St. Lucia Business Focus 93 by AMS St. Lucia

FLOW

No. 93

BF SEP/OCT 2017

CONTENTS FEATURE 31. RASCO 32. Keeping Saint Lucian Drivers On The Road for 25 Years 34. Ince Rambally Living Proof That It Doesn’t Hurt To Be Humble 38. RASCO Generation Next On The Road To A High Tech Future 40. Proud To Serve You For The Past 25 Years 42. Caring For Your Vehicle 44. Helpful Hints On Tyre Care 46. They Call Us The Tyre Masters! 48. Tyre Balancing And Alignment 50. RASCO At Your Service With World Class Brands 52. Battery Care And Support 53. RASCO Exhaust Repairs 54. Servicing Your Vehicle 55. Computer Diagnostics 56. Caring For Our Environment Waste Oil Collection And Disposal 57. Deglos Landfill Tyre Shredder A Green Success For 5 Years 4. Editor’s Note 6. Business Briefs Governance Guru 8. Directors & Strategy

Money Matters 22. Transforming The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union Together 24. The Caribbean Finance Industry: Challenges And Strategies 26. International Credit Union Day 2017 28. Blue Waters On a New Course In Social & Educational Initiatives 58. Must Reads Environmental Focus 60. Saint Lucia Transitions To Organic Farming 62. Automotive Art Your Truck, Our Passion! Economy & Trade 64. ISL Provides Input On Innovation & Development 65. Invest Saint Lucia Promotes Manufacturing At TIC 2017 66. Taiwan: New Banana Cooperation Project 66. St Lucia’s Banana Industry On The Rebound

12. Chilean President Makes Historic State Visit to St Lucia

Youth In Focus 67. CIBC FirstCaribbean Runs Summer Internship Programme 68. OECS Announces 30 Under 30 Campaign Winners

Business Tech 14. Digicel founder Establishes ‘Deep Blue Cable’ 16. 5 Tech Trends For Sustainability 18. New Telecoms Law For Eastern Caribbean

In The Know 72. Ten Tips For Starting A Business 74. Three High End Brand Strategies 76. Doors To Really Secure Your Home 77. Go Lean Or Go Home? 78. The Art Of Accountability

Leaders Corner 10. The Real Cost Of Turnover

79. Employee Development: Investment Or Expense? 80. Sir Richard Branson On Startups 82. Local Music Fraternity Welcome Business of Music Certification Course Tourism 84. SLTB’s Annual Marketing Meeting A Success 86. Fairmont Saint Lucia At Sunset Bay Resort Breaks Ground In Choiseul 87. The Ritz-Carlton To Operate Luxury Resort In South 88. Coco Palm Appoints Shine Brighter’s Chelcie Lewis As UK Representative 88. SLTB Selects TOTAL Public Relations In Canada 89. Market Refurbishment To Kickstart Castries Redevelopment

Health & Wellness

90. HEAR DAT….HEAR DAT…. HEAR DAT… HEAR DAT …..HEAR DAT 91. Surprising Health Benefits of Soursop Leaves 92. Reverse Pharmacology 93. The Mysteries Of Lupus 94. VH Will Transform Into Urban Polyclinic 94. No Privatisation For New Owen King EU Hospital 95. Events 96. Major Moves 98. Advertisers Index 99. NEW COMPANY REGISTRATIONS

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS

Celebrating Entrepreneurship and Caring for our Community!

Business Focus as a Magazine has focused on highlighting the success and enterprising spirit of our people with a mission of educating, informing and sharing the approaches of our business people and corporate community in the hope that we can influence and motivate the younger generation to explore the many opportunities to become the next wave of successful business leaders in St Lucia and the wider region. In this regard we are pleased to be able to highlight the success of our young St Lucians, who make up the largest group of persons from a member territory in the recently announced ‘OECS 30 Under 30’ Programme featuring Young Entrepreneurs in the OECS. We wish them well with their business ventures and look forward to their progress in the years ahead. Kudos are in order for the OECS Commission for the launching of such a unique Programme and Initiative.

Lokesh Singh Editor / Managing Director

In this Issue, our Special Feature is dedicated to highlighting the success of a simple and humble person – Mr Ince Rambally as he and his family celebrate the 25th Anniversary of his business ‘Rambally Automotive Service Company’ popularly known as ‘RASCO’. Ince’s story epitomises the issues facing our young people of today and his success is reflective of the spirit and will required to win by being visionary, creative, hard-working and focused as he prepares his sons for future leadership and continued success. We salute Ince and his sons as they celebrate the 25th Anniversary of RASCO. We also note the major statements coming from our Government on the new and exciting opportunities being confirmed for the tourism industry and by extension positive news for our economy. The recent announcements of two major hotel developments in the South being the Ritz Carlton Luxury Resort as part of the Black Bay Master Plan and the new Fairmont Sunset Bay Resort at Sabwicha in Choiseul will bring new employment opportunities and linkages with the farming and fishing communities of these areas. In addition they will advance the extended touristic investment potential and other developmental opportunities. At the regional level, we note the impact of Hurricane Irma wreaking havoc on the economies of our member OECS Territories in the Leeward and Virgin Islands. The damage and destruction to infrastructure and the loss of lives are major setbacks to the economies of these islands. We empathize with these communities and encourage all citizens and corporate St Lucia to support the requests of the Government and Chamber of Commerce to contribute to the relief efforts being coordinated.

