St. Lucia Business Focus 56

Issue No. 56

Mar/Apr 2011

The St. Lucia Chambers’

Business

Awards 2011

. Harriet Thornhill The New Flag Bearer

Pepsico & IDB Sign Pact

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No. 56

BF Mar / Apr 2011

Contents

FEATURES Cover Story

53. St. Lucia Business Awards: Awarding Excellence

REGULARS

Editor’s Focus

04. The Reality of Change

06. Business Briefs Business Tech

10. Computer Security 12. LIME App 14. Malware 16. How to use WI-FI Safely

Money Matters

18. EC Global Brings Convenience 20. LIME Celebrates St. Lucia’s Governor General 22. Securing the Ca$h Side of Business

In The Know

24. Private Sector Trade Note 28. Doing Business that Matters 30. Spanish For Business 32. Iyanola Lounge - A Haven of Luxury

Profile Focus

EXTRAS

Financial Focus

40. Pepsico & IDB Sign Pact 42. Can Innovation Solve the Caribbean’s Growth Crisis?

44. It Might Be Systemic 46. Is a Satisfied Customer Loyal?

Business Spotlight

48. Automotive Art - Car Car Tips 50. HUGO BOSS

Bizz Buzz

76. CGM Gallagher Aquires Barbados’ Atria Brokers 78. C&W Selling Bermuda Business 79. CWC/LIME Reaches Agreement 80. Digicel Profits Up 81. When Small Business Owners Think BIG 82. Dress For Success 84. The Value Of Continuous Development 85. St. Lucia Jazz 20th Anniversary 91. How To Grow A Successful Business

34. Harriet Thornhill the New Flag Bearer Health & Wellness 36. FICS - The Financial Make Over 86. How to Prevent Recurrent Cystitis 38. Hurricane Tomas - Part 2 88. Events 2011 91. Major Moves 94. New Companies Registrations

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Reality of Change

B

y this time we would have made some of the changes and implemented some of the new ideas and approaches required to achieve our projected goals and the planned success for our respective businesses as we progress through the New Year that is 2011. Success with our business efforts also reflects personal growth and success for both the business and our employees which must be a desired objective.

To achieve this desired success will require continuous change to your organisation’s structure and operations and we urge you to embrace and implement change as the catalyst for growth and success.

Many business leaders and managers today are reluctant to embrace change. This decision may be the difference between success and failure and we hope that you make the right choice despite the circumstances, effects and impact on personalities.

At AMS we have embraced change and you will notice the effect of change with this and subsequent issues of the Magazine reflecting an improved end product of which we can all be proud.

After the economic doom and gloom of 2010 most of us looked forward to 2011 with much anticipation and excitement. 2011 is a New Year that promises so much with economics and politics being at the forefront and especially with a general election and its associated hype and economic spinoffs being around the corner. We are all looking forward to the Government jump starting the economy with the post Hurricane Tomas reconstruction and the implementation of the many projects in the pipeline.

Hats off to the St Lucia Chamber of Commerce for setting the stage for a successful New Year of business as the standard bearer of the private sector with the hosting of a dazzling and highly successful “2010 Business Awards” event at the Sandals Grande Resort & Spa. We continue to see the successful implementation of change through new ideas resulting in a much improved and well executed event of which we are all proud.

With change as the constant we can expect that as the event evolves it will continue to improve and impress as the organizers seek to raise the bar with each progressive annual hosting. This event has now been positioned as the most anticipated high profile private sector project in the island and what an event it was. It has seen the growth in sponsorship support and the full attendance by a wide cross section of our business community to include the most senior Government officials. The glitz and the glamour was truly present. St Lucia – you looked good.

The organizers did an excellent job in packaging the event and the new ideas and structure of the event need to be commended. A really great atmosphere was evident.

To all of the “Winners” and especially the 1st National Bank who was crowned the best of them all – our heartiest congratulations. The judges have ruled and their decisions are to be respected.

Hopefully we can all now focus on the job at hand and position our businesses to be among the winners for the 2012 event. Time is on your side so put your plans into action.

In this issue of the Magazine we have focused on the “Chamber Awards and Evening” as the major feature. We hope that you will plan to be there next year.

The Winners have been identified as they have been exemplary amongst their peers.

We hope that you will take note and make the changes to position your business and team among them for the future. If you need a boost, then tell yourself and your team “YES WE CAN” and go about doing it with the required passion.

Happy reading and we hope that you enjoy this issue. We sure also look forward to your feedback in helping us to raise the bar.

Lokesh Singh Publisher / Managing Editor BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 4

BUSINESSFOCUS Business Focus magazine is published every two months by Advertising & Marketing Services Limited (AMS), Saint Lucia.

Publisher / Managing Editor Lokesh Singh email: lokesh@amsstlucia.com Graphic Designer: Donald Brower Advertising Sales: Cennette Flavien | Hudson Myers Webmaster: Advertising & Marketing Services Photography: Video Ventures | Advertising & Marketing Services Contributors: Earl Bousquet | Bevan Springer | Dona Regis | ITC | Betty Combie First Citizens Investment Services | Rashid Jean-Baptiste | LIME | SLASPA Tapion Hospital | 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.

On The Cover: Mr. G. Carlton Glasgow Managing Director of 1st National Bank St. Lucia Overall winners of the annual St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Business Awards

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Mar / Apr 2011

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BF No. 55

BUSINESS BRIEFS News In Focus

LUCELEC Meets Waste to Energy Project Principals

Representatives of Island Green Energy and Elementa, the companies spearheading the proposed waste to energy plant at Deglos, met with LUCELEC formally on January 20 2011.

The meeting discussed the scope of the project and the requirements for advancing the project. Some of these include licensing and a power purchase agreement, since under the Electricity Supply Act LUCELEC has an exclusive license to generate electricity for distribution. Other requirements related to relevant permits and DCA approvals, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and guarantees for the delivery of a minimum amount of garbage to the landfill daily.

LUCELEC’s Managing Director, Trevor Louisy assured the representatives of Island Green Energy and Elementa that LUCELEC was not opposed to the waste to energy project. However, he noted, LUCELEC was obligated to ensure that this project or any other alternative energy projects designed to feed into the national electricity grid were consistent with the guidelines in the National Energy Policy approved by Cabinet and the requirements of the Electricity Supply Act. LUCELEC views the development of alternative and renewable energy as critical to ensuring energy security, sustainability and fuel diversification to reduce the country’s current dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation given the volatility of oil prices and our vulnerability in the region to these prices.

The company continues to actively pursue the establishment of a 12 megawatt wind farm, and is committed to working with developers of renewable energy projects such as the proposed waste to energy project and the ongoing exploration BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 6

of the geothermal energy potential of the Sulphur Springs in Soufriere. It is important, however, that such projects be managed in a manner to ensure proper governance including the selection of the proposed developers and associated due diligence.

LUCELEC is looking forward to progressing the waste to energy initiative by actively engaging all the key stakeholders in the process including the various ministries with responsibility for public utilities, energy and waste management.

The representative of the GOSL present at the meeting committed to ensuring that the necessary meetings were facilitated.

St. Lucian Creates History Wins at Polls In Barbados By-Election

She also told a crowd of hundreds at a big celebration at a community centre in the constituency, which lasted into the wee hours of the morning, that she was elated to be the one chosen to represent them.

“Thank you, the good people of St. John. I am happy to do this for you, I am overwhelmed. I love you,” Thompson said.

The celebrations are expected to continue today as the country observes Errol Barrow Day, a public holiday that commemorates another late prime minister who was also the founder of the DLP and representative of the constituency up until the time of his death in 1987.

Thompson’s entrance to the Parliament marks the first time in Barbados that the widow of an MP has succeeded her husband. The late prime minister succumbed to pancreatic cancer on October 23, 2010. He was 48.

Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa Has Received The Industry Award From Interval International

St. Lucian, Mara Thompson, the wife of late Prime Minister David Thompson is the new parliamentary representative for the rural parish of St. John, Barbados after winning a by-election with a massive margin that was even greater than her husband’s in his last election.

Supporters of the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) declared Thompson their queen and raised their voices in celebration at the counting centre, after she was declared winner of the poll that was held to determine who would fill the seat left vacant after her husband’s death last October.

She got 4,613 votes to keep the seat in DLP hands while the opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) candidate Hudson Griffith won just 553 votes.

When the late Thompson contended the St. John seat in the 2008 general election, he secured a win with 4,300 votes while his opponent took 829. His successor said her victory was “bitter sweet”.

Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services, presented Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa with the Interval International Premier Resort award. The annual award recognizes resorts that provide outstanding vacation experiences with state-of-theart conveniences, modern features and appointments.

Wholly owned by Bay Gardens Resorts Group, Bay Gardens Resort is a luxury ocean front retreat on the northern coast of St. Lucia, an island paradise well known for its spectacular beaches, lush rainforests

BF

BUSINESS BRIEFS

No. 55

News In Focus and volcanic peaks. The property is situated in the heart of Rodney Bay Village, which offers visitors easy access to a wide selection of restaurants, retail outlets and live entertainment.

“We are very pleased to receive this prestigious award because it acknowledges not just the quality of our product, but also the tremendous commitment of our staff who dedicate themselves to exceeding guest expectations each and every day.” remarked Berthia Parle, MBE, General Manager, Bay Gardens Beach Resort.

As the Quality Vacation Exchange Network, Interval International has been renowned for its high standards for more than 34 years. Interval currently has more than 2,500 affiliated resorts in 80 countries and services 2 million members. Every resort that is affiliated must meet Interval’s quality standards and provide the caliber of vacation experience that members expect.

“Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa has earned the highest level designation in our resort recognition program owning to its desirable location, the caliber of its accommodations, and the exceptional services it offers,” noted Neil Kolton, Director, Caribbean and Florida resort sales and service, Interval International.

Caribbean, Air France is demonstrating, more than any other airline, that it is a major player in the development of Caribbean tourism,” said Alain Malka, Senior Vice President, Caribbean & Indian Ocean, Air France KLM. Christian Mantei, Managing Director of Atout France, appointed by the government to prepare the launch of Caribbean services, added that it was the first step in an upcoming “destination contract”.

“The key factor in the success of these new routes will be an undertaking by all professionals involved in the tourism industry to develop the quality of their products and promote these new routes,” Mantei said.

Passengers will be offered weekly connections to both locations, with the Pointe-à-Pitre service operating on Sundays and the Fort-de-France route scheduled for Saturdays.

Digicel Submarine Cable to link Jamaica with Haiti, Bahamas

Air France adds Caribbean routes

French flag carrier Air France has announced two new routes that it says it expects to provide a boost for European tourism to the French Caribbean.

Starting November 4, 2011 the airline will operate flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to Pointe-àPitre, Guadeloupe and Fort-de-France, Martinique on its 472-seater Boeing aircraft. Air France already has 26 flights per week to those destinations from Orly airport in Paris.

“By building on its existing product offer on departure from Paris-Orly to the French

Digicel Submarine Cable to link Jamaica with Haiti, Bahamas DIGICEL has been granted a licence that will allow it to connect undersea fibre cable to neighbouring Haiti and the Bahamas from Jamaica, but the group is still planning the implementation of the project.

The Office of the Utilities Regulations (OUR) of Jamaica in its business plan for 2011-2014 said it had received applications for two submarine cable carrier licences, which were processed and recommendations sent to the Office of the Prime Minister.

The OUR said a carrier licence was issued to “Digicel Cable Communications Ltd to construct, own and operate two international submarine cables and associated facilities”.

Digicel actually attempted being licensed in 2004 before the Government issued

a licence to Columbus Communications, which operates in Jamaica as Flow, but was apparently unsuccessful.

Since Flow got its licence, Jamaica’s capacity from submarine cable connections increased tremendously.

Columbus inaugurated its submarine cable system that provides connectivity from Kingston to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay in Jamaica, and connects to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic where the ARCOS network provides seamless connectivity to the United States, since early 2006.

More recently, LIME completed its regional East/West Cable, which links Jamaica to the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic which was “designed to provide greater international cable resiliency, meet the expected Internet demand required to support growing customer needs and facilitate the expansion in Internet penetration in the Caribbean region”, was completed in midJanuary.

Furthermore, earlier this month, LIME landed a submarine cable that links Jamaica to Cuba, as part of a partnership with Telecommunicaciones Gran Caribe (TGC), a joint venture between Cuba (Transbit SA) and Venezuela (Telecom Venezuela).

THE OUR said that it will receive funding from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) that will provide “technical assistance to develop a regulatory framework for international submarine landing stations and cable facilities and other associated international facilities”.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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BF No. 55

BUSINESS BRIEFS News In Focus

David Dodwell named “2010 Caribbean Hotelier of the Year”

“Caribbean Hotelier of the Year” David Dodwell, owner Nisbet Plantation Beach Club in Nevis and The Reefs Hotel & Club in Bermuda, is pictured (l-r) with his wife Margarita, daughter Stephanie and son David, Jr. David Dodwell, owner of two widely acclaimed resorts, The Reefs Hotel & Club in Bermuda and Nisbet Plantation Beach Club on Nevis, has been recognized as the 2010 “Caribbean Hotelier of the Year.” Dodwell was honored with the award before an international audience of hospitality and tourism industry leaders at Caribbean Marketplace 2011, hosted at the new Montego Bay Convention Centre in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The Caribbean Hotelier of the Year Award is co-sponsored by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and Ypartnership.

With a prestigious industry career spanning more than four decades, Dodwell joins the ranks of preeminent hotel and resort executives as the 33rd recipient of the Caribbean Hotelier of the Year – the highest professional honor bestowed by CHTA. Presented annually, this esteemed award recognizes an outstanding hotelier in the Caribbean region for demonstrating excellence in all areas of hotel and resort operations, as well as a commitment to the training and development of staff, to the community, and to sound environmental practices. The honor also acknowledges each recipient’s active role in both national and regional issues affecting Caribbean tourism.

A native Bermudian and graduate of the prestigious Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, Dodwell is a former Minister of Tourism for Bermuda, and once served as president of the Bermuda Hotel Association where he was also previously honored as Bermuda Hotelier of the Year.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 8

Dodwell has been at the helm of The Reefs in Bermuda, which includes 19 luxury two- and three-bedroom beachfront suites for nearly 40 years and at Nisbet Plantation, Nevis for more than 20 years.

JetBlue will also fund the necessary training for dispatchers and flight crews, including simulator time.

Plantation, Nevis for more than 20 years.

JetBlue to fly more precise on Caribbean routes

Norwegian Cruise Lines to call on St Lucia

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and JetBlue have signed a NextGen agreement that will allow the airline to fly more precise, satellite-based flights from Boston and New York to Florida and the Caribbean, beginning in 2012.

The agreement will also allow JetBlue to fly a new route to the Caribbean, and could lead to the development of two new, shorter ADS-B-only routes to the Caribbean from Boston, New York and Washington.

NextGen is the transformation of the U.S. national airspace system from a groundbased system of air traffic control to one based on satellites, which will enhance safety and reduce aviation congestion.

Under the agreement, as many as 35 of JetBlue’s A320 aircraft will be equipped with Automatic Dependent SurveillanceBroadcast (ADS-B) avionics over the next two years, enabling them to fly in two major routes off the East Coast even if traditional radar coverage is not available.

The improved accuracy, integrity and reliability of aircraft surveillance under ADS-B will allow JetBlue to take advantage of these routes at all times since the satellite-based system tracks the precise position of aircraft. The FAA will collect NextGen data by observing and conducting real-time operational evaluations of ADS-B on revenue flights.

JetBlue Airways CEO Dave Barger said the investment would yield dividends far into the future, not just for JetBlue but for all airlines.

The FAA has agreed to pay US$4.2 million for the ADS-B avionics. JetBlue will provide flight operations, pilots, and aircraft maintenance and will pay for the cost of aircraft downtime while the ADS-B avionics are installed.

Norwegian Sun will visit St Lucia next year as part of its Southern Caribbean itinerary. New cruise ship calls will be made to St Lucia in the 2012-2013 season when Norwegian Cruise Lines makes regular visits to the island.

Tourism Minister Senator Allen Chastanet has announced that the top cruise company has added the Caribbean island to its Norwegian Sun’s Southern Caribbean itinerary for the new season.

“This is incredibly exciting news for our tourism sector. St Lucians are thrilled to welcome Norwegian,” he said, adding that the decision to include regular stops to St Lucia was made after the company sampled the island’s offerings with limited calls in 2009. “Their commitment to St Lucia is no doubt due to our natural beauty, the new attractions and the licensing regime we have introduced, improved facilities for our guests…and uncompromising standards of safety and security.”

President of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Michele Paige said there was no question that St Lucia is quickly emerging as a preferred travel destination for member cruise lines.

Norwegian and other FCCA member lines have partnered with New York’s Monroe College to recruit graduates from the College’s hospitality and marine academy programme at the St Lucia campus. The programme helps sharpen the skills of island nationals, reduce unemployment, and boosts the number of Caribbean people who are employed in the cruise sector.

Senator Chastanet believes the real education will begin on board as future employees earn a living while being trained by “some of the best business people on the planet”.

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BUSINESS TECH

LIME Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Dehring, at recent launch of Mobile TV in Jamaica

LIME “APP”

MAKES CARIBBEAN TALK CHEAPER • “LIME Talk” makes its easy & affordable to call the Caribbean from iphones, ipads, and ipod touch devices.

Continuing to deliver on its promise to provide innovative telecoms products for the Caribbean market and beyond, LIME has now unveiled “LIME Talk”, a groundbreaking, free, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) application that allows iphone, ipod Touch and ipad users overseas to call the Caribbean for as little as US $0.16 per minute.

“LIME Talk” can be used on several popular Apple smartphones including the best selling iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4G handsets. “LIME Talk” is also compatible with several other Apple communication devices including the iPod Touch – 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation – and the revolutionary tablet, the iPad. Customers can use the application on any of these devices to make phone calls using a Wi-Fi or 3G internet connection.

LIME has partnered with Telecom New Zealand USA (TNZ), a leading provider of voice, data and mobile services across the Americas, to make the leading edge solution available to the Caribbean Diaspora. Through the Apple Apps Store and itunes, “LIME Talk” will be easily available for free download to over 100 million consumers across the USA. This prepaid service gives customers 120 minutes of talk time for calls to LIME fixed lines and mobiles phone across the Caribbean for the price of US $19.95. The plan covers calls to any LIME fixed or mobile customer in Antigua, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Turks & Caicos.

In addition, customers also have the option of making out of plan calls to any other destination across the world at affordable rates by adding additional credit to their accounts via credit card or debit card.

Outlining the customer benefits of the new product, LIME’s Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Dehring said: “LIME Talk offers some of the lowest, most affordable rates currently available for calling the Caribbean from the US and the fact that it’s a prepaid service means that customers can have better control over their spending.”

“LIME Talk is easy to use and very convenient because once users download the application and subscribe to the service they can always access it from their device and there’s no need to constantly buy phone cards or input lots of numbers and codes to make a call,” he added.

“We anticipate that “LIME Talk” is going to be extremely popular not only in the Caribbean community but for customers across the USA who call the Caribbean often for business or personal reasons. When it comes to affordability and convenience “LIME Talk” is going to be hard to beat.” BF BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 12

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BUSINESS TECH

What is it and how can you protect yourself from it?

By: Rashid Jean-Baptiste

T

he number one support call we deal with at our IT Services Company is a computer infected with some type of malware. Ironically, this is one computer issue, which is very easy to protect against by following a couple of key guidelines.

In this article we will discuss these guidelines, define malware, and provide steps to remedy the situation in case you are impacted by it.

