition in the Islands for over 30 years and Seven Seas decided to partner with them to bring some more focus to the Haliborange Omega 3 brands. Jordan Serieux from the

Carmen Rene Primary School emerged as the winner of the local Spelling Bee competition.

St. Lucia was chosen to host the regional Spelling Bee competition for the first time last year, and it was held on December 4th at the Gros Islet Secondary School. There were six finalists participating who were from the islands of St. Vincent, Dominica, St. Kitts, Antigua, Grenada and St. Lucia.

The competition lasted four hours and the overall winner was from the island of St. Vincent. St. Lucia’s Miss Jordan Serieux placed second. The competition was a resounding success and we are hoping for a bigger and better one next year. BF

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Lucia

More Than a Learning Institution Artist Impression of IAU

W

hen a group of entrepreneurs sat in a restaurant in a neighboring Caribbean island some years ago, pondering which island in the Caribbean is best suited to operate a university, it may have never dawned upon them that they would find a perfect place to do so. Not even the tourist who convinced them at the time that St. Lucia was the best location, may have thought that his idea would have had such an immense impact on the island.

Today, the International American University, which has now become a household name in St. Lucia, can be proud of its monumental achievement of creating a positive impact on the lives of residents of the island, especially Vieux Fort where the school is located. Its social, economic and academic impact has worked wonders for the community, which sees the school as more than just a learning institution.

One resident described it as a “Godsend”.

The university, which is located in the Daher Building, brings a diversity of knowledge and experience from every corner of the health care industry. Its fulltime staff is comprised of experienced professionals from the fields of medicine, education, research, medical planning, health information technology, business strategy development, leadership and management. The university’s four-year medical degree program is designed to produce physicians who can qualify for licensure in St. Lucia, the United States, BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 42

Canada and elsewhere in the world. The program is comprised of four semesters of Basic Sciences at the St. Lucia Campus and six semesters of Clinical Sciences in United States teaching hospitals.

“We offer a well defined course structure to achieve better integration among the subjects of study in the Basic Science and Clinical Science curriculum, using the latest technology and teaching methods, based on the US model, and delivered by a team of experts,” the President of IAU, Mr. Manmadhan Nair said.

The university’s mission is to improve medical education by conducting health information seminars and other community outreach activities. So far, the school has done a remarkable job in that regard. Some of the university’s initiatives which have achieved great success in the southern part of the island include: weekly health clinics, the provision of computers to health centers, health seminars on health issues such as Preventive Cardiology and AIDS, Christmas lunch for the elderly, the provision of free access to electronic learning resources to local nurses and physicians, and diabetic training for health care providers and community leaders.

A number of these activities were fully funded by IAU. These activities are usually attended by government officials and other prominent individuals both in the private and public sector, who commend the school for their contribution to the development of St. Lucia. They would like

other medical universities on the island to emulate IAU in transforming lives on the island.

The university’s economic impact in Vieux Fort and its environs is tremendous. On average, a student spends approximately $52,000.00 per year in the island and a faculty member spends approximately $64.000.00 per year. The business community in Vieux-Fort benefits a great deal from this, especially the housing sector. A number of small businesses have grown over the years because of the amount of money the school injects into the community. Some residents have even opened small businesses targeting the school as their market and so far they are satisfied with the progress.

The academic impact of IAU in the south has been described as “commendable” by ministry officials, educators and prominent citizens on the island. Participants who attended the various training sessions and symposiums say it has helped them to better perform their duties. At the end of diabetes and hypertension training for health workers in Vieux Fort in 2010, a participant said, “right now I feel like a doctor.” Another participant who said he wished IAU would stay on the island forever noted, “IAU has provided me with a university education for free.”

The social interaction between students of IAU and the local community is also of value to residents. It results in interesting cultural exchanges and experiences for

both St. Lucian residents and students.

The school is making life easier for all St. Lucians whose dream to become a physician is made difficult by a lack of finance. They have done so by implementing a St. Lucia Scholarship Program which provides 100% tuition fee for all four semesters of Basic Sciences education for qualified St. Lucians. However, it does not include lodging, transportation and educational supplies. In order for students to continue to benefit from such a program they must maintain a passing grade in all their classes.

The recipient of such a scholarship must be prepared and committed to practice medicine in St. Lucia.

The university is now focusing on its future which looks very promising. To ensure that it continues to improve the level of education provided to students, IAU has purchased a portion of land in Vieux Fort to construct a permanent campus. The campus will be constructed on a 5 acre portion of land and will provide close to 100,000 sq ft of floor space. It will contain wi-fi classrooms, a multistory library, a fully equipped learning centre, study rooms and administrative

and faculty offices. Despite the large size of the campus, the school will still keep its commitment towards a supportive learning environment and will have no more than 120 students seated in a classroom. At the moment the school has close to 200 students who come from many parts of the world, mainly America and Canada. Over the years the number of students enrolled at the school has been increased at a steady pace. The school

expects a significant improvement in this trend in the future. “We are going by our mission of becoming one of the best medical schools in the Caribbean.

St. Lucia will be known as the education hub of the Caribbean where students can get quality education,� Mr. Sibi Gopalakrishnan, Public Relations Officer to IAU said. BF

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 43

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Advancing the

delivery of medical care in St. Lucia L-R Dr. Petula Monrose-Peter, Dr. Jeaneen Payne & Dr. Lisa Charles

The Changing Face of Primary Care Medicine - The Primary Care Centre EMCare or Extended Medical Care, was created to extend to patients a comprehensive service while maintaining a focus on continuity of care and physician-patient relationship. In keeping with the vision of a Primary Care Centre, the team at EMCare has worked to create a modern clinic where patients can visit their physician for routine medical care while enjoying the benefit of treatment for acute problems such as injuries, cuts and bruises and asthma.

The Primary Care Center is a relatively new concept of providing comprehensive urgent medical care and chronic medical care in the same environment. By expanding the clinic to include the Walk-in Urgent Care Unit, this addition has created a Primary Care Centre where several trained physicians work as a team to keep the entire family healthy by meeting both routine care needs as well as more urgent ones.

Our Staff & Services: EMCare is currently staffed by a General Practice Physician, a Pediatrician and Emergency Care Physicians within a clean, nonintimidating, casual, and friendly environment.

Dr. Jeaneen Payne, our General Practice Physician graduated from The University of The West Indies. She is a General Practitioner who has been in private practice for the past nine years.

As our General Practice Physician, Dr. Payne provides care for the elderly and those with chronic disease as well as routine and preventive care to include annual physicals and pap smears.

Dr. Petula Monrose-Peter is our resident Pediatrician. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and completed her specialty Pediatric training in the United Kingdom. She was granted membership to the Royal College of pediatrics and Child Health (UK) in 2005. Dr. Peter our Consultant Pediatrician provides medical services for the pediatric patient such as childhood immunization, well and sick childcare, development assessments and adolescent care.

Dr. Lisa Charles a Harvard trained Physician, completed specialty training in Emergency Medicine at The University of California, Los Angeles in 1999. She is the lead physician in the Urgent Care Centre.

Dr. Segun Tobias received his medical degree from the Universidad de Villa Clara, Cuba in 2004. He completed post-graduate studies at the University of Nottingham, UK, where he was awarded a Master of Science in Sports and Exercise Medicine.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 44

The Urgent Care Centre at EMCare What is an Urgent Care Centre? ‘When you need more than a first aid kit but less than an emergency room.’ Urgent care centres are facilities dedicated to the delivery of medical care outside of the hospital emergency department on an unscheduled walk-in basis. Generally patients who have an injury or illness that requires immediate care but are not serious enough

to warrant a visit to an emergency room can be treated in an urgent care centre.

Some of the services provided at EMCare’s urgent care centre include, burn care, surgical treatment of abscesses, intravenous fluid therapy, suturing of cuts (stitches), asthma treatment, ear flushing, eye injuries and sprains. As for the benefits of an urgent care centre go, it provides convenient access to unscheduled medical

care for urgent needs, without having to visit an emergency room.

EMCare offers a full service walk-in urgent care service to complement the routine primary care available through the Family Practice Physician and Consultant Paediatrician. There is no appointment needed to visit the urgent care centre, which is staffed currently by physicians, Dr. Lisa Charles and Dr. Segun Tobias. BF

Professional service in a well equipped and modern facility EMCare was created to extend to our patients a comprehensive medical service to include family practice and specialty consultations, as well as an extended hours walk-in clinic or urgent care with a full service laboratory.

The facility offers the services of Dr. Jeaneen Payne Family Practitioner, Dr. P. Monrose-Peter Consultant Pediatrician and Dr. Lisa Charles, Consultant in Emergency Medicine.

The facility includes a well equipped and modern Urgent Care Clinic to accommodate walk in clients, providing medical services not normally available through a doctor’s office. Intravenous fluid hydration and IV medication treatments, nebulization and minor surgical procedures are performed within the Urgent Care clinic.

We believe that this collaboration while offering our patients extended medical service through the Urgent Care Walk-In Clinic, will also decrease waiting times and allow clinic consultations to be handled with the appropriate level of care.

The services of EMCare are enhanced by an on site full service laboratory provided by Laboratory Services and Consultations Ltd .

Extended Medical Care Services WALK IN URGENT CARE CLINIC • Intravenous (IV) Fluids • Nebulization • Minor Surgical Procedures • Wound Care • Electrocardiograms • Foley Catheter Care • Ear Wash Out

Office Hours

GENERAL PEDIATRICS CLINIC • Well and Sick Child Care • Developmental Assessments • Immunizations

OTHER SERVICES • Cervical (Pap) Smears • Sports Medicals • Driver License Medicals

FAMILY PRACTICE CLINIC • Diabetes Clinic • Hypertension Clinic • Full Service Laboratory

• Ultrasounds

Mon - Fri: 9:00am - 6:00pm Saturday: 9:00am - 1:00pm Sunday: Closed

Laboratory Services

Mon - Fri: 9:30am - 5:30pm Saturday: 9:00am - 1:00pm Sunday: Closed

Mongiraud, P.O. Box RB2412, Gros Islet, St. Lucia

Phone : 1 (758) 453-2552 / 451 6155 Fax : 1 (758) 451 6156

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 45

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Kervin Lansiquot

LansiMedical Inc. For Your Supply Needs

D

r. Kervin Lansiquot, a product of the St. Lucia-Cuba initiative which gives St. Lucians the opportunity to peruse their medical profession dreams, developed a passion beyond medicine since becoming a medical doctor. As his

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 46

background, Dr. Lansiquot perused his medical training in Cuba to become a General Practitioner. Upon his return to St. Lucia in 2005, he completed a one-year internship at Victoria Hospital followed by a stint of community service at local health centres.

Dr. Lansiquot is an exemplar that medical mentorship is important to the field. During a three-year partnership with a senior colleague, he was able to build his clientele and branch out onto his own. His passion to expand outside of the medicine arena grew as he had his eyes set on investment. “I really wanted to do more than medicine. I wanted to invest in some other arena, yet complement my work as a general practitioner,� he said.

In 2009, he not only moved on his own but that was when his desire for becoming involved in investment became a reality when he formed LansiMedical Inc. It is this combination of this passion for the medical field and for investment opportunities that was the driving force behind the formation of LansiMedical Inc. LansiMedical Inc. is a wholesale and retail business that supplies hospitals, pharmacies, labs, dentists and physicians offices island wide. The product categories are medical and dental supplies, equipment and disposables. The products offered include, topical ointments, a wide variety of examination gloves, wheelchairs, crutches and walkers, just to name a few.

In addition to other well-known brands, Mason Vitamins, one of the largest vitamin suppliers in the United States, is one of the major product lines the company carries.

The company also makes special orders, as it relates to specific clients needs. Currently the supplies can be purchased at his office on Victoria St. in Castries as well as a newly opened outlet in Vieux Fort. The southern location on Clark St. provides, along with the offerings of medical supplies other health and beauty products to customers.

To keep up with the medical trends in the business of the supplies, Dr. Lansiquot attends several tradeshows throughout the year, most recently attending a FIME tradeshow in Miami. He believes meeting manufactures from all over the world is a crucial step in advancing the business.

Tradeshows allow him to meet medical manufacturers directly from all over the globe. This offers him more products, more alliances and information, which allows for better prices to customers. It is also a good

networking opportunity he explained.

Having studied in Cuba years earlier, has afforded him the asset of being bi-lingual, which serves well in communicating with his Spanish-speaking suppliers today.

