St. Lucia Business Focus 78

Issue No. 78

www.stluciafocus.com www.stluciafocus.com

Nov/Dec 2014

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BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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No. 78

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Nov / Dec 2014

CONTENTS 08

FEATURE

31. LUCELEC 50 Years of Powering the Nation

REGULARS 04.

Editor’s Focus

06.

Business Briefs

31

16. 1st National Bank Launcges Mobile

Economy & Trade Focus 56. Grace Kennedy Aquires Majority Shares in St. Lucia's EC Global 58. Strongest Economic Growth in the Eastern Caribbean Projected for St. Kitts & Nevis 60. Hendrickson Takes 60% of Kingston’s Hotel Real Estate

18. Hotel Internet Marketing Tips

62. Business Spotlight

Business Tech 10. Caribbean Export Supports Start up Jamaica

12. Digicel Turns Major Content Provider Following Cable TV Acquisitions Banking App

Money Matters 22. Barclays bank fined Almost £38M 24. Your Buyers Got The Blues 28. Why Small & Medium Enterprise Finance Leaders Must Know Day-to-Day Business

49. Book Reviews Environmental Focus 50. The Caribbean Goes Geothermal 52. Tire-Derived Fuel Being Considered as Energy Alternative

58. Business Spotlight

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Youth in Focus 68. Conversations With a Young Environmental Scientist 70. Cultural Resilience and Social Growth

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In The Know 74. Should You Have an Alarm System or a CCTV System?

78. When "I'm Sorry" Isn't Enough Tourism Focus 88. Saint Lucia is Leading Caribbean Honeymoon Destination Again 90. Health & Wealth 96. Major Moves 98. Events 2012

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99. New Company Registrations BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Power and Technology Leading the Investment and Development Thrust Major Investments being made in regional economies has been hard to come by in recent years. New foreign direct investment is the most critical component and it is refreshing to see the investments being made in the national technology infrastructure and the power grid by corporate giants operating in St Lucia.

Technology and electric power are a potent combination in this new era of digital technology which is being seen as the new economic wave to move us fast forward. The leading lights of the day are LUCELEC, DIGICEL , LIME and FLOW – major corporate players in the St Lucian and regional economies.

Lokesh Singh Publisher/Managing Editor

The recent announcements of major investments in St Lucia by these major companies are like the sound of sweet Jazz to our ears.

Clearly these are the catalysts required to provide added stimulus for further and future investments in other areas.

The initiatives announced by these companies and other private sector initiatives will surely give credence to the recent and continued efforts of the Government and Invest St Lucia in promoting St Lucia as a country ripe with opportunity.

Special occasions are a time for celebration and accolades are due to LUCELEC as they celebrate 50 years of existence as a business. This company has grown with St Lucia and its people through the years of national development and is providing us with a regular and efficient supply of power.

LUCELEC has become legendary regionally and has been recognized as a leading light of electric utility companies operating in the region. They have grown with opportunity and have demonstrated that they are a model corporate citizen. They have embraced change as a member of the EMERA Group and also in making the investments to expand and grow into the new areas of alternate and renewable energy. Their investments in human resource development has delivered a team of high quality technically trained personnel with a guaranteed future of leadership transition and technical capabilities.

We at AMS salute the achievements of LUCELEC on achieving this major milestone and wish them continued success as they continue to light up our lives.

With this being our last issue for 2014, we look forward to the Christmas season and the New Year. We thank you for your support and offer our best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season and a successful and rewarding 2015.

We trust that you will enjoy reading the special features and all of the other interesting content in this Issue.

Happy Reading!

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

Publisher / Managing Editor: Lokesh Singh lokesh@amsstlucia.com Editorial Assistant Charmaine Joseph charmaine@amsstlucia.com Graphic Designer: Deri Benjamin | Cecil Sylvester Advertising Sales: Cennette Flavien - cennette@amsstlucia.com Hudson Myers - hudson@amsstlucia.com Webmaster: Advertising & Marketing Services Photography: Ashley Anzie | Cecil Sylvester | LUCELEC Contributors: Caribbean Journal | Caribbean360 Charmaine Joseph | Caribbean News Now Dr. Algernon Felice | Dr. Chris Bart | Dr. Harvey Millar Dr. Keith Lequay | Digicel | Kezia Preville LIME St Lucia Ltd. | LiveScience.com | LUCELEC Lyndell Halliday | Marvin Bartholomew Pilaiye Cenac | Psychology Today | Caribbean Export St. Lucia Tourist Board | The Wall Street Journal Trinidad Guardian| Trade Export & Promotion Agency USA Today Editorial, Advertising, Design & Production: Advertising & Marketing Services P.O. Box 2003, Castries, Saint Lucia Tel: (758) 453-1149; Fax: (758) 453-1290 email: ams@candw.lc www.amsstlucia.com, www.stluciafocus.com Business Focus welcomes contributions from professionals or writers in specialized fields or areas of interest.

Reproduction of any material contained herein without written approval, constitutes a violation of copyright.

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

On The Cover:

LUCELEC 50 Years of Powering a Nation

DIGICELBUSINESS.COM

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BUSINESS BRIEFS the Caribbean Reparations Commission, vice president of the International Task Force for the UNESCO Slave Route, adviser to the UN World Culture Report inter alia. He is the recipient of many honours, awards and honorary degrees and serves on the boards of several of the region’s largest corporations. ¤

Sir Hilary Beckles to serve as next UWI Vice-Chancellor An extraordinary meeting of the University Council, presided over by the Chancellor of the University, has accepted the report from the search committee established to identify a new vicechancellor and agreed to appoint Sir Hilary Beckles as the next vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI) with effect from May 1, 2015.

The chair of the search committee, Dr Marshall Hall, noted that the advertisement for the post attracted in excess of 50 applicants from all over the world and the search committee eventually came up with an initial short-list of seven which was eventually whittled down to three candidates who were invited to be interviewed.

As a result of the interview and subsequent discussions, the committee arrived at a consensus on Beckles as the preferred candidate. The Council expressed its gratitude to Hall and the committee for the efficient and expeditious manner in which their work was carried out.

Chancellor Sir George Alleyne, in congratulating Beckles, noted that he would be the seventh vice-chancellor. He would bring to the position impeccable academic credentials, impressive managerial skills and the gravitas that such an office required. He was confident that Beckles would have the confidence and support of the university’s many and diverse stakeholders.

Beckles is well known regionally and extra-regionally and as principal of the Cave Hill Campus, is currently the longest serving campus principal. He has a distinguished record of achievement and service as a university administrator, economic historian and specialist in higher education and development thinking and practice. At the international level he currently serves as a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Science Advisory Board on Sustainable Development, chairman of BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Fond Doux Plantation wins two new 2014 Magellan Awards

Pediatric Ward of Soufriere Hospital restored as part of CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Adopt-A-Cause Programme CIBC FirstCaribbean has adopted the Pediatric Ward of the Soufriere Hospital as part of its 2014 Adopt-a-Cause Programme. The program has over the years contributed towards the work of a number of local community groups that add value to the lives of the elderly and youth on island. The annual Adopta-Cause Programme is a communityfocused programme spearheaded by the bank’s employees, who identify and select organisations within their communities that can benefit from a helping hand..

This year CIBC FirstCaribbean employees decided to pool resources and focus on sprucing up the Pediatric Ward of the Soufriere Hospital. Restoration activities included replacement of the roof, replacement of broken tiles and louvers, refurbishing of beds and cradles as well as resurfacing of bedside tables.

A number of employees armed with paints, brushes and positive attitudes gathered at the hospital and over a number of hours transformed the Pediatric Ward into a bright and colourful area perfect for engaging and captivating the attention of children. In addition to adding a splash of colour, two employees created an alluring mural depicting a lush tranquil scene.

Other finishing touches included a toy drive, painting of colourful seating / storage boxes, provision of curtains and bed linens and installation of ceiling and standing fans, with a total cost of the entire restoration project at $14,000.00. ¤

Once again, Fond Doux Plantation & Resort is proud to announce the procurement of yet another award. But this time there’s two! Travel Weekly is recognising this historic colonial plantation resort in two categories for 2014: the Gold Magellan Award in the Hospitality EcoFriendly “Green” Resort/ Hotel, and the Silver Magellan Award in the Hospitality Standard Room Design categories.

Fond Doux owner Eroline LaMontagne happily says, “We would like to extend our deepest thanks to all of our staff, guests, and Travel Weekly who have all made these prestigious awards possible! The 2014 Magellan Awards received entries are from top travel organizations and professionals in the worldwide travel industry; and the quality of all their work is outstanding.

So, we had some stiff competition! Being selected a Magellan Award Winner in two categories is a tremendous achievement and we hope it goes to show our high standard of excellence in everything we do.”

Fond Doux Plantation & Resort takes its eco-friendliness very seriously, and is one of the only resorts in St. Lucia to have been certified both as an organic plantation and as a member of Green Globe. ¤

BUSINESS BRIEFS to the conducting of assessments and reviews in the hope that the countries will learn from the experience and also share lessons learned with regional counterparts.” The European Union is also providing 20 million euro to support the regional disaster management programme of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency as it undertakes disaster risk reduction measures in the region. ¤

Ministerial Organs before being adopted as model CARICOM legislation by the Legal Affairs Committee,” the statement said, adding that the consultation here is being attended by senior legal officers and other stakeholders from CARICOM countries. ¤

EU agrees to allocate EC$45M for St. Lucia and St. Vincent for 2013 storm flooding The European Union has agreed to allocate approximately EC$45.5 million (12.675 million euro) in grants for St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia after the two Caribbean countries were affected by a devastating weather system in December 2013. St. Vincent and the Grenadines which suffered the heaviest damage is earmarked to receive EC$23.5 million (6.5 million euro) and St. Lucia EC$22.4 million (6.17 million euro).

This long-term reconstruction support will be in addition to the EC$1.4 million (400,000 euro) of emergency humanitarian assistance provided by the European Union to the affected populations in the two countries immediately after the storm.

The floods which accompanied the severe weather system created flash flooding and resulted in the deaths of more than 15 people. It also significantly impacted infrastructures in both countries with substantial damages to roads and bridges, with impact concentrated in areas with the highest levels of poverty.

The funds will be dedicated to the reconstruction of some key infrastructure damaged by the floods such as bridges and roads, and to build resilience by improving river protection and slope stabilisation in major areas of the countries. The Chateaubelair Jetty in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Piaye Bridge in St. Lucia which were extensively damaged during the storm are infrastructure that could potentially benefit from the EU intervention.

Head of the European Union Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Ambassador Mikael Barfod commented: “This support demonstrates the EU’s commitment to the reconstruction of both countries and further highlights Europe’s solidarity with the Caribbean, which we recognise as one of the most vulnerable regions in the world. “We look forward

Tourism Enhancement Fund raises over $1.7 million in one year

CSME consultations held in Barbados A two-day regional consultation to consider draft model legislation to address legislative gaps common to all member states under the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME) were convened in Barbados in late September. The CSME allows for the free movement of goods, service, skills and labour across the community and is viewed as a mechanism for dealing with a changing global environment and strengthening the regional integration movement.

The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said the consultation is to ensure there is harmonised legislation across the 15-member grouping, compliant with CSME regimes. The initiative is funded with assistance from the Canadian government under the CARICOM Trade and Competitiveness Project (CTCP). The Secretariat said leading up to this regional consultation, national consultations on the draft legislation were conducted from April to July this year in all CARICOM member states.

It said some of the legislative areas being reviewed are the CARICOME Skilled Nationals Act, the Movement of Factors Act and the Immigration Acts of Member States. Seven drafts will be tabled for discussion. “The revised drafts will be considered by the Community’s

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) was launched in October 2013 and has raised well over $1.7 million dollars. The TEF was created to aid in the development and implementation of projects aimed at the sustainable growth of the tourism industry. This fund has been made possible by an outpouring of support by several hotels and visitors to the island. The level of enthusiasm, which accompanies the first year of operation for the TEF, signals the significant contribution which tourism can make to the social fabric of St. Lucia.

Thus far, several projects have been undertaken by the fund, mainly a commitment to renovate the culinary lab at the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School, two afterschool programs in impoverished communities, support for the sourcing of a new flight from Canada and the recent beautification of Rodney Bay and its surrounding areas.

On Friday, October 10th 2014 the SLHTA Tourism Enhancement Fund celebrated its first year Anniversary with a luncheon at the Royal St. Lucian by Rex Resort. Several TEF Hotel participants as well as Ministers of Government joined together to celebrate the occasion. The Chief Executive Officer of Sandals Resorts International Mr. Adam Stewart was the guest speaker and the Honorable Phillip J. Pierre, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport delivered remarks from the Government of Saint Lucia. The event was hosted under the theme “Responsible Tourism - The Way Forward for the Caribbean”. ¤

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TOWARD A SINGLE CARIBBEAN ICT SPACE – PART II

By Bevil Wooding

Implementation Keys to the Single Caribbean ICT Space

In 1989 the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME) was announced as an initiative “to deepen the integration movement and to better respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by globalisation.” In the proceeding years, both the challenges and opportunities for the Caribbean have increased. As the potential of globalisation evolved into a new global reality, Caribbean economies and Caribbean society have undergone unprecedented transformation. Today, the question of deeper Caribbean integration is not just an ideal, it is an imperative for the region’s survival.

Rationale for the CARICOM Single ICT Space The Single Market and Economy was envisioned to provide for the free movement of capital, skilled labour, and the freedom to establish business enterprises anywhere within CARICOM. It was intended to foster greater economic cooperation and greater social cohesion among participating member states.

The economic benefits to be derived from movement toward a single ICT space can redound positively to Caribbean society.

Its fruits should be manifest in areas such as health and education, community empowerment, security and job creation. For such benefits to be realised, however, development of a Single ICT Space must be rooted in the understanding that technology is simply a servant of the region’s larger development vision.

Information and communications technology (ICT) has always been foundational to the twin ambitions of economic and social development. At the national level, CARICOM member states have all identified ICT as a critical development enabler. In any regional integration effort ICT is equally critical to enabling such areas as commerce, trade, research, administration and security.

Examples abound. Information and communications technology is a central pillar of integration strategies in the European Union, the Federal Government of the United States, the African Union and the Asian Economic Community. In every case, an overarching vision for integration provides a framework of defining objectives to guide policies, priorities and implementation plans.

Implementation Lag

The priority of ICT to the Caribbean region should be no different.

Any plan for national development or regional integration must, of necessity, incorporate strategic appropriation of information and communications technology. This is why a Single Caribbean ICT space is not just desirable; it is necessary to enable the practical components of the regional integration effort.

“How is it I can go to the US and rent a car using my national Driver’s Permit without question, but I have to purchase a license to drive in other Caribbean countries?”

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Within CARICOM, however, that single vision has been considerably dimmed by the slow pace of implementation of some of the basic tenants of regional integration.

At a meeting of Caribbean ICT stakeholders in Trinidad and Tobago, hosted by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union last June, several pertinent questions were put to CARICOM Government ministers by the audience: “Why should I care about ICT if I still can’t easily move and work freely across the Caribbean?”

“Why is it still so difficult for me to set up a business in another Caribbean country?”

“Why does intra-regional air travel cost so much?”

ing and the proliferation of web and mobile applications have permanently transformed how we interact and transact. As the global “Why is it so easy to set up a merchant account in the US to accept landscape evolves, so too must the region’s business, regulators, payments online and I can’t do the same in the Caribbean?” policy makers and leaders.

“Why can’t I make a call to other CARICOM countries without hav- A single Caribbean ICT space should power our movement toing to pay roaming or international charges?” wards a single, seamless Caribbean space. The promise of a brighter, better Caribbean future remains within reach. Technology can “Why should I create anything in the Caribbean if I cannot easily indeed enable it, but it will take bold new leadership and betterregister a regional patent or protect it in a court of law?” coordinated human effort to achieve it. ¤

Tangible Results Needed No satisfactory answers to these very relevant questions were offered. That’s a problem. The chasm between proclamation and implementation needs to be closed. There must be publicly perceptible value associated with the initiatives of the Caribbean Community. If implementation of important public-facing elements of the wider integration process continues to lag, the value proposition of any other element will be legitimately questioned and undermined. Any further erosion of public confidence only gives voice and vindication to a ready chorus of naysayers.

Vision to Reality Advances in information and communications technology are radically altering the options and operations of business, governments and consumers. In particular, the Internet, mobile comput-

RAJCOMMUNICATIONS

Bevil Wooding is the Chief Knowledge Officer of Congress WBN, a Caribbean based international nonprofit organisation, and the founder and Executive Director of BrightPath Foundation, a technology education non-profit organisation. Reach him on Twitter @bevilwooding or on facebook.com/bevilwooding or contact via email at technologymatters@brightpathfoundation.org.

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BUSINESSTECH TECH BUSINESS

SUPPORTS START UP JAMAICA

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he Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has pledged financial support towards the launch of Start-Up Jamaica, as part of the Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP) funded by the European Union under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF), in efforts to accelerate development in youth entrepreneurship, with a focus on the technology sector. Start-Up Jamaica (SUJ) is a facility through which select start up technology companies can access seed capital, training and mentorship in return for equity in the company.

SUJ, a project of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, aims to support talented and technologically savvy young people to tap into the growing global market for technological innovations, and further serves the social demand for more employment opportunities not only in Jamaica but also in the wider Caribbean. Caribbean Export’s Executive Director, Pamela CokeHamilton expressed that “this initiative has the potential to be a regional game changer in the transitional development of the region’s savvy young people who are bursting with ideas, into our future entrepreneurial successes.” The support offered through the programme is intended to grow the ideas of innovators and entrepreneurs from the region into marketable products and services, while also increasing employment and generating foreign exchange. The strategy aims to transform Caribbean people from being “technology consumers” to “technology creators” over the next few years, and to position Jamaica as the hub for entrepreneurship and innovation in the Caribbean.

‘Start-Up Jamaica’ is modelled on the very successful ‘Start-Up Chile’ programme, which at pilot stage in 2010 attracted twentytwo start-up companies from across fourteen countries, and now is on track to meet its target of one thousand participants at the close of 2014. Start-Up Jamaica, which will be the first of its kind in the region, attracted one hundred and ninety two applications, from across the region.

Start-Up Jamaica hosted a five day boot camp for tech entrepreneurs in September that mentored and prepared participants for the full SUJ programme. From among these participants, ten teams will be selected to work with SUJ in partnership with Oasis500 in October 2014. Oasis500 is the pioneering early stage and seed investment company from the Middle East, which supports entrepreneurs with funding and training. They will also be delivering the training for the Boot Camp.

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Through SUJ, participating start-up companies are expected to be better prepared to pitch to equity investors and receive investments to achieve business growth. Consultations with leaders of a number of similar experiences worldwide have confirmed that a physical hub such as Start-Up Jamaica is crucial to the development of a thriving tech entrepreneurship which is vital for job creation and generation among youth in the region. Other partners in the venture include: The World Bank, LIME and Jamaica National Building Society Foundation. ¤

CARIRI and CANTO to promote mobile apps in Region

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he Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) and the Caribbean Association on National Telecommunication Organisations (CANTO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together to strengthen the region’s ability to develop, promote and commercialise mobile applications.

Both institutions have a shared interest to increase awareness on global and regional Internet related challenges and governance; promote regional mobile app development; build regional technical expertise through mentoring and training and share knowledge and data on best practices to assist in the development of mobile apps programming. The MOU commits the two institutions to sharing knowledge and expertise related to mobile application development in T&T and across the region.

CARIRI CEO Liaquat Ali Shah and Secretary General of Canto, Regenie Fraser, signed the MOU for this new and innovative relationship which will benefit the region significantly.

At Freeport, CARIRI has the Centre for Enterprise Development which houses its own centre, a mobile applications lab which offers testing services to app developers to ensure that their apps are optimised and ready for commercialisation. CANTO has held a mobile app competition for the last three years called iCreate and with this partnership, can now take the developers forward to reach their full commercialisation potential.

CARIRI has also been recognised as the leader in the field of consultancy, innovation and testing for over 44 years, while CANTO is recognised as the leading trade association of the ICT sector for shaping information and communication in the Caribbean. ¤

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DIGICELSTLUCIA.COM BusinessFocus Nov / Dec *Graphic represented in phone screen is for illustration purposes only and does not represent the actual style of messaging used by Digicel More.

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BUSINESSTECH TECH BUSINESS

DIGICEL TURNS MAJOR CONTENT PROVIDER FOLLOWING CABLE TV ACQUISITIONS broadband and VoIP services, currently services sections of St. Andrew and St. Catherine. Operations will have to expand to a further 12 parishes across the country. The cable and broadband infrastructure also forms a critical part of Digicel’s plan to aggressively target fixed-line customers once the government approves local number portability (LNM), according to O’Brien, Digicel will face stiff competition from Columbus Communications, which trades as Flow in Jamaica.

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IGICEL has bought a majority stake in the parent company of regional sports broadcaster, SportsMax. The deal to purchase controlling interest in St Lucia-based International Media Content (IMC), also gives the regional telecommunications firm a toehold in the North American market through CEEN-TV, which targets the diaspora in The US Tri-State area and in Canada.

SportsMax is currently available in 23 countries in the Caribbean while Digicel operates in 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific, but not in The Bahamas, St Marteen, US Virgin Islands or Dominican Republic where IMC’s sports content is currently offered. Last year, SportsMax launched its 24-hour Spanish language channel; CDN SportsMax in the Dominican Republic where it provides similar content to SportsMax; plus Major League Baseball.

The move to acquire IMC comes on the heels of Digicel’s entry into the cable TV market with recent acquisitions in Anguilla, Dominica, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Digicel plans to build out an island wide digital cable and home broadband network within three years. The acquisition of Telstar and the island wide expansion of its cable footprint is a strategic move to position the telecommunications firm to enter the subscriber TV market; push its broadband Internet business; and eventually offer fixed-line services, Digicel Jamaica CEO, Barry O’Brien said. In Jamaica, mobile telecommunications is already at high levels of saturation with a mobile phone penetration rate of over 110 per cent. The latest subscriber TV service to be bought by the telecommunications firm is Telstar. Telstar, a licensed subscription television (STV) company which also provides BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Columbus holds the lion’s share of the subscriber TV market in the island. Its network passes approximately 310,000 homes, according to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR). There are an estimated 850,000 dwellings island wide. Flow also holds an estimated 48 per cent of fixed line broadband subscriptions across the island, with LIME claiming the remaining 52 per cent. But the acquisition of a major regional content provider might give Digicel an edge in Jamaica and in the other regional markets, where it will compete with Columbus in cable and broadband.

IMC content includes Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, West Indies cricket, the Indian Premier League and the IAAF Grand Prix. It has also been responsible for the broadcast of major international events such as the FIFA World Cup tournaments since 2006, including this summer’s event, and the 2012 London Olympics. “As a complete communications solutions provider, it’s all about ensuring our customers enjoy access to the best multimedia content on the best devices via the very best network and that we meet all of their communication, entertainment and networking needs,” said Digicel Group CEO, Colm Delves.

“SportsMax represents the perfect blend of sports entertainment and infotainment with a Caribbean flavour and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the team to the Digicel family.” The founder and a number of the lead principals from IMC will stay on board to run the day-to-day operations of the content provider, while maintaining equity positions in business.

Meanwhile, over in Trinidad and Togabo, Digicel has applied for a subscription broadcasting service via a telecommunications network, which is believed to be a cable licence, according to a Telecommunications Authority of T&T (TATT) notice dated August 18. In subscription TV, Flow, the market leader, already has competition from TSTT (bmobile’s parent), DirecTV, Green Dot, smaller rural providers like MayaroCableTV, and even some offthe-grid pirates. Digicel is no newcomer to cable TV. Digicel already owns cable television assets across the Caribbean. On July 17, 2014, Digicel had made an announcement that it was rolling out fibre in several markets through its sub-sea fibre optic acquisition that, at the time, was said to be “nearing completion.”¤

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BUSINESSTECH TECH BUSINESS

DIGICEL APPLIES FOR PAY TV LICENCE Completes purchase of Caribbean fibre network

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obile operator Digicel is applying for a subscription broadcasting service via a telecommunications network, which is believed to be a cable licence, according to a Telecommunications Authority of T&T (TATT) notice posted to its website dated August 18, 2014.

In subscription TV, Flow, the market leader, has competition from TSTT (bmobile’s parent), DirecTV, Green Dot, smaller rural providers like MayaroCableTV, and even some off-the-grid pirates.

Digicel is no newcomer to cable TV. Digicel already owns cable television assets across the Caribbean. On July 17 (2014), Digicel had made an announcement that it was rolling out fibre in several markets through its sub-sea fibre optic acquisition that, at the time, was said to be “nearing completion.”

Digicel had announced that it reached an agreement with Telstar Cable Ltd. to acquire its cable and fibre network in Jamaica.

Telstar provides cable TV, broadband and telephony services.