Malware, short for malicious software, is designed to negatively impact the functioning of your computer. At one end of the spectrum it can be a minor annoyance and on the other end and it can result in major data loss. There are many types of malware, with the most common being viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and spyware. A virus, usually the catchall phrase for all malware, is software, which attaches itself to a programme or file and can spread from computer to computer via its host. A worm is similar to a virus but it does not need a host to propagate itself; it copies itself from one computer to another and it is typically able to replicate in large volumes. A Trojan horse is software, which seems to perform a useful function but can actually cause harm to your computer. Spyware is software, which collects information from your computer, without your knowledge, and sends this information out over the Internet.

To protect your computer from malware there are two key guidelines: BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 14

1) If something seems very suspicious, then don’t take the suggested action.

2) Ensure that you are running a decent anti-malware package on your computer.

The first guidelines can apply to any facet of life. For example, if you receive an email from a sender that you do not know and it says something along the lines of click here to get something for free or open the attachment to view this wonderful video or listen to this great song then chances are you should either ignore or delete the email. The same can happen while browsing and it is usually recommended to close any such browser window, which is requesting that you take action. Additionally, in some cases, it is a good idea to restart your computer immediately.

Sticking to the first guideline will protect against the majority of malware but it is still highly recommended that you install and run an anti-malware package on your computer. New computers usually come with a trial of Norton or McAfee antivirus installed and after the trial period, this software needs to be purchased. It is not necessary to purchase this software because there are anti-virus packages, which can be obtained for free for home and business uses, which do an excellent job. Therefore, when I obtain a new PC my first action is to remove any trial anti-

virus package provided. The package that I then install is Microsoft Security Essentials, which is free for home use and for small businesses with 10 or fewer computers. In my experience, and from the experience, of other experts, this package does a great job. Other free packages for home use, which do a good job, are: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition and Avast! Free Antivirus.

If your computer is infected with malware, the first step should be to run a full scan with your existing antivirus package. If this does not fix the problem, we typically download the free version of Malwarebytes from www. malwarebytes.org to perform a one-time scan. This usually finds and fixes the issue.

Afterwards, if Microsoft Security Essentials is not installed, we download and install it.

At times, you need to seek the assistance of your IT Consultant because your computer may not be usable. In the worst case scenario a full rebuild of your system may be required resulting in complete data loss.

In this situation a useable backup would be the only saviour if the data stored on your computer is important to you. BF About the Author: Rashid Jean-Baptiste is the Managing Director of West Technology Group Inc. An IT Services Provider Company based in St. Lucia. Prior to this he spent over 10 years in senior IT roles at Microsoft Corporation.

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BUSINESS TECH

How To Use Public

Safely W

hile public ‘hotspots’ are growing in number, free bandwidth comes with an element of risk, warns security specialist David Hobson.

Once you are associated to an access point, you are on the same network as others connected to the same access point, in the same way as plugging into the same network segment. A simple network discovery will show who else is connected and from there an unscrupulous user could try to access your machine. This may not be deliberate. A Trojan may automatically be scanning in the background for, and trying to infect other machines. In addition to the possibility of direct attack, your data is probably going to be ‘clear text’ - i.e. not encrypted.

10 Tips For Using Public Wi-Fi

1. By its very nature a hotspot will not have any encryption or security on it.

It is there to enable as many people as possible to connect, as easily as possible.

To offer a pre-shared security key is impractical, and the more people who have a key, the less valuable a key is.

This means that if you are sending email, someone on that network will be able to read your data unless there is another security measure in place. It is a bit like handing a postcard over a post office counter: everyone in the post office can read it.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 16

2. Most web traffic is, by its very nature, clear text. Most websites will switch to secure, encrypted HTTPS traffic when doing commercial transactions. Web mail is normally in the clear. To tell if you have changed, look for the little padlock symbol in your browser.

3. If you are using business email, we strongly recommend using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) between you and the business mail server. This should be provided by the business. Normally this is a security overlay on your traffic.

This will encrypt data and ensure no eavesdroppers read it.

4. Your PC needs to have a personal firewall installed, and switched on. A basic firewall is provided within Windows now. Use it. This stops unauthorized access on to the PC. 5. Many businesses will add an additional personal firewall. The clever ones will actually change the policy based upon your location, which will control the flow of data in and out of your PC in accordance with your policy.

6. Ensure your anti-virus software is installed, up-to-date and working. This will defend against known virus or Trojan attacks.

By: David Hobson of Global Secure Systems

7. Turn off ad-hoc networking. Wi-Fi has two methods of working: ad hoc and infrastructure. Infrastructure is when your PC connects to an Access Point, and then on to a wired network. Ad-hoc is when two PCs communicate with each other directly without an Access Point.

You should ensure no one can network directly, unless there is a specific reason.

8. Watch out for shoulder surfing. Don’t sit with your back to a crowd or window inviting unwanted snoopers to see you type your password or read your documents.

9. Think about the length of time you are connected. As a precaution, prepare messages off-line and only connect to send and receive. This will reduce the window of opportunity for someone to capture your data.

10. When accessing a hotspot be aware of hotspot hijacking. This is when a fake access point is used to fool you into connecting to it. It will record all traffic from your system. This type of attack is mainly used in internet cafés since access is open. Always try and make sure you connect to genuine access points. BF

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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MONEY MATTERS

Brings Convenience to the North Establishes New Rodney Bay Offices in Providence Commercial Centre EC Global Insurance, an East Caribbean Financial Holding (ECFH) subsidiary, has extended its services to the northern hub of Rodney Bay where it has opened its brand new Convenience Centre. Located at the Providence Commercial Centre, the EC Global Insurance Convenience Centre offers customers products and services that are also available at its head office in Castries.

Speaking at the January 28th, 2011 opening, EC Global CEO, Mr. Leathon Khan shared the rationale for opening the new facility when he said that, “We have analyzed the geographical dispersion of BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 18

our customer base and recognised that as our customer base expands, as it has in the North, that we have to respond to these developments and position ourselves where our customers and business associates can easily and conveniently reach us”. Mr. Khan added that there are plans to offer extended opening hours to give customers even more convenience to conduct their insurance business.

Also addressing the opening was Chairperson of EC Global, Ms. Emma Hippolyte, who pointed out that EC Global’s Convenience Centre was also part of its parent company’s northern expansion.

ECFH is constructing a corporate building in Gros Islet and in 2009, its largest subsidiary, Bank of Saint Lucia, opened its business centre also located at Providence Commercial Centre in Rodney Bay. These developments, she said, showed the Group’s commitment to the socioeconomic progress of the island.

The EC Global Insurance Convenience Centre offers a range of services including insurance renewals, claim submissions and premium financing; and its opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30pm. BF

MONEY MATTERS

LIMEServicesDirectory Pays Tribute to St Lucia’s Governor General

LIME has dedicated the front cover of the 2011 Services Directory to honoring St Lucia’s Governor General, Her Excellency, Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy. The directory was officially unveiled on Tuesday at the LIME Blue Coral retail outlet.

Over the years the company has used the cover of the Directory to pay tribute to St Lucians who have dedicated their lives to the socioeconomic, cultural, artistic and sporting advancement of St Lucia, and helped the country gain international acclaim through their achievements. Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, Dunstan St Omer and Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson are among the national icons who have been featured on the cover.

The late Dame Sessene Descartes and Augustus ‘Pan’ Andrew, two of St Lucia’s leading cultural icons were featured in 2001 and 2007 respectively.

Originally from Laborie, Dame Pearlette Louisy received her early education at the Laborie Girls Infant and Primary Schools and the St Joseph’s Convent. After completing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and French at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, she obtained a Masters of Arts Degree in Linguistics from the University of Laval, in Quebec, Canada. In 1991, she attended the University of Bristol in the UK where she read for a PhD in Education.

Dame Pearlette has spent most of her professional life as an educator and has contributed outstandingly to the development of education in Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean. Initially she taught at the St Joseph’s Convent. From BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 20

1976-86 she served as a tutor of French, and was subsequently appointed as Principal of the St. Lucia A Level College.

When the A Level College and Morne Technical School merged into the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, she first served as Dean, and was subsequently appointed as the Vice Principal and Principal of the College. She also served as a member of the Caribbean Examinations Council as Programme Coordinator.

On September 17, 1997 she was appointed Governor General of St Lucia, the first female Governor General, in the island’s history. Two years later she was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D) by the University of Bristol. That same year, Queen Elizabeth II conferred on her the title of Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.

LIME General Manager, Lawrence

McNaughton, who delivered the feature address at the unveiling, said: “Dame Pearlette Louisy’s phenomenal achievements are a testament to the ability of Caribbean people to excel and reach the top when we seek something better and reach out for a dream - a dream that says no matter who we are, where we come from; no matter what hand life has dealt us; with hard work and discipline, and dedication, we can make it if we try.”

He added: “As Governor General, her accessibility to her people, along with her warm, caring personality and wholehearted commitment to service have helped to re-define and give new direction to the post. Moreover, her support for charities, social and sporting groups and numerous other areas of national life has been steadfast, demonstrating her abiding love for her people and her country.”

The LIME Services Directory, once again, offers comprehensive residential and business listings, along with informative ads to help users choose the most suitable places for relaxation and entertainment, or to do business. It also provides helpful updates on LIME products and services.

Copies of the 2011 Services Directory are being distributed to local businesses

by Global Directories over the next two weeks, and residential customers can get their copies at LIME outlets islandwide. BF For more information on LIME visit www.lime. com.

Media enquiries: please contact Corporate Communications Executive Terry Finisterre on 453-9572 or email terry.finisterre@lime.com

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MONEY MATTERS

Securing the CA$H Side of

Business By: Brian Ramsey

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ash in any form is the lifeblood of a business, without it there is essentially no business. The sight of cash being handed over by customers in exchange for goods and services makes every owner and manager smile, as this is the infusion necessary for paying employees and paying for the supplies that keeps the business running. As attractive as cash is to owners and managers, unfortunately it is also attractive to robbers. Every day, somewhere, persons are plotting how to relieve businesses of their cash. The constant worry about the possibility of being robbed can daunt some business owners and make them wonder why they opened a business. To some persons it may seem that they are powerless to stop the scourge of crime, yet there are measures that can be implemented to minimize the risk of robbery.

Many of these measures are simple procedural approaches that do not cost the business owner any significant sum of money to implement.

Do Not Expose the Cash

The first and overriding rule in securing the cash side of a business is “do not expose the cash�.

The easy visibility of large amounts of cash in a business make that business an attractive target to robbers as they view the potential reward (your cash) as worth taking the risk of a robbery. A cashier should never have their cash drawer open because that makes it easy for non-employees to see if there is a large amount of cash in the business. A cashier should only open their cash drawer when a customer has paid for a purchase.

Depending on the nature of the business, the design of the cashier’s area should be such that even when a cashier opens the cash drawer, other persons cannot see what is in the drawer. A cashier should never leave their cash register unattended and if a cashier has to leave the cash area they should lock the cash drawer and remove the key.

Counting & Storing Cash

Towards the end of every business day every cashier is required to count and balance their cash. In many islands in the Caribbean, as the business gets ready to close, one can see cashiers sitting in their cubicles or standing behind their cash registers counting their cash and balancing against the daily record. This action serves to signal to bandits that there is a large amount of cash in the business on a regular basis. Cashiers should never count cash in the view of the public

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but should count cash in a secure room behind a locked office door.

Occasionally one reads newspaper articles about a business that was burgled and the cash taken from the cash register.

A cash register should never be used for overnight storage of cash, as it is not designed to withstand a burglary attempt.

Any cash being stored in a business should be kept in a safe and this safe should be anchored to the floor. Owners and Managers should set drawer limits for cashiers that dictate how much cash the cashier is authorised to keep in their drawer. Once the cash reaches the limit during the day, the excess cash should be moved from the cash register and placed in the safe. The author is sometimes asked, “What should be the drawer limit”? The answer is, “the amount that you need for the cashier to operate efficiently and that you are prepared to lose in a robbery”.

While some owners invest in a safe, unfortunately they often keep the safe in the same area as the cash register. Thus in a robbery it is easy for the bandits to not only get the money in the cash register but also get what is in the safe. The safe should be kept in a separate area to the cash register, so that there is a delay in the bandits getting to the cash. Robbers usually want to get the cash quickly and get away quickly, so having to go to another area can often deter them from going elsewhere in the building to get to the safe.

In acquiring a safe, the business owner should opt for models that have two locks to enable dual custody and a key and combination locking mechanism should be preferred. The safe should be kept locked and the keys secured at all times.

A common bad habit that is witnessed in the Caribbean is that the safe is only locked with one key in the day time.

Often this habit arises because staff find it bothersome to have to get the second key holder or combination holder when they want to access the safe. Unfortunately this makes it easy for a robber to get the safe opened because the key holder is often the cashier. Managers should change the combination to the safe frequently and whenever there are staff changes.

Area Layout

The layout of a business place can also contribute to reducing the risk of robbery.

The premises should be kept clean and well-lit, so that there is good visibility throughout the area. By enhancing visibility the owner makes it difficult for a robber to commit a robbery without other persons in the area noticing. In particular there should be no posters or signs that block the area around the register from view.

Training for Staff

It is important that staff are trained in the Company’s policies that are designed to secure its cash operations. Staff should be taught to give a friendly greeting to everyone who enters the store; they should not only act friendly but briefly look directly into the person’s eyes and ask the customer if they would like any help.

These actions signal to the person entering that I have seen you and robbers do not like to be seen because they can be identified afterwards.

Staff should also be taught to be aware of cars parked across the street or off to one side of the parking lot.

They should know to look for anyone who may be watching the store or loitering in or around it. They should also know that if they are concerned about a person or vehicle, they should not hesitate to contact their supervisor or the appropriate authorities. All staff should know the location of phones or available help outside the premises and emergency numbers should be kept near to the phones.

Go Cashless

As a final point on securing the cash side of the business, owners should encourage cashless purchase in the form of credit and debit cards. These forms of payment eliminate the cash on the premises so that there is no cash for the robber to steal and this eliminates the risk. BF About the Author: Brian Ramsey has a B.A. in Accounting & Management, along with an M.B.A. in Finance and over 25 years in the Caribbean security field.

He is the Regional Development Director for Amalgamated Security Services Limited which is the parent company of Alternative Security Services St. Lucia Limited.

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IN THE KNOW | A Product of the Private Sector Outreach of the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) of the CARICOM Secretariat

CARICOM OFFICE OF TRADE NEGOTITATIONS

Private Sector Trade Note

CARICOM’s Export Overview By: Lincoln Price

CARICOM TRADE PERFORMANCE The Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM) is an almost 40 year old free trade and economic bloc comprised of most of the English speaking islands of the Caribbean along with Haiti, Suriname and Belize. The establishment of CARICOM facilitates various international business possibilities including trade in goods and services as well as cross-border

investment. This trade note focuses on the region’s performance in the area of trade in goods as the information is most readily available.

In 2008, exporters in CARICOM generated US$34.3bn in both intraregional and extra-regional sales. There were about 1,260 tariff lines recording over US$100,000 in 2008 showing the breadth of export activity. Simultaneously, the region’s importers spent almost US$40bn on both intra-regional and extra regional imports (see figure 1).

Between 2001 and 2008, merchandise exports have been more dynamic than merchandise imports. Between 2001 and 2008, merchandise export sales have grown by 19.8% per annum, whilst merchandise import spending expanded by 16.4% per annum. However, the trade deficit still expanded by on average 4.5% per annum between 2001 and 2008 to record US$5.6bn in 2008 (see figure 1).

International merchandise trade opportunities are not being exploited homogenously across CARICOM. In 2008, the dominant regional exporter and importer was Trinidad & Tobago. Trinidad & Tobago accounted for circa 70% of total export sales and over a quarter of import spending in 2008.

Trinidad & Tobago, along with Jamaica, Suriname and Guyana accounted for almost 90% of total merchandise exports in 2008. Similarly, these four member states accounted for almost 60% of total merchandise imports in 2008 (see figure 2).

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This shows that CARICOM trade is concentrated in these territories with the smaller Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) understandably playing a smaller role. However, it is interesting to note that the OECS territories play a more significant role in merchandise import spending than merchandise export earning, with smaller member states such as St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda jointly accounting for over 14% of import spending in 2008. This fact crudely indicates that there are opportunities for import displacement even in some of the smaller member states which are largely being exploited by import activity, and more interesting, mainly extra-regional imports.

Between 2004 and 2008, the most dynamic importing member states were St. Lucia (average import growth rate of 87% per annum); Antigua & Barbuda (36%); Suriname (22%); Guyana (21%) and Jamaica (20%). The most dynamic exporters between 2004 and 2008 were Trinidad & Tobago (28% growth per annum between 2004 and 2008); the Bahamas (22%); Barbados (17%) and Jamaica (16%).

CARICOM EXPORT PROFILE

The USA remained the region’s top export market between 2001 and 2008. In 2008, CARICOM merchandise export sales

to the USA accounted for over one third of the region’s total sales. Other top markets included Nigeria, India, Spain and the Netherlands, jointly accounting for almost 58% of merchandise export sales (table 1).

It will be interesting to see whether these exports are maintained in 2009 when that data becomes available.

Interestingly CARICOM’s exporters are penetrating Nigeria, India and Spain with some dynamism (see table 1). This signals a real change in the top five export markets when compared to 2001 when the USA, UK, Canada, France, and Germany were the dominant export markets for CARICOM firms. Between 2001 and 2008 the most dynamic export markets for CARICOM included India (134.2% average annual growth in export sales between 2001 and 2008); Maldives (130.5%); Slovakia (126%); Nigeria (107%); Azerbaijan (90%); Singapore (86%); Chinese Taipei (85%); Albania (84%); Turkey (82%) and Indonesia (71%).

CARICOM’s merchandise export sales are spread relatively evenly over the range of products that are exported . However, between 2005 and 2008, there was some reduction in product diversification . This essentially means that merchandise export sales were less evenly distributed across all the products that were exported in 2008.

CARICOM firms are also spreading their export sales relatively evenly over geographical markets, and in fact this spread has become more evenly distributed over these markets between 2001 and 2008 . It is also interesting to note that CARICOM firms have greater product diversification than market diversification which could signal that firms are focusing more on product development than on spreading export sales over a number of markets. This could imply that the focus on product lines could be complimented by seeking to tap into new markets, as a focus on a few markets, even with a diversified product line, could be short sighted as export sales become vulnerable to the conditions in a few markets.

CARICOM’s top 20 exports in 2008 were almost exclusively in the resource based sectors of energy and mining (Gold, iron/ steel and aluminum based products) (table 2).

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CARICOM’s fastest growing global merchandise this phenomenon as between 2005 and 2008 sales of light petroleum distillates, aviation spirits and liquefied butanes grew faster than the average growth rate for total intra-regional exports, which could indicate even greater intra-regional dominance of these products. Notwithstanding this dynamic, there were other products which exhibited intra-regional dynamism between 2005 and 2008. The most dynamic intraregional exports included maize seed (1104% growth per annum); lubricating oil additives (1014%); electric conductors for a voltage > 1000 volts (253%); tin articles; cane molasses (71%); husked brown rice (37%); cigarettes containing tobacco (30%); fowls (gallus domesticus) cuts and offal, frozen (28%); mixtures of juices (49%); animal feed (28%); sweet biscuits (40%); hydraulic cement; gypsum anhydrite (92%); shelled cashew nuts (364%); aluminum sulphate (77%); waffles and wafers (50%) and cement clinkers (324%). Firms exporting these products may now need to examine extra-regional markets to compliment their intra-regional sales as the global economic crises seem to abate.