As far as the future of the business goes, he is looking to go regional as he has plans to establish offices in neighbouring Windward Islands later this year. BF

Lansi

edical Inc.

Meeting All your Medical needs in both Industrial Needs & Home Health Care

WHOLESALE & RETAIL PLUS FREE DELIVERY * Medical Supplies & Equipment * Dental & Vetennary Supplies * Mobility AIDS * Diabetic, Asthmatic & Hypertensive Supplies

Email: kjlansiquot@yahoo.com

22 Victoria St. Castries. Tel: (758) 450 0309 Clarke St. Vieux Fort Tel: (758) 454 3365 Cell: (758) 285 8393 Fax: 758 458 2958 BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 47

Special Feature

15 Years of Private Practice

TAPION HOSPITAL Where the Patient Comes First

Mission Statement:

“WE WILL PROVIDE OUR PATIENTS WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE EMERGENCY AND FOLLOW-UP CARE IN A PROFESSIONAL, COURTEOUS, NON-JUDGEMENTAL AND EFFICIENT MANNER, PROVIDING THE INFORMATION THAT PATIENTS REQUIRE, IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND….”

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 49

Tapion Hospital

15 Years of Private Practice

Dr. Romel Daniel Consultant Cardiologist/Medical Director of Tapion Hospital focuses on St. Lucia’s 1st Private Hospital furthering its advancement in medical achievement.

BF: What was the rationale behind the formation of Tapion Hospital?

Dr. Romel Daniel: Tapion Hospital is the first private hospital in St. Lucia. It has been said that ‘A hundred acorns are sown unseen by a silent breeze’, and while the birth was in 1996, the conception of Tapion Hospital was really in the late 1980s. A group of 10 core members – nine doctors and one lawyer, (one of the doctors was deceased Dr. Trona Bennett) gave a tremendous not only in time and energy but in equipment and money to start us off and TAPION amount, help facilitate our development to where we are now.

They were able Hospital to obtain support from a number of St Lucians; in fact the number of shareholders is over 60.

FEATURE

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 50

The impetus behind it were several: fundamental among these was the recognition that the world in general and medicine in particular were rapidly evolving. As we see, the internet has democratized learning. Adaptability is the new currency of this age. We needed to adapt in order to remain at the cutting edge of medicine, and push the envelope of what could be offered in St Lucia.

It is difficult for large organisations, for example public hospitals, with their inherent multiple layers of bureaucracy to do likewise.

Successive governments have given us their support. It started off with Sir John and the then Minister of Health Hon. Stephenson King. It continued with the Dr. Kenny Anthony Government, since all recognised the role we played in diminishing the flight of medical intellectual capital.

Bank of St Lucia (then SLDB and National Commercial Bank) was instrumental in ensuring that we stayed together, by insisting that doctors have their offices within Tapion Hospital for the first five years. This established not only the ‘mall’ concept, but also ensured that no one was able to walk away easily, during the arguments and vigorous disagreements, which occur particularly in the early phases of a business. We were no exception.

BF: How does Tapion Hospital’s structure support the business operations of the institution?

Dr. RD: There is deliberate attention to functioning in a cooperative and unified fashion. We operate under a governance structure, which includes a seven-member board headed by the Chairman of the Board. Mr. Chris Husbands is the immediate Past Chairman. Kudos go out to him for guiding us in these financially turbulent times in his usual unflappable manner. The present chair is Dr. Andrew Richardson.

The Board meets on a regular basis and formulates direction and policy for the hospital. Mrs. Sybil Martial as the Executive Director and myself, as the Medical Director form the Senior Management Team, along with Sister Francisca Dickson, the Nursing Superintendent and Sister Vona John, the Wards Manager.

We recognise that clarity of vision, communication and execution are the keys to success. Our role as Senior Management is to be the conduit between the Board, the other managers, and the rest of the Tapion Team. This is fundamental. Our principles and goal setting will be structured according to the value system that we have enunciated. The discipline that we are able to foster will be the bridge between goals and accomplishments.

BF: Discuss Tapion Hospital’s role in the local business community. What are the competitive strengths as a premiere medical institution?

Dr. R D: We have a ‘critical mass’ of persons who are able through their continuous credentialing and training offer up to date consultations to patients. These can be done in house, through our myriad specialists, or through our numerous regional and international linkages. These may be urgent or non-urgent.

The rapidity of response is unmatched. The Emergency Room (ER), staffed by four fulltime physicians is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. The triage time is less than 15 minutes, and one can move from admission to intensive management, including intubation and ventilation in a matter of minutes. This is difficult to beat!

Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training are encouraged, even mandated in some instances. The Canadian Accredited laboratory with its consistent reliable results, and Radiology with its state of the art equipment, provide us with a considerable diagnostic edge.

The pharmacy has a broad range of up-to-date medication and extended hours, up to 9:00pm on weekdays.

A Board with a diverse range of talent, together with committed, dedicated, well-trained staff augment our strengths. Visiting specialists enhance our offering through Neurology, Endocrinology, Paediatric surgery, Haematology, to name a few, We are now a recognised Cardiovascular Centre of Excellence, and are a member of COSEHC (Consortium of South East Hypertension Control). In addition, we are updating our Information Technology (IT) side of medicine which includes medical records, pharmacy and accounting. This will make the entire Hospital integrated, marking us as one of the top hospitals in the Caribbean.

Patients’ feedback is also important to us and we have a department specifically targeted for quality assurance. Perhaps our greatest strength is intangible - a focus, some would say an obsession to continuous incremental improvement for example advanced surgical and gynaecological surgery, orthopaedic and cardiac implants.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 51

BF: Accreditation Canada is the hospital’s most recent achievement; aside from Bermuda, St. Lucia is the only other Caribbean island to be awarded this. Discuss Tapion Hospital’s focus on medical advancement.

Dr. RD: Excellence is achieved through habit. We sought out a tool in which we could promote a culture of excellence and measure it. Accreditation Canada provided the template through the development of Required Organisational Practices (ROPs). These ROPs are in place to enhance patients’ safety and minimize risk. A major area is infection prevention for service providers, patients and patients’ relatives.

What patients seek in medical professionals are survival, safety and certainty (minimized risk). I have coined a term ‘flexi-fence’: With these ROPs, we fence in particular standards which are adhered to and audited, while not forcing out service providers creativity, innovation and spontaneity. Any surgery for instance has a tick sheet. The chances for any mishap are massively reduced and we have implemented this here at Tapion Hospital.

BF: How have linkages locally, regionally and internationally assisted in the advancement of Tapion Hospital?

Dr. RD: The linkages are diverse and we expect them to grow. Tapion Hospital has benefited because of our linkages with colleagues and hospitals from the USA, Europe, right down to the Netherlands Antilles.

Dr. Martin Didier and myself have both sat on the board of the Caribbean Cardiac Society. We have excellent relations with other groups such as COSEHC (Consortium of South East Hypertensive Control). In addition to that we have linkages with local doctors and colleagues, throughout the island and in Victoria and St. Jude Hospital. These linkages provide us with a forum where we can discuss and consult on cases.

BF: Discuss the Tapion Hospital’s service provision as it relates to the involvement in the tourism industry?

Dr. RD: Tapion Hospital sells confidence. Tour operators from overseas as well as locally, are very secure in having their clients come to Tapion Hospital. We get frequent calls from overseas tour operators who, in the process of booking trips for clients, call us to inquire about our capabilities, for instance, trouble shooting pacemakers. The tourists will come here and we may never have cause to see or treat them, but just with the confidence that St. Lucia is medically capable, these tourists are going to choose St. Lucia as a destination.

BF: What is your assessment of the landscape of the St. Lucian medical community in that of where it has been to future prospects?

DR. RD: In the medical profession, as in other professions, the fundamental necessity is contribution. If your focus is on providing exceptional service, and making a positive difference, the sky is the limit. Crucially one must find a need and fill it. There are various areas where we need assistance, both medical, as discussed before with our visiting specialists, and paramedical, including speech and occupational therapists. We are more than happy to assist in detailing to the ministry what we suggest human resource requirements are, as we look to the future.

TAPION Hospital FEATURE

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 52

BF: What are the challenges faced by the hospital?

Dr. RD: I can immediately enunciate two. One is financial, the other mental.

There were significant costs accompanying preparation for Canadian Accreditation and IT. As you know we live in very turbulent difficult financial times. We employ more than 80 persons, and have not downsized or retrenched workers. These are breadwinners for their family. Financially, one has to balance providing cutting edge medical care with affordability to the patient and cost to the hospital.

In addition, one has to be alert to delinquency and increase in receivables, not only from individuals, but some insurance companies as well. This only serves to stymie cash flow, with its possible attendant downstream effects, on equipment, medication etc The other is mental. Sometimes I feel like Tapion Hospital is a bastard child. When we achieved our accolades for the first knee replacement, laparoscopic surgery, cardiac implants, there was a deafening silence from the public service in terms of support. With Accreditation Canada International, the Prime Minister, Hon. Stephenson King saved the day for them by his letter of congratulations. The public service cannot do everything and I believe we have to work in tandem, public and private, in order to achieve self-sufficiency in health care in St Lucia.

BF: Tapion Hospital is involved in several corporate social responsibility and local community programmes. Why is giving back important to this institution?

Dr. RD: It has been said, to whom much has been given, much is expected. One has to step out of the medical bubble. Giving back is not necessarily money. It can be time, energy and effort. In the age of the Pharisee we have been Publicans. Most recently with the Hurricane Tomas relief we have given and we will continue to provide without shouting from the rooftops, consistently and suitably. We have been giving constantly and quietly – clothes, food and water to Soufriere and Bexon communities. RISE and the NCF have been some of the vehicles used.

We also provide free training for medical personnel from across the island from Victoria and St. Jude Hospitals, General Practitioners, for example training on ECGs, Pace makers and nuclear medicine.

The St. Lucia Heart Lung and Blood Foundation (SLHLBF) has been central in the training and retraining of hundreds of St. Lucians in basic and advanced cardiac life support. Cricket World Cup, and a myriad number of other events hosted on this island have been sanctioned and made possible because of its presence. Tapion physicians are its founders.

We use our facilities and resources, through the Tapion Hospital Foundation. As of 2009, we have a newly implemented annual programme through the International Hospital for Children (IHC) Group from Virginia. For two days we treat about 40 cardiac patients throughout the island for free, and some of those patients are able to access surgery for free in Virginia.

We also provide food, to those in Roseau primary school who have need for lunch. This is an ongoing project for years now. Last year the Tapion Foundation teamed up with the Ministry of Education, SLASA (St Lucia swimming Association), SLHLBF and other well wishers in sourcing and implanting a Defibrillator, free of charge, on a young man named Daniel Gaston who has a strong family history of sudden death.

BF: Finally, what is on the horizon for Tapion Hospital, for expansion and continued development?

Dr. RD: Firstly, we view Tapion Hospital as an exemplar of what can be achieved in small island states with minimal resources. Since we have achieved accreditation we would like to assist other hospitals in St. Lucia improve their standards and achieve accreditation also. We are willing to be mentors to those who have ‘an empty cup’.

Cervical Spine Surgery is one of our goals in the incoming year. A Sleep laboratory is also on the horizon. It will enhance our detection and management of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Hypertension, and those at risk of sudden death.

With a Catheterisation Laboratory, the landscape changes because we will now be able to diagnose and treat so many more diseases of a cardiovascular origin. We will of course encourage primary care-weight loss, proper diet, and exercise. But we should be able to treat and stent coronary vessels, peripheral vessels and reduce the number of persons necessitating amputations. This I think is a worthwhile goal.