On completion – subject to approval by Jamaica’s Broadcasting Commission – Digicel said it would invest in the network to increase coverage and further expand the products, services and content available to cable customers in Jamaica.

The acquisition of Telstar was Digicel’s fourth Caribbean cable acquisition and will increase its cable footprint to six markets: • Turks and Caicos Islands, April 2014: Digicel acquired WIV Cable TV in the Turks and Caicos Islands and its sister company, TCT, which offers broadband services.

• Dominica, February 2014: Digicel acquired SAT Telecommunications which provides a range of TV, telephony and broadband Internet services to residential and business customers in Dominica.

• Anguilla, Nevis and Montserrat, November 2013: Digicel acquired Caribbean Cable Communications Holding Ltd, a cable TV and Internet service provider in Anguilla, Nevis and Montserrat.

MAJOR FIBRE BUILD-OUT IN T&T “Digicel has also been investing heavily in greenfield fibre buildouts having broken ground on next-generation fibre networks in Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad,” Digicel said in last month’s release. “This investment in fibre reflects the company’s ongoing focus on business solutions which has shown almost 40 per cent year on year growth in revenues. These fibre builds are nearing completion and pre-selling of the services has already commenced.”

On its submarine fibre optic acquisition, Digicel said: “In order to drive the delivery of multimedia content – as well as improve BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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offerings for mobile data services and business solutions – Digicel has also secured significant off-island sub-sea fibre bandwidth.”

In a December 23, 2013, release, Digicel said it entered into a share and asset purchase agreement with Global Caribbean Fibre to acquire “certain submarine fibre assets in the Eastern Caribbean region. This deal will provide Digicel with a whollyowned submarine fibre optic cable network of approximately 2,100 kilometers (km), providing capacity from Trinidad to Guadeloupe. The proposed transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the coming weeks.”

Digicel also entered into a transaction with Global Caribbean Fibre and Global Caribbean Network to provide submarine fibre capacity from Guadeloupe to Puerto Rico with onwards connectivity to the mainland United States. With these new capabilities, Digicel said it was “underpinning its commitments to delivering best network, best service and best value and will once again be at the forefront of driving competition and consumer choice in the region.”

In total, Digicel has secured access to a network comprised of 15 submarine segments with a reach of some 3,100 km across the Caribbean. “Digicel will also have extensive onwards capacity on other submarine networks connecting locations such as Miami, Paris and New York,” the company had said in a release.

Digicel Group CEO, Colm Delves, in written comments said: “We are investing heavily in cable TV, content and fibre across our markets to ensure that Digicel is positioned at the forefront of a data intensive world where our customers are able to enjoy multimedia experiences on multiple devices and avail of advanced solutions for their businesses. We look forward to expanding our footprint further in this space in the coming year through a combination of acquisitions and greenfield builds.”

Digicel Group is a communications provider with operations in 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. After 13 years of operation, total investment to date stands at over US$5 billion worldwide, according to a Digicel statement.

Digicel posted a net loss of US$198.4 million in its 2013 fiscal year, down from a profitable position of US$47.2 million in fiscal year 2012 and its bonds are rated non-investment grade or “junk” by Fitch Ratings and Moody’s, two of the world’s top three credit rating agencies. In March, Digicel tapped the high-yield bond market to borrow US$865 million in senior notes.

A statement from Digicel Group Ltd. yesterday said it planned to use the net proceeds from the offering to repurchase any and all of its 10.50 per cent senior notes due 2018, pay any related fees and expenses, and redeem the senior notes, if any, that remain outstanding after the completion of the tender offer.¤

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BUSINESSTECH TECH BUSINESS

LAUNCHES MOBILE BANKING APP

W

ith the recent release of its MoBanking App for the Android and iOS platforms, 1st National Bank has reiterated its commitment to serve the interest of its clientele within and beyond St. Lucia, which it has served for 76 years. The Bank’s mobile app provides unique features aimed at offering unprecedented convenience to its growing customer base through features such as “Buddy Payments”, and deposits to accounts held at other banks. The move is the latest in the Bank’s commitment to “Maximizing the customer experience”, a concept which resonates through its foremost strategic objectives.

The mandate required an assessment of the nation’s banking environment to identify and address its customers’ greatest concerns. This approach has seen the restructuring of its lending mechanisms to greatly improve processing time for loan applications, the embrace of cutting-edge banking technology to refine internal processes, and now, the release of the Mobile App. When asked about the timing of the move, Managing Director Mr. Andy Delmar sees the introduction as a valued added channel, which will allow the Bank’s customers greater convenience and better use of their time. “The mobile app is one initiative that delivers on our promise, “1st National Bank here for you”.

The smart phone penetration rate in St. Lucia was found to be more than sufficient for this release, and the advent of 4G tech-

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nology introduced by the island’s major cellular companies provided a stable platform to support financial innovation. Our efforts are accordingly directed at serving a customer base increasingly drawn towards technological solutions. It certainly will offer peace of mind to parents of students completing courses overseas who also hold our international debit cards, knowing that they can transfer funds to their loved ones at a moment’s notice 24 hours a day, without having to set foot in a branch.” Mr. Delmar further stated: “Our level of investment in this technology is preemptive. We are an institution with a longstanding record of firsts, and are committed to making a bold reiteration that 1st National Bank will continue to invest in the advancement of the St. Lucian community.

We are an institution founded on creating opportunities, and while our methods may change to keep abreast with the needs of our customers, our commitment to the development of our nation remains steadfast. ” The Bank’s enduring intrepidity can be traced to its very origins, when it opened its ledgers to customers who fell well below minimum deposit requirements of the day, and was the first to amend its lending policies to accommodate the needs of banana farmers. In 2004, 1st National Bank was the first institution to launch Mobile Banking on the island and is currently focused on getting young St. Lucians to invest in land ownership with its exciting 1st Future land loan promotion. ¤

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BUSINESSTECH TECH BUSINESS

HOTEL INTERNET MARKETING TIPS Getting Started with Google Analytics

By : Sanovnik Destang

W

hen I first got introduced to Google Analytics, I was like a kid in a candy store. Here was this free tool that allowed me to know exactly where my website traffic was coming from, what online marketing campaigns were working and which were not, which zip codes were generating the most traffic etc. A treasure trove of information!

Getting introduced to this tool is what got me hooked on internet marketing. But let’s back up a bit. What is Google Analytics and why do I care as a hotel/business owner or general manager?

Google Analytics is a free tool offered by Google that gives you deep insight into how your website is performing. You can sign up for an account here so long as you have a Google Account (does not have to be a gmail account). http://www.google.com/analytics/.

Setting up an account is extremely easy. The only aspect of it that is a little “technical” is adding some javascript code to your website. This code is automatically generated by Google Analytics when you are setting up the account so all you have to do is copy and paste this code onto every page that you want to track immediately before the closing </head> tag. If you are like me and your HTML knowledge is limited to one chapter in one university IT course 10 years ago, then you can have your webmaster do this for you. If they charge you for this make sure they charge you for no more than 15 minutes of their time as this is about how long it takes.

That’s it! Within 24 hours or less your Google Analytics account should be activated and you will start to get extremely useful, detailed information on your website visitors including: 1. Traffic Sources – how do potential customers get to your site?

Is it through search engines, referrals from other websites or through a bookmark (direct traffic). This is a great way to find out which online marketing campaigns are actually working.

2. Visitors – demographic information on your visitors, detailed down to the city. These reports also provide information on how engaged website visitors are (how much time did they spend on

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your site, how many pages did they visit), which web browsers they were using, even the speed of their internet connection.

3. Conversions – if you have a booking engine on your website this is absolutely critical. Where do your bookings come from?

What country/region/city? Through which referral sites or search engines?

Google Analytics can help you determine this in most cases. If you don’t have a booking engine on your website, Google Analytics can still help your track important site visitor activities (conversions) that you consider important such as signing up for your newsletter, filling out an inquiry form or watching a promotional video.

One article cannot possibly capture the full potential of Google Analytics and its importance to hoteliers but I hope that this helps you to get the ball rolling. Using this tool is an important first step in fine-tuning your marketing strategy both on and offline.¤

Sanovnik Destang is the Executive Director of Bay Gardens Resorts, an award-winning locally owned hotel chain in Rodney Bay Village, Saint Lucia. He also serves on the board of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) as the representative for Boutique and High End Hotels. He is also a Director on the Board of the Saint Lucia Development Bank (SLDB), the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the newly launched Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

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Gives St.Lucia

100% 4G

St. Lucia gets Upgrade to first ever Superfast 4G Network courtesy of LIME: LIME customers, such as the one pictured here, have begun to experience St. Lucia’s first ever nationwide Superfast 4G network and Superfast Broadband as part of a wider investment-led strategy

by LIME across the region. On Friday, LIME launched its Upgrade St. Lucia initiative, a $35m boost to the company’s network to deliver the most advanced technology with 100% coverage, maximum reliability and the best customer experience to the people of St. Lucia.

The company launched Upgrade St. Lucia as it also unveiled a refreshing new take on the brand’s visual identity. LIME officially goes green with a simplified palette that features green as the overall signature colour.

Transforming the Way We Work, Play & Do Business

D

ata has become the driving force of telecommunications in St. Lucia as more and more consumers become aware of and experience the amazing benefits of Superfast 4G and mobile broadband.

It was LIME, St. Lucia’s leading telecommunications provider, who kicked off this communications revolution when the company became the first to launch 4G in St. Lucia last June.

Now more than ever, St. Lucians are using their smartphones and tablets the way they use laptops and desktop computers, driving the rise in data consumption as they stream videos and download dense files and applications.

Soon after launching 4G, LIME assured its customers that the service, which had been in high demand, would be made available throughout the island. LIME has since delivered on its promise and has completed its 4G upgrade making it the largest 4G network with full island-wide coverage. This has resulted in the activation of 4G at all major cell sites across the island.

LIME mobile customers can now experience higher mobile broadband speeds with faster data capabilities from Cap Estate in the north right through to Vieux Fort in the south and other parts of St. Lucia.

LIME has also developed special training programs for its staff aimed at delivering enhanced customer experience. A ‘Customer Care Hit Squad’ will be developed to help reduce the queue and total call time in the Contact Centre so that customer queries and fault reports can be addressed more speedily. LIME’s billing and fault reporting systems will be integrated to further strengthen the Contact Centre’s ability to deliver a first-class customer experience.

As LIME CEO Southern Cluster, Geraldine Pitt explained, “Since the introduction of 4G service last June, LIME has been working assiduously to expand the service to 100% 4G across the entire island. LIME invested not just capex but many man hours to carry out a comprehensive upgrade, paying keen attention to every minutiae detail to ensure that a complete and thorough job was done to provide reliable service.”

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She also emphasized that, “We have always focused on building a strong and resilient infrastructure. Last year, we had already begun our major network upgrade aimed at transforming our mobile and broadband coverage in order to give our customers the exceptional experience they have been demanding. Fast forward to today and we are beginning to see the fruits of this multimillion dollar investment. St. Lucia is now served by the most modern telecoms technology available and our customers now enjoy vastly improved service speeds and coverage.”

Expanding 4G service to all parts of St. Lucia was a huge undertaking and a tremendous challenge, not least because of the island’s topography.

“It made it very challenging and costly because of the rugged and mountainous nature of many parts of the island,” said Ms. Pitt. “Making our network better meant that, among other things, we had to install new sites, obtain new spectrum and extend outdoor coverage, and provide improved indoor coverage as well.”

“This is why we’re so excited about all that we have achieved and that we’ve succeeded in delivering on our promise. Over and over again, our customers tell us how much LIME’s 4G service has improved their quality of life. They can browse the web faster, download large emails quickly, stream videos much quicker and do so much more! There are so many benefits that customers enjoy with our 4G service,” she said.

The quicker data speeds available on LIME 4G also helps businesses improve productivity and efficiency. It allows them to enjoy fast and seamless connections on their smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. The modernization of LIME’s network also means they can now benefit from vastly improved service quality and capacity.

LIME 4G helps business customers get more work done and the increased data speeds and coverage also make it easier for them to seize new business opportunities.

“Better service, greater speed and providing a top-quality service experience - that’s what we’re after for our customers,” said Ms. Pitt. “100% 4G Coverage from St. Lucia’s #1 network.”

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MONEY MATTERS BUSINESS TECH

BARCLAYS BANK FINED ALMOST £38M

GUYANA MUST TOUGHEN LAWS AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING, BANK GROUP SAYS.

I

n an October press release, the Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) recognized the Guyana government's efforts to put in place alternative measures to address the technical deficiencies in its existing legal and financial legislative framework for assessment by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and applauds them. However, it is one small step in the actions required by Guyana in order for it to comply with international standards.

B

ritain's financial watchdog has said it had fined Barclays bank almost £38 million for putting client assets at risk, dealing a further blow to the troubled lender.

The Financial Conduct Authority said it had fined Barclays £37.745 million (US$62 million, 48 million euros) -- the highest ever penalty imposed by British regulators for client asset breaches, which in Barclays' case occurred between late 2007 and the start of 2012.

Barclays is said to have failed "to properly protect clients' custody assets worth £16.5 billion", the FCA said in a statement.

"As a result clients risked incurring extra costs, lengthy delays or losing their assets if Barclays had become insolvent," it added.

The FCA's director of markets David Lawton said; "Barclays' lack of focus on the rules was unacceptable".

Tracey McDermott, FCA director of enforcement and financial crime, said the bank had failed to apply lessons from "previous enforcement actions, numerous industrywide warnings, and exposed its clients to unnecessary risk".

Barclays acknowledged it had fallen short of what is expected.

"Barclays has subsequently enhanced its systems to resolve these issues and to ensure we have the requisite processes in place. No client has suffered any loss as a consequence of this weakness in our processes," the bank added in a statement.

Barclays is undergoing major restructuring in the wake of the 2012 Libor interest-rate rigging scandal that has damaged the reputation of the bank and some of its rivals.

Barclays, which was at the heart of the Libor affair, also faces investigations along with other major lenders over possible manipulation of foreign exchange trades.

The British bank meanwhile recently launched plans to shrink its investment bank and to axe 19,000 jobs across the entire group in the next two years. ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Guyana must pass the essential Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill. "The passage of the AML bill is not only about Guyana, but also about the international financial sector as a whole in order to protect all financial systems, within the region, from ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks. We are only as strong as our weakest link," said Caribbean Association of Banks, Chairman Carlton Barclay.

Billions of dollars are laundered each year posing significant policy concerns for governments worldwide. As a result, governments and international bodies have undertaken efforts to deter, prevent, and apprehend money launderers. Non-compliance to the global FATF recommendations will have a significant impact on Correspondent Banking Relationships which, in turn, is of vital importance to the facilitation of business in the financial services sector of the region.

Guyana's expediency in passing the AML/CFT Bill will not only benefit its own economy and growth but strengthen our regional financial network and its reputation worldwide.

Caribbean Association of Banks, Inc is a community of banks and other financial institutions in the Caribbean/CARICOM Region, which provides opportunities for discussion on issues impacting the regional banking/financial services community as well as for the sharing of experiences and networking. CAB is an organization dedicated to the advocacy of national and institutional adherence to AML/CFT. It recommends and supports full compliance with the AML/CFT standards in order to protect all financial systems, within the region, from ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks offering ongoing training and education for its members. ¤

RBC recently announced that Suresh B Sookoo, CEO, RBC Caribbean Banking, has decided to retire, effective October 31. Sookoo, a career banker for more than 35 years, has led RBC’s Caribbean operations since 2008, when RBC acquired the RBTT Group, creating one of the most expansive banking operations in the Caribbean, from The Bahamas in the North to Suriname in the South.

Sookoo will continue to sit on the board of RBC Financial (Caribbean) Ltd, the holding company for RBC’s Caribbean business, and has agreed to remain available as an advisor to its leadership team. With Sookoo’s retirement, Kirk Dudtschak, currently President, Caribbean Banking, will assume the role of executive vice-president and Head, Caribbean Banking.

SOOKOO TO RETIRE AS RBC CEO

Dudtschak joined RBC in 1986 and has held a variety of senior and executive roles since then. As President, Caribbean Banking, he has worked alongside Sookoo over the last 18 months to strengthen the performance of the business and position it for sustainable growth. Previously, Dudtschak held a variety of senior positions within RBC’s branch network and head office, with experience in strategy, human resources, sales, operations and risk management.

In his new role, he will be responsible for driving the overall strategic direction and business performance of Caribbean Banking, while also ensuring close and effective collaboration between the Caribbean business and the rest of RBC. ¤

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Insurance Company Limited

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MONEY MATTERS

YOUR BUYERS GOT THE BLUES

By Pilaiye Cenac

A

client of mine owns a high-end home accessories/accents boutique. She sells beautiful things. Very expensive beautiful things. Not necessarily ‘must haves’ but most certainly ‘nice to haves’. Recently, she hired a super-duper salesperson and business picked up, but this came with an increase in the number of customers returning those exquisite pieces and requesting a refund after a change of mind/heart. This entrepreneur did not cater for this ‘cooling off’ period after the mad dopamine rush, and she was not sure how to handle her buyers’ remorse. She was also unwilling to acknowledge that her salesperson’s tactics/ approach could be one cause of this because “…the girl can sell ice to an Eskimo!”

Most buyers have experienced some level of post-purchase remorse. I’m sure you have at some point. After certain purchases, buyers experience the fear of having made the wrong choice; guilt associated with overspending; regret/uneasiness over giving in to a smooth-talking salesperson. Do I really need this? Do I need this right NOW? Is this the right product? Is this worth the price? Buyer’s remorse was known to have a major impact on homebuyers, but it’s now familiar to buyers across product/service categories, especially those making pricey purchases. Just purchased the S5?

Guess what? The S6 will be out soon. Our consumer culture has buyers feeling blue…

What led to the high rate of remorse and return in the case of the boutique? Maybe…

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• The customers’ significant others were not blown away by the pricey adornment • The persons who made the purchases weren’t the decision maker after all • The customers realized that the same/similar were available cheaper elsewhere • The customers thought the purchases not worth the price •The customers had been impulsive in making the purchase • The customers had felt pressured by the salesperson •Bottom dollar effect kicked in: customers are prone to dissatisfaction with products purchased with the last of their funds Ignoring buyer’s remorse is not an option; it actually puts the company in a precarious position: 1. Refund the customer and lose a sales opportunity and have a potentially unsalable product on hand 2. Refund the customer but still lose that customer as the customer may be (a) too embarrassed or (b) too fearful of being duped again to return to the store/business 3. Don’t refund the customer and lose that customer and potentials as a result of negative word-of-mouth

4. Never know a customer experienced remorse over the purchase (because he/she never returned the item) and lose that customer for life The best option is to try to stem this post-purchase regret, anxiety, fear, and depression even before the actual purchase.

1. Salespersons must qualify buyers. Is this product right for this particular individual? Does this customer really need/want this offering? Ask the relevant questions, listen and consider the customer’s responses.

2. Salespersons must be as honest and open as possible. Discuss the fine prints and calculate the hidden fees. Ditch the fancy marketing gimmicks. For subscription-based purchases remind customers of terms etc.

1.

Provide aftersales service

2.

Reach out to customers soon after a major purchase

3.

Offer a guarantee/trial period

And just a little update: the salespersons at the boutique has since adjusted her approach, and she is making fewer sales but she’s had no returns. ¤

About the Author Pilaiye Cenac is an entrepreneur.

Her qualifications include a BSc. in Psychology and Sociology and an MSc. in Marketing. She is also a PMP and a published writer. One of her companies, In Tandem, focuses on low cost approaches to enriching the customer experience. She can be contacted at pilaiye@gmail.com.

3. Educate customers on benefits (not just features) of their purchase so they can see the long-term and short-term value.

Share other customers’ positive experiences.

4. Address customers’ objections instead of ignoring them.

Ask customers to air concerns before making the purchase.

5. Salespersons should not overpromise. Raise a customer’s expectations and risk dissatisfaction at the slightest issue.

6. Salespersons should avoid pressuring/hard selling.

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MONEY MATTERS

WHEN DOES IT PAY TO COPY?

By Dr. Harvey Millar

I

f I were training for the 100-meter dash at the upcoming Olympics, what should I use as my standard? Should I use the best time ever ran by a St. Lucian? Or should I use the world record time? I am sure the answer is unanimous, the world record time of course. The process of comparing and analyzing my performance against the best performance for a 100-meter dash is what is referred to in management literature as benchmarking. Given information on that record setting race, and information on other world-class sprinters, I would compare my training practices, diet, athletic gear, take off at the block, build up during the race, and my attack on the home stretch with that of the sprinters in an effort to learn and adopt (copy) effective practices. Unless I use best practice as a standard, I may never set any stretch goals for myself, and it may take me a long time to improve my performance if at all.

Formally, benchmarking can be defined as “measuring your performance against that of best-in-class organizations determining BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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how the best-in-class achieve those performance levels, and using the information as a basis for your own organization’s targets, strategies, and implementation”.

Benchmarking is a copying technique, and you do not get flunked for practicing it. On the contrary, you can end up getting an A grade for improved performance as a result of it. Many of the successes of Japanese firms over the last few decades were achieved precisely through the use of this concept. The Japanese are wellknown as the “best” copycats. In the late 1970s, Canon benchmarked its copiers against that of Xerox copiers and were able to produce copiers that retailed at the cost of producing a Xerox copier. Xerox had become quite complacent as a market leader and under-estimated the competition from Canon. Needless to say that Xerox lost a phenomenal amount of market share to Canon. In 1983, in a fight back attempt, Xerox conducted benchmarking exercises against Canon, and embarked on a major quality strategy to help them regain market share. Yamaha Grand pianos

represent another fine example of benchmarking. Its design and manufacturing was benchmarked against the world-class Steinway Grand.

There are four common types of benchmarking: 1) internal benchmarking focused on internal operations; 2) competitive benchmarking involving competitor-to-competitor comparisons; 3) functional benchmarking involving the comparison of similar functions; and 4) generic benchmarking which involves comparing similar functions and/or processes regardless of industry.

The number of benchmarking exercises that take place between international and multinational companies are too numerous to mention - they span the automobile industry to utility companies to government departments. Many of these companies participate openly in benchmarking exercises with each other - in other words, “let’s compare notes”.

There are six crucial steps in a benchmarking process: 1) Decide what to benchmark; 2) Plan the benchmarking project; 3) Understand your own current performance; 4) Study others; 5) Learn from the data collected; and 6) Use the findings to improve your own performance. Benchmarking is a multidimensional, multifunctional approach to determining performance objectives.

Literally, any aspect of an organization can be benchmarked accounting procedures, distribution strategies, inventory management, product handling, and many, many more.

Dr. Millar is a full professor in the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University in Canada. He is the principal consultant with Management Technologies specializing in organizational improvement interventions, which include among others: strategic planning, strategy execution, performance management, and governance evaluations. He can be reached at Harvey.H.Millar@gmail.com.

Benchmarking has several benefits: 1) The best practices from any industry may be creatively incorporated into a company’s operations; 2) Benchmarking can be motivating. It provides challenging targets that have been achieved by others; 3) Resistance to change may be lessened if the ideas for improvement came from other industries; 4) Benchmarking broaden people’s experience base and increases knowledge; and 5) Potentially useful breakthroughs from other industries may be identified early. It is important to note, that benchmarking exercises do not have to involve direct competitors. For example, a hotel can benchmark its reservation system against that of an airline company and vice versa.

Being small organizations operating in a sea of giants, world-class performance is an imperative for the survival for Saint Lucian businesses. Can they benefit from benchmarking? Surely! There are prerequisites, however: a) they must be able to find a willing partner(s), b) there must be something in it for both parties, c) organizations must be broad-minded, d) they must be willing to accept criticism, e) they must have readily available information (data), and f) they must be goal-oriented.

Types of benchmarking exercises for Saint Lucian businesses may include: customer relationship management; employee incentive schemes, estimating and quoting systems, inventory management systems, financial management, quality assurance systems, and supply chain management practices. There are many successful small businesses in the Caribbean, North America, Asia, and Europe that would make excellent benchmarking partners. Companies thinking seriously about benchmarking may want to consider joining the Benchmarking Exchange, see (www.benchnet.com). ¤

e-mail: renee.construct@gmail.com www.reneesconstruction.com

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MONEY MATTERS

Why Small & Medium Enterprise Finance Leaders Must Know Day-to-Day Business Business Growth Should Not be Taken for Granted but must be Continually Managed to Succeed, says ACCA SME Global Forum Finance leaders need to be closer to the day-to-day workings of the business to avoid it becoming static, warns the SME Global Forum of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

In a new paper on the subject of business growth titled “Building the Finance Function in Growing Businesses” ACCA’s SME Global Forum says finance chiefs must start acting as business partners with a clearer view of the day-to-day workings of the business to make informed decisions and understand the whole impact those decisions will have. The Forum also says that much of the discussion on business growth assumes that growth is a potential option for businesses at all times, when the reality is very different.