At the other extreme, products “retreating” from intra-regional exports include refined petroleum oils (-33% growth per annum); refined soya bean oil (-12%); raw sugar cane (-36%); surface active preps for washing and cleaning (-29%); insecticides (48%); upholstered seats with wooden frames (-28%); and frozen fish fillets (-45%). Not all of these products may qualify for duty free treatment within CARICOM as duty relief depends on qualifying under the rules of origin. These products require some investigation as to the reasons for their market regression. BF Lincoln Price For further info: www.crnm.org

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 26

CARICOM’s top 20 exports in 2008 were almost exclusively in the resource based sectors of energy and mining (Gold, iron/steel and aluminium based products)

St. Lucia Limited

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• Repair process excellence - fast cycle times • Superb product and color consistency • Color leadership • Global benchmark in technical training & process expertise • Universal toners for basecoat/single layer • Fast, simple compact system • Spectral grey undercoats • Engine Bay Repair Process • Minor Repair System • Quick and accurate color matching

Unit #7, Chakiro Court, Vide Boutielle, P.O. Box 82 Tel: 1758 4585438 /4590959

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IN THE KNOW

Doing Business

THAT MATTERS

By: Vishwatee Jagroop

THE IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

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orporate Social Responsibility has now become a diadem of a marketing tool for companies.

Regardless of being genuine to its purpose or not, there is a reason why this marketing tool works - its portrayal of a business as expansive rather than limited, as touching the very essence of human existence and as embracing core ‘life’ values all seem to be what matters most thereby creating the appeal for companies to be socially responsible.

A company which exists for itself, rather than serving the community/communities for which it depends, will undoubtedly fail to achieve long-term prosperity - it may survive, based on need, but at the core, the measuring stick of employee satisfaction is limited - employees may simply be earning a salary to ‘get by’. So not only has the business constructed a BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 28

self-serving purpose, it also propagates the same limited thinking amongst its employees; society in turn is engulfed with survival and fear and the higher human ideals become just that - ideals -unrealistic and unattainable. A company, being the sum total of the energies of its people, is itself a ‘living entity’. This entity, to achieve its full potential, ought to display balance, ought to do its duty, and ought to be fulfilled. How then can businesses achieve this ‘ideal’; let us consider some points.

1. Leading by example: let us take the example of our multicultural centre NAPA National Academy for the Performing Arts.

Vision is sometimes everything. It is indeed noble to encourage the development of arts and learning amongst our people.

Leading environmentalist and former vice president of the United States, Al Gore,

recently gave a lecture on ‘Going Green’ at NAPA; he, diplomatically pointed out that solar panels could have been used in construction (given that the entire exterior of the building is glass) and these panels could have been reasonably sourced from South America. This being the case, NAPA would have stood out as an emblem for ‘going green’ in Trinidad and Tobago; subconsciously, persons constructing buildings thereafter would have at least considered making their buildings environmentally friendly - the seismic shift in thinking would have occurred bringing us closer to an ideal. The sense of care for the environment would have resonated with citizens for it would have been boldly obvious - that even if global warming was some sort of myth, the sense of care for the environment would have had enormous psychological benefits to our people.

2. Providing products and services which promote the wellbeing of society. An example of this is

the proliferation of fast food places locally, which may be obviously good for economic activity, but the ills of an unhealthy menu are less obvious. Convenience and cost savings having replaced the drudgery of preparing healthy meals but later down the road will result in inconvenience in the form of health disruptions (not to mention psychological disruptions) and higher costs in the form of health bills (for both the individual and the state).

Being a responsible provider of food, means having the expansiveness of mind and value for life, to provide customers with not only tasty food options, but healthy tasty food options, using the right ingredients thereby promoting the wellbeing of society.

3. Innovation: Requires a sense of boldness and determination from entrepreneurs. Locally, we are in dire need for this quality. Dependency on Government and the lack of economic diversification are two ills which would be solved through innovation - but it takes a strong will and foresight. It requires that potential corporate leaders tap into the uniqueness of Trinidad and Tobago and develop products and services accordingly.

We all know the benefits of agriculture to our economy, but longer strides must be taken by the private sector to innovate and deliver the best products in this sector.

Let’s go international - clean technologies are a major challenge today given the high costs due to the lack of economies

of scale. However, Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures and former co-founder of Sun Microsystems, promotes radical innovation to make clean technologies viable and independent of subsidies. Wind Energy, for example, he purports, is in critical need of technological innovation to create storage facilities which will add economies of scale. His venture capital company includes investments in over 90 clean tech and infotech companies ; his companies have been able to build ecomotors which are 50% more efficient, develop an air condition system which uses a new thermodynamic technology to reduce energy consumption and yet another which captures carbon dioxide from power plants and uses it as raw material in cement. The point of this example? Vinod Khosla has stretched the expanse of his mind to solve a seemingly hopeless problem and bring us all closer to an ideal for humanity.

4. Employees: Encourage innovative thinking by fostering a work environment to promote such. Of course, this shifts gear and places reliability on employee maturity; and whilst it is not without challenges, revolutionary changes may sometimes lose energy, however, small steps are a sure means to achieving progress. Innovative activities outside the spectrum of job functions can help broaden employees’ minds and build loyalty.

Charity, taking care of the environment, free expression of ideas all encourage a sense of responsibility from employees, expanding their minds and taking them outside their egos.

These are but a few ways companies can rise to the challenge of creating a business that matters. Believing in an ideal is a difficult undertaking ONLY when there are so many who do not believe; however, by leading example and with one-pointed focus to achieve success, many others will start believing and then eventually start BECOMING. Be the change you want to see. Emmanuel Kant purported that Enlightenment is maturity - the ability to take responsibility for one’s duty. Let us identify models of prosperity, participate in it and admire it because of its sheer glory. Let us be mature enough to embrace Business that Matters. BF About the Author: Vishwatee Jagroop is the Corporate Manager, Proprietary Portfolio Management with First CitizensInvestmentServicesinTrinidad&Tobago.

All information contained in this article has been obtained from sources that First Citizens Investment Services believes to be accurate and reliable. All opinions and estimates constitute the Author’s judgment as of the date of the article; however neither its accuracy and completeness nor the opinions based thereon are guaranteed. As such, no warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, timeliness or completeness of this article is given or made

by First Citizens Investment Services in any form whatsoever.

First Citizens Investment Services and/or it employees or directors may, where applicable, make markets and effect transactions, or have positions in securities or companies mentioned herein. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed shall be construed to be, or constitute an offer or a solicitation to buy

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Spanish For Business!

By: Earl Bousquet

An Initiative Supported by the embassies of Cuba, Mexico & Venezuela

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t. Lucia is both Anglophone and Francophone – seven times British, seven times French -- and alltime Kweyol (a French-based creole) in between. It’s produced the best writer and poet in the English language; and its linguistically elastic brand of creole is spoken by millions in over 28 countries worldwide, most of which belong to the global Francophonie, but also including some in shared communities as far apart as some villages in The Gambia and the French quarter of New Orleans.

But if language is the vehicle of communication and St. Lucia is truly Caribbean, there’s a third Caribbean language its people should learn and speak – Spanish. And indeed they are doing just that.

With St. Lucia reaching out in the 32 years since Independence to other neighbouring Hemispheric countries in Latin America and the rest of the Caribbean, citizens have become more and more exposed to the language left us by the Spanish invasion.

But history be shelved, Spanish is the language in which English-speaking Caribbean students are taught at BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 30

Universities in Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela and other Spanish-speaking countries that offer scholarships to the Anglophone Eastern Caribbean.

Similarly, local students attending French universities or institutions sharpen their command of that other ‘mother tongue’ in various parts of the Francophonie.

We have French and Spanish language programs on our cable TV. But businesses are finding that more and more they have to address their language needs – and, the sooner the better. Not only do sales persons need to know the basic words and phrases to communicate with nonEnglish-speaking customers, but business managers and executives too need language skills to better communicate in today’s global business environment.

The world over, businesses are addressing language needs, as are even some governments looking beyond the horizon. English has become mandatory at most important schools and businesses in China, while the world’s tourism and business capitals -- from London to New York to Tokyo -- are teaching and learning Mandarin today to prepare for tomorrow’s

China. It’s also been happening here. I never knew any non-Chinese St. Lucian who could speak Chinese. Indeed, I didn’t think anyone did -- until I met a young Foreign Affairs Ministry official who’s as fluent as can be. We also have many more people than you’d imagine, who speak the languages you would least expect.

Spanish language teaching and learning has been very much alive over the years in St. Lucia. The Venezuelan Cooperation Institute has been giving free Spanish classes at the Cooperation Centre on the John Compton Highway for more than 20 years. Thousands of secondary school students have been taking Spanish language classes over the last three decades. And then there are the hundreds of Cuba-trained graduates who now litter the public and private sectors.

And then the scores of Spanish-speaking foreign nationals living and working in St. Lucia on various government and private sector assignments. Besides, St. Lucia has diplomatic relations with Spanish-speaking countries ranging from Spain to Santo Domingo, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Cuba to Costa Rica and Mexico to Venezuela.

There may be over a hundred Spanish language teachers in St. Lucia today; and half that number in mid-February 2011 established the first St. Lucia Spanish Teachers Association, with pledges of support from the Cuban, Mexican and Venezuelan ambassadors to St. Lucia, who attended their inaugural meeting. It says enough that the entire two-hour meeting was conducted entirely in Spanish.

But it isn’t only for the academic community that the teachers are teaching Spanish. They also foresee St. Lucia developing business relations with Latin America and the Spanish speaking Caribbean in the coming period and are starting to look in that direction as of now.

If we as a country are to better integrate with our other Caribbean neighbours, we must take Spanish on board as a language for communication. Our businesses will need Spanish, to develop business relations with the private sector in the Americas as St. Lucia and the OECS seek to develop more South-South trade, and as we seek to make use of the opportunities that will come with Free Trade arrangements with fellow OAS (Organization of American States) member-states in South and

Central America.

Historically, Caricom / OECS - Latin America trade isn’t at the level it can and should be. But, in various ways -- more small than big, but significant enough -it’s growing steadily. Increasing numbers of St. Lucian and Caribbean retailers head to Panama’s free zone and other Latin American business capitals daily from airports from north to south -- Jamaica to Trinidad & Tobago. So much so, that Panama’s popular TACA (airline) has started a daily service to several Caribbean capitals (with St. Lucia on the list). The increasing contacts with Cuba -- which is now opening wider for business and to tourism -- also opens new avenues for more business contacts between Havana and Castries.

An official delegation from Santo Domingo was here recently to work with the local private sector to increase business between the Dominican Republic and St. Lucia.

All these links, existing and under construction, require the basic linguistic skills for adequate communication for good and better business relations and results.

Local fashion clothing and other private outlets with in-house Spanish language skills say they are no less visited and do no less business than duty free shops, as resident Spanish-speaking non-nationals and visitors come, recommended by satisfied past customers, who themselves always return once visiting, for business or pleasure.

The resident Cuban, Mexican and Venezuelan Ambassadors, recognizing all the above, were rather excited about the fillip to be given Spanish language teaching by the new association of predominantly young persons, more women than men, all local and all working with the language every single day. Knowing who these teachers are and what their association does would be a worthwhile investment by any business with eyes beyond St. Lucia’s borders, with rates of return the extent of which will only be calculable when Spanish becomes, for the local private sector, another language for business. BF About the Author Earl Bousquet is an Experienced Caribbean Journalist specialising in Political & Current Affairs operating from St. Lucia.

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IN THE KNOW

A Haven of

Luxury

Around 6,000 annual airline passengers are currently enjoying comfort, peace and tranquillity in the middle of a busy airport before starting their long airline journey home.

Peace and tranquillity is found in Hewanorra’s designer-built Iyanola Executive Lounge, a haven of luxury available to passengers travelling in first and business class cabins with some airlines and others paying US$50 for a one-day pass allowing entry into the facility.

The lounge has been designed with quiet and comfort in mind. The lighting is restful and seats are the sort that their users will not feel inclined to leave once they have sunk into them. Light snacks, tea, coffee and a well-stocked bar are also on hand inside the lounge along with flat-screen television sets, newspapers and magazines. An Internet and free fax facility is available along with card swipe telephones. The lounge has found favour with hundreds of business passengers waiting for flights and needing time to catch up on paperwork or to make calls before boarding. The lounge is also useful for small business meetings.

There is no danger of passengers’ level of comfort and ease in the lounge resulting in their missing aircraft boarding when departure time approaches as lounge staff note which flights passengers are travelling on and alert them when this is announced. BF

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PROFILE FOCUS

Meet the New Flag Bearer for RBC & RBTT in the Eastern Caribbean

Harriet Thornhill “RBC and RBTT are open for business...” says the newly appointed leader of both organisations for the Eastern Caribbean,

A

s President – Eastern Caribbean, RBC Financial (Caribbean) Limited, is responsible for leading the operations of RBC and RBTT in the Eastern Caribbean (EC) region and the implementation of strategies and activities focused on enhancing and sustaining client loyalty and growth, and employee capability and engagement.

With roots in Barbados and a career built mostly in Montréal, Quebec, and Toronto, Ms. Thornhill is able to bring the best of her diverse experiences to her current position and works closely with her teams in Antigua, Grenada, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent/Bequia, Dominica, and Montserrat.

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In her 25 plus years at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), she held a variety of senior leadership positions in Branch Management, Marketing, Recruitment, Client Experience, Leadership Training, and Sales Leadership. Most recently, she was Regional Vice President in the Greater Toronto Region. Through her leadership, top-tier business results were achieved and sustained in the market for which she was responsible.

Her return to the Caribbean followed RBC’s acquisition of the RBTT Financial Group in 2008. A little over a year ago, Ms. Thornhill migrated from Canada to take up the position of President of the Eastern Caribbean, RBTT Financial Group. As the integration of RBTT and RBC progressed, she eventually became responsible for RBC’s operations in the Eastern Caribbean as well.

“There are many facets, and many layers to our integration. While ‘One RBC’ will not be visible overnight, we are open for business and our focus remains on our customers and creating experiences that will continue to earn us the right to be their bank of choice. We are investing in enhancing the skills and service delivery of our employees, in addition to reviewing and making improvements to our product offerings,” she said.

This focus on client care is embedded in her vision for the Eastern Caribbean.

“With the partnership and support of our committed employees, I envision a strong and stable financial institution, where customers choose us because it is seamless to do business, the experiences are personal and memorable, and the employees are knowledgeable and proud to be a part of the team. Above all else,

RBTT Main Branch Castries, St. Lucia

From Left; Paul Sherman, Executive Director, Rapport Youth & Family Services; David Kibuuka; Harriet Thornhill, Regional Vice-President, Royal Bank of Canada.

I envision an environment that will lead to us becoming the bank and employer of choice in this region!” she said.

Throughout her career, Ms. Thornhill’s influence has extended beyond the board room, winning respect and admiration in the communities where she devotes her service. Her community leadership and involvement has increased RBC brand awareness and impact. They include the RBC Greater Toronto Executive Champion, 2006 Charity Trust Leadership Cabinet; Executive Cabinet member for the 2006 William Osler Health Centre Foundation Public Fundraising Campaign; and 20082009 Chair of the Black Business & Professional Association (BBPA) National Scholarship Program. In Dec 2009, during a farewell cocktail in her honour, she was awarded a plaque from the BBPA as a Youth Advocacy & Community Builder for her

leadership, dedication, and commitment to the advancement of the BBPA National Scholarship Program. Ms. Thornhill was the RBC Greater Toronto Region Executive Champion for the Black Cultural Markets and has been instrumental in leading the RBC Black History month events every year. Most recently, in recognition of 2011 Black History Month, she was honoured, among others, by the Ontario Black History Society, in its annual poster and magazine, as one of the African-Canadian “Builders of Canada”.

Ms. Thornhill’s personal mission is very much aligned with RBC and RBTT’s, whose social investment initiatives are focused on the areas of arts and culture, education, the environment, and sports. In particular, her work is reminiscent of the awardwinning RBTT Young Leaders Programme, which is keenly embraced by students and

educators in the Eastern Caribbean.

“We’re all meant to serve a greater purpose, and I believe this is mine….Out of my personal achievements emerge the means to champion and obtain greater support for community initiatives that have far-reaching impact. I believe we can all use the successes of our professional careers as catalysts for influencing change in other areas,” she said.

Through her own actions —contributing to the leadership of one of the largest banks in the world, helping to shape the landscape of the financial services sector in the Eastern Caribbean, and volunteering her time and energy to build better communities—Harriet Thornhill is demonstrating just how such a vision can be achieved. BF

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PROFILE FOCUS

New

Move

Management & Staff of FICS

St. Lucia’s best-known indigenous financial and investment entity aims to be the leading non-bank financial institution in the OECS. And it’s heading there with a new captain at the helm…

Every institution comes to the point where it must shift gears. Financial Investment and Consultancy Services (FICS) got to that point at the end of 2010 when its founding Managing Director, George Theophilus, at 74, decided the ship needed a new captain. The island’s bestknown non-bank family business started in 1992 limited with a share capital of EC $140,000 and has made a profit every year since – except the first. It now has an asset base of over $110 Million and equity including share capital has reached over EC$13 Million.

It traditionally offered such services as educational and pension plans, fixed deposits, personal BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 36

loans, mortgages, refinancing, repairs and renovation loans. But with the market continually changing, FICS needed to poise itself for new opportunities in a wider, more vibrant market. Enter Sharmaine Rosemond-Francois, a 10-year veteran in 21st century banking and finance.

Specializing in banking, brokerage, capital markets and investment banking, with collective experience from Bank of St. Lucia, the Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings (ECFH) and the Caribbean Money Market Brokers (CMMB), she has all the credentials. Holder of a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree in Accounting and Statistics, as well as post-graduate qualifications from universities in the UK, Canada and the Caribbean (UWI). She has mobilized arrangement of over $600 Million in corporate and government bond issues on the Regional Government

Securities Market (RGSM). After two months on the job, the new MD spoke to Business Focus at her downtown, Bridge Street, Castries office.

BF: What have you brought to the job?

SRF: Youthfulness. Energy. Experience.

I’m here now, having worked in the new and emerging areas we’re looking at for growth and expansion. I’m looking beyond our borders. We’re aiming for new areas of business in this new dispensation.

We’ll operate in a wider space. We’ll get active on the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE), for instance. Our market will therefore not just be St. Lucia, but every island in the OECS. I’ve brought to the FICS table all my experience from BOSL, ECFH and CMMB. BF: Looking at new forms of business?

Like what?

SRF: We are looking at expanding

From L - R: Ms. Wendy Theophilus Deputy Managing Director, Chairman George Theophilus and Managing Director Sharmaine Rosemond-Francois

the business to include brokerage services on the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE). This would allow FICS to trade in stocks and bonds on behalf of investors who wish to buy and sell securities, raising funds on the capital markets for Governments and corporations throughout the OECS and to expand our product base to include repurchase agreements – buying and re-selling government bonds to investors. We won’t tackle the banks on their turf, but we intend to become a leader in the capital market.

BF: What’s the scope for that type of change by a non-bank, private business in the current economic circumstances in the OECS? SRF: A lot. Companies and Governments need broker-dealers to assess, shape and re-shape financing proposals for the securities market. We can make it easier on their cash flow. The capital market is young and it’s moving away from the traditional forms of security funding. There’s much scope and we’re broadening our horizons.

BF: What should be the mission of a non-bank indigenous financial institution like FICS in the new international economic dispensation and new emerging trends in the Caribbean?

SRF: Selling our indigenous nature. We’re closer to the local companies and entities and individuals. We understand them better than the regional conglomerates, and that’s better for their confidence.