Finally, I would say that reputation is not based on what you are going to do; it is based on what you have already done and our reputation continues to be rock solid based on what we have thus far achieved. BF BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 53

Tapion Hospital Board Members 2010 - 2011

Dr. Andrew Richardson

Chairman

From L to R: Ross Gardner, Dr. Christy Daniel, Dr. Daniel Kabiye, Dr. Alison Plummer, Christian Husbands (Immediate Past Chairman), Dr. Horatius Jeffers, Dr. Leonard Surage

BusinessFocus

TAPION Hospital FEATURE Jan / Feb 2011 | 54

Senior Management Team

Dr. Romel Daniel Medical Director

Sybil Martial Executive Director

Sister Fransisca Dickson Nursing Superintendent

Sister Vona John Wards Manager

Management Team

Dr. Gavin Melville Manager of Emergency Dept

Debra Spencer Pharmacy Manager

Jane Romulus House Keeping Head

Lindell Gaustave Properties Manager BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 55

In-House Doctors Dr. Alwyn Benjamin Dr. Celia Downes Dr. Gavin Melville Dr. Aljay Pierre

Resident Consultants Dr. Jaqueline Bird Dr. Leslie Bishop Dr. David Brathwaite Dr. Christy Daniel Dr. Romel Daniel Dr. Martin Didier Dr. Marie Grandison-Didier Dr. Horatius Jeffers Dr. Andrew Richardson Dr. Nadia Samuel Dr. Leonard Surage

Doctors with Admitting Privileges Dr. A. Abuyomi Dr. A. Lalsingh Dr. A Sekender Dr. A. St. Rose Dr. A. King Dr. C. Greenidge Dr. C. Parris Dr. D. Kabiye Dr. D. C. Bristol Dr. H. Marius Dr. I. Simmons Dr. K. Gardner Dr. L. A. Hughes Dr. M. Khannan Dr. M. Plummer

Consultant Haematologist Consultant Dermatologist Consultant Anaesthetist Consultant Internist & Gastroenterologist Consultant Internist & Rheumatologist Consultant General and Vascular Surgeon Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist Consultant General Surgeon Consultant General Surgeon/Urologist Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist Consultant Paediatrician Consultant Paediatrician Consultant Plastic Surgeon Consultant Anesthetist Consultant Paediatrician

TAPION FEATURE BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 56

Dr. M. Populo

Consultant Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon

Dr. M. Soe Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. N. Urs Consultant Radiologist Dr. O. Gabriel Consultant Oncologist Dr. P. Monrose-PetersConsultant Paediatrician Dr. P.V. St. Rose Consultant Obstetrician and

Gynecologist

Dr. R. Bellance Dr. R. G. Swamy Dr. S. Ali Dr. W. Parris

Consultant Neurologist

Dr. N. Dagbue

Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon& Traumatologist

Dr. J. Stanley Dr. C. George Dr. Shah Dr. E. Remy Dr. Laurencin Dr. L. Charles

Consultant Cardiologist

Consultant Psychiatrist Consultant Anaesthetist Consultant Pain Management Specialist

Consultant Endocrinologist Consultant Opthamologist Consultant Opthamologist Consultant Internist Consultant Emergency Medicine

Mr. and Mrs. Sayer with Tapion team INSET: Scan of Dual Chamber Pacemaker implanted at Tapion Hospital

Tapion Hospital Feature

TOURIST’S LIFE SAVED

B

BY PACEMAKER IMPLANTATION IN SAINT LUCIA

ritish tourist, Mrs. Susan Sayer, recently had her life saved by the emergency implantation of a temporary cardiac pacemaker, followed by a dual chamber permanent pacemaker at the Tapion Hospital in Castries, Saint Lucia.

Dr. Romel Daniel, FRCP (UK), FESC, who coincidentally did his post graduate cardiology training in the UK, was pleased to lead the team that recognised, Mrs. Sayer recurrent “epileptic seizures” were actually her heart rate repeatedly dropping to the very low 24 beats per minute.

Mrs. Sayer was found collapsed by her husband, in their Landings Resort room, during their holiday to Saint Lucia in February 2010. She was referred to Tapion Hospital, where the temporary heart pacemaker was inserted on the evening of her admission to hospital.

Twenty-four hours later the Medtronic cardiac pacemaker was successfully implanted by the Tapion team.

Mrs. Sayer was able to leave the hospital, to continue her holiday symptom free for another week.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 57

Tapion Hospital

hosts 2nd Annual Heart Clinic for Children

T

he Tapion Hospital Foundation, in collaboration with International Hospital for Children (IHC) of Virginia, USA played host to the 2nd Annual Pediatric Cardiac Clinic at the Tapion Hospital on Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th March, 2010.

Over 40 children, accompanied by their parents, were assessed with regard to optimization of treatment and heart surgery in Virginia, USA.The previous year 2009, following the first clinic, four St. Lucian children with heart problems had surgery in the USA at no cost.

Over the 12 months leading up to the clinic, Pediatricians, throughout the island, have been seeing children to be referred to Cardiologist Dr. Romel Daniel, for preparation for the IHC clinic. The IHC group comprises Pediatric Cardiologist, Dr. Bill Moskowitz and Eastern Caribbean Coordinator, Ms. Jackie King.

All the participating children, who hail from throughout the island were seen at Tapion Hospital for free.

The Tapion Hospital Foundation, the charity arm of the Tapion Hospital is pleased, through its actions, to again have facilitated advanced health care for the people of Saint Lucia.

TAPION FEATURE BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 58

Dr. George guides Dr. Bishop through initial abdominal entry while Dr. Trona Bennett, left, Dr. Jeltora Bennett, right, Dr. Adrian Waterman, Anesthesiologist and the surgical technician look on.

Tapion Hospital Feature

Keyhole Surgery

continues at Tapion Hospital by Dr. John George of the Washington Hospital Center

A

dvanced Gynecological Laparoscopic (Keyhole) Surgery continued at Tapion Hospital during the week starting 23rd February 2009. This project was the brainchild of Dr. Trona Bennett, who passed away in January of the same year.

Fifty patients from Saint Lucia, Barbados and Trinidad were successfully operated on by Dr. John George, FACOG, training local gynecologists and surgeons, as well as a doctor from Barbados.

This keyhole surgery project has now seen 50 patients operated on, with shorter hospital stay, quick recovery time, and excellent cosmetic results. Tapion Hospital is committed Dr. Bennett’s dream of making Tapion Hospital the center for Laparoscopic surgery in the region.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 59

Dr. Daniel Kabiye performing laparoscopic surgery

Competitive Strengths T

here are many advantages, both inherent and strategic, of Tapion Hospital that we have been able to realize over the past few years of our existence. The underpinning concepts of our Hospital have remained the same from inception: to provide an excellent service to the community, and to provide an affordable ‘stepping stone’ between Public Health Services and foreign services. The GTM option (go to Martinique or go to Miami), is no longer the only other health care option available to residents of St. Lucia and as our footprint grows throughout the OECS. Entities are made up of many different systems and each has its own role to play in the overall success of the whole. Within Tapion Hospital, the symbiosis between the different business units, and the different Medical specialties represented within our halls, contributes to a well-run institution that remains at the forefront of medical care in St. Lucia. A patient who visits a specialist with an in-house practice at our Hospital, has immediate access if needed. These include other consultants, wards, pharmacy, operating theater, medical imaging services and laboratory services. The implicit benefit to a patient’s health care of having readily available, local access to a ‘one stop shop’ for medical services cannot be overstated.

TAPION FEATURE BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 60

Scan of Dual Chamber pacemaker implanted at Tapion Hospital

Nuclear Cardiac Perfusion Scan

Tapion Hospital Feature

Our specialists attached to Tapion Hospital represent a breadth of knowledge and experience that you would be hard pressed to find in any other regional institution. This lends itself to overall patient confidence and faith in our brand. Our aim is to make world-class heath care available in St. Lucia. We have developed a reputation for being “Cutting Edge”. Pushing the envelope has enabled us to develop surgical and gynaecological laparoscopy, hip and knee replacements, pacemaker and defibrillator implants, hyperbaric chamber and nuclear medicine facility, to name a few. A sophisticated Radiology unit (which includes mutislice CT and MRI), and a now Canadian Accredited Laboratory, have supported this process. Fast repairs and superior equipment mean there is virtually no down time. Reliability and trust are two hallmarks of superior care and these are epitomized by the support received from the Tapion hospital pharmacy.

From its inception, Tapion hospital has encouraged the presence of partners at their babies’ birth, just as obtained in first world countries. This aim has led us down a path towards International Accreditation. Tapion Hospital has in 2010 received a “gold Standard” level of accreditation from the Canadian body: Accreditation Canada International. This accreditation makes Tapion the first and only hospital in the English speaking Caribbean to have achieved this. The possible benefits are enormous; not only for our Hospital but for St. Lucia’s tourism product, as this represents a stepping-stone for a destination in the eyes of the major international tourism industry players.

Our location was chosen with island wide accessibility in mind. Situated at a strategically positioned point between the north and the south of the island, our close proximity to Castries also means that we are able to operate our own bus service to and from the city. This has enabled many people who do not have their own transportation to easily access the institution over the years.

Our board of directors is made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields, lending varied perspective to the management of the organisation. They guide the direction and the strategy of the hospital with a set of values and beliefs that show a commitment to providing the best possible care and treatment for our patients.

The Medical Director is responsible for the implementation of this direction and strategy through the executive director, and the teamwork of the various departments. From nursing to administration to maintenance and housekeeping all departments play an essential role in aiming for excellent service delivery to our patients.

As an example, rapt attention is paid to the exit polls. Financial constraints may not necessarily lead to all suggestions being immediately adapted, but we do so as soon as we are able to.

Tapion has, through caring and prompt response, fostered very strong, positive and lasting relationships in both our local and regional communities. Our goal is continuous incremental improvement, being proud of what has been achieved in our 15 years of existence, but always with an eye to the future and bringing St. Lucia a service, ‘Where here, the patient comes first’.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 61

Linkages

The Local and International Affiliation of Tapion Hospital

F

ounded in 1996, Tapion Hospital, the brainchild of a group of St. Lucian Medical Pioneers has grown from humble beginnings as a small private community funded hospital, to become an icon in the St. Lucian health care environment.

The hospital provides general, emergency and specialist services to the St. Lucian public through its cadre of specialists (local and international). It has established and maintained linkages with its local sister, Victoria Hospital in the North, St. Jude’s Hospital in the South, as well as numerous polyclinics and health centres throughout the island. Patients are referred from local institutions island wide to Tapion Hospital for specialist evaluation and hospital care.

Tapion Hospital has become the referral hub for the treatment and hospitalization of visitors who become ill while on holiday, as well as such passengers on the cruise ships who require local specialist case or stabilization and later transfer to overseas institutions worldwide. These medical transfers (called medical evacuations) are facilitated through air ambulance services which have well established working relationships with Tapion physicians.

From 1992 Tapion Hospital has provided Holiday Dialysis to land based and cruise visitors from all over the world including UK, Europe, USA and Canada as well as locals returning home on vacation, strictly conforming to Canadian standards of Dialysis.

In keeping with our goal of continuously improving the standard of health care in St. Lucia, Tapion Hospital has sought to establish links with overseas hospitals and international organizations. We have had a longstanding relationship with the University Hospital in Fort-de-France, Martinique where patients requiring care not available locally are referred for continued medical management.

Since 2001, Tapion Hospital has been an affiliate of the Baptist Health South Florida Hospital System, the largest hospital group in Florida. With that association, St. Lucian’s can access medical care not available locally. Many of our In-house specialist physicians are members of the Baptist International Physicians Circle of Excellence.

In June 2009 Tapion Hospital was approved as a center of Excellence by the US based Consortium of South Eastern Hypertension Control (COSEHC). This group is based in the South Eastern USA and is well recognised for it’s work in the US health care system. Tapion Hospital was the 2nd hospital in the Caribbean to receive such a designation.

We are currently involved in projects with COSEHC designed to improve the standard of health care in St. Lucia.

TAPION FEATURE BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 62

In June 2010, Tapion Hospital received Gold Accreditation from Accreditation Canada International, becoming the first hospital in the Caribbean to receive this level of accreditation.

The Tapion Hospital has been recognised by the Caribbean Cardiac Society-CCS (the premier professional association of Cardiovascular specialists in the Caribbean) as the bastion of health care delivery in St. Lucia.

In July 2008, two of Tapion’s leading physicians led the Caribbean Cardiac Society. Dr. Martin Didier became the 9th President, and Dr. Romel Daniel became the 9th Secretary of the CCS. This was a first for St. Lucia.

Members of the CCS regularly refer locals and visitors to Tapion Hospital for health care and this reflects confidence in this small St. Lucian Hospital. Indeed, Tapion Hospital is regularly consulted by private hospitals in the Caribbean for advice regarding their health care development.

We have also become involved in community health care, education training and research. We have a strong affiliation with the St. Lucia Heart, Lung and Blood Foundation (SLHLBF), which educates and trains the lay public and health care professionals in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (credentialed by the American Heart Association) and cardiovascular disease and stroke prevention. The founding members of this foundation are Tapion Hospital Physicians.