Charlotte Chung, Senior Policy Adviser at ACCA, said: “There is a lot that separates the finance function of a static business from one geared for growth. The SME Global Forum has looked at what makes a company grow in detail and a key starting point is the notion that growth is not something businesses can dip in and out of at will; it requires constant management and analysis using timely and accurate data. Without this, rapid growth can be scuppered by what might seem to be very simple risks, such as overlooking loyal customers.

The underlying theme in unlocking a business so that it is fertile for growth is the pivotal role of the finance function.

Finance leaders must start acting as business partners - getting their hands dirty and being more intimate with the day-to-day workings of the business”.

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The ACCA Global SME Forum makes key recommendations for businesses on developing an environment conducive to growth. Recommendations in the Building the finance function in growing businesses, include: Ensure business plans for growth are designed to be ‘living documents’-focussing on aligning everyone’s efforts in the relatively short- and medium-term while being the central point for updates on any changes and developments. The business plan must be able to adapt to the fluidity of the markets it operates within.

Invest in data infrastructure - a growing business needs to be able to perform data mining and have access to actionable realtime information. This information will also reveal where the cracks and gaps are as the business goes through rapid growth.

Focus on balancing the benefits of outsourcing with the need for self-sufficiency through building in-house capacity - both must be developed in tandem to ensure growth that is robust against external challenges.

Develop and grow strong financial leadership – this may require building a network where advice can be readily sought, for example, the board, support staff and external advisors.

Understand what growth will look like for your business over the long term- growth is not the same for all businesses; it is important to monitor how growth may be impacted by factors such as where it occurs in the business cycle, market changes and finances. It is also crucial to understand how growth may impact on the business including staff fatigue and customer bases. ¤

buys

Cable & Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) agreed to acquire cable TV and Internet provider Columbus International Inc. to expand in the Caribbean and Central America. The deal also gives billionaire John Malone a stake in the enlarged company.

Cable & Wireless will pay $707.5 million in cash and sell 1.56 billion new shares, as well as raise additional debt to finance the $1.85 billion deal, the London-based company said in a statement today. Malone owns 22 percent of Columbus through one of his private companies and has amassed an international pay-TV empire that stretches across countries from Hungary to the U.K. to Chile.

“This is a game changer for Cable & Wireless -- it puts us very much back on the map,” Chief Executive Officer Phil Bentley said on a conference call today. “This is a great opportunity for us to build scale and become the dominant player” in bundled TV, Internet and phone services and business-to-business.

The transaction is expected to add to earnings in the second year after completion. Cable & Wireless will also assume Columbus’s debt of $1.17 billion as of June 30. Closely held Columbus provides broadband services in 17 countries throughout the Caribbean, Latin America and the Seychelles.

Columbus adds a significant pay-TV operation and so-called next-generation fiber network to Cable & Wireless’s existing businesses, Bentley said.

Cable & Wireless fell 6.3 percent to 45.85 pence at 8:42 a.m. in London, giving the company a market value of 1.16 billion pounds ($1.9 billion).

Through international cable company, Liberty Global Plc, Malone already owns 60 percent of Caribbean cable and broadband provider Liberty Cablevision of Puerto Rico LLC. With a net worth of $7.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Malone also owns Liberty Interactive Corp. and Liberty Media Corp., which has share interests in the Starz pay-TV channel, Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and Viacom Inc. Cable & Wireless was formed in 2010 in a company split that created Cable & Wireless Communications and Cable & Wireless Worldwide. The latter was acquired by Vodafone Group Plc (VOD) in 2012. ¤

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50 BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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50 YEARS of Powering the Nation.

YEARS 50 of Powering the Nation's Success

What is the true significance of 50 years? The world’s most respected genealogical resource service Ancestry.com, defines a generation as being 25 years - roughly the time it takes for someone to reach adulthood and have a child of their own who is old enough to speak and interact with the world around them. Celebrating LUCELEC’s 50th Anniversary means recognizing two generations of Saint Lucians who have grown up, contributed to and can bear witness to the impact and evolution of electrical services in Saint Lucia. Most of those born 50 years ago are still alive to testify about LUCELEC’s contribution to the nation’s development and the benefits it has brought to the lives of their children and grandchildren. In fact, the majority of the current management team at LUCELEC are professionals, technicians and visionaries who have been with the company for over 25 years. In order to truly understand the scope of what this means, here is a visual time-line:

1964 – St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) is incorporated under the Commercial Code of Saint Lucia on November 9 1971 – Union Power Station commissioned

1974 – Castries Power Station shut down with generators subsequently moved to Vieux Fort and Union Power Stations

Early 80s - Craft Apprenticeship Programme and recruitment of a number of professional staff prepares Saint Lucian citizens to fill advanced posts at LUCELEC enabling self-sufficiency in all but the most specialized needs

1988 - Construction on Cul de Sac Power Station begins

1990 - Cul de Sac Power Station completed with 2 engines and a total capacity of 12.6 MW

1990s - Substation expansion throughout Saint Lucia commences to improve reliability and power quality for customers

1994 - LUCELEC becomes a publically traded company

2000 - SCADA System installed to monitor the distribution network

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2003 - LUCELEC emerges as the leading utility company in the OECS with regards to cost effective production and low rates

2003 - LUCELEC receives the award for consistently being the best maintained Wartsila Diesel Power Plant Worldwide

2009 - LUCELEC embarks on a pilot project to introduce small grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) or solar systems and net metering

2009 - LUCELEC introduces Fuel Hedging to stabilize the price paid by the company for fuel and to reduce volatility in the fuel surcharge costs for customers

2009 - LUCELEC introduces the new Corporate Social Responsibility Platform, The Power of Caring to enhance its response to donation requests

2010 - LUCELEC's disaster response helps St. Lucia recover quickly from Hurricane Tomas

2012 - LUCELEC unveils its Strategic Business Plan for the period 2012 – 2020 with a new Vision “to be the energy that powers the nation’s success”

2012 - LUCELEC’s Customer Care given a make-over with new systems for better operational efficiency

2012 - LUCELEC installs perhaps the last 10 MW engine at the Cul de Sac Power Station taking the total capacity to 86.2 MW

2013 - Automatic Billing and Smart Metering come on stream

2013 - Launch of the Eastern Caribbean Energy Regulatory Authority (ECERA) signalling the beginning of a new regulatory environment for LUCELEC BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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50 YEARS of Powering the Nation.

LUCELEC has endured sweeping social changes, new political movements, massive technological evolution and challenging frontiers in economic and environmental management.

The first 25 years were defined by the tenuous business of managing several incongruent, parastatal electricity operations shared between the Government of Saint Lucia, the City of Castries and the Commonwealth Development Corporation. And the company saw its fair share of struggles in that time.

Some will recall the regular and fairly long power outages in the early 80s. But the company has emerged from those early challenges and grown into a model of utility operations second to none in the region.

This transition had its genesis in 1994, when the company took a major step forward via privatization and creation of a new corporate identity, culture, mission and vision that would promote self-sufficiency and reward shareholders and investors.

The new millennium brought with it even more unforeseen challenges like rapid development in communications and infrastructure as the country fully embraced its economic diversification from agriculture to tourism, industry and services.

At the same time, there were geo-political upheavals abroad leading to a permanent global fuel crisis and environmental imperatives that promoted a shift towards renewable energies.

Through all of this, the company has consistently ensured that each generation of Saint Lucians can be more productive than the one born before. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generation can communicate, create and learn with an ease that people born 50 years ago had only dreamed of and LUCELEC has been providing the energy helping to make it all possible.

The power that LUCELEC creates relies on much more than just the fuel it converts to electricity. Let us explore the real power behind its success.

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(Today LUCELEC is owned by Emera (St. Lucia) Ltd., First Citizens Bank Ltd., the National Insurance Corporation, the Castries City Council, the Government of Saint Lucia and individual shareholders. LUCELECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shares are traded on the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange.)

Cul De Sac, Box 811, CastriesTel: (758) 456-1600 Fax: (758) 453-2251

extends warmest Congratulations to

on the occasion of their 50th year of Service to the St. Lucia Community.

We offer our very best wishes to you in your moments of BusinessFocus celebration of this milestone with continued success and prosperity.

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50 YEARS of Powering the Nation.

THE POWER OF PROACTIVE

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Throughout LUCELEC’s 50 years, the Company has always had the foresight to be right on the cusp or leading the wave of development and disaster preparedness. There are many stellar examples of LUCELEC’s Power of Proactive Planning over the past 50 years.

In the mid-1980s, Saint Lucia experienced a major population and development surge. The national demand for electricity outstripped the Company’s existing generating capacity.

However, the Company had already put in place the development of the Cul de Sac Power Station and this had been so meticulously planned that LUCELEC was able to start construction in 1988 and complete the project in 1990. The new plant cost just over $112 million dollars and began operations with a start-up generating capacity of 12.6 megawatts, just in time for several major development projects in Saint Lucia and as the company began retiring engines at the Union and Vieux Fort power stations. The retirement of the plant at Union and Vieux Fort was possible because of the new 66,000 volt transmission system linking Cul De Sac to Union and Vieux Fort.

LUCELEC's Cul de Sac facility BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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The company had the foresight to ensure that the Cul De Sac facility was designed to withstand not only natural elements but most importantly, the facilitation of multiple upgrades well into the 21st Century to meet Saint Lucia’s growing electricity needs.

Today, LUCELEC’s Cul de Sac Power Plant still ranks as one of the most modern and efficiently designed and operated stations in the region, with an installed generating capacity of 86.2 megawatts (MW) that churns out over 380 million electricity units each year.

In 2003, the Company received an award for consistently being the best maintained Wärtsilä Diesel Power Plant Worldwide from 1998 – 2002.

A second wave of expansion took place in the late 1990s into the early 2000s focusing on the transmission and distribution grid network to improve reliability and bring electricity infrastructure to all parts of the country. Around that time, current Business Development Manager Victor Emmanuel was a young Chief Engineer and was there to witness it first-hand. He saw the

Auto-reclosers help to minimise outages to customers

We are constantly upgrading the skills of our workforce at all levels

State of the art Control Desk monitors and manages the engines at Cul de Sac BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Our staff are quick to respond to emergencies on the system at any time, day or night introduction of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system that allows 24/7 remote monitoring of Saint Lucia’s electrical grid. He also saw that grid expand and become more efficient with the creation of more sub-stations, the importance of which he explains thusly, “The creation of more sub-stations, like the Reduit Sub-station and the Praslin Substation, allowed us to create a more cost efficient distribution network to meet rising demand without drastic increases in operating costs and system losses. In layman’s terms, electricity is something that once you generate it, you have to transmit and use it or lose it. The higher the voltage you can transmit over a shorter distance, the better it is and the less wastage you will have. Sub-stations throughout the island are able to receive 66,000 volts from the Cul De Sac sub-station and step it down 11, 000 volts before it is transmitted through the electrical lines to a number of transformers which step it down again to 240 volts for domestic use. More efficiency translates to less cost to our customers.”

The Power of Planning is integral to not only system upgrades, but also preparedness for natural disasters. All it takes is one natural disaster to ruin or seriously retard the business prospects of a company. Over the last 50 years, Saint Lucia has been rocked by its share of storms but none stands out in current awareness like Hurricane Tomas. Current Chief Engineer Goodwin d’Auvergne, another long serving member of the Senior Management Team, explained that Hurricane Tomas was a crucial example of LUCELEC’s preparedness.

Not only did the company have a disaster plan but as he elaborated, “What many people do not know is that we BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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have been assisting other territories with their natural disaster recovery efforts for years, so on a response level we knew exactly what to do. Within hours of the hurricane passing, we did helicopter assessment of the damage and had a comprehensive analysis of our network and knew which lines were down.

Most of all, our teams were ready to be dispatched to get our service up and running as quickly as possible. And the speed of our response really helped spark the country’s recovery both physically and emotionally, but perhaps more importantly, economically, from the ravages of Hurricane Tomas.”

Over the past 50 years, Saint Lucia has been rocked by its share of storms but Hurricane Tomas stands out as one of the most crucial examples of LUCELEC’s proactivity and response capabilities

LUCELEC’s Power of Proactive Planning is seen not just in its physical infrastructure and preparedness for unforeseen events but also in its ability to navigate the ever shifting global economy.

A major part of LUCELEC’s focus involves working to keep costs down and increasing productivity by maximizing operational efficiency and innovation while ensuring the company remains viable and shareholders get a fair return on their investment.

C NGRATULATIONS LUCELEC! We salute you, as you celebrate 50 Years of keeping St Lucia energised.

Wishing you every success for the future - from your friends at the Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd.

1-888-225-5577 || LIME 1-888-935-5577 || DIGICEL

www.jpsco.com

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50 YEARS of Powering the Nation.

Our maintenance programme ensures that the system is kept at its optimum for improved reliability “Due to global events, since 2008 we have seen a rapid increase in the cost of fuel. Yet when our customers look at their bills they see that the fuel surcharge has not skyrocketed and remains at a fairly consistent rate. That is because of the fuel price hedging that LUCELEC does. We constantly regulate the cost at which we purchase fuel and shield our customers, as much as possible, from absorbing those fuel price shocks,” Mr. Emmanuel explains.

This has helped LUCELEC maintain electricity rates that are among the lowest in region. This involves a process of constant forecasting, planning and negotiating with regional and international companies regarding fuel costs. It also means ongoing research and regular studies on developments in the energy sector, like renewable energy and how LUCELEC incorporates this into its operations.

Public display for solar system showing energy generated from the sun and carbon dioxide emissions avoided “Renewable energy is the future, there is no denying that.

LUCELEC has been making gradual progress in this area. We broke into solar in 2009 with a pilot project involving grid-tied photovoltaic systems. We explored wind and continue to do so but there are so many obstacles, land being the greatest one. Saint Lucia is a small island so land comes at a premium and you will find that economic development prioritizes land use for tourism and agriculture,” Mr. Emmanuel explains. “But we believe that renewable energy provides the country with a degree of energy security and clean energy that is not possible with fossil fuels and we continue to pursue all viable means of incorporating renewables into our energy mix, despite the challenges.”

However, he remains hopeful due to the ever lowering cost of solar panels and the possibilities presented by a growing number of international companies interested in investing in non-intermittent forms of renewable energy like Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) and geothermal systems in the Caribbean.

“In the meantime, our focus is on fixing our net-metering system to ensure the customer is benefitting from generating and supplying energy through grid-tied photovoltaic (solar) systems. LUCELEC does not want to make it prohibitive for customers to switch to renewable energy. We also intend to lead the way, starting with our own service vehicles which we want to gradually convert to electric power. I see this then being implemented with all Government vehicles and public transport in the future. We are also facilitating the public’s use of electric vehicles with a charging station at the JQ Mall in Rodney Bay and there are plans for more charging stations soon.”

Photovoltaic (solar) panels installed at LUCELEC's Vieux Fort office BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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At present, it is far more cost efficient to respond to the rising demand for electricity using traditional diesel powered generators. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The initial capital cost of just one OTEC system or a geothermal plant could buy us several diesel engines here at Cul De Sac,â&#x20AC;? Mr. Emmanuel informed. Still, he remains undaunted that LUCELEC will rise to meet the challenges of a new age of green energy. He has every reason to be optimistic, considering the infrastructural evolution he has witnessed over his 25 years with the Company.

Skills transfer under close supervision prepares the next generation for the job It is no coincidence that at every moment when Saint Lucia experienced an economic and development boom or there was a global economic shift, LUCELEC was ready. That is the Power of Proactive Planning and Development! Having that power requires another kind of power though - human expertise.

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50 YEARS of Powering the Nation.

The Power

of People

On the very first day of her internship with LUCELEC’s Summer Employment Programme (still in operation today) Nicole DuBoulay knew that this was the best company in Saint Lucia to pursue a career. Years later, she would providentially become the Human Resources Manager, spearheading the department responsible for maximizing LUCELEC’s People Power.

Today, she has been with the Company for 18 years and LUCELEC still continues to be known as one of Saint Lucia’s best companies for employees. It goes far beyond the compensation packages which include staff benefits such as medical, pension, uniforms, access to a number of personal support services and union representation. As Mrs DuBoulay explains, “LUCELEC is a company that promotes advancement from within. It is not strange at all to find that our senior management is made up of professionals who have all moved up through the organization and have a thorough knowledge of its operations from the ground up. The current Planning Manager Mr. Francis Daniel and our Assistant Generation Engineer Mr. Gordon Florent started as Craft Apprentices in 1981. Even our Managing Director, Mr. Trevor Louisy, began as a Trainee Engineer with the Company in 1986. LUCELEC is a company that challenges people to constantly improve and rewards those who rise to meet the challenge.”

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After the 2013 Christmas Eve Trough, LUCELEC’s employees raised close to $16,000 in donations from staff to help their own colleagues.

In a country plagued by brain drain, LUCELEC has managed to have almost zero dependency on expatriate skilled workers and instead retains a high percentage of Saint Lucian citizens as Department Heads and/or in positions that require advanced degrees and extensive technical training.

Since the 1980s, LUCELEC provides internships for students on summer vacation from secondary schools, the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and university. It is yet another way the Company attracts the best and brightest.

From the Craft Apprenticeship Programme in the early 80s, to upgrading technical skills for the new software in the substations or introducing better live line maintenance techniques or implementing the new Customer Information System to revolutionize the customer experience, LUCELEC’s employees are never allowed to become complacent and that includes their personal lifestyle. Mrs DuBoulay is very proud of the numerous Health & Wellness activities the Company promotes for staff, including quarterly health screenings and diet and exercise motivation. Personal development is at the heart of LUCELEC’s People Power.

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Our vision is to be the energy th

We train our staff to execute every aspect of our operations

What does LUCELEC get in return for all this investment in its employees? It gets People Power, not just in its efficient daily operations but especially when the company needs it most.

Once again, Hurricane Tomas stands out as the most poignant example of this. “It was inspirational to see how everyone had a deep seated understanding that they work for an essential service in Saint Lucia and they showed up as soon as the storm cleared, no hesitation, no complaints, ready to do what they had to do. We had staff more concerned with other people’s recovery than their own!” Mrs Duboulay praised. There is no doubt that LUCELEC brings out the best in people and they in turn help the Company bring its best to Saint Lucia. “If you are going to work here, I will say prepare to work harder than you have ever worked before in your life but also expect so much more in return. Yes, of course, you will be paid well but most importantly you will have opportunities to grow, lots of support and nothing helps you to work harder than knowing that the people around you are working just as hard or even harder than you are.”

What a magnificent achievement...

“Training is an integral part of the culture here because we are constantly pushing ourselves to improve our delivery of service,” Mrs DuBoulay explained. She elaborated that this is all part of LUCELEC’s strategic plan which begins with a performance management system that operates at every level of the company. “This ensures that every member of LUCELEC’s staff is charged with the duty of promoting an organizational culture that is conducive to productivity and operational efficiency.

And we train staff on how to drive a culture built on some fundamental values such as Accountability, Caring, Ethics and Excellence.”

This training never stops. Even at the senior management level there is regular training in leadership, strategy development and execution, and managing change. Performance Based Incentives are not only used to determine salary bonuses but also as a tool to boost morale through a number of staff appreciation mechanisms. “Of course, this all culminates in LUCELEC’s Annual Staff Appreciation Awards that everyone knows and looks forward to. Employees of the Quarter go into a nomination pool for Employee of the Year.

We also reward performance by department and we reward longevity of service, as we especially appreciate those who have been in the trenches over the years, including our retirees, creating the foundation for the company that we are currently building on” Mrs DuBoulay shared.

hat powers our

50 years

of customer service, innovation and growth.

Congratulations to LUCELEC on achieving this historic milestone, setting exceptional regional benchmarks in reliably providing a service essential to us all.

FROM THE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF

M&C GROUP OF COMPANIES AND PETER & COMPANY LTD.

M&C Group of Companies 758-458-8000 • Peter & Company Ltd. 758-457-7000

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50 YEARS of Powering the Nation.

The Power of

Caring The positive social impact that LUCELEC’s Corporate Social Responsibility has had over the last 50 years would require its very own magazine. The Company supports every single pillar of national development - education, entrepreneurship, innovation, health and wellness, environment, youth empowerment, sports, arts and culture, faith-based organisations and does so in so many multi-pronged areas, from individual charitable donations to large island-wide initiatives that benefit entire communities at a time.

From its prestigious Bernard C. Theobalds (BCT) Scholarship to pursue a first degree in engineering at the University of the West Indies to the not so glamorous but essential repairs to a primary school bathroom; from being a Gold Sponsor of the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival to helping to develop a youth orchestra in Marchand; from the being main sponsor of the national school sports programme to being a more understated sponsor of so many individual athletes; it is impossible to capture the full breadth of LUCELEC’s generosity and compassion.

There are pragmatic, symbiotic reasons for LUCELEC’s commitment to Saint Lucia’s development. This can be illustrated by looking at the first ever recipient of the (BCT) Scholarship, Mr. Denny Raymond, who, after completing his degree, returned to LUCELEC and gave his expertise to the engineering team.

LUCELEC needs a nation of educated, skilled, productive, prosperous people in order for it to have a future. The Company is spearheaded by citizens of the country who still embody traditional Saint Lucian values of community spirit. Therefore, under their direction, the Company itself becomes a powerful mechanism to express what is already intrinsic to its people.

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Above and below some examples of where LUCELEC's Power of Caring has touched

Towards a brighter future

FINANCE

Congratulations to LUCELEC on their 50th Anniversary.

• Investments through the replacement of term Deposits (flexible interest frequencies) • Loan Financing – Commercial & Consumer – (Consumer/personal, Vehicles, Machinery, Equipment, Commercial Mortgages, Land, Debt Consolidation • Lease Financing (for vehicles) • Premium Financing (for vehicles) Sagicor Financial Centre Choc Estate, Castries, St. Lucia Tel: 1(758) 452-4272 or 1(758) 285-5868 / 70 Fax: 1(758) 452-4279 Web: www.sagicor.com

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50 YEARS of Powering the Nation.

Trevor Louisy, Managing Director of LUCELEC

The Power

of Progressive

Today, the robust and progressive electricity system that LUCELEC has built enables a child in the most remote part of Saint Lucia to attend university via computer interface. A single mother can start a cottage industry in her kitchen using basic electrical appliances and support not just herself but create backward linkages in her community. A farmer can overcome the vagaries of the weather and create artificial photosynthesis 24/7, maximizing yields.

Our tourism industry can offer visitors all the creature comforts they’re accustomed to. A dynamic telecoms industry, retail and financial sector can continue to help Saint Lucia hold its position as the largest economy in the OECS. The nation’s air and seaports can envision expansion to increase trade and visitor capacity. Our artists and entertainers can produce music, film and live events that attract fans from around the world. Investors can feel more confident that they can set up new commercial enterprises on the island. All of this is possible because there is a reliable and excellent quality supply of electricity.

What comes next? There is much to celebrate but there is also much more hard work ahead as Managing Director, BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Thinking

Mr. Trevor Louisy explains, “There is no doubt that the operating environment in which the company operates is changing more quickly and in many more ways than it has in the past 50 years.

Our challenge is to not just adapt, but to do so more quickly, across a wider range of activities and skills, and to be more proactive rather than reactive in our efforts to adapt. Our vision is to be the energy that powers our nation’s success and to achieve that we must, of necessity, be thinking about not just the next 5, 10 or 15 years or just about electricity and energy, but very importantly about the country, what it will take to achieve the success that we’re looking for as a people, and the legacy and foundations that we are building and contributing to for the next several generations of St. Lucians.”

Our vision is to be the energy that powers our nation’s success and to achieve that we must... be thinking about... the legacy and foundations that we are building and contributing to for the next several generations of St. Lucians.”

We have had the honour of welcoming Heads of State, Members of Parliament, Government Officials and local, regional and international utilities to our award winning Power Plant at Cul De Sac.

Electrical Contractors Commercial, Industrial & Domestic Applications Contracted & On Call

SERVICES: • • • •

Electrical Installations Electrical Repairs Network Cabling Preventative & Routine Maintenance

e

nc e i r e p x E ears Y 0 2 r e v O

• Testing & Repairs • Solar Panels & Green Technology Systems Installation & Maintenance

P.O. Box MF7124 - Bexon Highway Castries Tel: (758) 451-0665 / 519-1734 / 384-7999 / 451-0665 • Email: classelect@gmail.com BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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MICHEL’S ELECTRICAL & BUILDING CONTRACTORS LTD. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SOLVED!

All Work Guaranteed In Writing No Job Too Large or Too Small 7 Day Emergency Service Specialists In: Residential, Commercial, Industrial & Sporting Electrical Facilities & Sporting Electrical and Design

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Bois D’ Orange, Gros Islet - ARP Warehouse, Box CP 5305 Castries Tel: (758) 452-7866 / 453-6646 / 458-1475 Fax: (758) 451-7087 e.mail: melectrical@candw.lc

OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE FREE ESTIMATES

NORTHERN ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES St. Lucia’s First Electrician Store

SUPPLIERS

Of Lamps, Lighting Fixtures, Cables, Circuit Breakers, Panels and other electrical items for Industrial, Commercial and Domestic usage.