We’ll build the awareness of our businesspeople regarding the new trends and changing markets. We’ll help pave the way for our local businesses to enter and explore the regional and international capital market. And we’ll be there, side by side, holding hands as we walk -with them -- all the way. For example, on April 2nd we’ll have a seminar on “Women and Finance” – a sort of a financial makeover, with women in mind.

BF: You’re expected to provide continuity. Will you?

SRF: Sure. I’ve already started. My predecessor, the founder MD, had and has confidence in me after my ten years experience at different levels in different businesses in the market in St. Lucia and the OECS. He was actually my mentor for many years, but I also had to relate to him as a competitor. We understand each other, so I can sell continuity to him and my board and our shareholders. Besides, he hasn’t really gone away: he’s still Chairman of our Board of Directors. So there…

BF: Your expectations?

SRF: To see FICS grow into a leader – the leading non-bank financial institution in the OECS. We’ll continue to offer all the services we’ve been know for over the past 19 years. But we’ll also ultimately grow the company by building on its legacy and embracing new opportunities that come with the changing trends.

FICS is regulated by E C C B FICS offers:

* Competitive loan facilities to individuals * The Best interest rates for EC$ investments from as low as EC$100.00 * Tax - Free Savings geared at retirement & housing * Safest form of investing through FICS Treasury Backed Notes

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PROFILE FOCUS

Landslide caused by Hurricane Tomas

Hurricane Tomas The Urban Planning Lessons: Part 2

Business Focus: Lets talk about the issue of flooding. This was major issue during Tomas as well as when it rained in the weeks after the hurricane which had a domino effect of problems.

Duane Marquis: In unplanned development people ignore buffer zones and setbacks on rivers. People use the rivers as their garbage dumps and all those things add up. Then you have garbage coming down the rivers busting pipelines and compromising the structure of roads.

Let’s consider the Castries River. If you drive and follow that river and you go from Marchand to Bagatelle and all the way to Trios Piton, you see different types of development. There are no buffer zones along the river. I am referring to a certain amount of space that you ought to allow between the banks of the river and the development which are non-existent.

And one of the biggest problems that compounds the whole situation is the BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 38

dumping of garbage into the rivers. We are talking about old cars, refrigerators and trees. Once you get a little blockage, the whole thing goes haywire. Mostly all the bridges that were compromised during Tomas, were because of garbage.

Claude Guillaume: It is not that people necessarily want to throw their garbage in the drain and be dirty; they do not have a choice. The problem is not that people throw their garbage in the drains; the problem is that we have planned it incorrectly and we are not allowing for the garbage to be properly collected. So we have to analyze the causes and how we got there. It is the way we planned (or failed to plan); for instance, the way we allowed Castries to be subdivided and further subdivided to a point now it is unsustainable. If you look at Castries East in particular, there were house lots that were originally 5000 sq. ft. per lot, where someone had a house on it. They

decide to allow someone else to come and build a secondary shelter unit and that person rents or sublets from the land owner. What has happened is that a lot of the landowners of East Castries have left Castries and moved north. So you get this progressive subdivision of the individual properties into multiples. It becomes very difficult to reverse the process. You have to be very forceful about it. One location can be redeveloped it in an exemplary way, causing some people to be displaced, but the future lies ahead and you show people a vision, where you can transform your city into something worthwhile and the reward is a long-term benefit for all. You systematically do that so you regenerate the urban fabric in a planned visionary way. People will understand discomfort if they see a rational and beneficial end to it.

BF: In the days following Tomas, alternative means of travel were utilized, referring to the use of a ferry service by sea

Garbage build up at Bananes Bay, Castries

from Castries to Vieux Fort. As planners, should this alternative means of transport be implemented as a regular means of transportation?

Duane Marquis: If we were to look at that as a major way to and from Vieux Fort this is a step backwards. That is how it was done 60 years ago when there was no Canaries road and people working in Castries had to take a boat. It is not just a prejudice about boats. You have to look at the mindset of St. Lucians. To have a proper ferry service that could complement and take off the heavy traffic you have to put proper infrastructure and systems in place with proper ports to receive and process people. We do not have the facilities to do that. If you are going to be processing thousands of people a day, you need to have a proper port service. People historically like to be with their cars and park close to where they work, it is a mindset, people are not likely to park their car down in Vieux Fort and be comfortable to stay miles away from it for the day.

Claude Guillaume: Take Trinidad. They now have a high-speed boat, high quality, air-conditioned environment with TV screens and in about 30 minutes you are transported from Port-of-Spain to San Fernando. There is no reason why we couldn’t do something like that here. But it is indeed correct to say it requires proper infrastructure.

Duane Marquis: But in doing that, the infrastructure will still be neglected. If you consider Barbados, they got a lot of pressure when they decided to build the ABC highway. And people thought why would the government want to acquire lands in the middle of the island and it took a long time and a lot of money, but it at it now it works.

Claude Guillaume: But it is a catch-22 situation. As you develop the highway, you increase motorcars, with more car ownership you then increase the necessity to spread to sub-urban locations, to residential areas and it escalates. The ultimate experiences of that is Los Angeles and Miami where you have incredible urban sprawls that have developed and it is now recognised as being a disaster. You cannot sustain it. When the price of oil goes up, as it inevitably will, those conurbations will suffer. We need to explore rationalized public transportation systems and we have to be visionary and anticipate that need. We can do that by proper planning of communities to minimize that kind of traffic that is faced to get from home to work and school. And at the same time where you do have to travel, you do it in a way that is economical. If you have one machine that can take 50 people from one place to another, using the same amount of fuel to drive a car, with one person, it doesn’t make sense, it is just not economic.

BF: The damage during and after the hurricane are the effect. What are the causes?

Duane Marquis: We go back to planning and infrastructure. That is where it starts.

Right now in the planning authority, anyone that is doing a development, of above five lots, if they cannot show that they have the ability to put in the infrastructure, which includes electricity, water, drainage, and proper roads that the government can acquire to maintain after one year, it does not get approved. People think that this is draconian and shafting the ‘poor man’ of trying to sell a couple of lots, but that is how, in small areas where the vision can take root. You are imposing in those developers the right thing to do.

Claude Guillaume: The planning authority has the responsibility to determine the zoning so you do not get misfit development taking place. If there is proper declared zoning for every piece of land on this island, that becomes the longterm vision for development. Then there are certain areas where someone might own a piece of land and it is zoned for agriculture and not for residential, then it cannot be developed for residential. But what has happened is a lot of zoning gets by passed or diverted by the demand and not by the long-term picture of how things should be. In terms of development, it should never be because 10 people say they want to develop land as residential which is actually agricultural land and because they demand it, they must get it. The long term benefits for the country has to be seen in the zoning pattern that is where I blame the government planners for not doing adequate service to the country by getting a proper zoning plan organised.

Duane Marquis: Right now on the books all we have is forest reserve and agriculture land. But the government though the agencies then allow for a leeway where you could apply for a change of land use.

And if the project is lucrative enough, it provides employment, development and tourism opportunities, for instance agrotourism opportunities, you weigh the options and then you change your views Claude Guillaume: What the planners have to do is recognize. Once they make a change of use, the impact that has not just on that particular change of use but on the demand for the changes, you have to take that into account and by and large they don’t and that is a pity. BF

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

& Sign Pact to Spur Development in Caribbean

IDB Group President Luis Alberto Moreno

PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi.

PepsiCo Inc, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, and the Inter- American Development Bank ( IDB) on Wednesday announced a landmark partnership to spur social and economic growth in 26 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The partnership’s inaugural project was launched in Mexico with an agriculture initiative that seeks to significantly expand commercial sunflower production, the IDB said in a release.

The project is to create a sustainable market for sun- flowers – a once- thriving BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 40

commercial crop which has diminished in recent years – while providing loans and a source of income for some 850 Mexican farmers and their families. For PepsiCo, the sunflowers will provide a source of hearthealthy high oleic sunflower oil ( HOSO) for cooking potato chips, biscuits, nuts and other snacks PepsiCo produces in Mexico under the Sabritas and Gamesa- Quaker brands.

The five year partnership between PepsiCo and the IDB will mark the first time a private sector organisation has participated in the IDB’s innovative regional

trust funds for development activities.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony in Mexico City attended by Mexican President Felipe Calderón, IDB Group President Luis Alberto Moreno and PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi.

“PepsiCo has a long history of doing business throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, and we’re proud to demonstrate our commitment to this vitally important region through our first of its kind partnership with the IDB” said PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi.

“Our initiative to develop the Mexican

“Great Opportunities for Agriculture” sunflower market is a powerful example of how we can bring together the resources of public and private sectors to work together to deliver real value for local communities, for our consumers and for our business.

We look forward to collaborating with the IDB on a wide range of sustainable development projects across the region”. “ We joined forces with PepsiCo because of its strong presence in Latin America and the Caribbean and because of our shared view that investing in strategic social development initiatives will yield tangible economic benefits for a wide range of communities,” said Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the IDB. “Together, IDB and PepsiCo can have a greater impact in addressing the critical needs of the region than we can separately, and I’m excited to accelerate our work through this landmark joint effort.” As part of the sunflower production programme, PepsiCo has committed to purchase 100 per cent of the crop, for an estimated $ 52 million over seven years. Additionally, PepsiCo will invest $ 2.6 million to support management of the Mexican sunflower crop and will provide technical training to the small farmers.

Financial partner Agrofinanzas, an institution specialising in supply chain finance, will make available $ 40.4 million for micro loans to provide the farmers working capital.

The IDB through its Opportunities for the Majority Initiative, will provide Agrofinanzas a partial credit guarantee for up to $ 5 million.

In addition to the Mexican sunflower programme, the partnership will expand on successful projects across the region, such as the Waste Pickers programme launched two years ago in Peru and Colombia.

Waste Pickers promotes recycling by creating a sustainable market for recycled materials and providing the training local recyclers need to generate a sustainable income stream. Waste

Pickers will roll out in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic as part of the new partnership.

Through the broader regional partnership, the PepsiCo Foundation and the IDB will collaborate to address a variety of critical issues in Latin America and the Caribbean, including water and sanitation, recycling, youth development, disaster relief and recovery, sustainable agriculture, nutrition and food security, and sharing knowledge and best practices about sustainability.

These focus areas are consistent with previously stated PepsiCo sustainability goals including commitments to provide access to safe water to three million people in developing countries by the end of 2015, to provide technical support and training to local farmers, and to help address global nutrition challenges.

Through this partnership, PepsiCo will leverage the IDB’s technical and financial strengths to maximise programme impact and achieve scale, while the IDB will leverage PepsiCo Foundation resources on behalf of its development agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Additional programmatic elements of the public- private partnership, as well as financial terms of the agreement, will be released in the coming months.

PepsiCo offers the world’s largest portfolio of billion dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $ 1 billion in annual retail sales. BF

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Can Innovation Solve the Caribbean’s Growth Crisis?

By: Keith Collister

In a dynamic presentation, Professor Miguel Carrillo of Trinidad’s Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (named after the famous Trinidad Entrepreneur) argued that the entire English speaking Caribbean is experiencing a growth crisis (most countries are projecting growth of only 2 per cent in 2011), and that this is the result of the region’s over concentration in tourism and commodities. He predicted that the Caribbean’s growth prospects would continue to be slow as long as they were based on old, as opposed to new, sources of growth.

Carrillo argued that in the case of Jamaica’s core tourism product, where repeat business was critical, it was not encouraging that the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index ranked Jamaica only 117th out of 139 countries in terms of its customer orientation (above Trinidad but below Barbados) and 107th in terms of its capacity for innovation (all the Caribbean did very badly in this area).

The essence of competitiveness was learning how not to compete, meaning that one needed to provide a “different, unique, singular” product so that you “don’t have to compete based on price”.

He observed that “Sandals was a beautiful example of not competing”, as they had created a distinctive product offering that was not sold on the basis of price.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 42

A number of attempts to duplicate their offering, in countries such as the Dominican Republic, had so far failed.

Examples of best in class innovation included Coca Cola, which was still finding new ways to sell water, sugar and colorant, Mexico’s multinational cement company Cemex (who doubled their margins when they realised they were not in the business of construction but reliability), and Starbucks, which was not selling coffee but a consumer experience.

He outlined the critical pillars of national competitiveness as including: • Domestic Investment (signifying the confidence your own people have in your country) • Export Capacity (a good indicator of efficiency which also measures the attractiveness of your products in other markets) • Imports • Inflows of Foreign Direct Investment (the capacity to attract foreign investors in the right sector).

• Capacity to Invest Outside of the Country • Domestic Innovation.

Chile, a small country of 18 million people, is now less interested in inward directed foreign investment, as they know they have to find growth abroad. As a result of this change in strategy, Chile was now the second largest investor in Peru, and

the third largest investor in Columbia. The key was the size of the market opportunity, as despite Columbia’s relatively small size internationally, a market micro niche there would be the equivalent of a total monopoly in the Caribbean.

He viewed it as troubling that there were very few Caribbean Joint Ventures despite it being obvious that to achieve double digit growth, the Caribbean would need to grow its markets abroad.

Carrillo observes a CEO will say innovation is critical, but can’t explain how to innovate. He argues that in the Caribbean we punish failure, and regard entrepreneurs as weird and reckless.

Innovation requires the innovator to be different, relevant and generate value for customers like no one else can. Innovators must be experts in the observation of human behaviour, able to insert themselves into the cognitive, physical and emotional space of customers to narrow the gap between what customers do and say as customers lie when they respond to surveys.

Innovation is actually a human process, akin to anthropologists and psychologists learning to observe behaviour, and may require turning a physical object into the subject of emotion. Carrillo observes “It is not what customers say, not even what they do, but what they feel. One can be a great inventor, but if you don’t turn the

invention into money, it is not innovation.”

Innovation should also not be mistaken for entrepreneurship. Anybody can start a business. The challenge is to turn it into a great business. Everybody makes mistakes but the innovator must make intelligent mistakes.

A great innovation process does not mean coming up with new ideas. This is actually the worst method as most new ideas are bad ideas as they are not devoted to solving problems, and when they get rejected the author doesn’t try again.

Instead, the innovation process should reward teams that come up with the best problems to solve for the company.

By rewarding the best problems, and turning them into innovation challenges, the company creates the necessary innovation agenda.

Carrillo observes that an example of a misplaced agenda is a development banking client that said all projects that it wanted to fund must be successful, which is not possible, although a strong innovation process could raise the success rate.

He outlines six steps or types of individuals required to be a champion innovator.

These include: 1. An Idea Generator 2. A Gatekeeper - someone close to the companies operating environment who understands market constraints.

3. An Idea Sponsor - provides resources and political support.

4. A Project Leader - ideally separate from the idea generator to avoid them ignoring the negative feedback of losing money due to their prestige being invested in coming up with the idea.

5. A User Champion (think Apple computers) 6. An Exit Champion - a devil’s advocate with arms length perspective.

He observed that a critical part of a country turnaround (the best recent example being Colombia) was gaining the ability to retain the best local talent. Indians now prefer the Indian Institute of Technology to Harvard, whilst Chile has succeeded in bringing back PHDs from MIT, London School of Economics and McGill through an aggressive recruitment programme.

Ideas should be connected to the vision of the company (you can’t go it alone), advice which is just as relevant to a country as a company. BF Source: Jamaica Observer Keith Collister is a Writer with the Jamaica Observer

Professor Carrillo, a Mexican National with vast experience in academia and industry is an accomplished academic. He has had a distinguished career, spanning over twenty-one years, in twelve different countries, and in three languages. Carrillo has replaced Professor Mark Oakley, as Executive Director at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (formerly the UWI-Institute of Business) was established in 1989 as a joint venture between the University of the West Indies and the private sector of Trinidad and Tobago to provide postgraduate education in business and management.

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

It Might be

Systemic

By Betty Combie

Many businesses in their quest to address a barrage of customer complaints are opting to train their staff in customer service.

Customer service training is important. However, if repeated customer service training has resulted in very little or no change in the number of customer complaints received, then more than likely customer service training is not the solution to the problem. Rather the problem might be systemic.

So how do you begin to create a system that is customer-centric? Well, you enhance your existing management structure so that it operates as a system of activities geared towards customer satisfaction.

Begin by identifying all the activities that make up your business. Recognise and communicate the value chain in these activities – that is the chain of activities that produces and delivers the product or service to the customer. These are your core activities. All other activities should support this core. Therefore when the production supervisor informs the purchasing officer that materials are urgently needed to meet a customer order on time, that urgency is also recognised by the purchasing officer. When the sales supervisor requests extra staff to handle the large volume of customers during the Christmas season, then the human resource officer can relate to that request.

It is about every employee understanding that the core activities must be operating effectively and efficiently for the business to survive.

State your intent or establish a policy as it relates to your company’s commitment to meeting customer needs. Sensitize staff on this policy.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 44

Set objectives aligned to the policy, for example, fewer customer complaints and increased positive customer feedback.

Also set objectives related to the quality of your product or service such as reduced error rate and reduced cycle time, as this is usually a major cause of complaints.

Remember to ensure the objectives are measurable.

Now whereas the quality of the product or service you offer may be satisfactory, you must deliver it in a manner that is pleasing to the customer. Hence the importance of customer service training. This is NOT common sense to every employee.

Always get the request of the customer in writing. This record can be referenced to ensure the requirements are accurately met. It can also be referenced when there is a disagreement as it relates to the requirements of the customer. Also in the absence of the person who dealt with the customer, the request is readily available to be handled.

Encourage effective two-way communication with the customer to determine and understand their needs.

Solicit information (by way of interviews, questionnaires, feedback forms, focus groups, etc) as well as accept unsolicited information (especially complaints) from customers. Bill Gates said that your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. Address complaints promptly.

Don’t get your customers mixed up.

Ensure customer records have a unique identifying name or code. Keep track of the status of the work being done for the customer. Prompt information on the status of a request pleases a customer.

Don’t aggravate the customer by

misplacing or losing their items. Don’t release customer information without the customer’s permission. Protect items and information belonging to the customer while in your company’s possession.

Do NOT hand over anything to the customer without first checking it for errors. When errors are spotted, employees must be encouraged to record them. Addressing the errors must not be about assigning blame but rather about re-examining the activity to make it better.

Stay on top of the situation. Businesses make it a point to conduct financial audits.

However, a favourable financial report depends on satisfied customers. Hence a management system audit aimed at determining how well your company is meeting the needs of its customers is also recommended. Audits provide confidence that the system is operating according to the company’s policies, procedures and processes. Don’t allow your customers to lose confidence in you.

Finally, review the system at least once a year – determine whether or not the objectives set related to customer satisfaction are being achieved. Utilize information coming from audits, customer feedback, analyses of processes, and other customer related activities. Use the results of the review to strategize for the following year.

Without a doubt a systemic approach aimed at customer satisfaction calls for some additional investment. However, it is guaranteed to result in fewer complaints and more satisfied customers. BF About the Author Betty Combie is a Quality Systems Trainer bcombie2000@yahoo.com

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BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

Is A Satisfied Customer

Loyal?

By: Pilaiye Cenac

A

young marketing assistant insisted on using the terms customer loyalty and customer satisfaction interchangeably. Oh how irksome! She believed that they were one and the same, and would allow no one to tell her otherwise. I needed to find a way to illustrate the difference to her; her company’s wellbeing depended on it. I asked her one simple question, and I think it represented the turning point, judging from the look on her face. The question was an eye-opener (pun intended).