In association with members of the Caribbean Cardiac Society, Tapion Hospital has paterned with medical industry in International Studies of Importance to the Caribbean people. An example of such a research study is our involvement since 2010 in the CLARIFY Worldwide cardiac Study conducted by the Europeon Society of Cardiology and Servier International, a world renowned pharmaceutical company. Over 30,000 persons are enrolled in the study, with 20 patients coming from Tapion Hospital.

It must be pointed out that the majority of the attending physician specialists at Tapion Hospital are Credentialed Members or Fellows of Professional Societies or Associations in the Caribbean, UK, USA, Europe and Canada. These organisations assist in Medical professional education so that state of the art, cutting edge medicine can be delivered consistent with International Standards, to the people of St. Lucia.

Tapion Hospital Feature

Subject: Bruce and Gail Waters Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2010 20:08:24 -0400 Dear Dr. Didier, I have composed many letters to you in my mind over the past 2-1/2 weeks but it is only now that I finally found your e-mail address and have some time to sit and write. We had a safe trip home with Air Ambulance Professionals and Bruce had a CABGx4 on October 25. There were some kidney issues but he finally got out of Duke Hospital on November 1 and is really doing very well in his recuperation. Our bodies are so amazing in their abilities to heal. We know it is going to be a long road ahead and sometimes very tiny steps, but each day he will get stronger and he has a ver positive attitude about his recovery.

We both want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness. It was not until we got to you and Tapion that I began to have hope that maybe things would be alright. You and your staff were just wonderful in every way, and I bless the day I called Gus Grant. God works in mysterious ways and was certainly with us in this journey that finally got us the help we so desperately needed in St. Lucia.

I hope our paths cross again sometime. You are a truly gifted healer, Dr. Didier, and we are eternally grateful for all you did.

Best Wishes, Gail and Bruce Waters

Prof. Augustus O. Grant, MD, PhD. is Professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Born in Jamaica, Prof. Grant holds the position of Vice Dean of Faculty Enrichment at the Duke University School of Medicine. Prof. Grant is certified by the British Medical Council, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the Subspecialty Board of Cardiovascular Diseases. He serves on the editorial boards of Circulation and the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology and is currently deputy editor of the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. Prof. Grant is also a consulting editor to the American Journal of Physiology. He has received numerous awards and belongs to several other professional societies including the Biophysical Society and the American Society of Clinical Investigation.

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 63

Tapion Hospital

Surgery & Checklist Introduction

Tapion Hospital was conceptualized by a team of senior surgical and medical consultants with a vision to transform the provision of health care services to the people of Saint Lucia and eventually, international clients as well.

As a result of this vision Tapion Hospital opened its doors to the St. Lucian public fourteen years ago.

After a humble beginning and many challenges, the institution began to experience steady growth based on the demands from current and prospective clients. This is reflected by the number of new services currently being provided at the institution today. As Tapion Hospital continued to build capacity in the delivery of safe, quality health care services, supported by cutting edge technology, accreditation was deemed inevitable, based on the calibre and complexity of disease conditions to be managed.

We therefore embarked on this challenge in June 2009 and successfully achieved Canadian Accreditation in June 2010.

In an effort to ensure and sustain patient safety in the operating room environment the department went through a series of fundamental changes to achieve this objective. New policies and procedures are currently in place. These new initiatives are audited monthly to ensure compliance and positive surgical outcomes.

To date we have just completed and implemented newly designed consent forms for the administration of anaesthesia and surgical interventions.

Preoperative Assessment

The focus is completely on Patient Safety. Pre-assessment clinics help identify and deal with medical problems before admission.

On the Ward, there are early rounds to see the patients before surgery and a dedicated nurse to facilitate the preparation of patients for theatre.

Auditing

As many aspects as possible of the journey from admission to discharge are being audited. This will allow us to recognize areas of inefficiency, to train, staff appropriately and review effects of recent intervention, such as the introduction of digital imaging systems in the theatre.

The Surgical Safety Checklist

A strategy, almost absurd in its simplicity has been shown to massively reduce surgical complication rates and deliver treatment consistently, correctly and safely.

This ninety second checklist, published in 2008 by none other than World Health Organisation has been shown in hospitals throughout the world to reduce death and complications by more than a third.

This checklist is now a mandatory part of Tapion Hospital’s Required Organizational Practices.

The Stop Moment

Also known as “Pause for the Cause�, is a safety method before the administration of general anaesthesia. It provides the necessary steps which will allow for patient safety in the operating room through the integration and coordination of the relevant quality initiatives as mandated by Accreditation Canada as a Required Operational Practice.

One of our primary goal, is developing a safety culture within the organization. The stop moment emphasizes to theatre staff, including surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses how to apply the new World Health Organization safety procedures which are becoming mandatory in all English and Canadian hospitals.

A growing body of evidence links teamwork in surgery to improved outcomes, with highly functioning teams achieving significantly reduced rates of adverse events.

Listed are examples of checklists. Page | 65 Urology Photo: Dr. Christy Daniel performing a urological operation Hysterectomy Photo : Dr. Leslie Bishop performing a hysterectomy Knee surgery : Dr. Horatius Jeffers performing knee surgery

TAPION FEATURE BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 64

Hysterectomy Photo : Dr. Leslie Bishop performing a hysterectomy

Tapion Hospital Feature Knee surgery : Dr. Horatius Jeffers performing knee surgery

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The Radiology Team

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ablewoods Medical Centre which is housed at Tapion Hospital is a comprehensive, modern, state of the art Radiology Facility. The Medical Centre has the best infrastructure to cater to the needs of the local, regional, and international community. From routine X-rays to complex Radiological procedures being performed here. The facility has Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT) C-arm, fluoroscopy, ultrasound & Doppler scanner, computerized mammography and X-rays, all under one roof.

This facility is like any modern facility in the first world. The facility has a dedicated musculoskeletal M.R.I. scanner, which can perform erect examinations (this was the first of its kind in a North American continent). Patients who need M.R.I. scanning are generally asked to lie down to get the examination done. In this facility, patients who have back or knee problems could be scanned in standing position, the position when the patient feels the pain. If the patient is asked to lie down on the machine, there is a chance his discomfort may be camouflaged. The diagnosis and treatment is thus optimized in our setting. This M.R.I. scanner, therefore, has definitive advantages over other scanners.

The high end, sophisticated 16-slice C.T scan with full-blown cardiac configuration was installed here in 2006. The C.T machine has whole body applications. This C.T. scanner can perform the whole body scan while the patient holds his breath once. This scanner not only can take the images of the internal organs but also delineate the blood vessels of all organs very clearly.

The reformed images provide an excellent view of the internal organs. The vessels of the brain, heart, kidneys etc, can be very well studied and any narrowing or dilatation of the vessels could be picked up instantaneously and the appropriate treatment commenced by the treating physicians.

Before the advent of this machine in St Lucia, patients went to the neighbouring islands but now people from the neighbouring islands visit St. Lucia as this facility has become a referral centre. Diagnostic Ultrasonography and Doppler examinations are being performed routinely and dedicated machinery is in place as part TAPION of the infrastructure.

The 3D and 4D ultrasound scans to look for fetal anamolies in pregnant women is the hallmark. The

FEATURE

BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 66

Tapion Hospital Feature

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centre is getting referrals from other islands for this procedure.

The X-ray and Mammography machines are computerised and completely digital. The facility is totally filmless. Images are provided through compact discs, which has definite advantages over routine films for longevity as well as the storage.

The mammograms done on conventional machines could miss few lesions but with the advent of computerised digital mammograms, this ambiguity is not there. The accuracy in diagnosing breast abnormalities has increased tremendously and proper treatment can be administered for cancers detected early.

The centre also has the Digital C-Arm facility to perform diagnostic & Interventional Radiology procedures. Routine diagnostic Angiography, the gold standard used to study the blood vessels of the legs, kidneys and the brain are being done routinely here. Patients with diabetes can have associated blood vessel problems and by performing theses procedures we could salvage the limb after the diagnostic procedure, either by surgery, or by endovascular methods (stenting the vessel).

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter placement is also done here. Patients may have clots in the legs. These clots have the tendency to go into the lungs & cause lethal complications. To prevent these complications IVC filters are placed. Pacemaker implantations are also performed using the C-arm. Through the facility, and in conjunction with its other excellent facilities, Tapion Hospital is making us proud and is a referral centre not only for all St. Lucians but will soon be for the other islands as well.

About Nuclear Medicine A joint project between Medical Associates, Tapion Hospital and Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine, of Trinidad and Tobago where persons from the islands who previously visited Trinidad from other Caribbean islands are now able to visit St Lucia instead.

What is Nuclear Medicine?

Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that uses safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques both to image the body and treat disease. Nuclear medicine imaging is unique in that it documents organ function and structure, in contrast to diagnostic radiology, which is based upon anatomy.

Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease. This early detection allows a disease to be treated early in its course when there may be a more successful prognosis.

Nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of radioactive materials or radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat disease.

Radiopharmaceuticals are substances that are attracted to specific organs, bones or tissues. The radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine emit gamma rays that can be detected externally by special types of gamma or PET cameras. These cameras work in conjunction with computers used to form images that provide data and information about the area of the body being imaged. The amount of radiation from a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to that received during a diagnostic x-ray.

Today, nuclear medicine offers procedures that are helpful to a broad span of medical specialties, from pediatrics to cardiology to psychiatry.

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Tapion Hospital Feature

Safety of Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine procedures are among the safest diagnostic imaging exams available.

A patient only receives an extremely small amount of a radiopharmaceutical, just enough to provide sufficient diagnostic information. In fact, the amount of radiation from a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to, or often times less than, that of a diagnostic x-ray.

Although we do not think much about it, everyone is continually exposed to radiation from natural and manmade sources. For most people, natural background radiation from space, rocks, soil and even carbon and potassium atoms in his or her own body, accounts for 85 percent of their annual exposure. Additional exposure is received from consumer products such as household smoke detectors, color television sets, and luminous dial clocks.

Nuclear Medicine Procedures: A few Indications.

Neurologic Applications: Diagnose Stroke Diagnose Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease Demonstrate Changes in AIDS Dementia Evaluate Patients for Carotid Surgery Localize Seizure Foci Evaluate Post Concussion Syndrome Diagnose Multi-Infarct Dementia

Cancer Applications: Tumor Localization Tumor Staging Identify Metastatic Sites Judge Response to Therapy Relieve Bone Pain Caused by Cancer

Orthopedic (BONE) Applications: Identify Occult Bone Trauma (Sports Injuries) Diagnose Osteomyelitis (bone Infection) Evaluate Arthritic Changes and Extent BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 69

Localize Sites for Biopsy in Tumor Patients Measure Extent of Certain Tumors Identify Bone Infarcts in Sickle Cell Disease

Renal ( KIDNEY) Applications:

Detect Urinary Tract Obstruction Diagnose Renovascular Hypertension Measure Differential Kidney Function Detect Renal Transplant Rejection Detect Pyelonephritis (infection) Detect Renal Scars

Cardiac Applications:

Diagnose Coronary Artery Disease Measure Effectiveness of Bypass Surgery Measure Effectiveness of treatment for Heart Failure Select Patients for Bypass or Angioplasty Identify Patients at High Risk of Heart Attacks going to Surgery for Other Reasons Identify Right Heart Failure Measure Chemotherapy Cardiac Toxicity Identify Shunts an Quantify Them Diagnose and Localize Acute Heart Attacks before enzyme changes

Pulmonary (LUNG) Applications:

Diagnose Pulmonary Emboli(Lung Clots) Detect Pulmonary Complications of AIDS Detect Lung Transplant Rejection Detect Inhalation Injury in Burn Patients

Other Applications:

Diagnose and Treat Hyperthyroidism (Graves Disease) Detect Acute Cholecystitis (Gall Bladder Infection) Detect Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding Detect Testicular Torsion Detect Occult Infection We now recognise that the contribution which nuclear medicine can make is enormous to diagnosis and treatment in St Lucia.

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ER

Tapion Hospital Feature The ER Team

Emergency Room The Journey To 24 Hours - 7 Days A Week Service The morning of December 3rd, 2001 marked a major first for Tapion Hospital; a new Emergency Room Service was launched.

Every year since then, the Emergency Room and the Service that it offers has improved in keeping with the general elevation of standards and capacity at Tapion Hospital while maintaining the excellence in care that has always characterized the ER. The Emergency Room has not closed its doors since then and after periods of staffing by one then two and later three physicians, four experienced physicians now provide 24 hour on-site coverage year-round.