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Flexible Conduit, EMT Pipes and Accessories, Metal Trunking, Cable Trays and Baskets, Armored Cable, Cadwelding Mould and Shots, Threaded Rods of various lengths, and the list goes on. We stock over 1800 different items.

Bois D’ Orange, Gros Islet, ARP Warehouse, Box CP 5305 Castries Tel: 1 (758) 450-7866 • Fax: 1 (758) 450-7867 • email: nesupplies@hotmail.com BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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MUST READS

Volume 11

More than Just Fables

by Lyndell Halliday

In a recent Harvard Business Review blog, Harvard Business School professor, Joseph Badarcco touted the benefits of fiction as a superb learning tool for leadership development. Similarly, Craig Chappelow, a senior faculty member at the nonprofit Center for Creative Leadership claimed leaders can often learn more from some novels than from many traditional leadership books. This edition of Must Reads discusses two of the most popular works of fiction that have been widely hailed as excellent teaching tools. The two books are: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (HarperOne, 2006) and The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni (Joddey-Bass, 2002).

The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho The Alchemist is the source of the oft repeated quote “And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” The Alchemist tells the story of an humble shepherd boy who has a reoccurring dream about treasure in a distant land. He decides to risk everything, selling all he owns, in order to pursue this treasure or Personal Legend as it is also called. Along the way, he finds love and encounters significant dangers, almost losing his life. Confused and troubled, he eventually gives up his pursuit of his Personal Legend and settles down. But the drive to pursue his dream never leaves him entirely and urged on by his new found love, he later resumes his journey in search of this Personal Legend.

The writer, Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian who has authored several books with combined sales of over 150 million. The Alchemist is by far the most popular - selling over 65 million copies alone and translated into 56 languages around the world.

The writing style of The Alchemist is very unassuming and at 197 pages, it is a really short book. Yet this book is widely regarded as a classic teaching tool on following one’s dreams and has inspired somewhat of a cult following around the world.

The Alchemist may not be everyone’s cup of tea, however. Some may loathe the writing style, the lack of character depth, the clichés and the repetitious nature of the prose. But if understood for what it is - essentially a fable, there is power in the simplicity of its message. It is a message about risk taking, pursuing one dreams, self-belief, tenacity and sacrifice. In that vein, it is a very potent book.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable – Patrick Lencioni Patrick Lencioni is a management and leadership consultant who has written ten leadership books and has contributed to leading periodicals such as the Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal and Fortune.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is part of a series of three books that he has written which take an unconventional approach – part fiction – part non-fiction.

The other two books in that series are The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive.

Each of the books, however, can be read as standalone works apart from any of the others. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team focusses specifically on teamwork within organizations.

The first part and majority of the book tells the story of a fledging female CEO who takes over a troubled fictional company. In trying to tackle the company’s problems, she faces tremendous pressure from the board and strong resistance from the company’s executive team. The CEO early on zeros in on the company’s culture – specifically its lack of effective team work as the core problem holding back the performance of the company. Strong in her convictions, she focusses resolutely on remoulding the company’s culture to function better as a team centric organization.

After telling the story, Lencioni goes on to identify the five team dysfunctions as absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. According to Lencioni, these five dysfunctions exist as a pyramid with the first one – absence of trust - forming the base of the pyramid.

Lencioni offers advice on how to overcome each dysfunction and discusses how well performing teams behave in each of the five critical areas. In addition, Lencioni provides an assessment tool that the reader can use to better understand how well one’s team does in the five areas.

Digesting and applying complex management concepts is usually difficult.

However, the unusual story telling nature of this book makes the concepts a lot easier to understand and apply. This book can be recommended for anyone who leads a team and is interested in improving the effectiveness of that team.

About The Author: Lyndell A. Halliday BSc., DipFM, MBA Lyndell Halliday is a business executive who has served in a range of leadership roles across the Caribbean. He is currently employed as the General Manager of Automotive Art (St Lucia) Ltd. Mr Halliday is also a part time facilitator at the National Research and Development Foundation where he teaches Leadership and Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility for the Australia Institute of Business MBA and BBA programmes.

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ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS

THE CARIBBEAN GOES GEOTHERMAL

F

orget the white-sand beaches and astonishing biodiversity.

The Caribbean's real treasure might be buried deep, deep underground, in the form of steam and piping-hot water — in other words, geothermal energy.

In recent years, the Antilles, lesser and greater, has emerged as a hub for geothermal energy exploration. Nevis and St. Vincent are soon to host private geothermal investment projects. The European Union recently awarded Dominica a $10.3 million grant to jump-start geothermal energy development. And on the eastern Caribbean island of Montserrat, geologists are using cutting-edge techniques to map the rocky subterranean surfaces below.

The stakes are high. If the region can harness the power of its heat — and it's a big if — a nearly endless supply of energy could reward it. That, in turn, would free up billions of dollars Caribbean countries spend importing diesel, which fuels most of its power plants. Aruba, for instance, spends a staggering 16 percent of its GDP on diesel.

But tapping it is costly and risky, just like drilling for oil can be.

Companies can spend millions of dollars on drilling a well only to find it empty. Small regional markets make it hard enough to attract the private investment needed to drill. Thus far, Guadeloupe is the only Caribbean island that uses geothermal energy for electricity. And although several wind farms and solar projects have BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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sprung up on the breezy, sunny islands, geothermal projects have lagged behind, largely because of the financial risk.

That's where the maps come in. Lessening the risk of drilling a well could lead to wider adoption of geothermal energy, and could spawn big opportunities besides. "The private sector won't be so shy to put their money into projects in the early stages," says Graham Ryan, a research fellow at the University of Auckland's Institute of Earth Science and Engineering.

Geothermal energy is the intense heat deep within the Earth, seen in geysers, hot springs and volcanoes. It's far more efficient than diesel-fueled power generation, and it doesn't billow greenhouse gases into the air, either. Unlike wind or solar power, which depend on weather conditions, geothermal energy is always available. The Earth continuously generates roughly 44 terawatts, or trillions of watts, of heat — three times the global population's current energy use.

One technique that Ryan and his colleagues have used, called magnetotellurics, relies on what's essentially a giant metal detector to find molten magma, while seismic tomography uses the pressure waves created by carefully detonated explosions to generate images of rocks underground.

The Caribbean Islands are "ideally positioned" for geothermal energy development,says Bruce Cutright, chief technology offi-

cer at Nevis Renewable Energy International. They perch on two continental plate boundaries, where giant slabs of the Earth's crust grind slowly past each other, and hot molten magma rises to shallow depths, warming the surrounding rocks to create a heat reservoir. Seawater seeps through crevices and pores in the magma-baked rocks, absorbing heat along the way. The hot water then buoys upward to shallower depths, where it can be extracted by drilling geothermal wells. As the rising fluid boils, it produces steam that can be used to rotate power-plant turbines to generate electricity.

And the region is in dire need of cheap energy. Countries often spend 15 percent or more of their total GDP on electricity, impeding development and perpetuating poverty. Only a few Caribbean countries have natural gas reserves, which makes the region heavily dependent on imported diesel — whose prices saw a threefold spike over the past decade. Blackouts and brownouts are normal.

To boost the likelihood of drilling a productive geothermal well, Ryan and other University of Auckland researchers have employed an array of techniques to create a map of the rocks below the surface of Montserrat in the eastern Caribbean. Last year, the Iceland Drilling Co. drilled Montserrat's first two geothermal wells, which preliminary tests suggest could generate more power than the population needs.

and creating an interpretation of the geothermal system," Ryan says.

But Ryan notes that geothermal energy "is not going to solve the whole of the world's energy problems." For one, not all regions have high geothermal potential. There are safety concerns, too: Hot water from geothermal sources can harbor trace amounts of toxic chemicals like mercury and arsenic, which evaporate into the air as the water cools.

Today, geothermal plants can be found in roughly 25 countries.

Now researchers are looking at island nations, where the ocean can channel the heat energy to shallower depths. Indonesia and the Philippines already rely on geothermal electricity. Researchers are also investigating the Northern Mariana Islands' geothermal energy potential.

A predominantly geothermal energy-powered Caribbean might still be some years away. But the future "is very bright," said Gunnar Örn Gunnarsson, chief operating officer at Reykjavik Geothermal. There's "a high probability that a good portion of all energy needs on the islands could come from geothermal resources."

Which means these laid-back islands could lead the way to a fossil-fuel-free future. ¤

"It's formalizing how you put together different kinds of information … and trying to see those all fit together in three dimensions

St. Lucia Marketing Board Suppliers of Tropical Fruits and Vegetables

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Retail Outlet-Conway, Box 441 Castries • Tel: 1(758) 452-3214 Head- Office, Wholesale Dpt Odsan • Tel: 452-3214 / 453 -1162 / 458 -1210 Fax: (758) 453-1424 • Email: slmb@candw.lc We Go To The Farms For You!!

Eat Healthy! For a Healthy Lifestyle!!

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TIRE-DERIVED FUEL BEING CONSIDERED AS ENERGY ALTERNATIVE

ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS

TDF seen as a solution to island’s waste disposal challenges

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ire-derived fuel (TDF) will bring in much needed revenue, and significantly extend the life of Saint Lucia’s landfills by reducing the volume of material.

The Government of Saint Lucia in collaboration with the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology is reviewing options to turn the island’s trash into fuel—particularly the used tires that have accumulated at the island’s landfills over the past eight years.

This announcement is in keeping with the government’s aim to become renewable energy-dependent by the year 2020.

Chairman of the Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority (SLSWMA), and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Sylvester Clauzel, said that the ministry is currently deliberating with a UK-based organisation to craft a solution for transforming waste material into energy. “We have begun discussions with the Carbon War Room (CWR), to implement a solution that will convert shredded tires and other waste into electricity,” he said.

Founded by Sir Richard Branson, also the founder of the Virgin group of companies, the Carbon War Room is an independent nonprofit that accelerates the adoption of business solutions to reduce carbon emissions and advance a low-carbon economy.

Clauzel said the use of discarded tires to create fuel will have a twofold effect. [Tire-derived fuel] "will bring in much needed revenue, and significantly extend the life of Saint Lucia’s landfills by reducing the volume of material. We view this as an urgent matter and will utilise all resources toward making it a priority,” he said.

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According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), scrap tires produce the same amount of energy as oil and 25 percent more energy than coal. They are used as fuel because of their high heating value. In 2003, 130 million scrap tires were converted to about 45 percent of all generated fuel in the US, an increase from about 26 million tires which generated 10 percent of fuel in 1991.

In Saint Lucia, however, there have been setbacks. The Minister for Sustainable Development, Dr. James Fletcher, detailed those in his 2013-2014 Annual Report. “The island’s waste disposal challenges are due to the lack of adequate financing for the upgrade of the electrical system at Deglos to facilitate the tire shredder and reactivation of the autoclave,” the report stated.

The stockpile of tires in the landfill occurred following the breakdown of two smaller tire shredders. In 2012, the SLSWMA purchased a new, high-capacity shredder, but the installation required costly adjustments for which the Authority was not able to allocate the necessary funding.

To this end, Mr. Clauzel said the authority is currently in negotiations to obtain an advance of funds. The funding will be put toward improvements and repairs of the electrical systems at Deglos that will allow the operation of the new shredder.

The new shredder, Clauzel said, will reduce the stockpile at both the Vieux Fort and Deglos landfills to a mass that will no longer pose a public health hazard, as the disposal of scrap tires in tire piles poses a fire risk, and habitats for disease vectors, such as mosquitoes. ¤

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ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS

CARIBBEAN NATIONS’ BEACHES DISAPPEARING DUE TO RISING SEA LEVELS AND STORMS In a new report, the World Bank has said, in some areas of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for instance, an estimated 18-30 meters of beach have been lost over the last nine years.

Earlier this year the United Nations Environment Programme released a new report stating that climate change-induced sea-level rise in the world’s 52 small island nations – estimated to be up to four times the global average – continues to be the most pressing threat to their environment and socio-economic development; with annual losses at the trillions of dollars due to increased vulnerability.

In June 2014, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, challenged the world to raise their voices and not the sea level. In tandem with the United Nations designating 2014 as the International Year of Small Island Developing States; the June celebration of World Environment Day sought to bring to focus the Island States who are seen to be facing an impending crisis from rising sea levels.

W

orld Bank says due to rising sea levels and recurring storms, the beaches in most Caribbean nations have started to disappear.

In a new report, the Washington-based financial institution said, in some areas of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for instance, an estimated 18-30 metres of beach have been lost over the last nine years.

"The highly vulnerable coastal strand and adjacent towns are fighting against increased flood risk from rainfall and storm surge," said the bank, noting that the issue of challenges faced by small islands around the world was at the centre of the justconcluded Third Small Island Developing States (SIDS) conference in Samoa.

The bank said the theme of the conference was sustainable development in view of these states' unique and particular vulnerabilities.

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The World Bank said beaches are not the only concern, stating that Caribbean ports are also at risk from rising sea levels. "In island states, ports are the economic heart of the country, typically the capital and the island center of commerce," said the bank, adding that airports are also affected.

To improve the Caribbean's ability to resist and adapt to the effects of climate change, the World Bank has made some recommendations.

With the poor and vulnerable being most affected by a global sea level rise, the bank urged that land planning be incorporated more into social programmess to tackle how exposed people are to risk.

It also recommended the implementation of a preventive system, to establish an economic recovery and diversification plan following a disaster, as well as increased investment in scientific data collection and flood controls.

The other recommendations include land planning and watershed management.

“Small island nations share a common understanding that we need to set our planet on a sustainable path,” said the Secretary-General, explaining that reaching that goal demands the engagement of all sectors of society in all countries.

“This year, I urge everyone to think about the plight of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and to take inspiration from their efforts to address climate change, strengthen resilience and work for a sustainable future,” said the UN chief.

“Raise your voice, not the sea level.”

The recently held Small Island Developing States Conference in Samao saw the UN pledge $1.9 billion in sustainable development partnerships to help combat the effects of climate change and promote sustainable energy as well as tackling other economic and social challenges. ¤

ST. LUCIA AND NEW ZEALAND SIGN GEOTHERMAL ENERGY CONTRACT

S

t. Lucia has signed a contract with New Zealand that it says will help define the prospects for advancing geothermal development on the island.

Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology Minister Dr. James Fletcher signed a Geothermal Support Partnership Framework Agreement with New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully, on the sidelines of the Third International Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Conference held in St Lucia in September.

“The Partnership Agreement is designed to provide key technical assistance to support geothermal exploration, and help define the prospects for advancing geothermal development in St. Lucia.

“The Agreement is also designed to support training opportunities in geothermal energy through New Zealand Development Scholarships, and facilitate where possible, practical skills development opportunities,” according to an official statement.

It said the agreement represents the culmination of a series of discussions between the two countries “on the advancement of geothermal development, which is a critical component of the government’s plans to transition St. Lucia away from its dependence on expensive diesel fuel for the generation of electricity.” ¤

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ECONOMY & TRADE FOCUS

GRACE KENNEDY ACQUIRES MAJORITY SHARES IN ST. LUCIA’S EC GLOBAL taking our investment in this business to the next level will bring.

T

he GraceKennedy Group is now the majority shareholder in St Lucian company, EC Global Insurance Company Limited (EC Global), with the acquisition of an additional 50 per cent share which brings its shareholdings to 80 per cent.

Having acquired the first 30 percent shareholding in 2004, GraceKennedy Financial Group Limited (GKFG) CEO, Courtney Campbell commented: “In pursuing our vision of becoming a Global Consumer Group in Foods internationally and in Financial Services regionally, we have been keeping a keen eye out for companies which can help us to achieve this goal.

“Our history with EC Global has been good, and by now becoming the majority shareholder, we are excited about the prospects that

EC Global is a licensed general insurance company in St Lucia, previously owned jointly by GKFG and Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings Limited (ECFH). ECFH will retain the remaining 20% and remain a partner in the business.

This is the second acquisition for the company since the start of the year. In July, GraceKennedy entered into an agreement to purchase the operating assets and business (including its brand) of La Fe Foods Inc, the top Hispanic Brand in the frozen food category in Northeast USA. ¤

TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE CARIBBEAN STRENGTHENED

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he Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) supported a contingent of representatives from four (4) of the Region’s Business Support Organisations (BSOs) to participate in the 8th China LAC Business Summit that was held in Changsha, China between September 12-13, 2014.

The mission to China led by the Honourable Minister Donville Inniss, Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development for Barbados sought to build relations, discover new potential trading partners and promote the Caribbean for viable investment opportunities. Speaking at the China LAC Summit, Minister Inniss noted that the areas for future cooperation between China and the Caribbean included financial services, logistics, tourism and hotel development, agribusiness and infrastructure development.

The participation of these BSOs that included JAMPRO, InvestSVG, The Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce of Haiti, is an important step towards not only strengthening the capacity of the BSOs to understand the Chinese market but also to enable the BSOs to work with the regions private sector to strategically target and penetrate the Chinese for exports and investments.

The Caribbean delegates also took the opportunity to further discussions with the Tianjin authorities and business groups on BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

“We anticipate significant collaboration between EC Global and our other existing Insurance businesses and look forward to reaping the rewards of this investment.”

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investment and prospects for future trading relations. Meetings with the China Ministry of Commerce, and in particular the International Trade Development Bureau, enabled the discussion on the support that could be offered to the Caribbean allowing for increased access of Caribbean products into the Chinese market. In addition talks with the China Development Bank led to enlightenment as to how the Caribbean could access available resources in China earmarked for infrastructure development, as well as commercially viable projects in the Caribbean.

Another key meeting that was held during the mission was with ChinaGoAbroad whose members-only platform provides information and connections for Chinese companies as well as their global counterparts seeking international business partners, investment opportunities and joint ventures in a variety of sectors.

Future collaboration with these partners will be led by Caribbean Export as the Agency seeks to strategically position the region for trade and investments from China.

The Summit acts as a promotion mechanism and platform for economic & trade cooperation between China and Latin America & the Caribbean and is managed by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). The event promotes policy dialogue at the government level, but also promotes Chinese investments in Latin America and Caribbean markets. ¤

INAUGURAL MEETING OF NATIONAL EXPORT COUNCIL

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he National Export Council (NEC) of the Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday September 9, 2014.

The NEC consists of a cross-section of private and public sector stakeholders and is chaired by Mr. Ronald Ramjattan, President of the Saint Lucia Manufacturers Association (SMA). This is a critical step in the operations and sustainability of TEPA as the lead agency mandated to spearhead the island’s National Export Development effort charged with the responsibility to increase aggregate volume and value of exports from Saint Lucia.

At the meeting Mrs. Jacqueline Emmanuel-Flood, Chief Executive Officer of TEPA presented to the gathering the agency’s 2014/15 work programme which provided the NEC members a synopsis of what TEPA has achieved to-date and an insight on upcoming programmes.

The National Export Council composition is as follows: • Honourable Emma Hippolyte, Minister for Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs • Mrs. Jacqueline Emmanuel-Flood – Chief Executive Officer, Saint Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) • Mr. Ronald Ramjattan, Chairman of the NEC and Representative of the St. Lucia Manufacturers Association • Mr. Leo Titus Preville, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs

• Mr. Donovan Williams, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and the Creative Industries • Ms. Tracy Polius, Permanent Secretary, Department of Planning and National Development • Ms. Sunita Daniel, Chief Agricultural Planning Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Production, Fisheries, Co-operatives and Rural Development: • Mr. Michael Speakman, Representative of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture • Mr. Ross Stevenson, Representative of the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association • Ms. Yvonne Agard, Representative of the St. Lucia Coalition of Services Industries Inc. • Mrs. Rose Lascaris, Representative of the St. Lucia Industrial and Small Business Association (SLISBA) • Dr. Mkabi Walcott, Representative of the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards • Mr. Nigel Edwin, Director of International Trade, Ministry of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation The National Export Council (NEC) is an independent body that oversees the operations of TEPA and acts in an advisory capacity to the government on issues related to Export Development. ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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ECONOMY & TRADE FOCUS

STRONGEST ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN PROJECTED FOR ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

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he Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is projected to have the strongest economic growth in the English-speaking Caribbean in 2014 and in the Eastern Caribbean in 2015.

That’s according to Caribbean Journal which indicated its information comes from data taken from the latest update of the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook Report.

Caribbean Journal said St. Kitts and Nevis is projected to lead the English-speaking Caribbean in economic growth in 2014 at 3.5 percent and second to Guyana in 2015 with a projected growth rate of 3.2 percent.

In 2014, the Dominican Republic is projected to lead the region with a 5.3 percent increase in GDP, followed by Haiti at 3.8 percent.

In 2015, the Dominican Republic is once again projected to lead the region with a GDP growth rate of 4.2 percent, with Haiti at 3.7 percent. Guyana is projected to be second in 2015 with a 3.8 percent rate and St. Kitts and Nevis with a GDP of 3.2 percent.

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That means a two-year average GDP growth of 4.75 percent for the Dominican Republic, 3.75 percent for Haiti, and 3.35 for St. Kitts and Nevis. ¤

ATWELL DALGLIESH CO. St. Lucia Ltd. Since 1974

Distributors of: Soft Sheen-Carson Products • Wave Noveau •Carefree Curl •Moisture Oil Therapy • Optimum Relasers, etc And Much More ...

Organic Root Stimulator • Hair Mayonnaise • Fertilizing Balm & Serum • Carrot Oil • Olive Oil Mon-Fri: 8am-4pm • Sat: 8:30am-12:20pm

La Pansee, P.O. Box 732, Castries, St. Lucia, W.I. e-mail: atweldalco@candw.lc

Tel: (758) 452-3668 • Fax: (758) 452-4387 Facebook.com/pages/atwell-dalgliesh • www.atwelldalglesh.com

We Provide the following services in addition to the refueling of vehicles: Soufriere 758-459-7729

Cooking gas – both Sol and TexGas * Telephone top up – Lime/Digicel Vehicle accessories, car batteries, air fresheners * Lottery Tickets Oils and lubricants * Ice * Convenient store

Location: Fond Cacao, Soufriere Telephone : 459 -7831/459-7729 BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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ECONOMY & TRADE FOCUS

Hendrickson Takes 60% of Kingston’s Hotel Real Estate Hotelier to Control Majority of Hotel Rooms in Jamaica’s Capital City Kevin Hendrickson will soon control close to 60 per cent of the hotel rooms in Kingston. His company will operate over 870 of the 1,480 rooms in Jamaica’s capital when the purchase of the former Wyndham Kingston Hotel is finalised.

He already owns The Jamaica Pegasus and the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites, which have 300 and 127 rooms respectively. Both of these properties are located right beside the former Wyndham Kingston, his latest acquisition. Hendrickson also owns the 143room Knutsford Court Hotel, which is located in New Kingston.

The hotelier has said that the purchase will "represent a strategic opportunity to transform the city landscape and present products and services through a full and comprehensive development strategy."

Indeed, Kingston tourism has been on the up and up. Room occupancy levels have risen from just under 42 per cent of all rooms to almost 50 per cent. What's more, 48 per cent of all beds in Kingston were occupied in 2012, the highest the city has seen in at least a decade.

Hendrickson's interest in Kingston tourism, which largely attracts business travellers, extends beyond hotel rooms. His company also owns and operates The Courtleigh Corporate Centre in Kingston.

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The hotel mogul's US$17.6 million bid on the 303 room property that sits in the heart of New Kingston was accepted.

This follows the US$10 million spent on upgrading the Pegasus since it was acquired by his management company, Surrey Hotel Management Group, over three years ago. In late 2010, he bought the controlling interest in Pegasus for $945 million. The remaining shares were purchased for $635 million the following year.

Around the time same time, the owners of the former Wyndham Kingston Hotel was placed into receivership by RBC Royal Bank.

The property then went on the market in 2012, and an auction was planned for April last year. The sale was postponed after fire damaged sections of the hotel. Last year July, the Wyndham Hotel Group, which managed the property, pulled its name from the hotel.

Hendrickson has other hotel interests; namely the 500-room Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay. He also owns the Yummy and Holsum bakeries. In addition Hendrickson also owns the Coconut Bay Resort located in Vieux Fort, St. Lucia. ¤

Minister of State for Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hugo Swire

Britain said it is seeking to strengthen bilateral ties with Cuba, particularly in the trade and investment area, within the framework of the European Union's renewed interest in the island and the entire Latin American region.

Hugo Swire, a Minister of State for Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, made the remarks in the Cuban capital, saying the government intends for more British companies to invest in Cuba and contribute to the Caribbean country's economic development. His trip to Cuba is the first by a British Minister to Cuba in a decade.

During his recent visit Swire made it clear that Britain is not setting aside its concerns over the human rights situation on the Communist-ruled island, but said the government is acting in the context of Europe's renewed interest in Cuba and the region as a whole.