I asked, “Do you believe that a satisfied husband is a loyal husband?” I think she experienced a mental struggle and I suspected that I had landed her husband in the hot seat. She thought for more than a moment and then responded, “No.” And she is right. A satisfied husband is not necessarily a loyal husband. It’s no different with customers. There are customers who are very satisfied with your products and services but (do not be misled) those are not necessarily people who will stick around ‘for better for worse, for richer for poorer…’

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 46

Customer satisfaction is in fact a measure of how well you have met your customers’ expectations. Have you met those expectations? Fallen short? Exceeded them? This is a basic requirement for staying in business. Using the husband example again: a husband has certain expectations of a wife; he’s not necessarily blown away when she performs certain wifely duties. He would think, “…but isn’t that what a wife is supposed to do”.

Likewise, isn’t your business supposed to provide good services or products? Why should a 95% satisfaction rating make a company complacent?

Customer loyalty on the other hand refers to a deeper emotional connection with the company. A loyal customer is more likely to stay ‘till death do us part’ because of that relationship. He or she knows the company and the company knows him or her; it’s not a one-time transaction – the relationship is more personal than that.

Similarly, a loyal husband has moved beyond mere satisfaction; he stays with his wife even if he is not satisfied with certain things in the marriage. His wife holds

his heart. They have a history together; therefore it’s harder to exit the marriage.

And just to clarify, issuing a loyalty card cannot on its own make a customer loyal, no more than a wedding band can keep a husband faithful.

I could only imagine the ear full this girl’s poor husband got when she arrived home that evening, but at least she finally understood what I meant – her CEO might see that as the greater good. I do hope that no other husbands get into trouble on account of my analogy, because I only intend to show that companies need to have greater intimacy with customers to be able to secure that competitive advantage. BF About the Author: Pilaiye Cenac is an entrepreneur. Her qualifications include a BSc in Psychology and Sociology, and MSc in Marketing. She is also a PMP® and a published writer. One of her companies— InTandem— focuses on low cost approaches to enriching the customer experience.

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Car Care Tips

T

here is a lot of confusion about the right way to care for your car’s appearance, but Automotive Art can assist with any uncertainty. Your car is likely to be one of your most significant investments. Taking care of your car’s paint surface will result in a more attractive vehicle. But just as importantly, it will enhance the resale value of your car.

Below are some tips on the various types of products used to care for the surface of your car.

Car Wash

Washing removes loose surface dirt, road grime and loose contaminants that have not yet bonded to the surface.

All Meguiar’s washes such as NXT Car Wash, Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner, Rich Suds or Soft Wash Gel are specially formulated to clean well, without stripping wax protection or dulling and drying out all paint types. All Meguiar’s washes also contain special conditioning agents that leave behind a slick, high gloss surface.

Note: Never use household detergents such as dishwashing liquid or soap powder; they contain harsh chemicals that will damage the paint finish.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 48

Cleaning Removal

&

Caring For Your Car’s Apearance Scratch Car Wax Coatings

To remove stubborn contaminants such as swirls marks, oxidation (dulling or fading) defects, stains and scratches washing cannot remove we recommend using one of the following Meguiar’s Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, Meguiar’s Scratch X, Meguiar’s Body Scrub.

Note: You cannot have a high gloss unless the surface is clean - gloss, clearness and durability of a finish depends on a clean surface.

Polishing For Higher Gloss

Regular applications of polish are the best way to prevent Oxidation (fading dulling) and nourish the paint to keep it healthy and vibrant. Meguiar’s offers two types of polishes, Cleaner Polishes and Pure Polishes. Cleaner Polishes such Meguiar’s Swirl Remover 2.0 are for removing very light or fine defects while restoring a crystal clear, smooth high gloss surface. Pure polishes such as Meguiar’s Deep Crystal Polish, New Car Glaze, are for finishes already in excellent condition and are for the purpose or creating brilliant high gloss with deep dark reflections.

&

Protective

Waxes help seal in the polish, help the gloss last longer and they act as a sacrificial barrier or protective film. To create a long lasting brilliant high gloss we recommend using Meguiar’s Nxt Tech Wax, Meguiar’s Gold Class Wax, or Meguiar’s Cleaner Wax Note: Applying a second or third coat ensures uniform coverage.

Everyday Maintenance

No matter what protection is used, contaminants will continually land on your car’s finish that can bond or etch into the finish. To remove environmental contaminants before they can cause problems we recommend using Meguiar’s NXT Spray Wax or Meguiar’s Quik Wax.

Bug & Tar Remover

Bug splatter and road tar are highly adhesive and when left in place they will bond to your paint, potentially causing etching or staining. Gold Class Bug & Tar Remover and Gold Class Bug & Tar Remover Wipes are specifically designed to remove these extra tough substances before they mark your finish. BF For further info: www.automotiveart.com

A True Reflection Of Elegance And Refinement, Ideal For Making The Perfect Statement To The World A man’s clothing says a lot about him. Whilst it’s true that the clothes don’t make the man they certainly go a long way in helping others form an opinion about the wearer. For decades Hugo Boss has understood this. From the company’s inception in 1924 it has garnered an international reputation for creating high-end luxury men’s wear and accessories that complements the wearer, enabling him to look sharp, distinct and stylish.

Hugo Boss, headquartered in Germany and named after its founder, is pleased to announce the opening of its first store in St. Lucia. Located on the second floor of Baywalk Mall, Rodney Bay, one is immediately welcomed by the contemporary décor and relaxed ambience of the store.

The open layout, at first glance, draws the shopper’s attention to clothing suited for all occasions: whether it’s for work, play, business, casual or formal events.

Within the store shoppers can find Hugo Boss’s three main collection of clothing labelled Boss Black, Boss Orange and Boss Green.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 50

Boss Black places great emphasis on using precise, exceptional details to create classic, timeless designs in both formal and casual wear. Available in this collection are lightweight suits and jackets that are tailored to fit closer to the body conveying a professional and flattering image for professionals.

These can be complemented with dress shirts, Italian made ties and shoes, and leather bags. For the smart casual look one can choose from a wide selection of jeans, full length trousers, attractive shirts and tees all made from the finest materials.

Boss Green clothing seeks to exceed the athletic needs of sportsmen by providing practical, functional active wear and accessories. The relaxed, sporty look and feel of the clothing is emphasized by inbuilt sun protection, moisture wicking fibres and other convenient features, all guaranteed to leave the wearer focused on winning the game.

Also available are golf bag, driver covers and other clothing suitable for all leisure activities.

Boss Orange has become synonymous with leisure wear that is fun, creative and cool. The clothing offered ranges from trendy jeans, to beach wear in colourful prints and patterns. Included in the line are graphic t-shirts, casual leather and sports jackets, fantastic shorts and a wide variety of footwear, ideal for everyday use.

At Hugo Boss we know you will appreciate the range of high-end merchandise that is on offer at duty free (picture ID and travel itinerary needed) or duty paid prices. Adding to your shopping experience is the excellent level of customer service that we provide.

This includes customised tailoring service that enables you to effortlessly exude good taste and elegance.

The store’s contact number is 452 9195. Gift cards are available for purchase and can be redeemed for any item storewide.

Opening hours are Monday – Thursday 10 AM – 7 PM, Friday & Saturday: 10 AM – 8 PM and Sunday: 11 AM – 6 PM. BF Nady Leonce

www.hugoboss.com Phone +49 7123 940 HUGO BOSS AG BOSS Black

BOSS Store Menswear

Rodney Bay

HUGO BOSS

Bay Walk Mall

Shop #51

and the winner is...

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Welcome to the

Winner Takes All

L

ive from Sandals Grande eleven winners were awarded amongst thirty-one shortlisted nominees at the 2011 St. Lucia Business Awards on January 29, 2011 as the closing event for St. Lucia’s Nobel Laureate week. The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce hosted an evening of glitz and glamour for a second successive year. As elegantly dressed guests entered the Digicel Opening reception, they were escorted through the buzzing red carpet where live interviews took place on their way to the ballroom for the official award ceremony. Hosted by Kwency Griffith and Sharlene Jn Baptiste the audience was treated to a number of stellar musical pieces interspersed amongst the announcement of awards. Boo Hinkson and Deanna Phillip featured a piece written

by Adrian Augier, while Barbara Cadet paid tribute to Charles Cadet who was on hand to witness the tribute and finally, Blaise Pascal closed the show with a piece entitled ‘Time to say goodbye’

by Andrea Botticelli - all contributing to the showcase of excellence amongst St. Lucians.

The Business sector who were the real stars of the evening came out in overwhelming numbers to support their own businesses and the private sector in general as they were awarded for successes in various aspects of business operations. Although there were only eleven winners, all thirty-one nominees proved that the private sector is making great strides in developing themselves and achieving fantastic results within key areas of business.

In addressing the audience on Saturday evening, the Chairman of the awards committee, Dr. Charmaine Gardner stated: “We have reviewed the submission and adjudication processes and engaged our corporate partners, our general membership and our esteemed judges in the revision of forms, refining the guidelines in each category to make them more user-friendly while maintaining the quality of information required for sound and objective evaluation, thereby improving the consistency of criteria to ensure that our judging continues to be balanced and fair.”

Overall the 2011 St. Lucia Business Awards was a resounding success with live coverage, exceptional glitz and glamour on the red carpet and superb entertainment celebrating corporate St. Lucia’s success culminating in a high spirited after party where all nominees and winners celebrated their successes! BF

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Black Ties, Red Carpet,

Glitz,

Glamour & Glittering Awards

St. Lucia’s Business Awards 2011 You can call it The St. Lucia Business Oscars. Or something like that. Because, the annual St. Lucia Business Awards has fast become the red carpet event of the year for the island’s business community. It’s the night that large, medium, small – and even micro -- business all look forward to. Having talked all the talk, that’s the night all would see who’d walk the walk along the vaunted carpet for the coveted prizes. The judges had judged; now, in anxious anticipation, all eagerly awaited the names to follow each announcement from the podium: “And the winner is …”

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awards 2011

Everything within their means was done by the organisers at the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture to give the evening of January 29th, 2011 an Oscar feeling.

The venue wasn’t Hollywood or Los Angeles, but the setting was the closest it could have been that evening. The opening reception lacked nothing to whet the evening’s anticipatory appetites. Media personnel, including TV camerapersons and press photographers lined every yard of the red carpet for video shoots, still shots and interviews. Ballroom seating closed at a precise time, as the Awards Gala was being broadcast live. And, of course, the Corporate Sponsors’ logos were very prominently displayed.

The glittering black tie, dazzling evening gown, $150-per-head affair at the William Jefferson Clinton Ballroom of the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort attracted business leaders and representative teams from the 31 local enterprises that had thrown their hats into the judges’ ring. They were however vying for 11 awards – with no second places.

The local business stars took to their tables and chairs to hear, see and celebrate the award winners in this annual event jointly sponsored by the Chamber and the Prime Minister’s Office, under the distinguished patronage of Her Excellency the Governor General, Dame Pearlette Louisy.

As with the Oscars, each announcement was preceded by video snapshots and presentations of what the nominees were selected for. The two MCs (Kwency Griffith and Sharlene Jn Baptiste ), the live performances by Ronald “Boo” Hinkson and Deanna Phillip, Barbara Cadet’s tribute to Charles Cadet’s musical excellence and Blaize Pascal’s reverberating rendition – all helped elevate the evening to the star-studded event it was carved out to be. Chamber President Chester Hinkson delivered a prepared address that, for a long brief moment, shifted the focus to the societal responsibilities that face business BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 56

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people – and indeed, all St. Lucians alike.

As with previous ceremonies, the categories ranged from Idea of the Year, Marketing, Human Resource Development and Service, to awards for Green (Environmental) initiatives, Innovation, Corporate Leadership, Corporate Social Responsibility, Exporter of the Year, Business of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year.

A panel under the chairmanship of Justice Suzie d’Auvergne had perused the details of the submissions from the competing companies and every one of the 31 finalists looked forward to going home with each of the prizes they were nominated for.

Excitement was written all over their faces as the island’s business leaders beamed in appreciation of every mention of their accomplishments in the past year. They had submitted entries based on such qualities as strategic marketing initiatives, strong human resource policies, customer service delivery, application of environmentally friendly policies, online publications favourable to the business climate, development of key new export markets for local products, giving back to the community through sponsorships, on-time delivery to customers, visionary leadership and exceeding industry norms.

That being the final event to mark this year’s Nobel Laureates Week, the annual invitations by the patron of the Nobel Laureates activities, Her Excellency the Governor General (under whose Distinguished Patronage the evening’s event was being held) for St. Lucians to “strive for excellence” (like Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott) was clearly heard and taken up by the local businesses, once again.

Most indicated that despite the effects of the world economic crisis, more local businesses were finding innovative ways and means of meeting the challenges and beating the odds to survive today and strive for a better tomorrow.

CEO’s and other business leaders who won awards all paid necessary tribute to their support management and supervisory staff for helping implement the new policies aimed at taking them through whatever periods the changing regional and international economy may throw at them.

Absent but acknowledged was veteran businessman, Ferrel “Bam” Charles (of the JQ’s business clan), who was awarded for his long-standing contribution to the development of the private sector. Almost a permanent staple in the leadership of the Chamber over many, many succeeding years, “Bam” was awarded a special prize collected by his daughter Linda Augier.

The Chamber cannot but come better next year. It must. And, from everything Executive Director Brian Louisy and his team said after this year’s gala, they cannot but… Anything less would be – obviously – less than the rest and less than the best.

Louisy maintained his usual sober face throughout the lively evening. Confident all along that his team would have delivered a show much worthy of attending, he was already thinking of next year’s.

“Next year, we want to encourage even wider participation,” he told me between sips of what looked like water.

True, participation this year extended beyond the usual business boundaries to include at least one micro biz entity (Kay Dee Dolls) that made the nominations list, as did one social group (RISE Inc) concerned with encouraging the island’s youth and children in positive directions, as well as an interior designing entity (Options) and a charitable entity (Sandals Foundation).

Media houses also featured this year, including a newspaper (Star) and two marketing companies (Right Angle Imaging and Accela Marketing).

“We want to highlight and encourage the excellent quality of those committed to the quality of excellence that exists across the business community. It exists among micro, small, medium and large businesses, but it doesn’t come by itself. We want to identify, promote and encourage these excellent quality products across the business spectrum, because quality has nothing to do with size. Rather, it is embedded in the attitudes that drive the business, no matter the size.” Louisy expressed.

That so well said, it’s back to Sandals Grande and the unveiling of the night’s big winners, the businesses and business personalities who are St. Lucia’s business standard bearers for the next year until the 2012 St. Lucia Business awards. BF About the Author Earl Bousquet is an Experienced Caribbean

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Business of the Year Award for

WINNER

Mr. Carlton Glasgow and the 1st National Bank St. Lucia Limited

WINNER

WINNER Windward and Leeward Brewery BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 58

WINNER St. Lucia Distillers

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Chamber Business Award Nominees And WINNERS* 2011

Nominees Emerge From St. Lucia’s Competitive Corporate Community with a significant increase in submissions over the 2010 awards. Judges were able to determine three nominees in most of the St. Lucia Business Award categories.

Idea of the Year

WINNER WINNER

WINNER

Idea of the Year WINNER* Accela Marketing Rise St. Lucia Inc.

Award for Marketing Excellence WINNER

Award for Marketing Excellence WINNER* St. Lucia Distillers Ltd.

KayDee Dolls

WINNER

WINNER

Bank of Saint Lucia Courts St. Lucia Ltd.

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Award for Excellence in Human

awards 2011

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Resource Development WINNER

WINNER

Award for Excellence in Human Resource Development WINNER* Scotiabank

Service Excellence Award WINNER

Service Excellence Award WINNER* First Caribbean Bank

Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings

WINNER

1st National Bank St. Lucia Limited

WINNER Courts St. Lucia Ltd.

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Green Awarde Award

WINNER

WINNER

Green Award WINNER* Sandals Regency St. Lucia Golf Resort & Spa Windward & Leeward Brewery Ltd.

Prime Minister’s Award for Innovation

WINNER

WINNER

Prime Minister’s Award for Innovation WINNER* Right Angle Imaging

The Star Publishing

Kay Dee Dolls BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 62

WINNER

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Exporter of the Year Award

WINNER

WINNER

Exporter of the Year Award WINNER* St. Lucia Distillers Windward and Leeward Brewery Ltd.

Award for Corporate Social Responsibility WINNER WINNER

Award for Corporate Social Responsibility WINNER* 1st National Bank

Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings

Sandals Foundation BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 64

WINNER

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Entrepreneur of the Year Award WINNER WINNER

Entrepreneur of the Year Award WINNER*

Construction & Industrial Equipment Ltd. Options Inc.

Award for Corporate Leadership

AMK Inc.

WINNER

WINNER WINNER

Award for Corporate Leadership WINNER* 1st National Bank

The Star Publishing

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WINNER Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings

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Recognition Inspiring Confidence

“Once you are 1st, you can never be 2nd.”

Award for Business of the Year Award for Corporate Leadership – A personal Award for Mr. Glasgow Award for Corporate Social Responsibility BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 68

1

st National Bank for the second consecutive year was awarded as the big winner at the Business Awards 2011. Business Focus sat down with Mr. G. Carlton Glasgow, Managing Director of the financial institution, on the Bank, his leadership approach and their three awards.

Business Focus: This is the second consecutive year that 1st National Bank is honoured at the Business Awards as the big winner of the night. What keeps this institution winning?

G. Carlton Glasgow: Teamwork. Teamwork. Teamwork.

It is one thing to pay lip service to teamwork; it’s another thing to make it work. I have articulated this on many occasions. I understand my role, which is to set parameters, take positions, make decisions and guide the Organisation bearing in mind the strategy approved by the Board of Directors of the Bank.

BF: 1st National Bank was awarded the coveted Business of the Year Award, what does that mean for the institution moving forward?

GCG: That sort of recognition embeds confidence in your staff. Right now the staff can execute their duties with confidence knowing that they have received some recognition by persons who have seen the benefit of our work. I think that helps and it goes right through the ranks of the Bank. And that can only be beneficial to the Bank. Hopefully when I and older colleagues have left, the younger persons who are in here now, can take up the mantle and continue to live the dream. Because it is about sustaining the legacy and you have to have confidence in what you are doing in order to achieve success. There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance and one has to tread carefully. I tell my colleagues that we must have earned the awards before we won them. And that is very significant.

BF: You received a personal award for Corporate Leadership.

What is your approach as Managing Director of 1st National Bank?

GCG: If I had a choice, I would have settled for the award for Business of the Year because it’s all about the Bank. I will eventually move on but I would like to see the Bank grow and prosper. My leadership strategy is multifaceted. In my view one has to be situational as far as leadership goes. How one deals with something today, may change tomorrow if one is presented with a set of different circumstances. I also make it a habit of listening to the people I work with. We have the understanding that anyone can come up with ideas freely and even disagree with me. I believe in mutual respect at all levels in the organisation but it is understood that I will be the decider at the end of the day because that is my role. I also believe that one must not be rigid in one’s thinking and make adjustments based on fresh information without losing focus on the bigger picture.

BF: Having won the Award for Corporate Leadership, what do you think defines good corporate leadership?

GCG: Definitions are difficult things. You have to know yourself.

You have to integrate your team into your thinking without losing focus. You have to know what the final objective is. There will be difficulties along the way but I observe a principle, though

not original in its articulation, it works for me: ‘The difficulty of success does not relieve you of the obligation to try’. The objective is to raise the profile and standards of this Bank and make it a preferred financial services provider. Every financial institution, no doubt, has that same objective. It is the execution of your strategy to achieve that objective, that counts. You have to live the strategy every day and that translates into many things. Your team has to be a functional team. You have to rely on them; you have to know they have your back and you have theirs, so to speak.

BF: You keep referencing teamwork, expand on that idea.