From humble beginnings of a single bed in what is now the conference room of the hospital, the ER was expanded in September 2006 to its current site, with five inpatient beds including a resuscitation area for those critically ill patients requiring urgent attention.

Monitored beds in the ER allow easy continuous assessment of the heart rate, oxygenation and blood pressure of patients needing such care. The major advantage of Tapion Hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ER is the rapidity and completeness with which life threatening emergencies can be dealt with.

The services offered by the Emergency Room are extensive and are available to treat patients of all ages; from neonates to adults and the elderly. From minor conditions such as coughs and colds to more significant interventions like use of clot busters for heart attacks-thrombolysis, treating broken bones, suturing lacerations and draining abscesses can all be easily cared for in the ER. Emergency and urgent care are available for patients in consultation with consultants from many different specialties including Surgery, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Urology, ENT surgery, Orthopedics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rheumatology and Dermatology.

Wait times are minimal, less than 15 minutes triage time, and are carefully tracked on a monthly basis to ensure the shortest possible wait for patients and to correct any inefficiencies as early as possible. Admission to the Hospital and appropriate referrals ensure optimum continuation of care for all patients. Ready access to the latest laboratory, x-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI scans enable accurate diagnoses in the shortest possible time.

Emergency Room physicians have training in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Emergency Ultrasound (in some cases) to provide the best possible care for patients. Additionally there is ready access to the Hyperbaric chamber which allows rapid treatment of patients with dive related emergencies such as decompression sickness, and arterial gas embolism and others like carbon monoxide poisoning.

Courteous, knowledgeable and professional ER staff guarantee a high standard of individualized care in a safe, clean environment.

Recent and planned enhancements to the ER include Accreditation by Accreditation Canada International (as part of the Hospital), soon to be implemented Electronic Medical Records, and Bedside ultrasound. The Emergency room continues to offer exemplary critical, urgent and emergency care for all of our valued patients and will continue to expand the level of care offered to better meet the needs of our island as epitomised by our mission statement.

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Laboratory Service Team

L

Laboratory Services and Consultations Ltd.

aboratory Services and Consultations Ltd. often called “Lab Services” was established in August 1993. Essentially a family business it included Dr. Stephen King, Mr. Walter Joseph, Mrs. Anne King, Mrs. Rumelia Dalphinis-King and Mrs. Alison King-Joseph.

Our staff at the beginning was small and we were a tight knit team. We started with five staff members and we have grown to 35 staff members. We cannot talk about lab services without recognising the individuals who helped us, of which there are many, but there are two who deserve special mention; the then Minister of Health, Hon. Stephenson King presided over our opening and was instrumental in ensuring that we opened. Mr. Michael Chastanet was our landlord at Gablewoods mall, where we started. However, he was more than just our landlord as he helped us to establish the business.

The rationale for establishing the laboratory was to set up a service that would push the envelope of laboratory services in Saint Lucia. This we have continued to do. Our laboratory was the first to establish integrated computerized information systems interfaced to laboratory machines. It was the first to introduce a wide range of previously unavailable laboratory tests in our local setting. Our laboratory continues to lead the way in the introduction of new tests as guided by feedback from our physicians. Our laboratory continues to lead by being the very first medical laboratory to receive international accreditation; this we achieved by meeting Accreditation Canada’s Qmentum standards as verified by Accreditation Canada International auditors in June 2010.

Lab Services is committed to quality because we understand that over 75% of medical decisions are significantly influenced by laboratory results. Therefore your care is very dependent on the quality of our results. We strive for perfection. We have the most complete range of medical laboratory disciplines on staff, and the most qualified and experienced laboratory staff, because we recognise that quality results are produced by quality staff operating in a quality system. We have worked assiduously at assuring these elements.

Further, we work with patients and physicians to ensure that we get it “right” and correct any errors before they can impact on patient care. We take our job seriously not only because it is our livelihood but more importantly because it is your life.

We have much more to do as we move forward on a journey of continuous improvement. We say thank you to all our patients, physicians and other clients who have remained loyal to us, recognising our quality and comprehensive service. We look forward to serving all of you to the best of our ability. We appreciate a working relationship, not just a contract of service, with each and everyone. We will strive to TAPION the leading laboratory in Saint Lucia and indeed we aspire to be recognised as such continue to be regionally.

FEATURE Whatever laboratory service you may require we can provide it.

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The Pharmacy Team

The Pharmacy

Tapion Hospital Feature

W

e have been a Hospital/Community Pharmacy since the opening day of the Tapion in 1996.

It was a proud moment when we first opened as all the planning and design ideas came from our own pharmacy staff with the assistance and support of the in-house consultants.

The Pharmacy Department has a staff of 9. This encompasses Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Purchasing Officer and Inventory Officer. We also provide service to the community and accept prescriptions from any Physician registered to practice in Saint Lucia. We offer extended opening hours-from 7:00am to 9:00pm Monday-Friday, and on Saturday up to 6:00pm. We are also open on Sunday and all public holidays from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The Pharmacy Department purchases and supplies pharmaceutical products within the hospital, provides information on all these products and answers queries that may arise through their use.

We have seen the Pharmacy grow and evolve through many stages, including major structural changes and most recently, the acquisition of Accreditation Canada International. As a consequence of this accreditation, through policy and procedure implementation, we have improved standards and we operate in an environment of providing quality service and quality care. It establishes a transparent patient focused service commitment.

Because counterfeit drugs/medicines are such a major issue, we are circumspect, and do not order from certain countries whose standards we consider as dubious. This has served to enhance the confidence our clients place in us, since patient safety is more important than unbridled profit. We save clients money by ensuring that their medication is ‘real’.

Our Pharmacists are a part of our healthcare team and have a close working relationship with the medical and nursing staff and are encouraged to ensure the delivery of an optimum pharmacy service to all patients. They are engaged in giving advice on medication management and are required to keep abreast with developments in Pharmacy. The Pharmacy team is engaged in continuous review of pharmacy journals in order to update and improve knowledge that eventually shapes the standard of care and decreases the incidence of medication errors and medication interaction.

We have recently embarked on purchasing a state of the art computerized software package that includes internet update capabilities that will permit frequent updates of information which will be accessible to all our health care professionals. This new development is expected to contribute to an even higher standard of care in our pharmacy, and to the service provided to hospital and the physician’s offices.

Over the years the Pharmacy has served many satisfied patients and physicians and they view our pharmacy as a vital health care resource. From our perspective as we look to the future we see the establishment of satellite pharmacies in various communities to provide quality service and quality care.

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

Executive Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Focus

Tapion Hospital Team with Accreditation Canada International Reps

STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE

Continually evaluating our service, we take time to consider the things that matter most to our patients. Staff members at Tapion Hospital are committed to delivering a high standard of patient care. Our achievements in this area were cemented when Accreditation Canada International agreed that our hospital had met its core International Requirement Organisational Practices in a most recent Canadian evaluation survey.

We continually invest in the development of new services to meet the ongoing needs of our patients. The focus is on patient safety as we ensure that we remain leaders in the health care industry in the region as an Accredited Hospital by Canada Accreditation.

LEADERSHIP

The hospital has a strong capable and stable executive and senior management team. The combined level of knowledge within the Board of Directors and senior management team is vital in implementing the change implications of a Canadian accredited hospital, particularly in areas of finance, governance, and risk performance management. Existing systems and procedures are being reviewed and measured regularly against the Canadian accredited requirements. The Board continues a process of reviewing the service development strategy. This culminates with a strategic plan document developed in conjunction with the staff, patients and the hospital directorate, which sets out a vision of the hospital together with a more detailed five-year plan, which moves Tapion Hospital toward that vision.

PATIENT FEEDBACK

We seek patient feedback at the bedside and after discharge, so that we have an immediate view of the care provided to patients. Since January 2010, 90% of our patients have rated their medical care as excellent or very good. A similar number of patients have said that they would recommend Tapion Hospital to other family members and friends.

TAPION FEATURE BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 74

Sybil Martial, Executive Director with Anthony Bevan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Former Properties Manager

Tapion Hospital Feature

MEETING THE CHALLENGES

From a strategic prospective, the first priority for the organisation has to be to address its financial position. But this will only be undertaken whilst ensuring that the quality of care consistent and patient safety is not compromised. There are a number of areas of focused work, many of which are already underway: Work-plans have been produced to deliver cost savings.

In order to reduce the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recurrent expenditure over the longer term and to improve operational efficiencies, the hospital has explored areas where it is able to use technology, and has commenced the processes to automate certain tasks, and have a fully integrated medical recording and accounting computerized system.

FUTURE DEVELOPEMENT

We have identified key strategic principles for the future and they are: To improve patient safety and quality care To be the hospital of choice both locally and internationally.

Continue to strive for excellence To be an exemplary employer, known for the development of staff through training, and improving their well being.

To contribute to the growth and development of the local community and its economy To provide strong leadership as pioneers of quality health care in St. Lucia Generating a financial surplus in order to invest in hospital facilities

Our staff at Tapion Hospital have long been well regarded for the quality of care and patient safety they provide to patients, and for their innovation, commitment and professionalism. Everyone is entitled to receive care where the emphasis is on safety, and treatment is provided in a clean, infection free, comfortable environment. We will continue our quest for continuous incremental improvement, while we place emphasis on excellence and patient safety. If you are referred to Tapion Hospital as an outpatient, or if you need urgent or non-urgent treatment, our staff are here to look after you and to provide you with the best possible care.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

A HAPPY, HEALTHY 2011

A

re you among the throngs of people who chose a list of resolutions for the New Year? Are these the habits you will try to do every day or try to avoid for as long as you can? It’s unfortunate that many of these resolutions are soon forgotten due to the fact that it’s deceptively difficult to develop or deny ingrained habits ‘cold turkey’.

While the effort to adopt resolution shows a sense of positive intent, a better alternative is to develop new goals for the future.

As many business executives and others in managerial positions may have several choices in terms of flexible work hours, type of food eaten, access to gyms, etc, we would expect them to be the healthiest among us. However, it’s surprising to know that there are so many who push themselves to the limit, eat and sleep badly, imbibe excessive alcohol, smoke and find little time for exercise. These practices do not conform to what is described as a healthy lifestyle and it would be good to see more persons changing their habits not for a fleeting period but for a lifetime.

This type of lifestyle can lead to several problems including but not limited to: Weight gain and Obesity Diabetes Mellitus Hypertension High Cholesterol Coronary artery disease

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Heart attacks Stroke These problems can impact one’s life forever therefore it’s imperative to start thinking of what you need to add/delete from your life in order to prevent these problems and to control any pre existing conditions which you may have already developed. These conditions may all have long term implications not just to the affected individual but also to his/her family, place of work and may even extend to include emotional, financial and social consequences.

Tips to a healthy lifestyle include: Adequate sleep- a regular schedule of at least eight hours sleep a night will allow you to be more alert, creative, easier for others to get along with and more productive.

A healthy diet- is important for the prevention of many chronic health issues and involves consuming appropriate amounts of the essential food groups and an adequate amount of water.

Regular exercise- reduces the risk of developing several medical conditions and improves joint stability, flexibility, prevent osteoporosis, reduce symptoms of anxiety/depression and reduce stress.

Don’t smoke- Tobacco use most commonly affects the heart and lungs, with smoking being a major risk factor for

heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cancers especially of the lung.

Doesn’t abuse alcohol- alcohol can affect almost every organ of the body. These effects can manifest themselves as chronic disease, accidents, injuries as well as short and long-term social consequences.

Reduce stress- Managing stress in your daily life can be much easier on your emotional, mental and physical state.

Routine evaluation by your Physicianat least once a year, visit your Physician for a complete physical examination and routine investigations.

Renewed spiritual life- Everyday set aside time for prayer and meditation. This helps to keep you calm, focused and gives you renewed energy to face all adversity.

This New Year, keep your future in mind.

Think of where you’d like to be in two, five, or even ten years, and see if your goals bring you closer to that picture. If so, they’re good goals to stick with. And remember, change doesn’t come overnight, but as you work toward developing what is important to you, the change will come, and it will be lasting. Remember this, and enjoy building the healthy life you were meant to live. BF Dr. Celia McConnell-Downes, MBBS General Practitioner Rodney Bay Medical Centre

HEALTH & WELLNESS

TOURISM AXIX

If your

Computer

has become a Pain…read on

I

f you sit at your computer with hunched shoulders and a craned neck, your “computer slump” could one day give way to what some physical therapists call “postural syndrome.”