German, Dutch and French government officials have made recent trips to Cuba, said Swire, whose visit coincides with EUCuba talks aimed at reaching a new political accord.

Relations between the European Union and Havana have been governed since 1996 by the EU's so-called "common position," which states that democratic reforms on the island are a prerequisite for full bilateral ties.

Britain Pursuing Closer Economic Ties with Cuba During his visit, the British Minister has met with authorities in different sectors, including Cubaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foreign Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca and the Deputy Health, Agriculture and Energy and Industry Ministers. He also met with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

The Tory member of Parliament also will visit Havana's "Pedro Kouri" Tropical Medicine Institute, which trains Cuban medical professionals for Ebola missions in West Africa.

Swire praised the island's efforts to combat that deadly virus in other nations and also hailed Cuba for hosting ongoing peace talks between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla group.

He said Britain is making preparations for a visit to Cuba in 2015 by a trade delegation made up of prominent British business leaders and has already identified priority sectors, including tourism, renewable energy, agriculture and state-of-the-art technology.

On Britain's stance on the longstanding rift between the United States and Cuba, Swire said his nation has no role as a mediator but reiterated that London favors improved ties between Washington and Havana. ¤

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Making Things Easier for

you

Cepal Holdings Inc. is the parent company for Cepal Trucking and Heavy Equipment Rental Services, and the recently acquired JQ Blocks.

For twelve years, Cepal Holdings has grown from strength to strength and now comprises of four companies that provide services from cement blocks, to building construction and has recently introduced a Construction Credit Centre.

At the helm is Daniel Cepal, a man of humble appearance and demeanor who prides himself in always putting his customers and employees first.

Cepal Holdings Inc. is the parent company for Cepal Trucking and Heavy Equipment Rental Services, Construction King, the BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Daniel Cepal Contractorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Credit Centre and the recently acquired JQ Blocks that is now known as Cepal Cement Products.

At Cepal Holdings, we possess greater flexibility than anywhere else. If you have the technical skills or the human resource, we provide the option of renting our equipment at very competitive rates for the completion of your project. Our reliable equipment ranges from backhoes, excavators, trucks and graders.

Construction King From start to finish we offer construction services for residential or commercial sites. Through the provision of a full construction crew, we will take care of every need from site clearance, providing the heavy equipment to build the foundation, or the supplies and equipment necessary to complete the work. A client simply has to sit back and let us take care of every detail, from the plumbing to the electrical to the painting.

We are committed to what we do and have a passion for attaining customer satisfaction. We pay close attention to our customers, so that at the end of the project, not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but that the customer is satisfied with the end product. Aside from General Construction, we offer subdivisions, quantity surveying, architectural, electrical, and of course supervisory services.

Some of our more notable projects include the rewiring of the Hewanorra Departure Lounge and the recent completion of the Sandals La Toc Laundry and Warehouse. In association with the Caribbean Development Bank we have also worked on the construction of the Ti Rocher Preschool.

own struggles in earlier years in the business when it was always extremely difficult to get a project started because contractors often do not have surplus cash and cannot expect to get any money until the later stages of the project. With this shared understanding, Cepal wanted to pay it forward and help others.

Cepal Cement Products

Online Sales Website

As we grew, meeting all the needs of our customers became increasingly important. For this reason, Cepal Holdings acquired JQ Blocks; to provide both quality service and quality products to our customers. We currently manufacture blocks of various sizes; four, six, eight, ten, twelve inch. In St Lucia, we are the only company to manufacture twelve inch and Contec Flooring blocks otherwise known as filler blocks. Filler blocks make construction easier and also help to save money.

Forever on the cusp of innovation, Cepal Holdings has now introduced their online store. Customers are able to buy anything that we sell online; anything from buying concrete to reserving equipment. Plus everything is delivered to your site saving customers the hassle of finding transport to pick up their supplies.

This is something that no other company does. Keeping in mind that many persons who work find it difficult to come get the materials themselves, Cepal has now simplified business by giving customers the ability to sit in their offices and complete their entire purchase without ever coming to the site. It saves time, money and the hassle.

Our Aggregates include; pumice, sand, ready mix, concrete blocks and quarry waste. They are of a high standard and quality, with very competitive rates and prices, allowing for ease, pleasure and flexibility when doing business with us. In some instances we even provide free Delivery as a bonus. Also as you become a regular customer and continue to patronize, we provide more bonuses that you can take advantage of.

Cepal Trucking and Equipment Rentals We do container and heavy equipment haulage between various locations on the island. Our trucks are of European and English models, which by design are more powerful and work best on St Luciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mountainous terrain. Their breaking system is better than Japanese trucks, as our trucks are designed to be safer on our roads. Therefore for over 12 years we have never had an accident with a truck, a reflection of our excellent safety record and commitment to the highest standards.

Contractors Credit Centre Cepal Holdings newest venture is our Contractorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Credit Centre.

The center provides credit for cash strapped contractors who need to complete projects while they await the disbursement of funds.

The Credit Centre will provide the finances for every element of the project; we supply materials, equipment and we pay for all labour costs. Most of our clients are those with contracts from government or financial institutions. The contracts have to be credible so that reimbursement is guaranteed. Furthermore we do not only provide the materials but also we send our technicians to the site to ensure that the work is being completed at the best standards possible. This centre came about as a result of Cepalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Making things easier to get the job done right!

We have been able to buy our own Quarry, so all the materials we use come from our own quarry. By keeping everything locally owned, the company is able to sustain its workers so that if we are slow in one company we can send these workers to the quarry keeping a level of sustainability for our workers so they never lose pay when work becomes slow.

Cepal Holdings has a strong sense of care and commitment to their staff. All our workers and construction sites are insured. Our workers stay with us and have a strong sense of commitment and dedication to our business.

We maintain the best price on the market though not comprising the standard of our product. We care deeply about quality but we also keep our price at where the average customer can afford. We never turn a client away and are always willing to work with our clients.

Due to this, the cement company was able to double their sales within a year of taking over JQ Cement; a remarkable achievement in that short time frame.

All these achievements represent our combination of brilliance, efficiency and the "know-how" attitude we have adopted when it comes to getting the job done right, and done right the first time around. We listen carefully to your needs, and make them a reality, just as you imagined it.

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REGAL

Insurance Brokers Inc.

Regal Turns 2

I

n recent years insurance brokerage firms have proven themselves to be a vital element of the insurance industry and the wider economy. They are in fact the link between the insurance company and the client. This intermediary was once thought to be only necessary for large companies in need of complex policies or specialized insurance requirements. However, many small businesses and professionals can now attest to the immense benefits of utilizing an insurance broker.

One of the newest companies on the market is Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. is owned and managed

by Mr. Ronald Phulgence, a Chartered Insurance Professional with the Insurance Institute of Canada, with 25 years of experience in the business. Mr. Phulgence is a pioneer of professional insurance broking in St. Lucia having entered the industry in 1990. Since then he has worked in St. Lucia and regionally. Some of his work experience includes management of the Dominica branch of a leading insurance brokerage firm for eight years and being instrumental in the establishment of the Grenada Branch of another regional firm.

handle all aspects of the insurance experience including handling all paperwork involved in establishing insurance contracts; we review all documentation to ensure that they reflect the wishes of the client and the security they expect. We also handle every claim which will arise under every policy we contract.

Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. is a full service brokerage firm and offers a multi-line broking service. Regal provides clients access to all aspects of the insurance market. What separates Regal from all others is the type of service offered. Our clients are professionals, young entrepreneurs and small to medium sized businesses that are looking for individualized and detail-oriented service. Unlike most of the larger brokerage companies we are able to provide a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boutiquelikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; service to a special client segment. The company aims to offer high-end service that is tailored to the needs of the clients.

Regal Insurance Brokers believes that doing business in this manner serves customers well as we are able to offer focused attention combined with a high level of professionalism.

As the representative of the client, our responsibility is to advise them on their risk exposures, provide access to the products they need and to recommend the most suitable risk management strategy for their unique situation. We become clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; connection with the insurance market and ensure that they are always fully informed to be able to make the decisions that matter. Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. will BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Whether large or small, personal or commercial the philosophy of Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. is that every client deserves the Royal Treatment. We believe that no one should have to transact insurance without the assistance of an insurance professional.

Ronald Phulgence has a reputation of standing for the strong professional ethics and possessing a high level of transparency with clients. He believes that this is essential to serving clients in such an intangible business and that all clients deserve a quality personalized service. These are the hallmarks which form the foundation of Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. As Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. celebrates its second anniversary the sky is the limit and the company remains very optimistic about the insurance industry and the contribution that firms like Regal Insurance Brokers Inc. can make to the insurance landscape of St. Lucia and the region.

REGAL Insurance Brokers Inc.

We provide a highly personalized and professional insurance brokerage service; Serving in all classes of insurance

…because you deserve the Royal Treatment P. O. Box MF 7136 • Castries, St. Lucia • Tel:(758) 456-0992 • Fax: (758) 451-0993 • Email:mail@regalbrokersslu.com BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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PREVILLE & ASSOCIATES CONSULTING GROUP

Negotiators. Business, Management and Development Consultants.

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reville & Associates Consulting Group is a Saint Lucia registered company specializing in the provision of the following services: negotiations, business, management and development consulting. The firm’s core staff and consultants are highly trained and experienced within the fields of economics, negotiations, project management and law. The Group comprises a Saint Lucia based firm through which all domestic business is transacted and an international business company (IBC) through which all foreign business is done. The firm’s managing director, Dr. Claudius Preville, is an experienced economist, negotiator, trade policy advisor and writer. He has worked on several European Union financed technical assistance projects as team leader and imprest administrator in Africa, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Dr. Preville also has extensive experience working within the Caribbean region as trade policy advisor and negotiator during negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the CARIFORUM and the European Union, as well as the negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the

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Americas (FTAA), and the OECS Economic Union.

Having worked and resided in Europe, Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, in addition to his native Caribbean residence, he has an extensive network of colleagues and associates, including within academia, all over the world.

SUMMARY OF SERVICES OFFERED The major services provided by Preville & Associates Consulting Group are summarized below: •Preparation of Terms of Reference for the conduct of specific studies or assignments •Preparation of high level project designs to be used for accessing funds from donor agencies, notably, but not limited to, using the EU’s EDF procedures •Arrangement and conduct of consultations with private and public stakeholders on various subjects to identify needs •Preparation of studies/analyses of an economic subject as the basis for policy decisions and/or recommendations

•Preparation of policy briefs on a subject matter in preparation for negotiations in the WTO, CARICOM-Canada and other FTAs •Conducting of economic assessments of specific services sectors and making recommendations on how they should be scheduled consistent with WTO GATS • Study/assessment of specific problems in the agriculture and tourism sectors and provide recommendations how to address them • Representation of a country’s interests in the Doha Round negotiations •Explanation to the private sector of how they can take advantage of various trade agreements to improve upon their business competitiveness, turnover and profitability •Delivery of specific technical advice to individual firms on available pricing data for imports and exports and sources of supply for specific products •Provision of services as negotiator for specific firms to either renegotiate an existing supply contract, or to switch the source of supply of imports, or for the introduction of new product lines into trade

•Implementation of programme estimates and managing the tender procedures for procurements under the EU’s EDF •Delivery of training to private sector and government agencies on various issues concerning trade agreements •Delivery of speeches or workshops on preparation of business plans •Delivery of speeches or workshops on how to reorganize business to increase profitability and turnover •Delivery of speeches or workshops to the private sector on how to set goals and development of plans to fulfill goals after they have been set •Delivery of speaking engagements on various topics within the fields of international trade, trade policy, business design and strategic planning •Evaluation of tenders received for the provision of services under the EU’s EDF •Identification of capacity building needs of countries in preparation for implementation of trade agreements

•Provision of services as negotiator in general to facilitate a business deal between two companies

•Organization of conferences and workshops for review, discussion and analysis of specific issues of relevance to government, academia or the private sector

•Preparation of programme estimates for the implementation of projects under the EU’s EDF

•Conduct of value chain analysis for a specific product to be traded (or being traded) between two countries or regions

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YOUTH IN FOCUS

CONVERSATIONS WITH A YOUNG ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST

By Charmaine Joseph

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he tides are changing and the focus of the Region is shifting towards effecting positive change in how people interact with their natural environment. With this comes a need for young professionals who can craft better environmental policies and programmes. Last year, Shani I. Victorin returned to St Lucia to hopefully do just that. Business Focus Magazine spoke to Shani to learn more about her and her plans for the future.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Shani I. Victorin. I was born and raised in Saint Lucia, attended the Anglican Infant and Primary Schools, St. Joseph's Convent, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (DASGS) and then Trent University in Ontario, Canada where I recently graduated with a BSc. Environmental Science (Hons.). Throughout my years at school I have been known for dance. I have now transitioned into dance fitness with Socacize; an exhilarating Caribbean workout that combines aerobics with Afro-Caribbean dance movements.

My passions are The Arts, the Environment and Education. I taught English and Mathematics at the Marigot Secondary School before attending Trent and I am now returning to the school to teach Integrated Science. My career goal is to become an Environmental Educator.

2 What attracted you to the field? Do you have any specific subinterests?

My interest in the environment began in primary school. I recall asking my mother questions about environmental topics such as the importance of various species to the food web, the effects of pollution and improper waste disposal, among other things. My interest continued at Secondary School where I did my Geography School Based Assessment (SBA) on pollution in the Rodney Bay Marina. At university I majored in Environmental and Resource Science. During my university career I drifted towards three main areas - waste management, community based resource management and environmental communication.

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Those areas appealed the most to me and are best suited for my future endeavours.

3. Was it an easy choice to move away from the traditional professions?

My father pushed me to pursue sciences, then once I decided that environmental sciences would be my specialization my mother supported my decision. Without my parents support I may not have decided to do environmental science, but I believe I would have still been involved with an environmental organisation in some way. I made the decision in Form 4 and at the time none of the students I socialised with were interested in that field so I figured it must be a good choice.

4. The environment and the effects of climate change are becoming one of the most pertinent issues of our time. Do you think that the attention being placed locally is enough considering the scale of the problem?

At this current moment it is not enough, however, the journey of tackling climate change in our country is not just beginning.

Discussions and efforts have been made already, and the Ministries and relevant authorities are continuing to make advances to prepare our Small Island Developing State (SIDS) for the effects of climate change and to help us adapt to these changes. More can be done and more will be done to place climate change as a top priority for the country.

5. Is there enough education and advocacy about climate change to the general populous? What measures would you like to see happen?

I believe more creative avenues can be utilized to bring the scientific information to the general populous. Most people are not concerned with the environment, especially given the current economic situation in the country. If the correlation between a healthy, thriving environment and a productive, sustainable economy can be established and understood by the public then

this certainly will enhance all efforts to make our Small Island Developing State a leader in the combat against climate change.

Our activities can and have been contributing to climate change, and changes both major and minor, will have a positive impact.

The encouragement and stimulation of innovative technological designs and green businesses, especially from the youth, is a great way to get fresh blood and new perspectives as to educating the public. We need stronger environmental laws and lawyers who will fight for the environment. We need businesses to take an active role in the environment by reducing their waste, providing funding for environmental projects on various levels and even scholarships for students to study environmental courses is a great way for the private sector to get involved. Climate change is not only linked to industrialization and factories. Our landfill at Deglos contributes to climate change; deforestation and the improper disposal of garbage play a role. It is not up to the government to do something, it is up to every single Saint Lucian to take an active role and be responsible for the protection of our country. We want to know our children and grandchildren will have a beautiful environment to live and flourish in.

6. I know your focus is now on Socacize. Was that intentional or have you found it difficult to work in your upon your return home?

I got involved with Socacize at university during my tenure as the Director of Events for the Trent African and Caribbean Student Union. Thankfully Socacize is something I can do anywhere I go, and upon my return it kept me occupied while I searched for a job. Seeing the potential for it, I pumped more energy into the classes. It was not my intention to focus solely on Socacize, but there were moments when I did consider doing it full-time, as nothing seemed to turn up in the environmental sector. I was told that I should be prepared to wait 6 - 8 months before I got a job and that the job I got would probably not be what I had in mind, nor would have the pay I deserve.

The picture painted was not a very comforting one but I will admit there was some hope still. I got the opportunity to work at Western Union which I consider a blessing to have a job. I have now decided that teaching would be an excellent option and I applied to return to teaching. To survive you have to be adaptable and willing to take detours from your mapped out plan.

7. If there is one thing you would like to see change in the future as it relates to environmental policy, what would that be?

The enforcement of environmental laws and the development of appropriate legislation. Persons need to be held accountable for environmental degradation and there needs to be strict laws, guidelines, rules, regulations, you name it to govern our use of the environment and punish persons who misuse the environment.

From the police, to judges, lawyers, government ministers, church leaders, teachers, bus drivers, hairdressers, everyone needs to be more environmentally friendly and forward thinking. Everyone needs to work together to ensure that the environment is kept in its best health and in turn we will be healthier. Environmental issues must be taken seriously and not brushed under the rug or passed on to someone else like a hot potato. As said earlier we are all responsible for the country and we all need to stand up and defend it. 造 BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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YOUTH IN FOCUS

CULTURAL RESILIENCE AND SOCIAL GROWTH

As we prepare to enter a new year, a Cultural Psychologist shares his thoughts on redefining success in a changing world…

Every one of you has a story of injury.

Some more persistent than the other.

Some yesterday.

Some today - and yet tomorrow.

Some of us bathe in it, sauté in it, marinate in it, Have it cloak everything we do, Every breath we take, every decision we make is through that singular lens.

Some of us peer out at the world from behind it.

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Never coming out.

Some of us snarl and bite Test and scratch Love and detest Trust...but not really.

This place called home As screwed-up as it may be As backward as it may seem As unequal as it is Does not need you to perpetuate the untruths In order to claim your space.

Does not need you to maintain status quo In order to build your Caribbean future.

Does not need you to buy-in and resell the limitations that have been sold to you.

In order to be accepted.

The vision of the possibilities, potential, and capabilities that have been taught to you through your current education system has limited your ability to look beyond.

I want my doctors. I want my lawyers.

I want my bank execs.

But my culture also needs qualified joiners, mechanics, plumbers, police officers.

Not academic rejects. Qualified.

Let us begin to shift our visage from a deficit model of limited and limiting potential to the skill sets that are necessary to move our countries and our cultures.

This is your path. Take it.

Challenge it. Hold it tightly.

Demand that it answers to you.

And finally... Do not wrap yourself within yourself. You will get lost in those dark corners.

Good Luck to every one of you. ¤ Dr. Algernon Felice (Dr. Al) is a Cultural Psychologist, Consultant, Writer and Storyteller. He is the CEO of Cultural Bridges Treatment & Consulting LLC based in Madison, WI, USA.

SAINT LUCIA SECURES SECOND PLACE AT THE 2014 CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION (CTO) YOUTH CONGRESS

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for Saint Lucia, fifteen year old Rohan Alfred of the Saint Mary’s College identified the Tree-to-Bar initiative at Hotel Chocolat as one of the many experiences which await visitors to Saint Lucia. Below is an excerpt from his presentation:

he Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of The Industry Conference (SOTIC 2014) held in St. Thomas US Virgin Islands in mid-September concluded with the much anticipated Youth Congress. The theme for this year’s SOTIC was Realizing the Vision: Positioning Caribbean Tourism for Major Change and in true Caribbean style, the eleven Junior Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism delivered.

The youth delegates spoke on the topics of “Experiential Tourism” and “Accessible Tourism”, sharing their respective islands initiatives and product development concepts for each, in addition to the ways in which the regional can capitalize on and develop niche markets around the individual themes.

For the second consecutive year, Nevis and Saint Lucia have secured first place and second place respectively. The Junior Ministers both presented CTO delegates and judges with exciting thought provoking ideas on Experiential Tourism. Junior Minister

“Imagine for a moment Madam Chair, a farm based tour where luscious coco pods are harvested to produce delicious, mouthwatering decadent chocolate; a complete Tree to Bar Experience. The experience continues when honeymooners immerse themselves in a sea of chocolate at the luxurious Cocoa Juvenate Spa. Such is the experience which awaits visitors at Hotel Chocolat in the bosom of our World Heritage Site; the majestic Pitons. Is it any wonder that St. Lucia holds the title of Leading Honeymoon Destination”?

The Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries congratulates Mr. Alfred on a job well done and for representing Saint Lucia to the fullest. The Ministry also wishes to extend sincere thanks to Digicel Saint Lucia for facilitating Mr. Alfred’s travel to Saint Thomas for the Youth Congress. ¤

Advertising Specialties & Promotional Products * Special Events * Calendars

* Corporate Gifts * Holiday Give Aways

* Personal Diaries * Much More........

We’ll Put Your Name Upfront Tel: 758 453-1149 • Fax: 758 453-1290 P. O. Box 2003, John St, La Clery, Castries, St. LuciaBusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Communication Tools SMS

Benefits of Collaboration

Instant Messaging

Customer Service

Email

Mobility

Mobile Device Desktop Sharing

Unified Communications (UC)

Unified Communications (UC) uses the network as a platform to coordinate communication tools and channels such as the office phone, laptops and tablets, with services such as email and interactive calendaring UC allows greater collaboration in the workforce as information can be shared easily as users have a variety of methods at their disposal.

Video Conference

Cost Savings

Increased Productivity

Changing the Voice of your Business: Unified Communications and Collaboration

The State of Business Communication

Traditionally, communications within a business was limited to face-to –face meetings and telephone calls. Today, millions of device and service are transforming the way our businesses communicate. The growing popularity of communication tools such as email, text messaging, instant messaging, videoconferencing and desktop sharing have revolutionized the voice of today’s business, erasing the boundaries that previously existed between each channel.

Now our cellular phones do the work of several devicesgiving you access to your email, wherever you are, while allowing you to schedule meetings with co-workers on a shared calendar, make a videoconference call and send broadcast messages using instant-messenger apps. This is done through Unified Communications (UC), a solution that integrates various communication channels so that information is easily shared across the corporate network.

How does it work?

UC uses the network as a platform to coordinate devices such as the office phone, laptops and tablets, with services such as email and interactive calendaring. With this level of integration, employees are able to communicate using voice, email and other mixed media from one mailbox, regardless of the access device being used.

Contact Digicel Business today for further details at 758 724 6001 Nov / Dec | 72 or BusinessFocus at digicelbusinessslu@digicelgorup.com

Why use Unified Communications?

Aside from integrating disparate communication channels within the business, UC also provides service consolidation, eliminating the need to have multiple providers to fulfill the communication needs of your business. According to Pre Sales Executive at Digicel Business, Selwyn Adams, “With the economic pinch being faced by many organizations, businesses and government entities have to be making the most of the fewer resources while finding ways to serve their customers better and improve collaboration. within the workforce, This forces them to find creative ways to facilitate the growing trend of mobility and respond to the demands of their customer while gaining competitive advantage and cutting costs.

A Unified Communications solution can help them to achieve this and give them greater power of collaboration.”

Digicel Business has had tremendous success in designing, commissioning and maintaining a number of Unified Communication Solutions with companies such as St Lucia Electricity Services (LUCELEC) and the East Caribbean Financial Holding (ECFH)

Collaboration

Michael Schrage, a research fellow at MIT Sloan School’s Center for Digital Business defines collaboration as “a process of value creation that our traditional structures of communication and teamwork can’t achieve” Collaboration refers to employees being able to share information with ease across a consolidated communication platform.

Communication Tools SMS

Instant Messaging

Email Mobile Device Desktop Sharing

Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort joins the Digicel Business Family & now Benefits of Collaboration enjoys greater efficiencies and increase Customer operational savings withService their new Avaya IP PBX & Contact Center Mobility

Unified Communications (UC)

Unified Communications (UC) uses the network as a platform to coordinate communication tools and channels such as the office phone, laptops and tablets, with services such as email and interactive calendaring UC allows greater collaboration in the workforce as information can be shared easily as users have a variety of methods at their disposal.

Video Conference

Cost Savings

Increased Productivity

Changing the Voice of your Business: Unified Communications and Collaboration

The State of Business Communication

Why use Unified Communications?

Aside from integrating disparate communication Traditionally, communications within a business was channels within the business, UC also provides service limited to face-to –face meetings and telephone calls. Today, consolidation, eliminating the need to have multiple millions of device and service are transforming the way our providers to fulfill the communication needs of your businesses communicate. The growing popularity of business. According to Pre Sales Executive at Digicel communication tools such as email, text messaging, instant Business, Selwyn Adams, “With the economic pinch being messaging, videoconferencing and desktop sharing have faced by many organizations, businesses and government revolutionized the voice of today’s business, erasing the entities have to be making the most of the fewer resources boundaries that previously existed between each channel. while finding ways to serve their customers better and Now our cellular phones do the work of several devicesimprove collaboration. within the workforce, This forces giving you access to your email, wherever you are, while them to find creative ways to facilitate the growing trend of allowing you to schedule meetings with co-workers on a mobility and respond to the demands of their customer shared calendar, make a videoconference call and send while gaining competitive advantage and cutting costs. broadcast messages using instant-messenger apps. This is Unified Communications solution can help them to done through Unified Communications (UC), a solution Mark Ozawa – Managing Director Windjammer Landing Villa A Beach Resort • Emma Robinson – Corporate Care Team Leader achieve this and give them greater power of collaboration.” that integrates various communication channels so that Darrel Peter – I.T. Coordinator • Selwyn Adams – Business Solutions Executive (OECS South) Digicel Business has had tremendous success in designing, information is easily shared across the corporate network. commissioning and maintaining a number of Unified Communication Solutions with companies such as St Lucia How does it work?