GCG: Teamwork is so important. In my opinion, you need to have the right people doing the right things. Therefore, if you have a mismatch between a person and his or her executable responsibilities, you run into problems. We are fortunate in that we have the right people in the right positions and specifically, the right management positions. The other staff will take their lead.

BF: The 3rd Award won is for Corporate Social Responsibility.

Why is giving back so important to 1st National Bank?

GCG: It is essentially our own philosophy of giving back to our society. We cannot be ‘all things to all men’, so to speak, but we can look around to see where the needs are and try to make a difference. It is not the amount of money you toss at something. It is when and where you apply the help. So our interventions are very carefully aimed at where we can help particularly in Education, Sports and the Arts. Wherever we can help in the total development of our people, that is what we aim for – and that is what social responsibility is all about.

BF: How does being awarded factor into the operations of the bank?

GCG: It is not all about winning awards but it is about earning the respect and confidence of our customers and the general public, because that is the business we are in. Last year we won the category of Service Excellence. I was a bit disappointed that we did not win it again this year. Service Excellence is something we will never give up on. Granted we were nominated, but we would have preferred a win. We have first class staff that take service delivery seriously and so we will continue to work hard in that direction. We need to ensure our customers are happy and have a good banking environment.

BF: Finally, what comes next for 1st National Bank?

GCG: At the moment we have plans this year to commence the new four storey building on Bridge Street in Castries, opposite our existing main branch. We expect to open our new branch in the next few weeks at Choc Bay and we are going to increase the space at our Rodney Bay branch. All these are good signs. It’s a sign of growth but you cannot grow unless your customers grow with you. We took immense pleasure last year in introducing Mobanking to St. Lucia and the mindset we operate on is, once you are 1st, you can never be 2nd. BF

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And The

Winners Are St. Lucia Distillers Award for Marketing Excellence

St. Lucia Distillers Limited’s Chairman’s Reserve Rum was established with an emphasis on quality through the endorsement of the Chairman as a regionally recognised as a leading authority on rum. The Strategic marketing campaign saw a soft start-up with a gradual build up of marketing initiatives as the product experienced positive growth. In most recent years strategic sponsorships, outdoor branding and electronic advertising have been the key components of the marketing campaign, which have enabled Chairman’s Reserve continually, grow within St. Lucia and the export markets.

Exporter of the Year

St. Lucia Distillers is one of the leading manufacturers in St. Lucia and have exported within the Caribbean for over 15 years and in the last 18 months to some key European countries. They currently export to: United Kingdom –United States, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and in the Caribbean: Barbados, St. Martin, Dominica, St. Vincent and Grenada. St. Lucia Distillers has been very successful in most markets and over the last two years has seen some export market sales more than double.

Accela Marketing Idea of The Year

Accela Marketing created St. Lucia’s 1st and only locally produced television reality series – THE BIG START. This pioneering concept presented a full season of radio, television and print advertising, through an exciting new pop culture concept that balanced educational content with entertainment in order to keep viewers excited.

The Big Start was highly successful in imparting sound business principles, showing the business start up process from beginning to end, began to create a greater understanding and interest in entrepreneurship. As a result of the Big Start, lives were forever changed, a bar was set and a cultural shift was created as Saint Lucians saw themselves on television in a new way, and an essential spirit of entrepreneurship was ignited among the youth.

Construction & Industrial Equipment Ltd. Entrepreneur of the Year Award

CIE is owned and operated by St. Lucian Businessman Renault Gadjadhar, who engages in every aspect of the construction industry. Renault climbed the ladder of success driven by true grit and determination, leading his group of companies to achieve many successes along the journey. In 2010 CIE extended the award-winning GEN-X youth entrepreneur programme, serviced hundreds of clients in the unique construction Industry Stimulus package offered by CIE and delivered on their commitment to a number of major national and private projects, maintaining an overall very high delivery time.

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 70

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awards 2011

feaure

FirstCaribbean Bank

Service Excellence Award

FirstCaribbean Bank is a major regional bank, which in St. Lucia employs 130 team members across five branches. For FirstCaribbean Bank, customer service delivery is paramount and is underpinned by an all-encompassing set of universal standards under which FirstCaribbean’s innovative Helpful Partner Programme was established.

Other key initiatives instituted by the FirstCaribbean Bank includes the use of customer feedback mechanisms to drive the process of delivering customer service and initiatives, which integrate staff into the service delivery process.

Right Angle Imaging

Prime Minister’s Award for Innovation

Right Angle Imaging Inc. is a market leader with recognised expertise in strategic consulting, media and marketing communications. In 2010 Right Angle Imaging created Ti Zafè, which is an annually updated MSME trade directory online, in print, and on mobile-phones. The broad vision is to establish a micro and small business movement gelled by a trade listing and dynamic brand. A veritable “Craig’s list” for MSMEs, Ti Zafè sensitizes MSMEs to become registered with trade organisations, to pursue valuable networking, training and accreditation opportunities and to satisfy the market’s need for quality, reliability and background checks.

Sandals Regency Spa at La Toc

St.

Lucia

Golf

Resort

&

Green Award

Sandals Regency St. Lucia Golf Resort & Spa has received Green Globe 21 Certification for travel and tourism for the past 7 years. Sandals Regency has an Environmental Health and Social Sustainability Policy which includes initiatives such as fresh water conservation, producing 20,000 gallons of water per day, energy conservation, management of solid waste and waste water and the management of hazardous chemicals. Sandals maintains a dual process of reduction in energy consumption, as well as an increase in efficient energy – with a strong focus on reduce, reuse and recycle.

Scotiabank

Human Resource Development

Scotiabank has a strong culture of commitment to staff and continue to ensure that staff are recognised as the most important part of the organisation and are taken care of financially, physically and emotionally. Scotiabank places great emphasis on each employee’s individual development plan and has established an excellent communication process which supports the ongoing training and development of staff at all levels. Additionally, Scotiabank provides excellent staff benefits and encourages a strong team environment. With a strong human resource policy the development of staff is paramount.

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Impressions, Expressions & Legacy The Nominated, the Winners & the Guests

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BIZZ BUZZ

CGM Gallagher

Acquires Barbados’ Atria Brokers Continues expansion into the Caribbean By: Alicia Roache

Insurance Brokers to the Caribbean, CGM Gallagher, has made another acquisition, this time it is the Barbados based Atria Insurance Brokers, one of three planned for the Caribbean region this year.

CGM Gallagher Group CEO, Matthew Pragnell told Caribbean Business Report yesterday that the acquisition continues the expansion plans of the already largest Insurance Broker in the Caribbean region. The Group has grown through the acquisition of CGM Gallagher St Vincent Ltd and Caribbean Risk Managers Limited as well as establishment of start up operations of new companies in St Lucia and Grenada.

“We always have our eye on growth,” said Pragnell, who acquired the Jamaican based Zenith Insurance Brokers and its US$10 million ($860 million) portfolio last year. “With Atria, and the recent Zenith portfolio buy-in what we’ve tried to do is take advantage of the generally depressed economy to continue to grow our client book and provide additional value to our clients across the region.”

“Acquisitions will continue to play a major role in this effort and we are pursuing at least two new opportunities in the region. Of course we are bound under confidentiality agreements and can’t give details on these,” Pragnell said.

CGM, already manages premiums in excess of US$120 million (J$1 billion)

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regionally. The Group operates in Jamaica, Barbados, St Vincent, St Lucia and Grenada, and is licensed to operate in Antigua, Anguilla and Dominica, among other countries in the region.

Pragnell would not disclose the value of the acquisition of Atria, founded in 2007 and which has since made solid inroads in the Barbadian Insurance Broking sector, instead pointing to the strategic and intrinsic value of the Broker’s Real Estate portfolio.

“It’s a relatively small acquisition for us but it is important because of Atria’s client portfolio,” Pragnell said.

“We have made the strategic decision to diversify our P&C (Property and Casualty) portfolio in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and Atria’s strong real estate portfolio made it a really attractive buy for us,” Pragnell said.

Richard Ince, the Managing Director of Atria will move to CGM Gallagher Insurance Brokers (Barbados) Limited in the P&C division where he will continue in the management of the Atria portfolio.

John Rocheford, Executive Chairman, CGM Gallagher Barbados said the Atria acquisition was in keeping with the Group’s focus on growth. “We’ve set our sights on becoming Brokers to the Caribbean.

For the Group, this means servicing our clients’ needs on the ground throughout the region. This Atria deal means that we

are even better geared towards not only managing Barbadian risks but also the Caribbean interests of these companies,” Rocheford said.

CGM Gallagher Barbados was founded in 1980. The company merged with Jamaicabased International Insurance Brokers in 2004, making it one of the largest brokers in the English-speaking Caribbean. In 2008 it partnered with US-based AJ Gallagher & Co. (AJG), one of the world’s largest insurance brokers, listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). With these recent acquisitions and more planned for the Group, there is the issue of how these will impact the share price of AJG on the NYSE. Pragnell said the acquisitions are a key part of growth, but because of the relatively small scope and minority partnership, they will not affect the share price of the NYSE stock.

“We’ve seen a lot of consolidation among international insurance players and AJG has signalled its commitment to growth with a US$125 million bond issued just for acquisitions. CGM Gallagher’s own plans follow this trend but do not impact AJG share price based on scope and the minority partner relationship we share,” said Pragnell. BF Source: Jamaica Observer Alicia Roache is a Writer with the Jamaica Observer

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BIZZ BUZZ

Cable & Wireless Selling Bermuda Business Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) is selling its operations in Bermuda to a family-run Canadian Cable and Telecommunications company in a US$70 million deal.

Once the sale to The Braggs Group gets government and regulatory approvals, it’s expected to be finalised by the end of March 2011, at which time the new owners say they’ll keep the same employees and local management.

“In fact, we expect to increase local Bermudian employment in the near future,” it said in a statement yesterday.

News of the sale comes two weeks after CWC reported that its Caribbean operations continue to suffer, at the same that it announced it had signed the final agreement to acquire majority control of Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTC).

CWC Chief Executive Officer Tony Rice said the Bermuda divestment is consistent with his company’s strategy to reshape its portfolio and develop the business around full-service telecommunications operations in a series of core regional hubs.

“Bermuda does not fit our business model as it is not a full-service operation while BTC provides excellent opportunities

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and a strong strategic fit with our Caribbean Business,” he said in the statement announcing the divestment to The Bragg Group. “The US$70 million consideration represents an excellent return on our longterm investment in Bermuda.”

Rice said the developments in Bermuda and the Bahamas together represent the first steps in reshaping the CWC group as outlined at the time of the demerger last year.

Cable & Wireless Bermuda, which is part of CWC’s Monaco & Islands unit, is an international gateway business providing data capacity, carrier, internet and International Direct Dialling calling services. It also provides data centre and disaster recovery services to the corporate community, and partially owns alternative local network provider Quantum Communications Ltd. CWC also owns stakes in two international cable systems which land in Bermuda that are operated separately and not part of the transaction.

The Bragg Group’s purchase of the Bermuda business marks the first time the Nova Scotia-based company has expanded its telecom business beyond Canada, according to reports in Canadian media.

The company is a cable and

telecommunications provider, operating under the Eastlink brand.

Chief executive officer at EastLink, Lee Bragg, said this first step outside of the Canadian marketplace offers lots of possibilities.

“Apart from being an excellent investment that we expect will provide growth opportunities for many years, there are natural synergies between Nova Scotia and Bermuda,” he said.

“I expect our new relationship with Bermuda will lead to many other business opportunities for our company both in Bermuda and in Canada.”

Ann Petley-Jones has been named CEO of the Bermuda operations.

Along with the sale of the Bermuda business, CWC yesterday announced an on-market share buyback programme of up to US$100 million in order to return capital to shareholders.

“The share repurchase programme of up to US$100 million is consistent with our policy to seek the best opportunity for increasing shareholder value with the Group’s available cash resources.

I am pleased that we are developing our portfolio management approach in tandem with our progress in developing the businesses,” CEO Rice said. BF

David Shaw, CEO LIME and Right Hon. Hubert Ingraham, PM of The Bahamas at the agreement signing

CWC/LIME REACHES AGREEMENT WITH GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS FOR BTC

Cable & Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) has signed agreements with the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to acquire a 51% interest in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC). Although the final agreement is subject to a number of conditions including Parliamentary and regulatory approvals, CWC expects to close the transaction in March 2011.

BTC will form a key plank of CWC’s LIME business, the leading full-service telecommunications provider in the Caribbean. CWC has worked with the Bahamian Government to develop a business and restructuring plan for BTC to improve and expand its services and increase its customer focus.

The key terms of the sale and purchase agreement and the shareholders’ agreement entered into with the Bahamian Government in respect to BTC are consistent with the memorandum of understanding announced on December 2, 2010 and include: • CWC will acquire 51% of the shares in BTC, including management control of the business, for US$210 million.

• The purchase price is based on BTC having net cash of B$15 million (US$15 million) on closing, and is subject to standard post-completion adjustments for actual net cash and working capital balances at closing.

• The liberalisation process for the mobile sector will commence no sooner than three years after privatisation.

• Workforce restructuring programmes during the first two years after privatisation will be undertaken on a voluntary basis.

Commenting on the acquisition, Tony Rice, CWC’s Chief Executive, said: “BTC is a business with strong prospects, well positioned in one of the region’s largest economies. It will form a key part of our LIME business, benefiting from our regional platform and scale, while maintaining its Bahamian character.”

“Our immediate focus will be on preparing the business for competition. We intend to improve its networks, introduce new services and move it to a cost base able to sustain the business in a competitive environment. In partnering with the

Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas we believe that we can deliver a world-class telecoms capability to the people and businesses of The Bahamas,” he added.

David Shaw, CEO of LIME said: “The Bahamas is very important to Cable & Wireless Communications and LIME. Our vision for BTC is to put the customer at the centre of the business and to put the business at the heart of the Bahamian community.”

“Our business plan aims to deliver exciting, innovative options including mobile TV, music, and mobile banking; competitive pricing and a new retail experience. When customers win, the business wins, which is absolutely the way it should be. We’re looking forward to working with the local team to build an amazing telecoms business for The Bahamas.” he added.

The shares in BTC will be acquired by CWC Bahamas Holdings Limited, a whollyowned subsidiary of CWC. BF

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BIZZ BUZZ

Colm Delves, CEO of Digicel Group

profits up 32 percent in Q3 The Caribbean’s leading mobile telephone service provider Digicel announced another impressive set of financial results for the quarter ended December 31st 2010.

With subscribers up seven per cent year on year to 11.5 million across Digicel’s 32 markets worldwide, Digicel continues to perform well across the board. It has seen growth in all of its major markets including El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago and data revenues have doubled year on year.

In terms of Digicel Group Limited — which comprises the 30 markets of the Caribbean, El Salvador and the Pacific — for the quarter ended 31st December 2010, revenues were up 32 per cent year on year to US$580 million, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) was up 32 per cent year on year and reached a record high of over US$240 million.

Digicel Group CEO Colm Delve said: “I am pleased to report that we have had another very strong quarter. Digicel has outperformed its industry peers with strong revenue growth and robust margins.

“We remain committed to ensuring our customers benefit from best value, service BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 80

and network — and in our ongoing efforts to give back to our communities. I would like to thank our valued customers and staff for making Digicel the success it is today.”

Key achievements in the quarter include: * Launch of mobile money services in Haiti under the “Tcho Tcho” Mobile brand and award of the “first to market” grant of US$2.5 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation * Successful launch of 3G+ service in the French West Indies * Successful issuance of US$300 million of senior notes — proceeds of which are to be used for general corporate purposes * Acquisition of two ICT businesses — Netxar in the Caribbean and Datanets in Papua New Guinea — to further expand Digicel ICT expertise and capabilities * Breaking ground on the new Digicel global headquarters in downtown Kingston, Jamaica * Digicel named “Best Operator in a Developing Market” at the World Communications Awards and Denis O’Brien winning the Jamaica Observer Business Leader Foreign Investor Award * Renovation of the central point of

trade — the Coronation Market — in downtown Kingston, Jamaica.

Speaking exclusively with Caribbean Business Report last night, Delves said: “In relation to Jamaica, we grew our base by a further three per cent to 2.09 million customers, which clearly demonstrates that we continue to be the mobile provider of choice. We are also very happy with the progress we have shown in our WiMax 4G business which is growing steadily every month.

The Haiti “Tcho Tcho” mobile money service, which was awarded a US$2.5million grant from the Gates Foundation, having been first to achieve pre-specified targets, has resonated really well in Haiti as it will significantly reduce the cost of banking transactions and we hope that we will be able to replicate this in many other markets subject to being given the appropriate regulatory clearance — which is the only impediment.

As we move towards our tenth anniversary, I would like to thank our loyal staff and customers —- whilst we have expanded into 32 markets, the Digicel story started in Jamaica and we are very proud of the fact that we are a Jamaican multinational. BF

When small business owners

Q: How can a small business owner go about laying the foundation for a corporate culture like Virgin’s?

Whether you’re launching a new business or preparing to expand your existing one, laying a solid foundation for the future is critically important: bringing in investors, getting your contracts right, hiring your core team members, choosing the right suppliers. The fact that you are thinking about this question shows that you already have a sense of where your priorities should lie and you’re ready to follow through. To be honest, when my friends and I started the first Virgin business 40 years ago, we had no master plan; especially not one for a group of companies that by 2011 would number more than 400 businesses around the world and employ 50,000 people. Had we tried to plan for such a future, we would certainly have messed it up. If there is a “right” way to develop your company’s culture, our experience shows that it should evolve organically.

In 1970, my friends and I weren’t planning to do anything other than make some money and have a good time while doing something we loved. We loved listening to music, so we tried to sell records to other kids who wanted a fun place to hang out while deciding which ones to buy. We had no marketing plan or budget; our goals were simply to make enough money to pay the rent and our suppliers, and to have some cash left over at the end of the month. Our launch was really no different from that of most small companies, since few entrepreneurs start thinking about their business’s culture until it is already well established. If I think back to what we did right, it was in our planning process, when we made sure we were having fun working together and that everyone who had a good idea was included in our decision-making process.

We had accidentally stumbled on the core elements of a culture dedicated to delivering great customer service.

It turned out that people who work

in a friendly environment that is tolerant of mistakes, and who are empowered to make decisions about how they do their jobs, arrive at the best possible s o l u t i o n s for serving customers.

When you’re sorting out what your front-line colleagues’ priorities should be, remember that how you treat the customer will form the basis of your corporate culture. Put your staff first, listen to them, and follow up on their ideas and suggestions. Because you can be sure that every person on your staff already has deep insights into what your customers want and what employees need in order to deliver it. Should they focus on delivering solutions tailored to each customer’s needs?

Or on building lasting customer relationships? Or should they quickly deliver the goods or services your company offers? Listen carefully and find ways to empower each person to do a great job. One of my mentors, the late Sir Freddie Laker, was famous for his standard response to any staffer who came to him to whine about something: “Don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions!” (He could certainly never be accused of running an autocracy.)

Small-business owners often find it tough to learn how to handle success.

When a business does well, many chief executives start to focus solely on increasing profits, no matter what the cost; leaving behind everything that originally made the business special. The founder usually moves to a big corner office on the top floor and never again sets foot in the factory. Employees who were integral to the company’s early success suddenly find they are the last to know what is happening, and their views are no longer valued or sought. So try to ensure your company grows at a comfortable pace and, whenever possible, involve your employees in the company’s evolution. If you are a small-business owner mulling over an expansion, tell all your employees about your plan—include everyone from the truck driver to your senior team—and ask

for their input. If you can, it would be best to work out the details of the expansion plan together, taking into account the challenges faced by your employees, and incorporating improvements they would like to make. The ultimate winners will be your customers and the bottom line.