Postural syndrome is essentially repetitive stress to the neck and thoracic spine, or the 12 vertebrae of the mid-back and chest area, from the so-called flexforward position. Doctors and physical therapists say that the injury commonly targets the fourth, fifth and sixth discs in the thoracic spine, leading to muscle tenderness, stiffness or, in some cases, nerve irritation.

A prolonged slouch over many years causes the disc space to narrow, which in turn can cause nerve irritation that spreads underneath the shoulder blades, down the arms and down the back.

Sure, most office workers and their ergonomic specialists are familiar with the dangers of repetitive motions with a mouse and keyboard at the PC all day, resulting in weakened wrists, tennis elbow or, worse, carpal tunnel syndrome. But some physical

therapists say that such injuries lately are taking a backseat to patient complaints of pains in the mid- to upper back and neck.

Frozen at the keyboard

Its concentration in the fourth thoracic spine leads some to refer to it as “T4 syndrome” because it can cause numbness to nerves in the back and arms, and radiate pain to the upper and lower back. Despite the differences in terms, all doctors and physical therapists agree: The human body was not meant for sitting or working in one position all day, and prolonged work at the computer can eventually cause the body to short-circuit, though not a life-or-death situation.

Postural syndrome, experts say, often goes hand-in-hand with other repetitive stress injuries (RSI) like sore neck, wrists and hands, but it’s far less well known. In many cases, people still don’t think about their posture, physical therapists say.

and physical therapists say they are treating patients for postural syndrome, particularly in high-tech areas like the San Francisco Bay Area and New York.

But physical therapists say the answer to the problem lies in education and injury prevention. People need to remember the tenets of good posture from their school days, and take regular breaks every 20 minutes, if possible, from sustained sitting at the computer.

Break-reminder software such as RSIGuard is also helpful for people who tend to sustain focus for hours upon hours without stretching or leaving the computer. BF From: “Your computer may be a pain in the neck”by Stefanie Olsen, Staff Writer, CNET News

Breaking the spell

It’s difficult to say how many people are affected, but anecdotally, more doctors

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Unexpected Home

Remedies That Help You Feel Better F

eeling sleepy, nauseous, hung-over or un-energized can really affect your productiveness at work. To help with these minor set backs that may have major effects there are some easy tricks that may help. They may be unexpected, bizarre and peculiar, but they work!

REMEDY FOR SLEEPLESSNESS To aid sleepless nights, try eating a handful of nuts before bed. Some nuts and seeds, especially whole hazelnuts and ground sesame seeds, have a high amount of the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan (the same component found in Turkey). By doing this one trick, you can: get a better night’s sleep.

INSTANT ENERGY For a burst of energy, hang your head over the side of the bed before getting out of bed. This simple act will help get essential vitamins to the brain by flooding it with blood-delivering the nutrients needed for good brain function.By doing this one trick, you will: improve brain function and morning mood.

UPSET STOMACH Feeling like you want to throw-up? You may not think to have chips and salsa if you aren’t feeling well, but it could be the best remedy. Salsa helps your stomach stimulate digestion, boost metabolism and cilantro helps subside nausea.

By doing this one trick, you can: cure an upset stomach.

HANGOVER HELPER If you are suffering from a hangover, forgo orange juice, and try a cup of acai juice, instead.

Acai contains unique enzymes and compounds that will help detoxify the liver and get you on the road to recover, quickly. By doing this one trick, you can: help recover from a hangover.

CURB YOUR APPETITE Before heading out to a business mixer – try drinking a glass of warm lemon water with a scoop of fiber powder. By doing this one trick, you will: curb your appetite, lessen your sweet tooth and help prevent overeating particularly when you might have indulged during the holiday season.

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METABOLISM Once a week, shock your morning routine by alternating hot and cold water during your morning shower. By doing this one trick, you will: rev up metabolism and tone the skin.

BAD BREATH Suffering from a bad case of halitosis? Try chewing on a piece of parsley or increase your intake of leafy green vegetables. By doing this one trick, you will: have better breath.

GUMS Experiencing gum irritation? Instead of chemicalladen, drugstore options â&#x20AC;&#x201C; try massaging a little Tea tree oil into the gums for instant relief. By doing this one trick, you will: have healthier gums.

CLEAN YOUR TOOTHBRUSH Be sure to microwave your toothbrush once a week for 30 seconds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; important to do this especially after a bad cold.

By doing this one trick, you will: kill the germs off of your toothbrush.

Note: You should change your toothbrush once every 3 months. BF Ref: Dr. Lindsey Duncan For further info: http://www.genesistoday.com/

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

BAY OPTICAL

Choosing The Right

Frame for your Glasses

E

yeglasses have, over the years, shed their utilitarian image of being just a vision correction contraption to become a key fashion accessory.

Innovative materials for lenses, frames and other technological advances have resulted in several new designs with better aesthetic appeal, style and quality. Earlier a commodity product and a must buy for individuals with poor eyesight, eyeglasses have been traditionally resilient to fluctuations in economic health/climate.

When you choose frames, there are several points to think about before you decide on a pair or even a spare pair.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

Do the glasses fit well?

Are they resting too heavily on the bridge of your nose, or do they slide down your nose?

Are they rimless or fragile frames that you might beat up too quickly?

Will you be playing sports with your glasses?

What about the shape of the frame?

MATCHING FRAMES TO SUITE YOUR FACE SHAPE

When one is choosing eyeglass frames one of the first and most important thing one looks for is how they look on our face.

To do so, you need to determine your face

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shape. According to the Vision Council of America the three main points while choosing your frames are as follows.

1. The glasses should compliment and repeat your best personal feature.

2. The frame shape should be contrasting to your face shape.

3. The frame size should be proportionate to your face size.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FACE SHAPES:

While most faces are a combination of shapes and angles, there are seven basic face shapes. A good optical sales person and eye care provider can help you use these guidelines to choose your new eyeglasses.

1. Roundface: To make a round face appear thinner and longer, try angular narrow eyeglass frames to lengthen the face, a clear bridge that widens the eyes, and frames that are wider than they are deep, such as a rectangular shape.

2. Oval face: To keep the oval’s natural balance, look for eyeglass frames that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadest part of the face.

3. Oblong face: An oblong face is longer than it is wide and has a long straight cheek line and sometimes a longish nose. To make the

face appear shorter and more balanced, try frames that have more depth than width.

4. Base-Down Triangle face: A base-down triangular face has a narrow forehead and widens at the cheek and chin areas. To add width and emphasize the narrow upper third of the face, try frames that have cat-eye shapes.

5. Base-Up Triangle: This face has a very wide top third and small bottom third. To minimize the width of the top of the face, try frames that are wider at the bottom.

6. Diamond shaped face: Diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the eye line and jaw line, and have broad cheekbones that are usually high. To highlight the eyes and soften the cheekbones, try frames that have distinctive brow lines, or try rimless frames or oval shapes.

7. Square face: A square face has a strong jaw line and a broad forehead, plus the width and length are in the same proportions. To make the square face look longer and softer, try narrow frame styles.

THE RIGHT COLOR CHOICE:

Skin tone is the primary factor to determine your likely color choice. Eye colors are usually a secondary element.

For example, brown eyes can vary from a light cider shade (warm) through a medium-brown to a cool almost-black. Hair colors are also considered warm or cool.

Strawberry blond, platinum, blue-black, white, salt-and-pepper and “dishwater” brown are cool. Warm hair colors include golden blond, flat black, brown-gold, and gray. Once you have determined if you are “warm” or “cool,” then you can find the eyeglass frame colors that will suit you the best.

Remember if you’re going to be wearing your glasses a lot, you might prefer a neutral shade like beige, gray, steel, tortoiseshell or brown. You might want an everyday pair for work and a different one for other times. BF Dr. D. M. Shah Consultant Ophthalmologist Bay Optical, Bay Walk Mall, Rodney Bay

FINANCIAL FOCUS

Customer Retention

For Sustainable Growth and Profitability Customer retention is ultimately driven by value. Even the best segmentation, targeting, positioning, creative messaging, or promotion with flawless execution will fall flat in the absence of value. Therefore, in developing a plan to maintain and upgrade a customer base, it is necessary to build on a solid foundation. Only then will the plan lead to greater customer retention and overall organisational success. To succeed, customer retention must be a topdown, companywide initiative. Truly committing to customer retention is hard work because it affects virtually every aspect of your organisation, but the payback in sustainable growth and profitability makes the effort worthwhile. The role of customer retention in the overall organisational strategy is one of protecting and managing the primary source of resources. It is also one of defending and enhancing market position, and of optimizing resources and opportunity. That is why although seemingly a purely tactical approach, customer retention also belongs in the realm of strategic market planning and is a required strength of any successful organisation.

The path to customer retention involves six key steps:

1. Ask

Ask your customers what they want and what they like and dislike. Include customer surveys on your website, at the point of sale, and in package inserts. You are likely to get “extreme” feedback from customers who love you or hate you. Customers who are mildly satisfied are not as motivated to speak their minds. But ask only if you’re prepared to deal with the responses. Turning a deaf ear to a problem is the kiss of death. Remember customers expect you to take action when they complain, especially if you initiated the dialogue. Use feedback from your surveys to make improvements to your product or service. Customers love it when you listen to them!

2. Evaluate

Evaluate your customer data to find out who your best customers are. That may sound obvious, but the devil is in the details. There may be trends that you’ve overlooked. And keep an eye on profitability, not just transactions. In the credit-card

industry, for example, deep spenders who pay off their balance each month usually are not as profitable as moderate spenders who carry a balance. When you know who your best customers are, you can tailor your marketing programmes to keep those customers and encourage them to spend more with you.

3. Stimulate

If you have sold your customers a service and they are not using it, get them to activate (e.g., online bill pay, long-distance service, and credit and debit cards). At the start of a new relationship, there is that warm and fuzzy feeling when new customers sign on. You got them to say yes. Four months later, you’re wondering why those customers don’t love you. Is it something you did? No. It’s something you didn’t do: You sold to them and moved on. You assumed that they would fend for themselves and figure out all the great things about doing business with you.

The first few days and weeks of a new business relationship are critical. Shower them with your kindness. Send direct mail and BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 81

email reminders. Thank them for their business. Do everything you can to make the “honeymoon” phase of your relationship special. In the long run, if they’re not using your product or service, they’re likely to bail when a better deal comes along.

4. Reward

Reward your customers with meaningful perks for doing business with you. It seems like everyone has a loyalty programme these days. Customers are getting weary of “me too” programmes that don’t offer substantial value. Instead of always giving customers what they expect, give them the unexpected. For example, a midsize accounting firm rewarded some of its best customers with a box of chocolates for their business. It was an unexpected, tasty little perk that came out of the blue.

Results? Those customers had above-average retention rates the following year.

Sometimes the little things can mean a lot.

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5. Aggregate

Try to get all the customer’s eggs in your basket. In other words, cross-sell other products and services. Doing so is much easier when you already have a relationship with the customer. Offer customers one-stop shopping, consolidated billing, free postage, and other benefits for giving you more of their business. Everyone’s busy, and consumers are looking for service providers that can make their lives easier. It’s what they want, so why not give it to them?

6. Take action

A great product and great customer service are the foundation for customer retention. And positive word-of-mouth is by far the best marketing tool in your arsenal. But you cannot control when that happens, so you need a marketing plan to keep the customers you want. Don’t just hope your customers love you – be proac-

tive! Put your plan in writing, and make it stick. Follow through and take action. Use direct mail, email, newsletters, and other marketing tools to make your best customers feel special.

Treat your best customers with respect, and they’ll reward you with loyalty beyond your wildest dreams. Send them targeted messages. Give them special incentives.

Keep in mind that it’s easier to cultivate your current customer relationships-not to mention less expensive-than it is to begin new ones. It costs about five times as much to acquire a new customer as it does to keep a current customer. That is why it pays to pay attention to your best customers. In the end, they will buy more, stick with you longer and tell their friends how great it is doing business with your company. Isn’t that what we all want? BF Leslie Collymore Managing Director Advanced Intellectual Methods, Inc.

BIZZ BUZZ

Service Before Self Rotarians Support Victims of Hurricane Tomas

F

ollowing the passage of Hurricane Tomas, many Saint Lucians around the island were forced to seek refuge in shelters as their homes were torn down and or totally destroyed by the impact of flooding or land and mudslides. Many of these shelters were Churches and schools.

Basic needs for food/water and shelter had to be met.