Electricity Services (LUCELEC) and the East Caribbean UC uses the network as a platform to coordinate devices igicel Business has provided Windjammer Landing In addition Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort will Financial Holding (ECFH) such as the office phone, laptops and tablets, with

D

Villa such Beach Resort with acalendaring. “turn-key solution” have a state of the of the art Contact Center included in this services as Resort email and interactive With their Telecommunication delivered with the Collaboration design in support of Windjammer’s reservations departthisfor level of integration, employeesneeds are able to communiMichael a research fellow at MIT Sloan cate using voice, email andIP other mixed media from one implementation of the Avaya Office IP PBX solution. ment,Schrage, which Digicel understand handles numerous inbound School’s Center for Digital Business defines collaboramailbox, regardless of the access device being used. and outbound calling campaigns. This will ensure callers tion as “a process of value creation that our traditional Our solution offers a reliable, world-class information tech- structures are answered as efficiently as possible with the options of of communication and teamwork can’t nology platform for the delivery of services like data, voice, voice and self-servicing allowing to achieve” Collaboration referssolutions to employees beingcustomers able to Contactand Digicel BusinessDigicel today forwill further detailsto at Windjammer 758 724 6001 fax, video mobility. deliver serve themselves, leading to more satisfied customers and a share information with ease across a consolidated platform. or at digicelbusinessslu@digicelgorup.com Landing Villa Beach Resort, a solution that will be intuitive, communication marked decrease in employee workloads. Enhanced outbound secure, easy-to-use, and provide a host of hospitality services such as in-room guest services, advanced voice and unified communications applications. With these and other benefits, windjammer will experience professional services all with the goal of improving service quality and lowering the total cost of ownership.

campaigns enables multichannel outbound voice and e-mail campaigns, helping make employees more productive and providing more opportunities for revenue generation for the Windjammer Landings Villa Beach Resort

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IN THE KNOW

SHOULD YOU HAVE AN ALARM SYSTEM OR A CCTV SYSTEM?

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hould you have an Alarm System or a CCTV System? This is often a question that both homeowners and business owners face. What is best for protecting my property? If money is no problem then the clear answer is that you should have both. For most persons however, money is not unlimited and so a choice must be made.

CCTV now appears to be the current “in thing”. Many people when thinking about property protection apparently believe that they must get a CCTV system. It seems that people’s thinking is being driven by hearing about the CCTV network in London and watching television shows such as CSI and by a misunderstanding about the criminal mind, believing that they think like the average person. People believe that criminals will form the view that this place has cameras and so they will be able to catch me and therefore I will go elsewhere.

As a result, there is the view that CCTV is a deterrent and it can be but it is not a complete deterrent. Thieves quickly learn to spot where CCTV is used and to wear masks. Even with masks CCTV can sometimes aid in identifying thieves through showing their other physical characteristics, but that is not always guaranteed.

CCTV’s biggest benefit comes after an event has occurred in the provision of evidence. The recorded images allow one to see what happened and hopefully identify the perpetrators. However the robbery or burglary or theft has already occurred.

Alarms systems provide the benefit of notification of an intrusion event and do not require any physical presence on the property to determine that an intrusion is taking place. With a properly designed alarm system you know that a burglary or robbery is taking place and can immediately react to try and stop the intrusion and apprehend the perpetrators rather than learning about the intrusion after it has taken place and then seeking to identify the intruders.

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If therefore a decision has to be made between installing a CCTV or an alarm system, the decision should always be to install the alarm first as the alarm system is structured to help you stop the burglary or robbery, stop the loss from taking place, stop the damage from occurring.

If the decision is made to install an alarm system, then that alarm should be connected to a Central Monitoring Station and have guard response to alarm signals. One can no longer depend upon the noise of the alarm howler to scare off an intruder or for a neighbor to hear the alarm and call the Police. The connection to the central monitoring station allows an external party to know of the robbery or burglary that is taking place and to summon the Police or guard response to the scene.

There is the fallacy in the thoughts of many individuals that all alarm systems are the same and that they will all detect thieves, all the time. While some of the components may be the same irrespective of who installs the system, the critical element is the design of the electronic security system and when that system will detect the thief. Some systems are designed with the principal detection device being beams that are placed inside the room that is to be protected. Undoubtedly once appropriately placed, so that there are no obstructions to prevent the beam(s) from covering the entire area, the beam will detect the intruder, the problem however is that the intruder has been detected while inside the room. An intruder who is detected when inside a building still has the opportunity to grab a computer or flat screen and run before the response unit or Police arrive. The loss to the owner may have been minimized, in that they did not lose all their items but they still suffered a loss. The systems must therefore be designed to detect at all possible entry points (doors, windows, walls and roof). The Alarm system must be designed to detect the intrusion attempt when the persons are on the outside attempting to break in. Thus the notification would be received before they have broken in and the response can be dispatched.

If after one has installed an alarm system, one decides to then invest in a CCTV System, the decision then has to be made, what do I want to do with the system. Do I want to simply see what is happening, do I want to be able to identify persons in the picture, how far do I want to see, do I want to be able to see in both the day and the night? Many persons assume that every CCTV system can do all these things equally well and then when they install the system they discover that while it shows what is happening it does not provide clear identification of faces or that is shows very well in the day but does not give clear images at night.

One of the key elements in how well a CCTV system operates is the camera lens but that is often the device where suppliers cut corners to make the system have a lower price and then the customer finds that the CCTV does not do what they want. The camera's lens determines how much area the camera covers, how clearly you can see details (especially in the distance), and how much light enters the camera. The type of lens also determines if the camera can quickly and easily adjust to changing light conditions. Before installing a CCTV system, a customer should always decide what exactly they want the system to do and then ensure that the system has the correct type of lens for that application. ¤

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.

Amalgamated Security operates in Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.

MINISTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ADDRESSES UN CLIMATE SUMMIT

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r. Fletcher told the gathering that Saint Lucia is living on the front line of climate change with lives lost and livelihoods impacted by severe weather events.

Saint Lucia’s Minister for Sustainable Development, Hon. James Fletcher, addressed the United Nations Climate Summit 2014 at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday 23rdSeptember, 2014 and called for decisive action and bold mitigation pledges from world leaders to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

Saint Lucia’s Minister told the historic and unprecedented gathering of world leaders on Climate Change that Saint Lucia, like other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), was living on “the frontline of climate change” and was already seeing the climate casualties starting to mount. Dr. Fletcher said for countries like Saint Lucia “this is not merely about degrees Celsius, parts per million of CO2, or the number of hottest years since 1880; it is about lives lost in severe weather events, livelihoods impacted by declining fisheries and prolonged droughts, infrastructure damaged by raging floods, coral reefs destroyed by warmer and more acidic oceans, and coastlines lost to rising seas”.

Hon. James Fletcher informed the Climate Summit that although Saint Lucia was an insignificant contributor to the global volume of greenhouse gases, it was meeting its international mitigation

obligations by embarking on a low-carbon pathway that involved the gradual transition away from diesel for the generation of electricity. He indicated that while his Government had publicly committed to 35% of renewable energy by the year 2020, it was on a pathway to an eventual 80% reduction in the use of diesel for electricity generation.

During his brief visit to New York to participate in the Climate Summit, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Sustainable Development also took part in a European Union-hosted ministerial meeting on Climate Change and met with the United States Special Envoy on Climate Change to seek to develop consensus on key decisions leading to the 20th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled for December in Lima, Peru. ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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IN THE KNOW

CARIBBEAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTERS STRESS ‘IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PURSUIT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH’ AT SIDS CONFERENCE Building resilience to external shocks and addressing vulnerability of island States are key issues to attain sustainable development says ECLAC

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he Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) reaffirmed this week its commitment to continue supporting small island developing states (SIDS) in implementing the SAMOA Pathway, the outcome document of the Third International Conference on SIDS in Apia, Samoa, within the framework of the post 2015 development agenda and the future sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Addressing the delegates during the plenary session of the Conference in early September, Raúl García-Buchaca, Director of ECLAC’s Programme Planning and Operations Division, highlighted that the international community must take into account the unique characteristics of the Caribbean SIDS in order to properly support these nations in their path to development.

“For SIDS, the fundamental issue is how to build resilience while mitigating risk and uncertainty. This entails development planning and a national commitment by all stakeholders and development partners to assist SIDS in addressing their vulnerability and to help BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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them build resilience to economic and other external shocks”, expressed the ECLAC representative.

García-Buchaca explained that the region has made much progress in pursuing the outcomes of the previous international conferences on SIDS –the Barbados Programme of Action (1994) and the Mauritius Strategy (2005)- and now will work to implement the agreement of this Third Conference –the SAMOA Pathway.

However, he said that there are structural gaps in the Caribbean sub region that constrain its development, such as limited access to international financing, low levels of domestic savings and investment, inadequate human capital development, and declining productivity, among others.

“Many Caribbean islands are defined as middle income by virtue of the GDP per capita, which ECLAC regards as inadequate to measure for their vulnerability, and high levels of inequality

and poverty. In this context, a strategy of profound structural change is recommended by ECLAC with equality at the center and suggestions to diversify economic sectors, to incorporate innovation through science and technology, to search for new markets and invest in human capital to improve local capabilities”, García-Buchaca declared.

Also on 3 September, ECLAC hosted a side event to the Third International Conference on SIDS where ministers from several Caribbean States discussed the challenges related to the vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS as a result of small size and resulting limited capacity.

The speakers addressed the challenges related to the vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS as a result of small size and resulting limited capacity. The areas of trade and finance, governance and institutional capacity, disaster management and regional integration were discussed. Also, the issue of classification of the majority of Caribbean SIDS as middle income countries based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was analyzed and opportunities arising from small size were explored within the context of regional integration.

“The development imperatives that drive national decision making are related to size”, expressed Hon. Arnold J. Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica. Hon. Nicholson was also the moderator for the meeting.

Upon welcoming participants to the side event, Direct GarciaBuchaca indicated that the discussion would focus on the critical factors that underpin the vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS and that are based on their unique characteristics.

America and the Caribbean. She mentioned the challenge in diversifying Caribbean economies within the new global economic order to promote economic growth.

Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Foreign Affairs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, focused on the vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS to natural disasters and their impact on the economies. “The impacts of natural disasters are eroding the gains in economic growth”, he said. He added that because of their small GDP, the islands are unable to finance adaptation and recovery from natural disasters and recommended regional integration, development financing, preferential trade and debt relief and restructuring to overcome vulnerability and small size.

Participants in the side event also introduced the vulnerabilityresilience profile for arriving at an index, but warned that poverty and unemployment continue to increase in the region. The resilience fund for SIDS could be a good measure and stressed the importance of partnerships to obtain productive relationships.

Finally, the ministers conveyed that the human capital of the Caribbean needs to be recognised and public policy needs to be revolutionised. “The political structure needs to be changed to build public policy”, they stated. ¤

"For all your Building and Engineering Support Needs"

“The middle income status based on GDP per capita does not consider the inequalities that exist even at the national level.

Narrowing of gaps within countries is essential and this could be done through collaboration”, García-Buchaca emphasized.

A special statement by John Ashe, President of the 68th Session of the United Nations’ General Assembly, was delivered during the meeting. It focused on the particular vulnerabilities of Caribbean SIDS and suggested that they should be mainstreamed into the post-2015 development agenda.

Winston Dookeran, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, noted that conflicting interests make it difficult to work together in the theme of SIDS. He suggested looking to the systemic problems that create the conditions in which we live, and questioned if the Caribbean vulnerability comes from size, geography or structure. He stated that buffers to external shocks should be built by working together with development partners and international financial institutions. "Size may well be an opportunity rather than a limitation", he declared.

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, noted that the Caribbean would need over 7% growth to be sustainable. Last year the highest growth rate in the region was 5.3% (in Guyana), according to ECLAC’s Economic Survey of Latin

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IN THE KNOW

WHEN “I’M SORRY” ISN’T ENOUGH. Part 2: How both the customer and the business can always be right

8 Tips for Business Leaders.

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f you read part 1 of this article, you would have seen clear cases of how a business can say “I’m sorry”’ but communicate the polar opposite in the actual actions they take. Even if you didn’t read it, it likely wouldn’t take much of a mind jog to find your own example of this expression vs action dissonance, where the employee speaking with you is saying one thing but the sum of their actions betrays the superficiality of the sentiment.

And if you’re a business owner or manager whose frequent frustration is this precise issue and who understands how things like that can impact your bottom line, you’re likely nodding in agreement but with attendant frustration that your staff just don’t seem to get it. You’re tired of dealing with complaints about it and despite all you’ve said, you can’t seem to throw out this bad gift that keeps on giving. You’ve invested in training and sent people to seminars but the improvement is negligible and the learning applied inconsistently and seemingly based on an arbitrary set of conditions, not excluding the weather, mood and day of the week!

Sigh. Breathe. Let it out. The 8 inventory points below should be of help to you.

1. Don’t hire another trainer or consultant – yet! Unless they’re going to take the staff through some of these below.

2. Big picture. If you can’t show them to whole picture, at least show them a bigger one. Staff often only see things from their vantage point and how it affects their nine-to-five. Share the big picture, show how the little strokes add up to the masterpiece.

And how the small misplaced ones affect the perfection of the picture. You want your people to see themselves as part of the business; as partners, as owners who concern themselves with the wellbeing of the whole business beyond just their small world. But they won’t if you don’t involve and engage them in how their work and how well they do it fits into something much BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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By Marvin Bartholomew larger. Of course, it should go without saying that if you treat your employees terribly, you can’t expect them to act wonderfully as stakeholders. Do that and they’ll work for you but they’ll never care if you don’t.

3. Mean it. Tell your employees that it’s often worse to say they’re sorry unless they show it and that truly, actions speak louder. If they’re disingenuous, customers can read it and if their words are incongruent with their actions, customers pick that up too. Those customers may return to the business but don’t be fooled, as soon as they have a viable alternative, they’ll consider it and there’s no telling all the bad word-of-mouth and poor reviews they’re giving you.

4. Don’t pass the buck. Take ownership! When something goes wrong with someone else or in some other department, tell your employees that the number one thing they need to do is immediately inspire confidence that they can and will fix the issue. They need to view it as “our” issue not “their” issue; not marketing or accounting or some other department. Throwing some other part of the company under the bus drags the rest of the company under too. Ask them to apologize upfront and tell the customer “we” will fix the issue. Your employees also need to own the issue and do their reasonable best to fix it, including stepping out of their immediate job descriptions.

Make it a rule to avoid blindly referring the customer to someone else. Employees should do the leg and phone work. If they have to refer the case to someone else please have them spare the customer the added salt to the wound by explaining the issue in a reasonable amount of detail to the person whom they’re referring it to. Nothing adds to one’s angst more than having to repeat the same story to three different people only for each person to listen and then transfer it to someone else. It’s not the other person’s job – it is the company’s job.

5. Show them how: Don’t assume everyone knows. Engage in role plays, demos and activities to reinforce their understanding and what to do and say in various situations. In your meetings and trainings, don’t just talk operational matters like new products and services or stock issues or updates to the insurance plan.

Take time to talk about service matters and how each person should handle them. One-off sessions don’t work unless they are constantly reinforced so that everyone sees that the entire company, from top to bottom, is serious about and committed to top shelf service. Reinforce it until it becomes ingrained in the organizational culture.

6. Don’t belittle your customer in front your policy. Sure, there are times when you have to stick to your policy; security, customer’s own protection, regulations etc. When you do, ask employees to go a little further to explain why they can’t make the exception. Context always helps. Also, where reasonable, give employees the latitude to break policy for good reasons. This one is tricky but important. Consider this: I once had a kitchen stick to “policy” about giving only three shrimp on the shrimp cocktail even though in just that week we had dined there twice with a very large business group. For a single person and one single shrimp, the business made the decision to stick to policy. This was years ago and I’ve never been inclined to take another client there again – thousands of dollars’ worth of business for a single shrimp. This example may seem obvious but many others aren’t as obvious. This is where #2 and #5 above come in.

7. Sample your own service. Yes, I know you’re busy but you need to. How else will you know what needs improving. One of the things everyone hears when they call into IVRs for many companies is that calls will be monitored for quality and training.

It is your job to find ways to monitor the quality of your service.

Inspect what you expect. Call, visit, experience things from a customer’s standpoint. If you can afford it, consider hiring mystery shoppers.

8. Encourage feedback. It helps in the obvious way that it gives you an opportunity to address things you didn’t know about and otherwise wouldn’t have heard about. But also, the simple act of knowing that people are being asked to give feedback can have a positive effect on how employees deal with customers. It’s hard to give poor service and then encourage customers to give feedback.

Of course, these are just starters but they’re good starters. Do them well, do them consistently and you can make a decent dent in changing how your company handles the almost inevitable service faux pas and leave customers wowed. Do something well and people appreciate it but fix something well and people will talk about it. Good word-of-mouth is cheaper and better than any marketing you can buy. ¤ Marvin Bartholomew is a Contact Centre Executive, a Business Consultant and Commentator. He is the Site Director for KM2 Solutions St Lucia and holds a Masters in Business Administration.

Contact: marvin.bartholomew@gmail.com

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IN THE KNOW

LIME COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING ST. LUCIA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY

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IME is committed to supporting St. Lucia’s economic recovery by breaking down the barriers to communication to ensure that there is widespread access to much-needed telecommunications services and affordability across the island.

LIME CEO Southern Cluster, Geraldine Pitt gave this assurance while addressing members of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce at a business forum held in midSeptember at the Coco Palm Resort.

The forum, entitled “Jumpstarting the Economy – What St. Lucia Needs to do Now!’, and the latest in the Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Encounter Series,’ brought together high-level executives from several of St. Lucia’s leading businesses and institutions for a oneon-one and panel discussion on measures that need to be taken at various levels to give a boost to the economy and ensure sustained economic growth and development. Ms Pitt delivered the opening remarks.

Stressing that St. Lucia’s telecommunications providers have a critical role to play in the island’s economic recovery, Ms Pitt said, “It is incumbent on us to do all we can to support efforts by the government, the business sector and civil society to foster greater economic development and social cohesion in the country.”

Ms Pitt said that in the coming months and years there will be a need for telecoms operators, locally and regionally, to invest consistently in their infrastructure, and deliver cutting-edge services and a first-class customer experience in order to attract and maintain customers and market share.

“This is crucial if we are to ensure that our business community, which has always been the primary driver of economic growth, has affordable access to service levels and sophistication that are on par with first-world countries.”

She assured the business community that LIME remains committed to developing the best solutions for corporate St. Lucia and a “robust, reliable network that delivers island-wide coverage” and meets the needs of the growing business sector.

“Our aim is to make LIME the most technologically advanced telecoms business in St. Lucia and the wider Caribbean - delivering world-class service to all our customers as we forge ahead with our mission of breaking down barriers to communication,” Ms Pitt added.

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LIME is currently embarking on a major modernization of its mobile, broadband and landline networks in St Lucia. It is aimed at expanding LIME’s 4G services and coverage island-wide, improving its landline network and upgrading to new energy saving power systems, and improving the resiliency of its network system in the south of the island. The company is investing US$13m in the modernisation of its network systems throughout the island.

The panelists for the forum were Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, Mr. Marius St. Rose, a retired banker, economist, and educator and Mr. Hadyn Gittens, General Manager, Bank of St. Lucia and a commercial, corporate and Credit Risk Management expert.

They have since come in for high praise by the CEO of the LIME Southern Cluster for their powerful presentations and the excellent ideas presented throughout the discussions. Ms Pitt has also commended the Chamber of Commerce for organizing the ‘Encounter Series,’ describing the forums as ‘very inspiring’ and a great platform for engaging members of the business community on economic issues of national importance. ¤

BUILDINGS ARE SMARTER THAN YOU THINK!

By Kezia Preville ith so many studies discussing the catastrophic effect of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a direct consequence of our daily routines, how do you do your part? Cooling, heating, lighting, even refrigeration are all necessities, requiring energy to function. Since we can’t live without these, how do we strike a balance and protect the environment we are knowingly polluting on a daily basis? If you can’t find the answer just yet, I think it’s about time you got SMART about energy saving!

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Using energy efficient appliances, switching off the television and even walking or car pooling for short trips, all assist in the continuous battle in the Go Green campaign.

However, what about your work place?

• Expansion of the life span of equipment and appliances

How efficient are you?

• Reduction in environmental impact and conserving resources

How would a hotel, a bank or even the corner store help the cause?

Let’s smarten up with smart buildings. You heard right. A building management system (also known as BMS) is the smart way to regulate use, control everything from air conditioning to lights and most importantly, reduce one’s carbon footprint. Never again will a light be left switched on if a room is unoccupied. A/C levels will be lowered in cooler days and a full diagnostic report of daily usage to map out where faults can be found, will all be at your finger tips. A BMS system can also integrate to your fire alarm, intrusion alarm and access control. Track high power usage and implement solutions. It could be as simple as swapping energy gorging bulbs for LEDS, replace that 10 year old fridge or installing motion sensors in less occupied room. With monitoring capabilities, power usage can be altered until you get it right.

Being energy efficient affords: • Ample savings on energy consumption so money saved can be used where it’s needed most

• Identification of faulty or improperly configured equipment when abnormal readings are collected Remember, every building is unique and as such a BMS has to be correctly specified, installed, commissioned and tuned to deliver its full potential of optimising energy consumption, based on your need. Do your research and seek professional advice when considering making such an investment. Ensure your system is scalable and centralised for full integration to other components and allows for a quick response time. ¤ About Author Kezia Preville is the Business Development Manager at Regional Fire & Security Ltd which operates offices based in St. Lucia, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago; the location of its parent company. She currently manages the St. Lucia office, now situated in Rodney Bay and can be contacted on info.stl@1rfsgroup.com or (758) 451-3473 for more information.

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IN THE KNOW

Assumes Chairmanship of OAS Permanent Council St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador La Celia A. Prince

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has assumed the chairmanship of the Permanent Council at the Organisation of American States. The Permanent Council, comprised of the Permanent Representatives (Ambassadors) from the 34 member states is one of the two main political bodies of the Organisation.

At the handing over ceremony which took place at the OAS headquarters in Washington DC, Permanent Representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador La Celia A. Prince received the chairperson’s gavel from outgoing chair of the Council, Ambassador Sonia Johnny of St. Lucia.

In her acceptance remarks Ambassador Prince committed herself and the delegation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to working determinedly in ensuring that the mandate which has been entrusted to her country will be fulfilled for the betterment of the Organisation, while balancing the interests and needs of all Member States. She also briefly outlined some of the priority areas on which she intends to focus the Permanent Council’s attention during her chairmanship and congratulated the sterling leadership of her predecessor, whose success she said she hopes to emulate.

In handing over the gavel, the Ambassador of St. Lucia indicated that she has known Ambassador of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for a very long time and expressed her confidence in her ability to meet the demands of the chairmanship.

Ambassador Prince will be at the helm of the Permanent Council for a period of 3 months, after which the chairmanship will be passed to Suriname. The chairmanship of the Permanent Council rotates every quarter, passing to each country by name in alphabetical order. At this time, CARICOM countries have a tremendous and unique opportunity to influence the focus of the OAS agenda since the rotation by alphabetical order has created a 15-month consecutive CARICOM leadership at the Organisation through chairmanships from St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Upon accepting the gavel and assuming the role, Ambassador Prince, in her address before the Secretary General, Assistant Secretary General and other Permanent Representatives to the Organisation, indicated what a tremendous honour it is for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to be entrusted with the responsibility of chairmanship of the Council. “For St. Vincent and the Grenadines assuming this chairmanship is a symbol of our place in this hemisphere and an acknowledgement that we too have a role to play in advancing the objectives and purposes of this Organisation” she said. “It is one of the great things about this Organisation, that no matter the geographical size or financial wealth of a country, each Member States has an equal opportunity to be at the forefront of steering the Organisaton in the advancement of its work.”

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The Permanent Council will also be chaired for an unprecedented 12 consecutive months by female Envoys, notably from the CARICOM region. ¤

TOURISM FOCUS

Travel Industry Veteran to Receive Leadership Award Travel and tourism industry veteran Horace Hord has received the 2014 Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) Leadership Award in Miami.

Hordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career in the burgeoning travel and tourism sector began with American Airlines in New York, where he served as the Director of Marketing for the Atlantic/Caribbean region.

Organizers announced that Hord will receive the honor at an awards presentation during the second annual Evenings of Excellence series, sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

Essential in launching the first cooperative advertising campaign for the Caribbean region, Hord later transferred to Miami, where he helped introduce air transportation to new Caribbean destinations.

The empowering event will be held at the Miramar Cultural Center/ArtsPark (2400 Civic Center Place, Miramar, Florida), a venue created to celebrate creativity and diversity within the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area.

CMEx selected Hord in recognition of his sterling commitment to the development and promotion of tourism in the Caribbean region.

Hord, President of HCH Marketing & Consulting Associates, also serves as Senior Vice President with ICABA (Identify | Connect | Activate | the Black Accomplished) Media Holdings where he develops impactful partner relationships with major corporations that add value to ICABA in increased revenue and/or strategic promotional value.

The award winner has the unique distinction of having held top executive positions in the airline, hotel, and cruise line industries.

In 2000, he was recruited to serve as President and CEO of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association. He subsequently lived and worked in Aruba for more than four years.

Upon returning to the US, Hord served as Vice President of Government and Community Relations, Caribbean Region for Royal Caribbean, and later Vice President of Global Community Relations where he instituted a formal mentoring initiative to assist youths in foster care.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Hord attended Lincoln University. He is an ordained minister and member of The Faith Center in Sunrise, Florida, and currently serves as the secretary of the Board of Florida Memorial University.

Evenings of Excellence is sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and supported by Marketplace Excellence, the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx), Finn Partners, Omni Hotels and Resorts, and SENA Sales and Marketing. ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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TOURISM FOCUS

Director of Tourism Louis Lewis

which increased by 14% and 8% respectively, during the seven month period. Growth was also experienced in the Canadian and European markets, both of which increased by double digit percentages over last year.

4 Months show highest ever figures in Island history!

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he Saint Lucia Tourist Board continues to revel in significant growth in visitor arrivals recorded for the island in the first seven months of the year.

Touting an incredible accomplishment, SLTB officials say total stay over arrivals (by air and ferry) at the end of July 2014, have surpassed all numbers previously recorded in the island’s history.

At 208,117, visitor arrivals are 7% higher than the same period last year – a difference of more than 13,000 arrivals.

To further emphasize the significance of this year’s performance, increases were recorded every month thus far, with July recording both the highest percentage (13%) as well as actual growth (3672).

In addition, the figures recorded in the months of February, March, April and June, were the highest number of arrivals ever recorded in these respective months in the island’s history.

The expansion of the sector is fuelled by growth in particular markets, namely the US and UK, the island’s two largest markets, BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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Director of Tourism Louis Lewis acknowledged the boost in the sector and attributed its growth to the strategic marketing efforts targeted at key sectors of the source markets, most notably being the airlift expansion strategy and fostering closer relationships with the travel trade. “The outstanding performance recorded this year is testimony to the work that the Tourist Board engages in to market the destination, and can be translated into a greater awareness of the destination in our key source markets. We are very pleased to announce the sector’s performance for the year thus far.”

The success also extends into the Cruise and Yachting sectors, which also recorded major increases in the last seven months.

The island recorded a 5% increase in cruise arrivals stemming from the 14% increase in calls, whilst arrivals by yacht increased 16% over the same time period.

According to Lewis, “with such an impressive start, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board is projecting a similar if not better performance throughout the balance of the year, especially considering the increasing airlift in the upcoming winter season from both the US and Canadian markets.”

Saint Lucia is getting ready for welcoming even more visitors to its shores via yet another flight from US carrier Jet Blue airlines. The direct flight from Boston, USA to Hewanorra International airport is scheduled to begin November 1, 2014. ¤

CARIBBEAN LESS COMPETITIVE DUE TO INCREASING AVIATION TAXES IATA WARNS

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he International Air Transportation Association (IATA) has urged regional aviation authorities to adhere to the key principles set out by International Civil Aviation Organization.

IATA’s regional vice president for the Americas, Peter Cerda said it is unfortunate that many governments had chosen to ignore the principles, a global issue that was particularly acute in the Caribbean.

Addressing tourism and industry officials gathered together on the occasion of World Aviation Day, Cerda noted that aviation taxes continue to increase the cost of travelling to the Caribbean. He said this made the region less competitive to other destinations.

“Taking the islands as a whole, each dollar of ticket tax could lead to over 40,000 fewer foreign passengers,” he said, adding that US$20million of reduced tourist expenditure meant 1,200 fewer jobs across the region.

“Caribbean countries must therefore consider the aviation industry as a key element for tourism development,” he advised.

The IATA official noted that in terms of charges, two airports in the region, Montego Bay and Kingston, both in Jamaica, recently proposed airport tariff increases of over 100 per cent so as to attain a return of capital of around 20 per cent a year in US dollars.

He said that measures such as these do not encourage or support the development of the industry in the region.

“The regulators must act strongly and swiftly against such big increases. Governments have to foster positive business environments through consultation with the industry and transparency in order to ensure win-win situations for all,” he warned.

Cerda said the issue of taxes and charges in the region transcends the formal breaches of global standards and recommended practices and that the simple truth is that this region is a very expensive place for airlines to do business.

In the Caribbean, tourism and the aviation sector facilitate and support some 140,000 jobs and contribute US$3.12 billion, roughly 7.2 per cent of the Caribbean’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The airline industry is celebrating its 100th anniversary year in the black, according to industry figures released here. Globally, airlines are expected to earn a net profit of US$18 billion in 2014.

Cerda noted that while that might sound impressive, on revenues of US$746 billion, this is equivalent to a net profit margin of 2.4 per cent or US$5.42 per passenger carried.

“Looking only at Latin America and the Caribbean, the airlines in this region are expected to earn $1.1 billion.” This is a profit of

US$4.21 per passenger and a net margin of three per cent. We are in a tough and very competitive business,” he added.

The aviation official said fuel expense across the Caribbean is estimated at 14 per cent higher than the world average, adding that this represents about a third of an airline’s operating costs.

He noted that in the case of the Dominican Republic, although fuel charges were recently reduced, tax on international jet fuel still remains high at 6.5 per cent.

“Another example is the Bahamas applying a seven per cent import duty on Jet fuel. Jet fuel supply is an issue in the region, the complexity of the fuel supply and the seasonal demand is costly and difficult, making fuel costs in the region a challenge for airlines.”

In addition, Cerda noted that airports are using the fuel concession fees as a source of revenue and they are still waiting to see any of these monies re-invested in improving fuel facilities.

On the issue of safety, he said that this has been in the spotlight in recent months, with July being an especially sad month for all involved with aviation.

However, Cerda said despite the recent tragedies, flying remains by far the safest mode of transportation.

“Every day, approximately 100,000 flights take to the sky and land without incident. Nonetheless, accidents do happen. Every life lost recommits us to improve on our safety performance.

“It is no secret that safety has been an issue in this region. Even though it is still under performing the global average, performance is improving,” he said.

The IATA official said that the aviation industry has come a long way since the very first flight from St. Petersburg to Tampa 100 years ago, turning this large planet into one small world.

He said through it all, one thing has remained constant: when governments support the conditions for a thriving industry the economic benefits are felt by all.

However Cerda cautioned that for the industry to deliver the most benefits to the citizens in the Caribbean and spur additional tourism and trade, “we need to be able to compete on a level playing field and have the infrastructure capacity needed to grow.”

He said he remains confident that if the Caribbean governments continue to strengthen their partnership with the aviation industry, “we will deliver the unique transformative economic growth only our industry can deliver, making the second century of aviation in this region even more beneficial than the first”. ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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TOURISM FOCUS

OFFICIALS: CARIBBEAN DESTINATIONS MUST FOCUS ON TOURISM STRENGTHS Barbados Elected to Chair Chair Caribbean Tourism Organization along with all of the other entities in the region to deal with some of the vexing problems that we have right now with tourism," he said following the announcement.

The election took place at the CTO general assembly this week in St. Thomas.

Headquartered in Barbados, the CTO's purpose is to provide members services and information for the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the Caribbean people.

Members: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Martin, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Anguilla, Bermuda, Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos and Venezuela.

Barbados Tourism and International Transport Minister Richard Sealy – new Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organizatio

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aribbean destinations must “operate like businesses” and focus on their inherent and individual strengths to surmount significant regional challenges and remain competitive with global vacation destinations, said Alex Zozaya, chief executive officer of Apple Leisure Group.

Speaking as the keynote presenter at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s “State of the Industry” conference in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands held in late September. Zozaya offered a view of regional tourism that highlighted opportunities while also warning of dwindling significance for destinations unwilling to cast aside politics and bureaucracy to focus on challenges that range from high energy costs to restrictive policies that limit visitor access to wider regional travel.

Zozaya’s comments come amidst several key conference developments. Richard Sealy, Barbados’ minister of tourism, was elected CTO’s chairman, succeeding Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the U.S. Virgin Islands' commissioner of tourism.

Barbados Tourism and International Transport Minister Richard Sealy will chair the Caribbean Tourism Organization for the next two years.

"I look forward to putting my very best foot forward and working

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Officials also revealed that Caribbean tourist arrivals in the first six months of 2014 increased 4.3 percent compared with the same period last year, a figure in line with overall global tourism growth, said Hugh Riley, CTO’s secretary general. Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Aruba, Belize and St. Maarten all reported increases in U.S. traveler arrivals while the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Antigua & Barbuda all registered double-digit growth.

Yet Zozaya’s address was particularly prescient due to his company’s importance as a Caribbean vacation supplier. Apple’s retail travel agency, resort and destination management businesses generate one of every 10 annual visitors to the Caribbean, he estimated.

Caribbean destinations have “tremendous potential” because of North America’s proximity to the region but have yet to fully capitalize on that advantage, said Zozaya. “We have a market of 300 million in North America that has created only 12 million tourists a year. I don’t see why we can’t attract 30 million tourists a year,” he said.

“The biggest competition for Caribbean tourism is the percentage of North Americans who have never traveled outside of the U.S.,” Zozaya added.

Factors that include inconsistent visa regulations and policies, high taxation and investment barriers, inadequate branding and even insufficient reporting of tourism statistics loom as obstacles to growth among Caribbean destinations, Zozaya said.

“We have challenges with not only the quality of data,” said Zozaya, but with its timeliness as well. “Even if we are going to have bad statistics, they have to come out more quickly,” he joked.

High energy costs in Caribbean nations translate into higher costs for suppliers and by extension, for travelers. “On some islands we pay more for energy costs than we do for [employee] payroll,” he said. “We should be ashamed of that.”

Zozaya also urged Caribbean destinations to “be pragmatic and commercially driven,” setting aside politically based decisionmaking. “There is so much bureaucracy in the Caribbean,” he said.

“If [destinations] could ignore consequences in the political arena, they could move much faster. Run your region like a business.”

Caribbean destinations should also focus on individual characteristics that distinguish each island, Zozaya said. He identified Spain as a country that has successfully delineated the distinct experiences tourists can expect to encounter within each of its various regions. He said many tourists have a “blurry” image of the Caribbean destinations and believe each is identical to all of the others.

“Spain has been able to make it clear that there are distinct differences between Barcelona and Marbella,” he said. “Tourists

traveling to the Caribbean do not remember the differences between different islands,” he said.

A handful of Caribbean destinations have pursued initiatives that are in line with Zozaya’s mandate to focus on distinguishing characteristics. Earlier this year Grenada launched a new branding campaign entitled “Pure Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean.”

“It was felt that Grenada needed to properly distinguish itself as a tourism destination,” said Rudy Grant, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority.

“We do not believe that at a time particularly when resources are being significantly challenged that we should just engage in mass tourism marketing activities,” said Grant. “Indeed Grenada is not a mass tourism destination. We realize we cannot be all things to all people. We look at our main attributes seek to utilize those by having effective niche marketing in our major areas – dive, soft adventure, sailing, romance and cruise.” ¤

SAINT LUCIA UK SHOWCASE AND GALA AWARDS WELCOMES GUEST OF HONOUR, DR. KENNY D ANTHONY, PRIME MINISTER OF SAINT LUCIA

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he fourth edition of the Saint Lucia UK Showcase and the 21st Gala Awards took place in late September at Luton Hoo Hotel, Bedfordshire, welcoming guest of honour; Dr Kenny D Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia.

Also in attendance were Hon. Lorne Theophilus, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and the Creative Industries and His Excellency Dr. Ernest Hilaire, High Commissioner. Representatives from the Saint Lucia Tourist Board included Matthew Beaubrun, Chairman; Louis Lewis, Director of Tourism; Tracey Warner-Arnold, Deputy Director of Tourism; and Atlyn Forde, Acting Director of Marketing UK & Europe.

Acknowledging and thanking the UK travel trade for its continuous support and commitment to the island, Dr. Anthony said, “You believe in the Saint Lucia product and have the confidence in selling holidays to the island. Without that confidence, we would not be where we are today with growth in UK arrivals year-onyear.”

Anthony also addressed key issues in the tourism sector, “We have not abandoned our plans for the airport in the South and we have taken a different approach by inviting a private operator to develop and operate the airport. Other plans include updating its arrivals and departure services and a quicker arrivals and departures service will be offered to private jet and high-end customers in the next few months.

“We are also investing $300m in hotel development. As well as new hotels in the pipeline such as Freedom Bay in 2016, many hotels will expand and upgrade facilities so that we can improve our product offering. Capella Marigot Bay Resort and Marina reopened this monthfollowing a multi-million dollar renovation, and Windjammer Landing and The BodyHoliday are currently undergoing renovations.”

Over two days, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board, island hotels, DMCs and airlines had the opportunity to meet and do business with 54 key UK tour operators and travel agents before the start of the winter season. Attendees arranged pre-scheduled meetings to discuss contracts, rates and develop long standing relationships.

The Saint Lucia Gala Awards also took place on Thursday evening.

Winners included Caribtours, Tropical Sky, Virgin Holidays, BA Holidays, Travelbrands, Thomas Cook, Best@Travel and British Airways.

Louis Lewis, Director of Tourism, Saint Lucia Tourist Board commented, “Saint Lucia has seen an 8% increase in UK visitor arrivals from January-July 2014 (compared to 2013) and we wanted to firstly thank our UK partners, but also use Showcase as an opportunity to cement long standing relationships, as well as develop new ones.

“The UK is a thriving market for Saint Lucia and we believe in the importance of hosting Showcase year-on-year; we were honoured to welcome our Prime Minister to such a key event.” ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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TOURISM FOCUS

Saint Lucia is Leading

Caribbean Honeymoon

Destinantion

AGAIN

The sun drenched island of Saint Lucia will again have the envious opportunity of being able to use the internationally recognized ‘Winner Shield’ insignia of the World Travel Awards after capturing the coveted prize of ‘Leading Caribbean Honeymoon Destination for 2014’.

Saint Lucia was adjudged winner in a category that included long time competitors Barbados, Antigua and Jamaica to name a few.

In selecting Saint Lucia as the winner, officials of the World Travel Awards™ say the accolades exist to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate excellence in travel tourism and hospitality, which was why Saint Lucia was chosen by fellow professionals across the globe for a World Travel Award™.

“This hallmark of travel excellence will demonstrate to both consumers and fellow professionals that you are recognized by the industry as the very best in your region,” the august body noted in a congratulatory note.

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SLTB tourism officials have expressed delight in winning the prestigious award for yet another year. “This is testament to not only our hard work across the entire industry but critically our robust efforts and innovative initiatives like the highly successful wedding symposium and the multiple hosting of the Bachelor series that have allowed us, as a destination, to not only keep our pulse on the weddings and honeymoon markets but to stay ahead of the game,” said an elated Tourism Director Louis Lewis.

Saint Lucia he says intends to use the World Travel Award™ Winner Shield© on all its marketing, advertising and promotional communications.

The island last won the award of Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination in 2012. No stranger to receiving this coveted trophy, Saint Lucia also won the award in 2012 to 2010 and 2009 respectively. Saint Lucia has also captured the title of World Leading Honeymoon Destination for several years. The full list of winners can be viewed at Caribbean Winners. ¤

LIAT

Expands Caribbean Routes, Adds Haiti Service

The Antigua-based regional airline, LIAT, Tuesday announced the launch of its inaugural service to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, Haiti as part of a major initiative to restructure its commercial activities to improve the performance of the cash-strapped airline.

LIAT said effective December 5, this year, it will launch services to Port au Prince every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and that “the new route will meet customer demand and provide connections for customers to travel within the Caribbean to and from this growing market”.

It said the new routes is part of the initiative to change its schedule periods from the three seasonal schedules currently produced to a standard IATA schedule, which covers two seasons.

LIAT said the new winter schedule will come into effect on October 26 and run until 28 March 28, next year.

“By maintaining the schedule for a longer period, it allows our customers to plan further ahead, as the routes and times of services are known,” the airline said, adding that whilst focusing on the regional market, attention has also been given to customers wishing to connect with international services to the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe.

LIAT said the new schedule has been designed to allow customers to connect with other carriers, such as British Airways, Virgin and Air France.

“Establishing this base allows LIAT to start building alliances with other carriers and to strengthen its presence in those markets.

The winter schedule includes the launch of a new destination as well as enhanced services and increased frequencies on a number of routes,” said the airline, whose shareholder governments are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

LIAT also said that with the new service to Haiti, Dominica will receive eight additional flights per week, as well as a new direct service every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday between Antigua and Dominica.

It said flights from San Juan to Dominica will operate with a nonstop service one way and via Antigua on the return to Dominica. The San Juan flight arrives into Antigua at 1610 to allow connections with international services to Europe.

LIAT also said that effective October 30, it will operate three additional services per week to Ogle in Guyana, bringing the total number of services to 10 weekly.

Guadeloupe will connect with Antigua and Dominica and timings of the service have been re-phased to allow two-way connections with international services to and from France, for all three weekly flights.

Anguilla will operate to and from Antigua as a point-to-point service on an ATR 72 offering almost twice the capacity to the market.

The LI 755/756 service between Barbados and St Vincent will also operate as point to point and will utilise an ATR 72 rather than an ATR 42, allowing for greater customer uplift between the two cities.

“We are pleased to be able to restructure the schedule to bring the airline in line with all major carriers. By publishing a schedule twice a year, we are able to offer our customers greater consistency, enabling them to plan their flights further ahead,” said recently appointed chief executive officer, David Evans. ¤

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HEALTH & WEALTH

FACING THE HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH CRISIS IN ST. LUCIA IT’S TIME TO INVEST IN MORE THAN INFRASTRUCTURE

By Charmaine Joseph

I

often think that what we see as change in St. Lucian society is nothing more than a mirage of things hoped for but often never realised. Like a thirsty man in the desert, the mirage of a promising future, an oasis, often seems just a few steps away, but the closer we get the more clearly we realise that dreams, no matter how intently wished for, are no more than just a figment of our optimistic imaginings.

This analogy seems befitting to a Region that though in dire need of improved health services seems to be showing little advancement. This need has stemmed from a spike in chronic illnesses, recent pandemics of mosquito borne illnesses and the rising tide of mentally unwell persons.

The result of the copious number of illnesses that has overtaken many shows itself clearly when walking through the Castries market; an ocean of trays selling herbal remedies seems to be the thing of the day coupled with international social media’s frequently changing trends of new diets, healing foods and miracle cures. So far however, none of this has seemed to work and Government now seems pressed to do something to prevent a public health emergency.

Unfortunately there seems to be one barrier to any measureable change in the health services offered or their accessibility by the majority of St. Lucian society – a limited number of trained staff to compliment our new institutions.

Brain drain has been a long talked about issue in the region; scores of educated individuals leaving for greener pastures while those that remain at home do not possess the skills needed to BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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compete in a globalised world. But the tides of migration are beginning to change and young tertiary educated St. Lucians are returning home to give of their skills and knowledge to the island – with one problem – many tertiary educated individuals, around 10% of them are remaining unemployed. Of those most affected are the non-traditional fields: social workers, psychologists, criminologists. Those who gain employment often do not reach their full utility as professionals, succumbing to the impossibility of financing post-graduate education on their own.

The reality of the lack of opportunities for healthcare workers became painfully clear upon my return to St. Lucia with a degree in Psychology. Nothing could be more needed, I thought, considering the problems of deviance, suicide and high rates of violence. I was baffled that there were no apparent job opportunities in my field; after all everyone I met underscored the need for psychological intervention, especially in the youth. So goes the story for most tertiary educated persons in non-traditional fields. To add to our confusion of the lack of employment for such persons is the Government’s pronouncements of two new hospitals and the newly built Psychiatric Hospital. All this left me wondering – if St. Lucian professionals are not being hired, then who exactly will be working in these new facilities?

Our human resources are indeed our greatest commodity, a phenomenon often not fully appreciated or invested in. The wealthiest nations in the world today have not the most natural resources; some often have none to speak of. However, all across Germany, Norway and Finland we have seen an inarguable

insistence upon producing graduates fully equipped to lead their nation. Graduates here in St. Lucia are a different matter; beyond the problems of large numbers of students failing Math and English at CSEC, those who make it and are excited to pursue University education find little Governmental support. The few who graduate from University, often with excellent grades, come home to a country that has closed its doors to their knowledge, zeal and potential.

eHEALTH INITIATIVES TAKE OFF IN THE CARIBBEAN

When our new hospitals open in the coming years, when the ribbon has been cut, the plastic peeled off the new equipment and the patients are filing in; who will be there to meet them?

State-of-the-art hospitals will require state-of-the-art doctors.

Unfortunately most of our Medical Doctors seem stuck as General Practioners. After all, specialisation often requires support from employers willing to allow time off to train, study for exams and provide access to the scholarships needed to pay for that continuing education.

An analysis of the global workforce that was done by over 100 health leaders proposed that the mobilisation and strengthening of human resources for health, neglected yet critical, is central to combating health crises in some of the world's poorest countries and for building sustainable health systems in all countries (Lancet et al., 2004).

A report by the WHO of the World Health Report 2006 concluded that ‘there is currently a global workforce crisis characterized by a limited production capacity as a result of years of poor planning and underinvestment in health education and training institutions, especially in many developing countries. Often, training outputs are poorly aligned with the health needs of the population. There are also "push" and "pull" factors that affect workforce retention and may encourage health service providers to leave their workplaces, including those related to unsatisfactory working conditions, poor remuneration and career opportunities, and other labour market pressures. In particular, the international migration of large numbers of health workers further weakens the already fragile health systems in many low and middle-income countries.’

To further compound the problem, recent news reports suggest that Trinidad & Tobago officials have come to the island to recruit local nurses, an endeavor that will further deplete our understaffed health institutions. The answers to our problems are clear, any development will require an investment in the education and resources needed to best equip our health care workers.

However, policy makers who are ruled by a lack of foresight and reactive governance seem content on building facilities and not people. The health care system crisis is becoming direr by the day, hopefully forcing a drastic change in our education system and in the facilities we provide. Of greatest urgency is to make an investment in our young professionals to provide them with the advanced skills needed to best serve their patients. But most importantly is a change in mindset; from reactivity to proactivity, so that when the next crisis comes along, when the call to development must be answered, this time we will be willing and ready to reply. ¤

T

he PanAmerican Health Organization (PAHO) says new eHealth initiatives are springing up in countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, in parallel with the increasing use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the region. eHealth is a relatively recent term for healthcare practice supported by electronic processes and communication, dating back to at least 1999. Usage of the term varies though some would argue it is interchangeable with health informatics with a broad definition covering electronic/digital processes in health; while others use it in the narrower sense of healthcare practices using the Internet.

PAHO however says while these initiatives have the potential to improve access to and quality of health care, few countries have policies in place to guide their development or exploit their full potential.

These are among the findings presented in the current issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health (PAJPH), PAHO’s scientific journal.

Devoted entirely to eHealth, the special issue highlights the wide range of efforts currently under way in the region and presents emerging evidence about key factors that determine their success.

“Wisely used and widely applied, eHealth can be a strategic tool for improving access, expanding coverage, and increasing the financial efficiency of health care systems,” PAHO’s Dominicanborn director, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, writes in the editorial.

“ICTs are already revolutionizing access to quality comprehensive care, bridging many difficulties and enabling primary care to resolve more health issues,” she adds.

The authors say only seven countries in the region have adopted national policies on eHealth, although 19 countries have general policies on ICTs. ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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HEALTH & WEALTH

‘Tis the Season… for Flu

By Dr. Tanya Destang-Beaubrun

A

s the end of the year approaches, we turn our sights towards the fun and merriment of the holiday season, which unfortunately can be marred by the dreaded “flu”.

However, it is important to understand the differences between the common cold and the flu.

Know the Difference between Cold and Flu Symptoms Cold symptoms are usually mild and develop 2-5 days after you are exposed to somebody else that is sick. The runny nose typically begins with a clear runny nose, but after 2-3 days, it may become thick and green or yellow. Symptoms may worsen over the first 3-5 days, and then slowly go away over 10-14 days.