At Virgin, we have never had to struggle with the typical problems of big corporations, probably because we never really got big; we just diversified. Our growth was once described as “vertical disintegration” because our new businesses frequently appear to be tangential or even completely unrelated to our core mission.

When Virgin was known for producing and selling records, for instance, we started up an airline. The traditional corporate response to our typical plan for a new business would be, “I’m sorry, but we’re a ____ company. This business is not within our core competency.”

But we see a uniting factor in our dedication to customer service. Instead of becoming a huge, bloated entity locked into a single sector, these tangential forays have kept our company fresh and different; we are always learning new businesses and recruiting smart new people. Each Virgin company is run by its own largely autonomous management team that relies on the same small-business principles we’ve employed since the very beginning.

Whatever route you decide to take as you expand your business, make sure that it builds on your company’s past successes, and that it fits with the corporate culture and the vision for the future that you and your team have created. If someone says, “That’s not the way a big company would do it,” take it as a compliment!

Sir Richard Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group and companies such as Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America, Virgin Mobile and Virgin Active.

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BIZZ BUZZ

Dress

U

for Success

nsure what to wear to work, particularly in an office environment? Here is how to stay informed.

Unless your job requires you to wear a uniform, choosing clothing for work can be difficult, costly and time consuming. Of course in some cases there are industry norms, such as the navy blue suit for accountants and bankers. However, what if you work in an industry where there really isn’t a typical style of dress?

To complicate the matter further, there are companies that allow more casual attire. So how do you keep from crossing the line from casual to sloppy? What about a job interview? You want and need to look your professional best, but you also want to appear as if you “fit in” and not too “stiff”.

• Here are some pointers for dressing for any type of work situation: • First and foremost, no matter what you wear, your clothes should be neat and clean.

• Keep your shoes in good condition.

• Make sure your clothes are not ill fitting.

If you are a size 16, DO NOT put on a size 12 or 14 because the fabric has traces of Lycra/Spandex/ Elastane.

• For men, if your waist is size 32, your BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 82

By: Donna-Marie MacIntosh

pants size should also be 32 and sit on your waist, not falling down under your rear end.

• Your hair should be neatly styled.

• Women, be sure to keep your makeup subtle.

• Nails should be clean and neat and of reasonable length. Using a pencil to press the keys at your pc is not a professional look.

• Dress for the job you want. If you aspire to be a manager, dress like the managers in your company do, but feel free to add your own style.

If you are able to dress casually to work, there are still some codes to follow.

Although in theory most people love the idea of not having to wear a suit to work, they are often confused by the casual dress policies some employers have instituted over the last few years. Here are two simple rules: • Casual doesn’t mean sloppy, which means your clothing should still be neat and clean.

• Bear in mind you are still going to work, not a party or night club.

• If you are going to a meeting or making a presentation, professional attire may be in order, be sure to confirm.

• In job-hunting, first impressions are

critical. Remember, you are marketing a product - yourself - to a potential employer, and the first thing the employer sees when greeting you is your attire.

You must make every effort to have the proper clothing for the type of job you are seeking. Will dressing properly get you the job? You never know, but it will give you a competitive edge and a positive first impression.

Should you be judged by what you wear?

Perhaps not, but the reality is, of course you are.

In addition to following the general rules for dressing for work, heed this advice when you go on a job interview: • Adhere to the employer’s dress code: find out whether it’s formal (suit) or casual by asking around or by observing employees arriving for work.

• Dress slightly better than you would if you were an employee. If the dress code is casual, you should take it up a notch.

• Cover up tattoos and remove body jewellery until you know whether they are acceptable at that particular workplace.

• Again, your hair should be neatly styled.

Now your know what to wear, in all situations, do not forget to leave home without wearing your confidence. BF

Developing Human Potential Training Schedule March—July 2011 March 2nd – Professionalism and Work Ethics 22nd & 24th – Human Resource Training 101 30th – Building Your Self Esteem & Assertiveness Skills April 13th & 14th – Performance Management/Managing Employee Performance 19th – Working with Emotional Intelligence 27th – Skills for Administrative Professionals May 10th – Customer Service for Frontline Staff 19th – Managing Stress & Conflict in the Workplace 25th – The Balance Scorecard/A Performance Management Tool June 8th – Workplace Etiquette & Civility 28th -30th – The Professional Supervisor July 5th – Change Management/ Managing Workplace Stress and Conflict Amid Change 13th – How to Sell Well Our other Services include: self development workshops, staff retreat facilitation, motivational movie evenings, library facilities, HR interventions, Organizational audits, motivational speaking.

Contact Us 99 Chaussee Road, P.O. Box 835, Castries, Saint Lucia Tel(758) 453-1924 Fax: (758) 453-0244 Email: celestial@candw.lc

Website: www.celestialsdc.com

We offer:

Unlimited mileage Special weekly rates Off season specials

GFL Charles Airport Tel: 758 -458-2031

After Hrs: (758) 459-7220 www. coolbreezecarrental.com email: coolbreeze@candw.lc

Airport (Vieux Fort) Tel: 758-454-7898

J.Q’s Rodney Bay Mall Tel: 758-458-0824 Soufriere Tel: 758-459-7729 Fax: 758-459-5309

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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BIZZ BUZZ

The Value of Continuous Development:

Investing in Training and Getting

ROI (Return On Investment)

By: Jasmin Lay-Charles

T

he value of our Human Resources is a simple and empowering concept, originally expressed by the 18th century economist Adam Smith: ”people acquire practical knowledge, skills and learned abilities that make them productive and potentially valuable to an organisation and society in general.”

We often hear a lot of lip service being expressed with the cliché “People are our greatest asset”, and with good reason. It is in fact very true that little gets done in any organisation without people. The right number of people with the right skills in the right place - this is the challenge every company faces and we all know it is harder than it sounds. Attracting and keeping highly qualified employees is the goal, but it doesn’t stop there. Helping those employees perform at their peak is also vital. It is out of these basic needs of every organisation that the role of Human Resource Management and Development was born!

One example of the definition of HR Management and Development is to increase an organisation’s productivity by attracting, keeping and effectively managing employees, and no company can grow or be successful without achieving this goal. Similarly, it is understood that BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 84

business houses cannot afford to invest in continuous development just for the fun of sending their associates to training programmes. The expectation would be that training programmes would somehow contribute to the present or future performance of the associates and in turn positively impact the overall business success.

The impact of training and development however must be guided by certain principles in order to appreciate the true value of its contribution to overall business. Training is so often utilized as a band aid to address the training needs of associates and lack at times either proper assessment prior to training of what those needs are and lack of follow up after the programme with measurement and management systems in place to integrate the training with other management systems.

The integration of training decisions should be guided by reference to performance management systems, strategic planning processes, and career development initiatives with clear links to workplace outcomes. In contrast, training implemented with unclear goals to all concerned, most likely will not have the desired long-term positive impact.

The training programme that adds value must consist of planning, implementation guided by the training plan and follow up and assessment - the most important part of the process. There should be mechanisms in place to provide reinforcement to the learner for his or her efforts to implement what has been learned. Another key factor is the time allocated to the implementation of training learned where sufficient time is provided by to allow for effective implementation and measurement.

Lastly, the culture must support application of what has been learned.

This support begins from the management team’s active involvement, to physical resources that are required to implement the training learned. Therefore, getting value from training requires integration, planning, follow-up and a supportive culture with management playing a critical role alongside the participant in ensuring that the training process is successful. BF About the Author: Jasmin Lay-Charles Selection & Development Director Profind Recruit Ltd. www.profindrecruit.com

20 Years On And Still The Best Party In The Caribbean

A

fter setting festival benchmarks and establishing a long standing history as the best party in the Caribbean for years running, the annual Saint Lucia Jazz is set to record another milestone.

The 2011edition of the vastly popular musical event, which represents the biggest activity on the Saint Lucia’s Tourist Board’s (SLTB) special events calendar, will celebrate two decades of existence when the 20th edition is launched on January 17th at the St. Lucia Golf Club in Cap Estate. For the first time in its 20 year history the event is being simultaneously launched in front of a captive audience at Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) Marketplace in Jamaica.

In announcing the dates for the 2011edition Saint Lucia Jazz, Special Events Committee Chairman Cuthbert Didier told a highly anticipative audience, “in true legendary style the first set of world acclaimed acts would take to the stage on April 30, to be followed by a steady stream of international renowned

artistes throughout the two-week period before the curtains came done with the usual fireworks display on May 8.”

Didier said the survivability of Saint Lucia Jazz was attributed to constant improvements and innovations in the product and the way it which it was presented to patrons. That approach he said “had allowed the government, the SLTB and its valued partners to grow the event; feature a healthy cadre of Saint Lucian entertainers alongside regional and international counterparts; and attract increasing visitors from around the world to the island’s shores.”

Didier noted that several innovations would characterize the 20th anniversary edition like devoting specific days to varying genres of music. Wednesday and Thursday nights he exclaimed, “Would feature Straight Ahead Jazz with the weekend shows dedicated to World Music; Rhythm and Blues (R&B) as well as Funk and Contemporary Jazz.”

Another anticipated highlight of Saint

Lucia Jazz 2011 would be one of the largest groupings of local acts to take to the stage to date. An ensemble of Saint Lucian’s jazz icons will make up the ‘Saint Lucian Collective,’ who will perform a mélange of sweet pulsating Caribbean beats.

The 2011 Saint Lucia Jazz lineup is headlined by six time Grammy winner John Legend and includes accomplished acts like Jazz fusion quartet Yellowjackets, violinist Regina Carter, Saint Lucian saxophonist Augustin ‘Jab’ Duplessis, saxophonist Maceo Parker , Hatian Creole Band Carimi, African vocalist Angelique Kidjo, Saint Lucian vocalist Mervyn Wilkison, Jamaican reggae band Morgan Heritage, and many more. One other major headline act is to be announced in coming days.

The early release of the exciting and diverse line-up allow patrons adequate time to begin booking flights and accommodations in order to be part of what continues to be the best party in the Caribbean. BF For further info: www.saintlucianow.com BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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How To Prevent Recurrent

Cystitis (Bladder Infection)

Cystitis (bladder infection) is the most common localization of a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTI is a common problem amongst adults with E.Coli bacteria the usual culprit. UTI is defined as the inflammatory response of the urothelium to bacterial invasion and is more common in women than in men. Symptoms include dysuria (burning when passing urine), frequent small voids, suprapubic pain or discomfort, urgency (inability on hold unto your urine) and foul smelling urine.

Women are more prone to UTI’s due to the short length of the urethra (waterpipe) and the anatomical proximity of the urethra to the anus. These factors lend to the higher risk of ascending infection with bacteria from the rectum.

Recurrent UTI’s is defined as two mid stream urine (MSU, urine culture) proven UTI’s in a 6 month period or 3 MSU proven UTI’s within 1 year. 20-30% of women who have a UTI will develop recurrent UTI’s (1) Urine dipstick testing for a UTI (looking for leucocytes and nitrates) has its limitations with sensitivities of the combination of both tests vary between 68% and 88% (2). It therefore is not the best way to diagnose a UTI and a MSU should be performed whenever possible.

Furthermore, urine culture allows your doctor to know which bacteria caused the infection, the best antibiotics to use and to ensure your symptoms are indeed due to a UTI and no other urological condition e.g. overactive bladder syndrome.

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Once the diagnosis of recurrent UTI is made, the investigations performed are targeted to look for an anatomical abnormality within the urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra and prostate), the presence of urinary tract calculi (stone) and voiding abnormalities or dysfunction.

Tests such as Ultrasound of the urinary tract with post void residual, Intravenous Urogram (IVU/IVP), kidney ureter bladder (KUB) Xray ,Computerised Tomography (CT scan) and renal function blood test are part of the investigative tools your doctor may use .

The lower urinary tract itself needs to be investigated by cystoscopy (flexible or rigid). Cystoscopy allows direct visualization of the urethra and bladder using fibreoptic instruments. A Flow test (an objective measurement of the flow of urine obtained by passing urine into a funnel) is vital in men to look for prostatic obstruction or signs of a urethral (water pipe) narrowing.

The risk factors for recurrent UTI are: In young women: • Use of spermicides • Family history (genetic factors) • Sexually active • Age of 1st UTI <15 years In post menopausal women: • Bladder prolapse • Large post voiding residual ( incomplete bladder emptying) • Incontinence All men with a MSU confirmed UTI should be investigated, as UTI’s in men are uncommon.

Pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria (no symptoms but bacteria on urine culture) should be treated due

to the risk of developing pyelonephritis (3) (a UTI that involves the kidney and is characterized by fever and loin/flank pain) and low birth weight babies. An MSU proven UTI in a pregnant woman should be treated with the appropriate antibiotics ensuring the drug used carries no risk to the developing foetus.

Lifestyle changes Without doubt, a high fluid intake is by far the most important lifestyle modification to reduce the chances of a recurrent UTI. It changes the volume of urine produced, the urinary composition and the frequency of voiding. Frequent voids flush bacteria from the bladder and limits bacterial proliferation.

Women who use spermicides and a diaphragm are recommended to change their method of contraception. If anal sex is being practiced, the risk of transferring bacteria from the rectum into the vagina is stressed. Passing urine after sexual intercourse (postcoital void) is encouraged as it serves to flush any potential bacteria from the bladder.

Cranberry juice/ tablets decrease the adhesiveness of bacteria to the bladder wall and change the pH of urine (4). These two properties reduce the chances of having a UTI. Tablets and juice are equally effective but the tablets have been shown to be a more cost effective intervention (5).

Probiotics in the form of live yoghurts protect the vagina from colonization by organisms that would cause a UTI. The mechanism for this is multifactorial. The use of low dose prophylactic antibiotics (preventative) dramatically reduces the risk of recurrent UTI’s. However, once the antibiotics are stopped, 60% of women will become reinfected within a 3-4 month period (6).

Postcoital (after sexual intercourse) prophylaxis (a single postcoital dose) may be a more efficient and acceptable method of prevention than continuous prophylaxis in women whose UTIs appear to be temporally related to sexual intercourse.

Postcoital prophylaxis is also effective when women with recurrent UTIs become pregnant. However, the choice of drugs is more limited. The preferred regimen is a single postcoital dose of either cephalexin (250 mg) or nitrofurantoin (50 mg) (7).

One of the concerns of being on low dose antibiotics for a protracted period of time is the development of bacterial resistance. Fortunately, the incidence of this is very low. Women should note that some antibiotics alter the efficacy of the oral contraceptive pill.

Postmenopausal women may be offered topical oestrogen in the form of vaginal cream/ointment. This helps to restore the normal vaginal flora and increases the presence of good bacteria like lactobacilli which help to prevent UTI’s (8).

In conclusion, the prevention of recurrent UTI’s is essential in order to limit its enormous personal impact (quality of life) and the wider economic impact

on society. The typical cystitis episode confines patients to bed for an average of 0.4 days, restricts activity for 1.2 days and symptoms last about 6.2 days.

Tips to help prevent recurrent UTI’s in women High fluid intake (water is best) Cranberry tablets/juice Probiotic yoghurts Avoid spermicides Pass urine after sexual intercourse Take showers instead of tub baths Always remember to wipe from front to back

Refernce:

1. Sanford JP. Urinary Tract Symptoms and Infection. Ann Rev Med 1975; 26:485-498.

2. Devillé WL, Yzermans JC, van Duijn NP, Bezemer PD, van der Windt DA, Bouter LM .The urine dipstick test useful to rule out infections. A meta-analysis of the accuracy. BMC Urol. 2004 June 2; 4:4.

3. Kass EH, Finland M .Asymptomatic infections of the urinary tract. J Urol.

2002 Aug; 168 (2): 420-4.

4. Schmidt DR, Sobota AE. An examination of the anti-adherence

activity of cranberry juice on urinary and nonurinary bacterial isolates. Microbios.

1988; 55 (224-225): 173-81.

5. Stothers L.A randomized trial to evaluate effectiveness and cost effectiveness of naturopathic cranberry products as prophylaxis against urinary tract infection in women. Can J Urol.

2002; 9 (3): 1558-62.

6. Harding GK, Ronald AR, Nicole LE, Thompson MJ, Gray GJ. Long-term antimicrobial prophylaxis for recurrent urinary tract infection in women. Rev Infect Dis 1982; 4: 438-443.

7. Pfau A, Sacks TG. Effective prophylaxis for recurrent urinary tract infections during pregnancy. Clin Infect Dis. 1992; 14 (4): 810-4.

8. Raz R, Stamm WE. A controlled trial of intravaginal estriol in postmenopausal women with recurrent urinary tract infections. N Engl J Med. 1993; 329 (11): 753-6.

About the Author Dr. David Brathwaite M.B.B.S, M.R.C.S, M. Med. Sci, F.R.C.S. (Urol) and F.E.B.U. Consultant Urologist, Tapion Hospital

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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.

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

2011 CARIBBEAN HOTEL AND TOURISM INVESTMENT CONFERENCE (CHTIC) 10 – 12 May, 2011 Montego Bay Convention Center, Montego Bay, Jamaica Presented by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and Jamaica and being hosted for the fifteenth year. It is the region’s most successful and longest-standing tourism investment event which is very well attended. It offers great Networking Opportunities – One on one direct contact with key players of the hotel and tourism industry. Nearly 400 delegates attend CHTIC annually with representatives from over 23 Caribbean countries, USA and UK. For Further Info: www.caribbeanhotelassociation.com

CARAIFA – 25th ANNUAL SALES CONGRESS 15 - 19 May 2011, The Grand Beach Resort, St Georges, Grenada The Annual Congress of the Caribbean Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors (CARAIFA) which will be hosted by the Grenada Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

For further info: www.caraifa.com/

10th ANNUAL CARIBBEAN SHIPPING EXECUTIVES CONFERENCE 16 – 18 May 2011 Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe Caribbean Shipping Association represents private and public sector interests across the entire Caribbean area, including South, Central and North American ports. CSA membership includes 12 national shipping associations and over 100 individual member entities, including port authorities, terminal operators, shipping agents, shipping lines, tug and salvage companies, consultants, freight forwarders, leasing companies and others.

For Further info: www.caribbeanshipping.org

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31st ANNUAL CARIBBEAN INSURANCE CONFERENCE 5 – 7 June 2011, Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, Trinidad The Insurance Association of the Caribbean Inc. (IAC) in association with LIMRA and LOMA is pleased to announce that the 31st Annual Caribbean Insurance Conference is scheduled for June 5 – 7 and will be held in Trinidad. The theme for this year's conference is "Back to Basics!!!"

For further info: www.iac-caribbean.com

BARBADOS MANUFACTURERS EXHIBITION (BMEX) 2011 10 -13 June 2011 Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference Centre, Bridgetown, Barbados BMEX is the premier annual exhibition for the Barbados Manufacturers Association to promote products and services “Made in Barbados” and is an opportunity for Barbadian and Caribbean Manufacturers and entrepreneurs to establish and garner new links.

For further info: www.bmex.bb

TRADE & INVESTMENT CONVENTION (TIC) 2011 June 15-18 2011 • Hyatt Regency • Port of Spain, Trinidad Business Opportunities begin in Trinidad and Tobago at the Crossroads of the Americas!

The Trade & Investment Convention (TIC) is the Caribbean’s largest business-to-business event. TIC brings together manufacturers, service providers, exporters, buyers, distributors, wholesalers and investors in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean’s largest economy. It’s a unique forum that really works! TIC connects Buyers and Sellers to create new business partnerships! More than US$400 million in deals over the last decade! For further info: www.tic-tt.com

CARIBBEAN FASHION WEEK (CFW) 18 - 21 June 2011 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

INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF THE CARIBBEAN (ICAC) 29TH ANNUAL CARIBBEAN CONFERENCE 23 – 25 June 2011 Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, Jamaica An annual gathering of over 500 accounting and finance professionals and business leaders from the Caribbean to be hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ). The conference theme, “Third to First, Going the Distance”, will highlight the critical issues that need to be addressed if accounting and finance professionals in the region are to remain relevant in a changing global environment.