The primary goal was to get these people out of shelters and to move on with their lives in as seamless a manner as possible after what appeared to be the mother of all hurricanes to hit Saint Lucia in over 50 years. The Rotary clubs of Saint Lucia along with the worldwide Shelter box Trust have been working with the Government of Saint Lucia and the Saint Lucia Red Cross to provide temporary shelter for people who lost their homes in the community of Fond St. Jacques, which was most severely impacted by the hurricane.

Rotarians and non-Rotarians on island have worked together tirelessly in a

number of ways to help make this a reality.

Collaborating with the ministry of works, the Fond St. Jacques playing field has been scraped clean. All this, in readiness for the 14 tents that have been erected on the grounds to house the people more critically affected and who have been living in the St. Philip/St. James Catholic Church since the storm ravaged their homes.

Toilet and shower facilities have been set up at the site. A pre-fabricated kitchen unit has also been built. Michel’s Electrical and Tiles Plus set up a library unit /study room that the children can use to do their homework. These additional resources are critical because this area houses the highest concentration of Shelterbox tents.

A further 11 tents have been placed in the grounds of the Fond St. Jacques Primary School and over 30 others scattered over the island in other less publicized areas.

LUCELEC installed electricity not just in the general area where tents have been erected, but also inside of individual tents,

and water tanks have been fitted for the (new) community’s immediate use. Two 20” four burner cookers have been sourced from Courts - one has been donated, while the other has been contributed at cost.

Rotarians and Saint Lucians alike owe a debt of gratitude to the Shelterbox Response team who all came to help as volunteers on their own vacation. Thanks also go to Shelterbox and Tom Henderson for sending 80 boxes and four volunteers to help at no cost to us.

In disaster, help always comes. Funding from a German source has been promised through a Rotary / RISE collaboration.

The ECFH Group has also pledged some support for ongoing assistance. On the supplies front, eight Barbadian fishing boats arrived within days of the hurricane’s passage bringing water and other aid from Rotarians in Barbados; two 20ft containers of water have also been received from Rotarian friends in Barbados and local Rotarians have made a serious impact on

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the distribution of this water. Rotarians have been in the Bexon Valley in the Marc area, where the conditions worsened after further torrential rains that came in the wake of Hurricane Tomas. Aquaboxes, (smaller purification units) donated by Rotarians in the United Kingdom have been deployed island wide as people had been suffering badly from the lack of safe drinking water. As these people live in the flood plain, their living conditions have been made intolerable especially since the rains.

Thanks to the intervention of Past District Governor David Edwards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a true friend of all in need, Rotarian friends in Florida have sent a 40 ft. container of water with the help of the Bernuth Line. Rotarians and friends continue to venture into the hardest hit areas providing support to the BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 84

needy. Wherever called upon, Rotarians will give Service Above Self.

Helston-Lizard in Cornwall adopted it as its millennium project. BF

About ShelterBox

About Aquabox

ShelterBox was founded by Tom Henderson, a Rotarian and former Royal Navy search and rescue diver. He saw that the aid response to most disasters was in the form of food and medicine to help people survive the immediate aftermath.

Little or no assistance was given in terms of proper shelter to help them through the first few days, weeks and months as they tried to rebuild their lives. ShelterBox was launched to fill that void. In 1999, Tom started researching the idea, sourcing equipment and twisting arms to get the project off the ground. His persistence paid off in April 2000 when ShelterBox was launched and the Rotary Club of

Aquabox is an official project of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland and Rotary International District 1220.

The Aquabox is a robust plastic tank with water purification tablets and packed with essential welfare items for a disaster situation. Once the welfare contents have been removed, each Aquabox can be used to purify up to 1100 litres of polluted water, making it safe and pleasant to drink. As an example, 1100 litres is equal to 5,000 cups - that is enough for a family of four people (drinking 10 cups per day) for about four months.

BIZZ BUZZ

“Digicel’s Role In Haiti” Propels It To Win World Communications Awards

D

3% through retailers). access to mobile phones and The focus of Digicel’s award entry for the

January 12, 2010 earthquake has propelled it; winning the “Best Operator in a Developing Market” award at the World

the January 12th earthquake - in bringing mobile services to those that never before could have dreamed of having them – and since, as it has strived to help the people of

when the Mayor of Port- au-Prince named Digicel Chairman, Denis O’Brien, a goodwill ambassador to the city.

connected to family and friends.

As the single largest private investor in

CEO, Colm Delves, said; “Our win in this category is testament to the important

million to date - Digicel is also the largest mobile provider there, serving over 2.4 million customers.

markets across the Caribbean, Central

The mobile phone company said it beat

home the top prize. Winners of other Airtel, BT Global Services and Verizon and globe. are the foremost global telecoms awards and “recognise the companies and individuals responsible for the

5% to over 35% today – largely thanks to Digicel. In fact, according to the French development agency, Proparco, Digicel

new services that are helping to build tomorrow’s industry”. They are open to

to a remarkable 20% of the country’s GDP growth between 2005 and 2007 (14% directly, 3% through suppliers and another

“To be recognised on the global stage at being the best at what we do is no small achievement. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their ongoing support and all of our commitment to making Digicel Bigger and

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Thanks and Happy Holidays

Lawrence McNaughton - General Manager, LIME

Cheryl Francis – Head of Corporate Sales, LIME

LIME & The Chamber Mix & Mingle LIME in collaboration with the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, capped the 2010 Christmas season and the Christmas Pon De Remix promotional campaign with its second annual Business Mixer. It was a chance for General Manager Lawrence McNaughton to introduce himself to a wide cross-section of St. Lucia’s corporate sector, but it was also an opportunity to showcase the latest LIME retail outlet, a beautiful and convenient location at the Baywalk Mall, which will eventually include a corporate sales section and a videoconference facility. As one would expect with the island’s leading telecommunications service provider, the mixer featured great food, drinks, giveaways and a showcase of some of the hot new Android and BlackBerry mobile phones newly available from LIME. Plenty of shoulders were certainly rubbed, and a fantastic time was had by all. BF BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 86

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events 2011

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.

CARIBBEAN MARKETPLACE 16 – 18 January Montego Bay Convention Centre, Montego Bay, Jamaica

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

16th CARIBBEAN GIFT AND CRAFT SHOW (Rebranded DESIGN CARIBBEAN) 18-20 February Port of Sansouci, Dominican Republic

INTERNATIONAL POWER SUMMIT 2011 23 – 25 February 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.

RE-DISCOVER THE CARIBBEAN 29-30 April Sandiford Conference Centre, Bridgetown, Barbados The eighth annual re-DISCOVER the Caribbean Show has been announced. Media coverage will include TV ‘ads’, full page print ‘ads’ and live radio coverage. Over 20 destinations and 100 exhibitors participated in the 2010 Show. Attendance is a must if you really want to grow your Intra Caribbean business!

For further info: www.rediscoverthecaribbean.com

SAINT LUCIA JAZZ 2011 30 April- 8 May Saint Lucia Celebrating 20 years, this year, Saint Lucia Jazz has become one of the major events on Saint Lucia’s calendar of events and surely a most anticipated on the Caribbean’s calendar. During the month of May, the island dances to the beat of jazz when music fills the air and tourism takes on a whole new meaning to all. What started as simply a marketing event to boost tourism industry arrivals during a low peak period, has now developed into a truly Saint Lucian Festival. For further info: www.stluciajazz.org BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 88

10th ANNUAL CARIBBEAN SHIPPING EXECUTIVES CONFERENCE 16-18 May Guadeloupe The Caribbean Shipping Association will be held in Guadeloupe, for the 10th Annual Caribbean Shipping Executives Conference (CSEC). The conference will analyze developments and trends in cargo and cruise shipping in the Caribbean.

For further info: www.caribbeanshipping.org

CARIBBEAN FASHION WEEK (CFW) June National Indoor Sports Centre, Jamaica The Caribbean region’s largest, best produced, most recognised and internationally respected fashion event. For further info: www.caribbeanfashionweek.com

TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN 22-26 June Miami, Florida The 2011 edition of Taste of the Caribbean is expected to be a much improved and larger event with more teams, a consumer oriented food fair, greater destination marketing opportunities, television coverage, new competition categories and the involvement of more junior chefs.

For further info: www.caribbeanhotelassociation.com

CANTO – 27th ANNUAL COFERENCE & TRADE EXHIBIT 10-13 July Torarica Hotel, Paramaribo, Suriname The Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organisations (CANTO) was founded in 1985 as a non-profit association of telephone operating companies in the Caribbean. Now with over 104 members in 31 countries, CANTO is the leading telecommunications trade organisation in the Caribbean and is also recognised internationally for its leadership in the industry.

For further info: www.canto.org

FIME 2011 10-12 August Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida FIME, the annual international medical equipment expo will be held in Miami. The largest variety of supplies on display. A must for any cutting-edge medical supplier.

For further info: www.fimeshow.com

18th ANNUAL FCCA CRUISE CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW 3-7 October San Juan, Puerto Rico For many cruise executives, destinations, suppliers and tour operators, the annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show is the premier industry event of the year to meet with key industry players, analyze trends and discuss current issues. It is because of the unique forum provided by the Conference that nearly 1,000 cruise industry partners, including approximately 100 cruise executives, attend each year.

For further info: www.f-cca.com

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BF No. 55

MAJOR MOVES

RBC International Banking, part of Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE), has announced that Suresh Sookoo, currently Chief Executive Officer of RBTT Financial Group (RBTT), has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, Caribbean Banking.

“Suresh’s deep understanding of our business and his proven success as a leader make him the ideal person for this expanded role,” said Jim Westlake, group head, RBC International Banking. “Suresh will focus on integrating our businesses onto a common platform across the Caribbean, enhancing the end-to-end and client experience by simplifying the way we do business, and improving the productivity in our banking network.”

RBC acquired RBTT in 2008 and Mr. Sookoo’s appointment represents the next step in the integration of RBC Caribbean Banking businesses. RBC has one of the most expansive banking networks in the Caribbean with a presence in 20 countries and territories across the region, 129 combined branches and close to 7,000 employees serving more than 1.6 million clients across the region.

As chief executive officer of RBC’s Caribbean Banking, Mr. Sookoo has Caribbean-wide oversight of retail, business and corporate banking operations. He has been chief executive officer of RBTT since 2006. Mr. Sookoo joined RBTT in 1974 and has held senior positions in Corporate and Commercial Banking, Risk Management and Finance. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Studies and an Executive Masters in Business Administration (Distinction) from the University of the West Indies.

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Dawn Thomas, currently Chief Executive officer of Caribbean Communications Network Limited (CCN), has been promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer of One Caribbean MediaLimited(OCM) in succession to Dr Terrence W. Farrell.

This was announced by OCM Chairman Sir Fred Gollop, who said Mrs Thomas’ appointment will take effect on January 1, 2011.

OCM is the largest and most diversified media organisation in the Caribbean.

It comprises the Express, CCN TV6 and HOTT 93.5 FM in Trinidad and Tobago, The Nation and Starcom Network radio stations in Barbados, the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN), and radio services in five Eastern Caribbean islands.

Prior to joining the OCM Group in 2007, Thomas spent 15 years with the Neal & Massy Group and held the position of CEO of Tracmac Engineering Limited.

During her tenure with the Neal and Massy Group, she worked with the energy, construction, agriculture, industrial and marine sectors of the economy. She also served as a director on the board of Neal and Massy Energy Services Ltd, Associated Brands Ltd (Guyana) and General Finance Corporation Limited.

Thomas said that she was privileged to have been given the opportunity to serve as CEO. She is confident that with the support of the highly competent and experienced team, OCM will meet the aspirations of its shareholders, employees and all other stakeholders.

Thomas currently serves on the board of directors of OCM and CCN, the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), and is currently the acting chairman of the Caribbean

News Agency (CANA).

She holds a BSc industrial engineering (Hons) degree from the University of the West Indies and has completed an Executive Development Training Programme at the University of Western Ontario.

Mr. Mark Ozawa was appointed as the new Managing Director of the Windjammer LandingVilla Beach Resort in St. Lucia in October 2010.

Previously, he had been working with management and staff as a consultant.

Ozawa brings over 30 years of hospitality management and consulting expertise to the property.

Most recently he served as Vice-President for Accuvia Consulting, where he led the hospitality practice and was responsible for business development and execution.

He also provided services to clients in the foodservice and retail industries.