Flu symptoms appear with a sudden onset. It is importa nt to note that many other viral illnesses can cause cold or flu-like symptoms, although flu symptoms are usually more intense than regular cold symptoms. However, sometimes the only way that you can tell the difference between a cold and the flu is by doing a flu test.

Since it is caused by a virus, antibiotics will not work against the common cold. These respiratory infections usually go away on their own and taking antibiotics will not help you get better faster and will likely not prevent secondary bacterial infections, such as an ear infection or sinus infection.

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Although there is no cure for these viral infections, there are a number of things you can do to help alleviate some of your symptoms. These include extra fluids, use of a cool mist humidifier and rest.

Younger children who may be unable to blow their nose, may benefit from using saline nasal drops and a bulb syringe to help keep their nasal passages clear. Over the counter medications that may help, depending on your symptoms, include a pain and fever reducer, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and a cold medicine with a decongestant and/or cough suppressant.

The flu, like the common cold, is also caused by a virus, so antibiotics will not work against it. However, there are many antiviral medications that can be used to treat the flu and may help you to get better a few days faster. In general, they are only effective if started within 1-2 days of the onset of symptoms.

Prevention of cold and flu is critical to avoid the spread of these viruses.

CDC Guidelines for Prevention and Spread of Flu include: • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

â&#x20AC;˘ Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

â&#x20AC;˘ Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

St. Georges University Officials Meet with Health Minister

If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get

medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone

without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

Know the Difference between Cold and Flu Symptoms

Symptom

Cold

Flu

Fever is rare with a cold.

Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.

Coughing

A hacking, productive (mucusproducing) cough is often present with a cold.

A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches

Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.

Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.

Fever

Stuffy Nose

Stuffy nose is commonly present with Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the a cold and typically resolves flu. spontaneously within a week.

Chills are uncommon with a cold.

60% of people who have the flu experience chills.

Tiredness

Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.

Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.

Sneezing

Sneezing is commonly present with a Sneezing is not common with the flu. cold.

Chills

Sudden Symptoms

The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The Cold symptoms tend to develop over flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like a few days. high fever, aches and pains.

Headache

A headache is fairly uncommon with A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases. a cold.

Sore Throat

Sore throat is commonly present with Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu. a cold.

Chest Discomfort

Chest discomfort is mild to moderate Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu. with a cold.

Nausea, Upset Stomach, Vomiting Uncommon with a cold or Diarrhoea

May exist. Not common symptoms in flu.

Other important actions that you can take are to follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures. Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-thecounter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs, tissues and other related items might be useful and could help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and infectious.

As with all illnesses, prevention is usually better than the cure.

Following the guidelines listed above as well as general health maintenance strategies, you can have a healthy, safe holiday season. ¤ Reference: www.cdc.gov About the Author: Dr. Tanya Destang-Beaubrun, MBBS (UWI), IBCLC, is the Medical Director of Integral Health Care Medical Clinic at the Rodney Bay Medical Centre where she works as a Family Practitioner and Lactation Consultant. For more information, please contact her at (758) 452 8621 or (758) 45-DOKTA (36582). www.rodneybaymedicalcentre.com

In late October, a delegation from St. Georges University in Grenada paid a courtesy call on Minister for Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relation, Hon. Alvina Reynolds.

Heading the delegation from St. Georges University, Dr. Denis Paul, Vice Provost for Institutional Advancement, revealed the purpose of their visit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here visiting the Ministry of Health to look at health facilities in St. Lucia with a possibility of setting up programmes in which we might collaborate in the training of physicians for the region. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also looking at your Forensic Lab as a place where we might collaborate regionally in investigations, training people as well as procedures on samples of interest medically or legal investigations and so on,â&#x20AC;? he said. Dr. Paul had high praise for the health system in St. Lucia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re generally very, very, much impressed by the health system here, the facilities, the investment that the government has made in improving the health system here in St. Lucia and we look forward to working with the government in providing opportunities for training for some of our students who come from all over the world.â&#x20AC;? he stated.

Minister Reynolds for her part noted that the team from St. Georges had there curiosity peaked by all what has been happening in the health sector in St. Lucia, the construction of a New National Hospital, the new St. Jude Hospital, the Forensic Lab and so on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The plan as you well know, very early we have had meetings with the team from UWI and looking to establish our hospital as a teaching hospital, both of our hospitals and off-course serving some of our institutions in the region as well.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;And also, we have institutions here in St. Lucia where St. Lucianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attend and also St. Georges whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very interested to see whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that St. Georges can have that collaboration and send some of their students to access some of the training right here in St. Lucia as hospitals will be designated as teaching hospitals.â&#x20AC;? the minister revealed.

The delegation from St. Georges also met with heads of departments from various health institutions on island. Dr. Donald Jungkind, Chairman of the Department of Microbiology at St. Georges University also delivered a lecture on Ebola at the Hunter J. Francois Library during their visit. ¤ BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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By Keith Lequay Ph.D.

I

n the last issue, we explored the idea that our organisations are really reflections of us, since they are obviously created and managed by individuals, either singly, or in groups, and they can easily become containers and vehicles for our personalities, with all our unconscious challenges.

Since we spend most of our awake and productive moments in organisations, it is essential that we try to make sense of how and why they operate as is, especially when decisions made can be short-term, unsustainable and even tragic. Making sense of organisational life or “Organisational Sensemaking” has benefitted from the work of Dr. Karl Weick, an organisational psychologist who provided much insight into our institutional sensemaking.

People try to make sense of organisations, and organisations themselves try to make sense of their environment, if they are to have vision, predict trends and possibilities, and adapt. Flexibility and adaptability is therefore required for sustainability in a changing environment. In the Caribbean, we can reflect on many organisations that no longer exist, despite their size, popular brand name and growth trajectory at a particular point in time.

This is especially so in the hospitality and restaurant industry.

Names like Kirpalanis, BWIA, Caribbean Sun airlines and more recently, CLICO, BAICO and CL Financial, have either been merged, purchased, or no longer exist as thriving organisations in their previous format. The same can be said of some of the global financial giants that once ruled Wall Street prior to 2008. Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers; easily come to mind in the USA. This lack of vision or a short-term perspective, market denial or adaptability to existing conditions, can be the death knell of many organisations.

Weick’s “Organisational Sensemaking” offers great insight into how we can appreciate and explain our Caribbean organisations, BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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mindful of regional history and its effect on our current cultural realities. Simply put, Sensemaking in Organisations offers seven guidelines for figuring out the institutional spaces that we create and their internal dynamics.

First, sensemaking begins with a sense-maker. The identity chosen when we make sense will contribute significantly to the end result. What the situation means for you is therefore a reflection of who you represent in the process. Are you a founder, manager, cleaner or clerk in the organisation? What is your ethnicity, belief system, gender, age, and education level? All these are factors that influence your organisational sensemaking.

Second, in making sense we engage in retrospection. That is, where possible, we refer to the past and its meaning to make sense of the present. Simply put, we refer to past experiences to make sense of present experiences.

Third, individuals often enact or produce the environment that they face. This helps them understand what they think, organize their experiences and reduce the complexity of their daily events, especially in the context of change management. Since there is so much data available to us, we select from the environment what we attend to, as our personal priority.

Fourth, sensemaking is a social process since it is never solitary and it is often influenced by the actual or implied presence of others. The sense-maker may be an individual, but she or he still operates within a dynamic social context, subject to multiple interpretations.

Fifth, since sensemaking never starts or stops, it is an ongoing and continuous process. We are in the constant process of interpreting all that goes on around us.

Sixth, since we try to make sense of anything or everything, we simplify the process by extracting cues or familiar structures from which we develop the larger picture. Individuals decide what information is relevant and what explanations are acceptable, to them. This process is simply a way of managing the information overload of our very ‘real time’ and fast-paced era.

Seventh, plausibility takes precedence over accuracy in sensemaking. Plausible reasoning that fits the facts takes priority over perfection in making choices. Our world is subject to interpretation and conflicting interests and individual actors in any organisation will respond depending on the moderating guidelines above.

This is a summary of organisational sensemaking which has much to offer Caribbean organisational life, given the diversity, legacy and history of our region. Though we may be in general denial of it, the psychological trauma of our pre and post- colonial history is very present in our contemporary organisational life. For example, we can refer to the ever present state of personal and institutional abuse often found in many state institutions, especially of our youths, ongoing anti-social behaviour and constant human rights challenges.

Specific to St Lucia, the US State Department 2013 report, referred to serious human rights challenges of unlawful killings, abuse of suspects and prisoners and continued postponements within the judicial system. Other human rights problems include violence against women, child abuse, and discrimination based on perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Haiti, Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Bahamas all received notable mention and scathing criticism regarding institutional inertia and abuses. Lack of jobs and opportunities within our market economies does not make wellness within the private sector a priority, especially when employee benefits are not a high agenda item.

The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential. To achieve this wellness condition, one of its components includes the area of mental well-being, in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Organisational Sensemaking therefore offers a guide for the facilitation of wellness in Caribbean organisations and a healthier work environment. The Darwinian quote above should give us pause for introspection and reflection, as we manage our organisational lives. ¤

Keith Lequay Ph.D. is an organisational psychologist.

Contact: keith@caribcare.net Copyright: Keith Lequay

5 Tips to Beat the Holiday Blues

We're supposed to look forward to the holidays and hope that they will be a time of happiness, friendliness, fellowship, and harmony. Yet often our anticipation and excitement turns into feelings of depression, commonly called holiday blues.

Symptoms can include headaches, insomnia, uneasiness, anxiety, sadness, intestinal problems, and unnecessary conflict with family and friends.

Part of what happens in the holiday season, in terms of mood changes and anxiety, may occur because of the stressfulness of holiday events. Overdrinking, overeating, and fatigue may also cause it. The demands of the season are many: shopping, cooking, travel, houseguests, family reunions, office parties, more shopping and extra financial burden. Our current recessionary economy may exacerbate many of us who are already stressed out or depressed.

Here are some tools to get through the holiday season happily, as well as ways to prevent problems and misery for yourself and your loved ones.

1. Be reasonable with your schedule. Do not overbook yourself into a state of exhaustion--this makes people cranky, irritable, and depressed.

2. Decide upon your priorities and stick to them. Organize your time.

3. Remember, no matter what our plans, the holidays do not automatically take away feelings of aloneness, sadness, frustration, anger, and fear.

4. Be careful about resentments related to holidays past. Declare an amnesty with whichever family member or friend you are feeling past resentments. Do not feel it is helpful or intimate to tell your relative every resentment on your laundry list of grievances. Don't let your relative do that to you, either.

5. Most of all, if you find yourself feeling blue just remember: The choice is always yours: The sky is partly sunny, and the glass is half full and revel in our gratitude for our bounty, health, hope, and our courage to face each day with hope and determination. ¤

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MAJOR MOVES

S a n o v n i k Destang – Regional Vice President - CHTA Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association president Emil Lee has enhanced his executive committee by adding three Caribbean tourism industry professionals who will serve as regional vice presidents during his presidency.

Lee has appointed Sanovnik Destang, executive director of Bay Gardens Resorts in St. Lucia, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, founder of Bedford Baker Group in the Bahamas, and Warren Binder, president Creative Travel Consultants in Florida.

These three individuals will hold their posts for the 2014-16 biennium along with Lee, the new slate of officers that were elected in July 2014 and two other regional vice presidents Lee appointed in July 2014.

Both Clarisa Jimenez, president of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association, and Jose Rivera Campos, vice president of development for AMResorts in Cancún, were appointed earlier this year.

“The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association is enhanced by the addition of Sanovnik Destang, Vincent VanderpoolWallace and Warren Binder as each gentleman brings an extensive knowledge of the operations of the Caribbean hotel industry to their position as regional vice president,” said Lee. “Their experience will prove vital to the future of the association as we strive to make it a more relevant Caribbean resource and visionary association,” added Lee. An accountant by profession, Destang has served since 2008 as the executive director of Bay Gardens Resorts, an awardwinning locally owned hotel chain in Rodney Bay Village, St. Lucia.

Vanderpool-Wallace’s Bedford Baker Group is a collection of independent professional advisors who provide services in travel, tourism and hospitality.

Previously, his work in the Caribbean tourism industry includes minister of tourism of the Bahamas as well as the country’s director general, secretary BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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general and chief executive of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and co-president of Resorts International, which at the time was the largest private company in the Bahamas.

Binder formed Creative Travel Consultants in 1970 and his experience includes over 40 years of active involvement in the tourism industry including senior sales, marketing and management positions in both large and small organizations operating in the Caribbean, Bahamas, United States and other international markets.

Ronald Walcott, CEO Telecommunications Servies of Trinidad & Tobago The Board of Directors of Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) yesterday announced the appointment of Ronald Walcott as the new CEO of the company to take place with immediate effect. According to a release yesterday, Walcott was the company's former executive vice president of Mobile Services and Operations and replaces the former acting CEO George Hill who has been instrumental in steering the company through the implementation of its current strategic business plan.

Walcott is the holder of an MBA (specialising in financial management) from the University of Bedfordshire (UK) and is a doctoral candidate finalising his dissertation on financial management at North Central University (USA).

“Following the announcement Mr Walcott expressed his appreciation for the role former acting CEO George Hill played in TSTT and has committed to ensuring the continued growth of the organisation through the successful management of the Company towards greater value for shareholders,” the statement said. The

Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), in a statement yesterday, expressed “grave concerns” over Walcott’s appointment.

“This appointment and the sudden acceptance of the resignation of the acting CEO George Hill comes at a very critical time for the company. TSTT is in the midst of a battle waged by Cable and Wireless who from all indications are supported by Telecommunications Authority of T&T in their quest for a third mobile licence to compete with themselves as 49 per cent shareholders in TSTT,” the release said.

The CWU also said it was surprising that the “front man” who had been pushing for organisational transformation in TSTT had found himself in a position where he now has to undergo his own personal transformation. The release claimed the appointment was political and orders came from the People's Partnership Government.

Kirk Dudtschak Executive VicePresident & Head RBC Caribbean Banking Dudtschak joined RBC in 1986 and has held a variety of senior and executive roles since then. As President, Caribbean Banking, he has worked alongside Sookoo over the last 18 months to strengthen the performance of the business and position it for sustainable growth.

Previously, Dudtschak held a variety of senior positions within RBC’s branch network and head office, with experience in strategy, human resources, sales, operations and risk management. In his

MAJOR MOVES

new role, he will be responsible for driving the overall strategic direction and business performance of Caribbean Banking, while also ensuring close and effective collaboration between the Caribbean business and the rest of RBC.

Kelly Joseph Executive Director National Water and Sewerage Commission Kelly Joseph is the Commission’s Executive Director.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Finance from the University of Leicester and a BA. (Hons.) in Accounting and Finance from Manchester Metropolitan University, England.

He speaks French fluently. Joseph has excellent skills in private sector development, having worked in the French, Dutch and English Caribbean.

Skeeta Carasco Regulatory Economist National Water and Sewerage Commission Skeeta Carasco recently joined the National Water and Sewerage Commission as its Regulatory Economist. She previously worked as the Research and Development Officer at Invest Saint Lucia. A holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Accounting with First Class Honors and a Master’s Degree in Economics with Distinction from the University of the

West Indies St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Carasco interned at the Central Bank of Barbados where she presented a Study on the Adequacy of Foreign Exchange Reserves in the Caribbean.

A former youth parliamentarian, she has been involved in youth organizations including the Choiseul Youth and Sports Council and has served on committees which promote community empowerment and development.

Ms. Carasco also sat as a youth representative on the Basic Needs Trust Fund Project Steering Committee. Currently, Ms. Carasco serves as a member of the National Vision Commission.

Caribbean-style food products of the highest quality and presentation. This leadership has, over the years, earned this aspiring businessman several coveted awards, both regionally and internationally.

Ronald Ramjattan is also the President of the St. Lucia Manufacturers Association and is a member of various civic and charitable organizations and is also a generous philanthropist.

Vina Frederick Vina Frederick is the Consumer Relations Officer at the National Water & Sewerage Commission (NWSC).

Previously, she was employed as an Information Assistant at the Government Information Service (GIS). Ms. Frederick holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Ming Chuan University in Taiwan.

Additionally, Ms. Frederick is a competent Mandarin Chinese speaker having studied the language for one year at the Language Centre of the Fu Jen Catholic University.

Ronald Ramjattan Chairman National Export Council

Barton Clarke Executive Director Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute Barbadian, Mr. Barton Clarke has been appointed to head the Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute (CARDI). Outgoing Executive Director, Dr. Arlington Chesney made the announcement on the sidelines of the 13th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA 2014) in early October. Clarke, who previously worked with CARDI and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), will have firstly have to lead his team to design strategies to get more cash to run the research facility.

Ronald Ramjattan has been appointed as Chairman of the National Export Council (NEC) of the Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA). He is the CEO/Founder of Baron Foods Ltd., one of the region’s leading agro-processors. His stellar leadership has foreseen Baron Foods Ltd’s perpetual mission of providing innovative BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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events 2014

2nd Caribbean Regional Conference of Psychology November 11-14th, 2014 - Paramaribo, Suriname CRCP2014 is held under the auspices of CANPA, the Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Associations. The conference is being held under the theme, “Caribbean Psychology: Unmasking the Past and Claiming Our Future,” and reflects an acknowledgement of psychology as a product of time and place. The conference will be held at the Toriarca Hotel and Casino. For more information visit: www.canpanet.org

11th Annual Conference of the Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education (CANQATE) November 12 – 14th, 2014 - Belize City, Belize The CANQATE Pre-Conference Workshop and Conference will provide an interactive platform for practitioners, researchers, policy makers, educators, quality assurance professionals, and industry personnel to share experiences, best practices, practical strategies, case studies, literature reviews, research findings, and disseminate information on developments in quality assurance in tertiary education. For more information contact: canqate2014@moe.gov.bz

The St Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture – 130th Annual General Meeting 19th November, 2014 – Royal St Lucian Hotel, Rodney Bay, St Lucia The Annual General Meeting provides all members with an opportunity to updated on the work of The Chamber and moreover to elect a Board of Directors to guide the Chamber for the next year. The members of the Business Community represented by the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce must be prepared to serve and lead this body, for the overall good for our nation.

Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2015 28th – 30th January, 2015 – Puerto Rico Convention Centre, Puerto Rico Caribbean Travel Marketplace is the Caribbean’s largest, most important and longest-standing tourism marketing event. Over two days of business meetings, over 350 Caribbean travel suppliers and 250 international and domestic buyers from over 20 countries conduct business negotiations that generate future travel to the Caribbean. Caribbean Travel Marketplace presents the opportunity to secure wholesale bookings from major global markets at the beginning of the year. For further information contact: www.caribbeannhotelandtourism.com

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NEW COMPANY REGISTRATIONS COMPANY

NATURE OF BUSINESS

DIRECTORS

SolarTech (St. Lucia) Ltd.

Servicing & Maintaining Solar Water Heater, General Plumbing Services, Renewal Energy Products

Robert Blanchard Esther Blanchard

QCS St. Lucia Ltd.

Skills Training & Human Resource Management

Garth White

Global Fusion Ltd.

General Business Operations

Navin Gokool Vibha Ramsingh - Gokool

Designs For All Seasons Plus (DASPS) Ltd.

Interior & Exterior Design and Construction Architectural Landscape

Alvin Isidore

The Salvation Army (St. Lucia) Inc.

Church & Early Childhood Centre

Major Jonathan Kellman Malcolm Stewart Burns Rosemary Monica Compton

Future Source Consultancy Ltd.

Consultancy on Water

Desmin Job Collymore Gregory L. Jean Baptiste

Dupes Did It Music Inc.

Music & Video Production, Music Publishing, Talent Agency

Sherwinn Brice Jonelle James

Premiere Hopkin Angels (St Lucia) Ltd.

Medical & Management Education, Nursing & Allied Services Education, Procurement of Medical Supplies and Equipment

Gokul Raj Rajendran Regaal Ravi

Fun Lovers Inc.

Adventure Tours & Excursions Bed and Breakfast Services Novelty and Gift Sales

Lorraine Debra Glace

Global Aviation Services Ltd.

Aircraft Rentals, Pilot’s Lounge, Private Charters, Packing of Aircrafts, Tours

Olivia Yarde Sharon Jennings

Tropical Fireworks Inc.

Production of Pyrotechnic Displays, Backstage Displays

Milton E. Branford Lydia Joseph

Glo Productions Ltd.

Entertainment, Events, Nightclub, Bar

Jeannine McIntyre Damian McIntyre

LNO Studios Inc.

Recording of Video, Audio, Photography, Live Streaming, Internet Café, Printing & Sales of Computers and Phone Accessories

Lance Octave

SB Lot 12 Ltd.

Property Holding

Fernando Cipriano

Technical Supper & Consultancy Services Ltd.

Retail of Computers and Related Equipment, Structured Cabling, Technical Support & IT Consultancy

Neil Joseph Angella Gonsalves-Joseph

Residence 12A Ltd.

Property Holding

John Sterling

SLZZ Communications Group Ltd.

Restaurant Operators, Consultancy Services & Investment Owners

Laurencia Jane Cadette Saravantha Hinkson

JJ Blocker Inc.

Sale of Products That Protect Individuals From Getting Burnt by a Well-Functioning Appliance That is in Use

Joanna Epiphane-St. Hill Junius Agustus St. Hill

Geomatic Survey Services Ltd.

Topographical Surveys, Setting Out of Blaise Hodges Structural Points for Building Foundations, Angela R. Hodges Columns, Walls, Drainage BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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99

NEW COMPANY REGISTRATIONS COMPANY

NATURE OF BUSINESS

DIRECTORS

ICS (Independent Consulting Services)

Data Processing, Hosting Combined Facilities Support Activities Management Consultancy

Winsbert Louison Tina Mensah

TAJCO Ltd.

All Types of Businesses Excepting Financing, Banking and Insurance

Emsco Remy, Cherly Remy, Tamara Remy, Ayana Remy, JanYves Remy

TM Antoine Partners Consultancy Services Ltd.

Corporate & Investment Consultancy Services

Clint Kirby St. Clair Stanisclaus Davidson St Clair

Integral-Gude Project Management, Inc.

Consulting Company

Egbert L. J. Perry, Samuel L. Gude III Matthew D. Sanuelson

3A’s Holdings Inc.

Property Holding

Mark D. Maragh

Lucky Restaurant Ltd.

Business of Restaurants

Zhitao Cao

KB Enterprises Ltd.

Marketing and Distribution of Goods

Khrisna Ramdass

The Roast Inc.

Restaurant and Bar

Anya Alexander, Cornelius Edward

Phoenix Security Solutions

Security Services

Hector Joseph

SolLucian Inc.

General Trading Company

David Joseph Roberts, Dragan Jelenic Rudolph Felix

Wharton Holdings Ltd.

Property Holding

Andy Delmar, Wendy Delmar

LE Ltd.

Management & Supervision of Hotel Services

Peter Wilfred Jude Wilbur

Vidala (St Lucia) Inc.

Property Holding Company

Starfire Inc.

Reliable Employment & Consultancy Services, Inc.

Providing Employment & Consultancy Services

Mark D. Maragh

Investment Property Holdings Ltd.

Property Holding and Investment

Mark D. Maragh

CMS Construction Services Ltd.

Construction & Building Services

Sam Verity, Kelsey Kerridge

3A’s Construction, Inc.

Providing Construction Services

Mark D. Maragh

Kaiso Headquarters Ltd.

Entertainment and Event Promotion

Vernon Francois, Nioan Emmanuel, Peter Simeon Timothy Mondesir, Dyson Imbert

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Caribbean Branch) Inc.

Non Profit Company – Alternative Dispute Dr. Christopher Malcolm, Shan Greer Resolution Anthony Gafoor, Mandish Sing

Snapp Ltd.

E-Services

Arnold Cenac, Hemelata Karnani, Prakash Karnani

Antillia Brewing Company Ltd.

Brewing, Distributing & Selling of Craft Brewed Ales and Lagers

Andrew Hashey, Greg Potten, Winsbert Louison Leslie Prospere

C.D’s Lawn Services and Trucking Ltd.

Lawn and Trucking Services

Charles Duplessis

Jessica Aaron Holdings Inc.

Property Holding

Yasmine Torre Garcia

Blueprint Rentals Ltd.

Residential and Commercial Construction Equipment Rental

Kurt Elibox Katama Edwin- Elibox

Blueprint Hardware Ltd.

Retail & Wholesale of Residential & Commercial Construction Supplies

Kurt Elibox Katama Edwin- Elibox

By Rory (St. Lucia) Ltd.

Hotel Boutique

Iain Lawrie Shearer, Rory James Ward Shearer

Blueprint Electricals Ltd.

Electrical Contracting and Retail & Wholesale of Electrical Supplies

Kurt Elibox Katama Edwin- Elibox

BusinessFocus Nov / Dec

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