For further info:www.icac.org.jm

TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN 22-26 June 2011 Hyatt Regency, 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 CONFERENCE & TRADE EXHIBITION 10-13 July 2011 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 BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011

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Successful

How To Grow A Business In Challenging Times By: Natasha Fleming

I

n a time of economic uncertainty and challenge, businesses need to keep up with the competitive demands of the local and international market place.

It is becoming a challenging process to continue to maximise profit and sustainability, whilst ensuring that you continue to provide value for money (VFM) and effective services to meet customers ever increasing expectations and needs.

Why?

St. Lucia attracts thousands of tourists from across the world, all wanting to BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 90

embrace the laid back and welcoming lifestyle that the island has to offer.

However the question needs to be raised, do tourists wish to spend long periods of time waiting in a queue or in some cases even waiting at all, for services whilst on vacation? Or, can improvements be made to your business to improve efficiency?

Lack of attention to waiting times, and poor customer service generates feelings of frustration. Failing to connect well with customers and consumers of your services can have a lasting and damaging impact.

Staff even at the lowest levels within your business, need to be reminded that the customer of today could be the investor of the future, investing large sums of money or the loyal and consistent user of your services of tomorrow that all businesses should aspire to cultivate. All your staff should be clear of the vision of your business and what needs to be achieved or delivered in order for the business to flourish.

How do we do this?

Traditional approaches of focusing on implementing lean processes and systems to improve efficiency or developing staff at senior levels in the organisation with little focus on the frontline staff are common

methods. However transformational approaches to engage and develop staff are crucial to ensure that where changes or different ways of doing things are required, that it remains effective and sustainable. To be successful, businesses need outstanding leaders who can deliver.

They also need to remember that leaders can exist at all grades and levels within the business.

Adopting transformational leadership techniques will enhance the motivation, morale and performance of staff. Adopting a variety of methods such as conversation workshops, revising recruitment and selection procedures and implementing effective coaching and development of staff are some of the powerful methods of creating success. Such methods seek to connect staff values at all levels with those of the business. This ensures that they are clear and committed to the aims and purposes of your business. Promoting a culture in which leaders/managers are effective role models will inspire others to be the best they can be. This will result in them doing their best in their positions, which ultimately will have a positive impact on your business reputation and profits.

Engaging in transformational conversations with staff can encourage creativity and highlight where and how improvements need to be made to enhance customer service and delivery. Throughout this facilitative process of seeking to understand the strengths and weaknesses of staff, managers will be able to capitalise on those tasks that will optimise individual and collective performance within the workplace and provide your business with the competitive edge that it needs in these challenging times.

Transformational techniques are flexible to meet individual business needs to help your business grow. BF About the Author: Natasha Fleming is a Transformational Change Consultant specialising in change and project management, harmonisation and developing staff. She has experience of working within the UK Criminal Justice System, large organisations and small sector businesses. Natasha has various qualifications such as a BSc Psychology and BSc International Relations, BA Hons in Criminal Justice and Probation Studies and Chartered Management Institute qualification. natasha@peopleopportunities.co.uk, www.peopleopportunities.co.uk

BF

MAJOR MOVES

Jamaican born Dr Gary Jackson is the new Executive DirectorofCARILEC, The Caribbean Electric Utility Cooperation, which is based in St. Lucia.

Dr Jackson holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, and a MSc in Project Management, both from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He also holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering, from the University of the West Indies.

Prior to his CARILEC appointment, he held several notable positions including: General Manager of Wigton Windfarm Limited, Jamaica, Manager at the Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy, a Division of The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica, and Lecturer on Integrating Alternative Energy, at the University of the West Indies. He has also held many technical positions during the earlier part of his career.

Dr Jackson has amassed extensive management, technical and industry knowledge and experience from serving in both the commercial and academic aspects of the energy industry. As such, he is a firm believer in the need for greater synergies between academia and the electric utility businesses. He has said: “such synergies can allow us to move away from the wholesale importation of vanilla technologies to models customised to suit the needs of the region.” CARILEC he believes is well placed to play a pivotal role in achieving that linkage.

Jackson has indicated that during his tenure CARILEC will continue to show leadership on the well recognised need for change in the regional energy landscape, especially as it relates to the dependency on oil. The Secretariat he discloses “is

prepared to engage its partners to guide the development and to improve the efficiency of the sector through supply side management and otherwise.”

Dr Jackson has a proven track record as a leader, team builder, and innovative entrepreneur with outstanding customer service abilities. He has published several papers, which bear direct interest to and reflect his competence and passions for Renewable Energy.

As Executive Director of CARILEC, Jackson is charged with the responsibility of managing the Secretariat for an association of 34 regional electric utilities from the English, Dutch and French speaking Caribbean as well as their numerous regional and international vending partners.

Dianne Bissoon has been named Vice President, Television and Entertainment Services at LIME. Dianne Bissoon is a native of Trinidad & Tobago, with 12-years experience in the telecommunications industry. Beginning her career at Adelphia Cable, she as was part of a team that successfully migrated Adelphia Cable to the now giant Comcast. She spearheaded all rebranding efforts that encompassed almost 1 million homes in the newly acquired markets in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Ms Bissoon had a lead role in Comcast’s development and launch of virtually every successive new product, including broadband internet, digital video, HD television, digital video recorders, ITV,

No. 55

Video on Demand, and Digital Voice services.

More recently, Ms Bissoon gained international experience at WestStarTV in Cayman Islands where she was responsible for the conceptualization and implementation of client distribution strategy in securing programming contracts; while also developing and managing all cross-functional and multiproject resources including technical, operational, sales, marketing, customer care, and customer installation, rate increases, delivering commitments for an on-time launch and exceeding budgeted subscriber performance.

Mr. Dehring said: “The depth of experience that Dianne possesses in this specialized area will be of tremendous value to LIME as we rev up the Entertainment aspect of our business.”

Miss Bissoon is a graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University and holds a MBA in Marketing and is currently pursuing a PhD in International Business.

Grace Silvera has been named Regional Vice President M a r k e t i n g and Corporate Communicationsat LIME. In making the a n n o u n c e m e nt , Chris Dehring, Chief Marketing Office, LIME Caribbean said: “Grace, who is among Jamaica’s most accomplished senior marketing and communications executives, brings to LIME over 25 years of extensive expertise in international marketing, communications, public relations, events marketing, customer service and, most recently, public sector leadership. We are confident that LIME will benefit significantly from her expertise.”

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BF No. 55

MAJOR MOVES

Recognised as one of the main driving forces behind Red Stripe’s export business and for her dynamic role in building the company’s iconic image, Silvera has also stamped her signature seal of excellence on the nation’s brand in her most recent role as Executive Director of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).

A transformational and resultsoriented executive, she brings to each role an infectious passion and a natural inspirational leadership style that mobilise teams around achieving both business and personal goals.

With an insatiable appetite for excellence and the ability to always improve previous levels of personal and organisational best, Ms. Silvera said, “I welcome the opportunity to join the LIME team in delivering extraordinary results as the region’s leading, customer focused telecoms service provider.”

Gary Osborne has been appointed Group Treasurer for Sandals Resorts International and the ATL Group.

He assumed the position on January 3 2011, reporting directly to David Davies, the Group’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Osborne, who was CFO of Jamaica Public Service (JPS) from 2006 to mid-2010, has an extensive background in finance with both local and international experience spanning over 23 years. He is known for delivering exceptional results along with strong financial management and guidance.

Prior to JPS, Osborne was treasurer then CFO at Air Jamaica. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, chairman of Sandals and the ATL Group, said: “I welcome Gary back to our Group. He is a fine addition to the organisation and I know he will fit right in BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 92

working with David Davies and his team.

Gary has the requisite knowledge and experience to lead our treasury and bring a fresh approach and expertise to its overall operations.”

Osborne also has an impressive track record with overseas institutions such as BP Finance and Midland Bank International both in the UK and Bayerische Veriens Bank in Germany, among others. “I am delighted to join the dynamic team at Sandals Resorts and the ATL Group, and look forward to making a positive contribution to the continued growth of the organisation,” stated Osborne about his new role.

Signalling the strengthening of the Group’s senior management team for continued growth and expansion of the hotel chain and industrial group, Osborne’s appointment follows closely on the heels of the announcement of Lisa Gomes as group director of finance and planning.

Lisa Gomes, former President and CEO of Guardian Asset Management (GAM) has been appointed Director of Finance and Planning for Sandals and the ATL Group. She will replace Patrick Lynch who will now be entering retirement. Gomes will report directly to David Davies who serves as Chief Financial Officer.

Gomes is credited with doing a great job of positioning Guardian Holdings Limited’s subsidiaries in Jamaica and with turning GAM into one of the best licensed securities dealers in the country. A graduate of the University of New Orleans where she obtained a degree in Project Management she became a certified general accountant in June 2003. She has successfully climbed the corporate ladder at the Caribbean insurance giant Guardian,

holding a number of key positions. Back in 1997 she was appointed Manager of Investments and Mortgages at Guardian Life of the Caribbean Limited in Trinidad where she became the supervisor. She then moved to Jamaica becoming the manager for Investments, Treasury & Fund Accounting at Guardian Life Limited.

After three years in that position she was promoted to president of GAM where she remained till earlier this year.

In August of this year Proven Investments, headed by Peter Bunting and Christopher Williams, acquired GAM. Under Gomes’s leadership, last year GAM achieved a 31.33 percent return on average equity. The company ended the year 2009 recording an increase in net profits, which came in at J$463.3 million, a significant improvement on the J$361.4 million recorded for the previous year. Net revenue came to J$812.6 million.

Gomes has spearheaded a number of major deals including Guardian’s entry and exit of the asset management business.

She played a pivotal role in raising TT$350 million for Guardian Holdings Limited to purchase 20 percent of Neal and Massy Limited. She also assisted in raising US$50 million to fund TransJamaica road work.

Under her stewardship GAM’s capital grew from J$100 million to J$1.89 billion.

Speaking on this latest appointment, the Chairman of Sandals Resorts International and the ATL Group Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart said: “Lisa Gomes is a formidable professional with an excellent business head. She is one of the best senior financial executives in the Caribbean and we are looking forward to working with her. She has experience with putting together hotel deals. She is the right person for this position and should do very well.”

“I am very excited to join the group and am honoured to be appointed to this position. I have worked closely with Sandals on the Boscobel Hotel and greatly admire how the company works,” Gomes said.

BF

MAJOR MOVES

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Mrs. Frederick joined SMFC in February 1982 and served as Cashier/Clerk for about ten years before appointment to the post of Loans Interviewer. Effective March 01, 2011 Mrs. Frederick is expected to take up the position of Loans Analyst.

Moving up at SMFC is Miss Anne Verne John to the position of Secretary/Accountant effective March 01 2011. Miss John joined SMFC in August 2000 as Accounts Clerk and served from January 2006 as Senior Accounting Officer. She is ‘one paper away’ from completion of the ACCA and is also pursuing an MBA with the University of Sunderland.

Miss Tessa N. Charles, with previous experience in banking, joined SMFC in March 2007 as a Loans Interviewer.

While at SMFC, Miss Charles successfully completed the Association of Business Executives’ separate Diplomas in Business Management and Financial Management and by June 2009 obtained a Bachelor of Arts BA (Hon’s) in Business Management with the University of Sunderland. Effective March 01 2011 will take up the challenge of the post of Mortgage Developer.

Italian born and Danish Citizen Mr Raffaele Cantoni is the new HR & Marketing Manager of LA HAUT RESORT, Soufriere. Mr. Cantoni’s appointment became effective on December 01, 2010.

Mr Cantoni, with a technical background, holds a degree in Trade and Economy and Export Consultant, both from Odense, Denmark. He also holds a certification as Sail Instructor and Ocean Skipper.

Prior to his appointment, he held several notable positions including General Manager of CC ITALIA srl in Italy and Sales Manager of Gasa Odense & Danita A/S in Denmark. He has also held several Human Resources positions during the earlier part of his career.

Mrs. Sharmaine Rosemond-Francois is the newly appointed Managing Director of Financial Investment and Consultancy Services Limited (FICS). Mrs. RosemondFrancois brings over ten (10) years diversified senior level experience in banking, brokerage, capital markets and investment banking. Until recently, she served as Manager, Business Development for St. Lucia and the OECS at First Citizens Investment Services (formerly CMMB Ltd) for a period of almost six (6) years.

Mrs. Rosemond-Francois also served as Senior Fund Manager/Registered Principal and Acting Manager of Investment Banking at East Caribbean Financial Holding Co Ltd (ECFH). She was instrumental in establishing the Investment/Wealth Management Unit at Bank of Saint Lucia Limited and had responsibility for strategic business development in the areas of pension fund, portfolio management and equity financing for corporations.

In addition, she worked in the areas of corporate and retail banking.

Mrs. Rosemond-Francois has completed post graduate studies in Business Administration (Finance Concentration) from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree in Accounting and Statistics at the UWI Mona Campus. She has completed the Accredited Directors Program with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), Canada. She also holds the Registered Principal and Representative Trading Licenses from the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE).

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BF No. 56

NEW COMPANY REGISTRATION

COMPANY LA GARTIFFA INC.

DIRECTORS

Trevor Hamilton

Velma Brown - Hamilton

CafĂŠ Fresh Limited Health & Living Insurance Brokers Inc.

NATURE OF BUSINESS

Management Consultancy Services

Michelle Cavalier Alexander

Restaurant & Catering Services

Marie Louise Benjamin | Olive Edith Du Muville Insurance Brokerage

Stella Polaris Ltd

Stefan S. Widomski

Property Ownership, Property Rental,

Property Management Youth Business Trust Inc.

Christian Husbands | Brian Louisy Non Profit Organization to aid and

Cheryl Renwick encourage the development of youth

in the belief that the giving of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

self in service to others will advance

the well-being of humankind community

life and the world.

Lucian School of Driving Limited

Nicholas Mobley

KLM Group of Companies Inc.

Kervin Lloyd Mitchell

Fiddlers Green Ltd

Jonathan Croft | Vincent Cafferky

Teaching Driving Skills.

Tourist Transfers

Operation of Tourist Industry Ventures

Legal Services & Consultants Ltd Kenneth Monplaisir Legal Services and Legal Consultancy Services Safehome Security and Solutions Ltd. Brent St. Catherine Repairs and Installation of home security systems Alex Barnard Construction Limited Jonathan Phillip Alexander Barnard

Construction, Property Management

T-Elec Services Limited Allan Vincent Tisson Electrical ,Plumbing, maintenance services

Aron Management Limited Calvin George To engage in property holding and development and to undertake or direct the management of the property ,buildings or lands of any person whether members of the Company or not in the capacity of steward, receiver or real estate agent otherwise Alafia Corporation

Nelson Miguel | Rosell Cosme The sale of Duty Free Items, Gifts and other related Simon Berthe` Descas | Olga P. Machado matters.

Bizz Distribution Ltd.

Christian Mc Kenzie | Luciane Joseph Lynch Wholesale , Retail and Distribution

VELTRONICS HSS (ST.LUCIA) LTD Fadi Lioun | Lorne Theophilus | To carry on the trade or business with the Michael E. Evelyn importation , buying and selling of electrical equipment Palm Court Vacation Villas Ltd. Tessa Beausoleil-Reeve | Melenie Beausoleil To carry on the trade or business of property maintenance ,sales and rentals, provision of holiday villas in St .Lucia and the wider Caribbean Region

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 94

BF

NEW COMPANY REGISTRATION

COMPANY

No. 56

DIRECTORS

NATURE OF BUSINESS

Oceanus International Inc. Callistus Vern Gill Financial Services Green Island Property Management Co. Anjani Kumar Gupta | Seema Gupta Property holding & Development, Incorporated Real Estate St.Clair & Associates Inc. Stanislaus Davidson St .Clair To engage in the operation for electrical maintenance Calabash Television Services Limited

Bernard Fanis | Bradley Lacan

Television Broadcasting

Gum Tree Holdings Inc. Thaddeus Marc Antoine | Norman Francis Property Holding and Development and other Related Matters Joe’s Hair Beauty and Care Inc. Bashir Yasin | Maher Abdullah Sale of Cosmetic products and related business BOSLIL Corporate Services Limited Ryan Devaux | Robert Norstrom Nestor Alfred CB’s Car Rental

Provide Registered Agent Services

Chanda Baptiste | Hilarian Bruin

Auto Rental

The Valley Trading Co. Ltd. Bryan Devaux Wholesale/ Retail of Goods Thouzand Wordz Inc. Marcus Joseph Bridal Consultant Mama Creole Ltd.

Leevie Herelle | Shima Vandenput

Restaurant & Bar

GM Esper & Co. Ltd

Georges M. Esper | Patrice Esper

Nature’s Discount (Saint Lucia ) Limited

Nicholas Matthew Kelly

Bonne Cachille Positive Thinking

Helena Laurency

Wholesale of Meats Advisory services in health products

Seminars for Health

True Vine Records Limited Marvin St. Ange | Shem Meluce To engage in the recording production and marketing of music, locally, regionally and internationally Eco Deluxe Construction Inc. Steve Jameson | Ned Samuel To engage in Construction & development Delany Finisterre Corporate Services Carol Gedeon Clovis | Sylma M. Fenisterre Legal , Financial , Corporate and Trust ( St.Lucia) Ltd Services E.P. Tutor Inc Septime Finbar Francois | Severin Francois MarieLouise Catty

Internet Tutoring

Bon Kalite Goods Ltd. Anthony James | Abel James To carry on the export of goods including agricultural produce Caribbean Institute of International Nigel Mitchel | Sameera Bhalla Hospitality Management & Culinary Arts Inc.

Teaching of Hospitality management and culinary arts

D&U Engineers Inc.

Engineering

David Louis | Urban Preville

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BF No. 56

NEW COMPANY REGISTRATION

COMPANY

DIRECTORS

NATURE OF BUSINESS

Connect Rite Inc Jolon Soloman | Michealon Solomon Restaurant/ Fast Food Promotion / Entertainment Computer , Electronics and novelty Item Watermarque Marine S.L. Inc Malcolm Desmond St. Marthe Boat Manufacturing , water taxi, boat ferries, water sports Island Buggies Ltd Bryan Devaux Tourist Tours Milestone KCC (St.Lucia) Limited

Zion Zevi | Josef Horesh

Construction

SELLSLU.COM LTD

J. Kirk MacNaughton | Reed MacNaughton

Real Estate Development

Child Evangelism Fellowship of St Lucia Limited

Dominic Francis Fedee | Laurna Raoul To Evangelize children with the Claudette Adams gospel of the Lord

Davâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Enterprises Ltd. Augustin Davilla Etienne | Junior A.D.Etienne Construction, Construction Management Hermione B.V. Etienne etc.

East Coast Riding Stable Ltd.

Andre Edwin

Horseback Riding

Island Currency Exchange Dave Hippolyte Providing for the exchange of foreign to local currency and vice versa Systems Inc. Reel Irie Ltd.

Robert Leotaud | Len Lander

Jam Jerk Company Ltd

Gordon Hamilton

Sport fishing as a tourist Activity

Restaurant , Retailing ,Wholesaling

Caumont & Company Inc. Vincent Francis | Andrew Simon To engage in Real Estate, Holding and John George Trading of Land and Land Development

BusinessFocus Mar / Apr 2011 | 96

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