His career includes 18 years at Westin Hotels and Resorts where he worked in resort management, technology implementation, and he also held positions at the corporate. He has also worked on the supplier side of the industry in addition to his consulting experience.

Mr. Ozawa’s appointment came at a very trying period as St. Lucia was hit by Hurricane Tomas in his 3rd week at the resort. His first test was unplanned and would definitely prove his ability to keep the boat afloat when the seas proved uncooperative. Windjammer Landing survived under this most brutal condition and was lead to safety by a Captain who seems to be much grounded and purpose driven.

BF

MAJOR MOVES

Veteran and award-winning Caribbean Hotelier AnthonyBowenhas been appointed RegionalManaging Director of Elite Island Resorts.

CEO of the resort group Robert Barrett announced that the Saint Lucia-based Bowen, who also serves as President of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), has been selected to lead the hospitality company’s charge throughout the Caribbean. “Our brand is poised for continued growth (and) with Tony managing that growth in the Caribbean region and Saint Lucia in particular, we are confident of a successful 2011 and far beyond.”

Bowen, a former Saint Lucia and Caribbean Hotelier of the Year, recently received the 2010 Gold Award for Outstanding Contribution to Caribbean Tourism by Virgin Holidays in London.

“I hope to share with Elite my experience in quality hospitality in the Caribbean as well as my professional connections and friendships,” Bowen said, adding, “Elite has an admirable track record in this industry and I feel they are the perfect organisation to be aligned with as their growth and development continues.”

Anthony Bowen, who also is CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty in Rodney Bay, graduated from Bournemouth College’s University of Dorset in the United Kingdom. He holds Membership to the Hotel Catering and Institutional Management Association and has held senior positions at the region’s leading resorts, including Sandy Lane, Glitter Bay and Royal Pavilion, all in Barbados; Ciboney in Ocho Rios, Jamaica; St James’s Club and Villas in Antigua; and Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in Saint Lucia.

No. 55

Evan Hermiston, CA, TEP, ACI has been appointed to the position of CEO of The Landings Limited.

Mr. Hermiston first appeared in these pages 10 years ago when, along with co-founder Michael Gordon QC, he established one of the island’s first offshore financial services firm, known today as the ADCO Financial Group where he continues to serve as Managing Director. He has also assisted the banks in St. Lucia by carrying out numerous receiverships including the liquidation of the high profile failed Cimpex Group. Mr. Hermiston also serves as one of two honorary wardens to St. Lucia of the Canadian Government and became a St. Lucian citizen in 2008.

Taking on the CEO role at a time when Caribbean real estate projects are facing marked declines in sales and therefore cash flow is a challenge Mr. Hermiston says, but one he, with his business experience in tourism and construction related finance, believes himself capable of meeting. Landings is a fantastic award winning project and when complete will rival any development anywhere in the world, something Mr. Hermiston says, all St. Lucians can take pride in.

Ian Galt has been appointed Managing Director Managed Services at LIME Caribbean.

A veteran of the telecommunications industry with just over 31 years of knowledge and experience, Mr. Galt, a Trinidadian by birth, has held senior positions in several areas of the Industry. Earlier in his career, Mr. Galt was engaged in both Pre and Post Sales support functions, after which he moved into Sales. He then moved into Executive Management and held several positions including Country General Manager and Executive Vice President Sales and Business Development. Immediately prior to joining LIME, Mr. Galt held the position of Executive Vice President of the Caribbean Operations of Fujitsu ICL. He also had responsibility for the Enterprise and Telco Markets for the Caribbean and Central American Portfolio. At LIME, Mr. Galt will have responsibility for building and developing a world class Managed Services business working closely with the Enterprise, Corporate & Government team and the Managing Directors, General Managers and their in-country teams. He will be based in Barbados.

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BF No. 55

MAJOR MOVES

Errol “E.K.” Miller, LIME’s long-serving Regional Vice President for Corporate Communications, will, early in 2011, transition into a new role of Vice President Government & Corporate Affairs. Mr. Miller will also be the new Chairman of the LIME Foundation. He will, however, in the meantime, provide guidance to the Communications function until a new appointment is made in that area.

In his new role, Mr. Miller will be LIME’s primary liaison with governments—both at the central and local levels— and other major stakeholders. He will also head the company’s Philanthropic portfolio.

In his role as Chairman of the LIME Foundation, Mr. Miller will revitalise and drive the company’s thrust to provide free Internet to schools at all levels. He will also drive LIME’s Community focus, managing all major initiatives through which LIME gives back to the people of the Caribbean in various spheres.

LIME Chief Marketing officer and Chairman of LIME Jamaica, Chris Dehring said: “As E.K. approaches retirement age, it is important that we plan for succession and continuity. However, we cannot afford to lose his expertise, his knowledge and his enormous influence.”

Mr. Miller will continue to report to Mr. Dehring and will continue to be based in Jamaica.

Nancy Joseph has been appointed as the new HR Supervisor of J. E. Bergasse & Company Ltd. Ms. Joseph joined the JEB Group as Assistant to the Sales Manager in June 2008. She is a friendly and down to earth individual with a warm smile.

Ms. Joseph’s ambition in her role as HR Supervisor is to make a difference with the organisation and with the people who support it. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine Campus) and is presently pursuing a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management and Development from the University of Leicester.

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Guardsman St. Lucia Limited – ‘Comprehensive Security from a Single Source’ Guardsman St. Lucia Limited started operations in November 2004 and is a subsidiary of the Guardsman Group of Companies, which was founded in 1977 in Jamaica. The Group has been providing a full array of security services for more than 30 years .The Group presently operates in Jamaica, Barbados, St. Vincent and St. Lucia with plans to expand to other Caribbean territories .

Guardsman St. Lucia Ltd delivers the highest standard of service island-wide, with the largest fleet of armoured trucks in St. Lucia. We are committed to continuous improvement of equipment and services. Clients enjoy the added peace of mind in knowing that all cash shipments and company assets are insured through Lloyds of London. Our employees are fully covered under our Life Insurance Plan and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan with Sagicor Capital Life.

For the most soothing relief of from aches and pains of todays fatigues Soothing, refreshing rub of St. Lucia’s Bay Rum will Lift your Spirits Castries, St. Lucia, W. I. Tel: 1758 452 7460 Fax: 1758 452 7460

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BF New Company New Company Registrations No. 55

Companies

Directors

Activities

KAMCASS LIMITED

Desmond Ashley Velinorm Marilyn Needham Retail ,Import and export of dry goods ,clothing Johnson Mondesir and transportation SKY HIGH SCAFFOLDING LTD

Larry Eugene, Vincent Augustin

STAR FOOD INC.

Bobo Bergstrom, Annika Bergstrom

To offer services in the construction industry Seafood Restaurant & Deli

PANORAMA RESORTS LTD Mark J.W. Carney, Jeffrey Hanlon Property Investment Company

CYRIL & NEVILLE STEEL BENDING & CONST. LTD. Silas Cyril, Veville Daniel

Steel Bending & Construction

A.J.FERDINAND AND ASSOCIATES LTD Aloysius Joseph Ferdinand, Fayola Ferdinand Acquiring property ,building homes ,project management, procuring products and materials worldwide, brokers, sales agents, communication consultants DOUGLAS - MALONE INC John Laurence Stuart Douglas, Apartment Rental & Importers of grocery Shirley Diana Malone Douglas wholesale and retail DRIVE VACATIONS(ST.LUCIA) LIMITED Anthonia Acindor Car rental leasing and leisure business

PJ INVESTMENTS INC. Peter Josephus Gajadhar ,Martina Gajadhar Importing of agricultural equipment & supplies

MARIGOT SUNSHINE LIMITED . Robert John Keith Hathaway Development and construction of solar powered Valence Joseph and other small boats Pro Plus Poultry Inc.

Sonia Marquis , Donavan Elcock Agricultural Company Leo Harrigan, Samuel Harrigan

GREENHOUSE INVESTMENTS LIMITED Lorraine Debra Glace General Merchandising

Sunfresh Limited Bernard Cornibert, Gemma Bain Thomas Manufacture & retail of Beverages and juices

Peter Josie, Cecil Ryan, Martin Plummer, Allison Plummer

REIZOC INVESTMENTS LTD. Mark Cozier , Brenda Cozier Retail Clothing Store

MARE LIBERUM LTD. Evan Hermiston, Michael B.G. Gordon Real Estate and holding Company

CASTELLUM LTD. Evan Hermiston, Michael B.G.Gordon Real Estate

EDDY & SONS LIMITED Michael Eddy Construction , Import & Export, operation of Service Station

HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Aloysius Cumberbatch ,Alvius Griffith Carry out the services o union relations and Sylvia Marcellin , Dav-Ernan Kowlessar credit services WADD Holdings Inc. Andy Delmar, Wendy Delmar Property Holding Company

J&F Inc Aaron James Cosby Frederick Motor Sales & Purchases IIYONOLA AGRI SOLUTIONS INC. Eustocia Elizabeth Ferdinand Agro processing

IJAEYLU INC.

Sharleen Jernel Lagon Fashion Design Studio WMK CAPITAL LTD.

Mark Waters , Germaine Waters Property Development

DOLLAR GENERAL USA LTD. Delilah Limited To carry on the buisnes of wholesale and retail general merchandise BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 94

BF

New Company

No. 55

New Company Registrations

Companies

Directors

Activities

International Sun Properties Inc.

Samantha Barnard, Nicholas Barnard

To carry of the business of Realtors , Agents and property developers

Eudovic Art Studio Incorporated

Joseph Eudovic , Joylyn Eudovic

Art Studio & Workshop

Garry’s Taxi & Car Rental Service Limited

Andrew Simon

Taxi & Car Rental Services

Petons View (St.Lucia) III Limited

Kefa D. Montoute

Property Holding Company

Petons View (St.Lucia) Limited

Kefa D.Montoute

Property Holding Company

JMJ

Landsend Ltd.

Property Ownership

Izumi Holdings St.Lucia Ltd

Hiroaki Izumi, Caroline M. Izumi

Property acquisition and development

Scribal Consultancy Services Inc.

Sylvester Hilary Clauzel

Tourism and environmental Consultancy Services

Direct Freight Services St.Lucia Ltd.

Iva -Lisa Mendes Hussein, Orion Stuart Antonio Mendes

Air & Sea Freight Services

Elmarq (1972) Inc.

Sonia Marquis, Donavan Elcock

Investment Holding Company

Cage St.Lucia Limited

Robert B Washington , Robert L Johnson Van Sinclair , Brad Buchanan

Video Lottery Game Manager

Primis Corporation St.Lucia Ltd.

Neil Seepersad, Wagedailee Francis John Ren Rodney

Property Development

Island Currency Exchange Systems Inc.

Dave Hippolyte

Providing for the exchange of foreign to local currency

Jam Jerk Company

Gordon Hamilton

Restaurant , Retailing , Wholesaling

FITNESS FREKS INC.

Celsus John Leon

Gym

Kamakie”s Auto Parts

Dickson Joseph Kamakie, Lorna Kamakie Ali Mannix Kamakie, Morand M. Kamakie

To engage in the importation and retailing of motor vehicle parts & accessories

Top Specs Limited

Cephas Faisal

Car mofifying and retailing

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

MK DAS HOLDING INC

Mahender Potani

The Business of General Retail

SU BEN CO. LTD

Jiang Xing Su,Cui JuanWu

Carries on or proposes to carryon

BELLE PLAINE ESTATE LYD.

Marguerite Ann Chalemagne The manufacture and retail of a broad range of Febornia Emerlda William, Timothy Prscott beauty and cosmetic products

JMC”s Global - Trade Corpotation

Jonathan Calderon , Paula Calderon Tamara Foster

Manufacturing ,wholesaling and retailing products locally and internationally ranging from natural resources ( oil, gold, fruits,soil, sand, rock,metals, ground crops, lumber) Electronics (tools, entertainment, Accessoty). Transportation, Equipment BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 95

BF No. 55

New Company New Company Registrations

Companies

Directors

Activities

Cutting Edge Tech. Incorporated

Trevor Hinkson, Bennet Raggie

Sale of electronic products and items and related services

NAIELI CARIBBEAN LUXURY INC.

Iain Poole, Natalia Saddi

Design manufacture and retail (in own brand stores and through third party vendors) of goods inspired by the Caribbean region

Reel Irie Ltd.

Robert Leotaud Len Lander

Sport Fishing as a tourist

BUSINESS FOCUS

DEC 2009

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BusinessFocus Jan / Feb 2011 | 96