BUSINESSFOCUS Business Focus magazine is published every two months by Advertising & Marketing Services Limited (AMS), Saint Lucia. Publisher/ Managing Director: Lokesh Singh - lokesh@amsstlucia.com Editor Dee Lundy-Charles

Editor’s Note

Graphic Designer: Tannel George | Carlisle Searles Advertising Sales: Cennette Flavien - cennette@amsstlucia.com Cleopatra Jules - cleopatra@amsstlucia.com Webmaster: Advertising & Marketing Services Photography: Ashley Anzie | RASCO | Saint Lucia Tourist Board Invest Saint Lucia Contributors: Lokesh Singh | Dee Lundy-Charles | Dr. Chris Bart Olivier Bottois | Alan Burkitt-Gray | Philand Henderson Sharon Richards | Hanna Fitz | Brian Ramsey Kezia Preville | Trudy O. Glasgow | Basil Springer Veronica Harris | Glad Taylor | Dr. Takira Glasgow Dr. Celia McConnell-Downes | Invest Saint Lucia Saint Lucia Tourist Board | www.hankooktire.com Caribbean360.com | Caribbean News Now West Indies News Network 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.

We trust that you will enjoy reading these and the many other articles to help keep you informed and motivated in our ever challenging world of business.

Happy reading!!!

On The Cover: RASCO - The tire Master

BusinessFocus

Jul/Aug

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BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct 5 Issue date:| November, 2016

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS

BUSINESS BRIEFS BUSINESS FOCUS

C&W Business Raises Security Bar With ISO 27001

According to Khan, “C&W Business will continue investing to ensure our infrastructure is safe and resilient to any potential attacks, and to honor our obligation to our customers and other stakeholders that the company will be vigilant in keeping our customers’ data safe and secure.”

“Sin Tax” Better Than NIS Increase?

NWU & Demerara Mutual Life Sign Industrial Agreement C&W Business, a division of C&W Communications (C&W), a full-service communications and entertainment provider operating in the Caribbean and Latin America, announced it has achieved compliance with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (ISO 27001). This internationally recognised information security standard has rigorous requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a Company’s Information Security Management System (ISMS). “By achieving compliance with ISO 27001, C&W continues to apply best practices in data security which demonstrates its commitment to protect the most valued asset of enterprises large and small: their information. It's part of a number of measures to meet customer and market requirements in all geographies in which C&W operates,” said Shuja Khan, Chief Commercial Officer, C&W Communications. The certification is valid for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) and Security Operations Center (SOC) services. Achievement of this standard was the result of a 12-month organization-wide effort. In preparation for the independent audit, C&W Business conducted comprehensive internal audits and risk assessments to ensure all required controls were in place. The independent audit was performed by DAS, a UK based audit firm accredited by UKAS. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

The Management of Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society and officials of the National Workers Union met Tuesday August 15, 2017 for the official signing of a new industrial agreement. The official ceremony took place at the Department of Labour. Clerical and technical workers employed with the said company will now benefit from a 9.5 % general wage increase spread out in the following manner: Year 1 – 5%; Year 2 – 2%; and Year 3 – 2.5%. Other provisions included are retroactive payments, Overtime Compensation, Call Out, Call Back and Acting Allowances and Maternity and Paternity Leave. All arrangements are being made for the full implementation of the new contract. The NWU has also written to the management of CPJ St. Lucia Limited, informing them that the mobilisation thrust among workers has been completed, and the union will soon submit a recognition application to the Ministry of Labour on behalf of the company’s workers.

The idea of an increase in National Insurance Corporation (NIC) tax from five to 7.5 percent is not being supported by Executive Director of the Saint Lucia Employers Federation (SLEF), Joseph Alexander, as he believes it will put too much pressure on employers, especially at a time when they are already facing a difficult economic situation. Former Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Stephen King, on a recent talk show endorsed new measures being considered to boost the healthcare sector and make primary healthcare less prohibitive for the underprivileged. The increase in NIC contributions and the institution of a “sin tax” – an excise tax normally levied on activities or goods considered physically or morally harmful, such as cigarettes and liquor – were two of the suggestions supported by Dr. King. While he is all for the introduction of a sin tax, the SLEF executive director said increasing the NIC contributions may not be a good idea. “The employer will now have to put an extra two or two-and-a-half percent [toward NIC contributions],” Alexander said. “I am not against employers contributing, I just feel that too much is being asked of employers at this difficult stage with the current economic condition.” With regard to the sin tax, he said: “I believe there should be a “sin tax” on

BUSINESS BRIEFS goods . . . cigarettes etcetera. And since everybody is going to benefit I think an overall tax would be a better way to go . . .”

initiative which aims to protect this beautiful island nation.”

Proceeds from the “sin tax” and increase in NIC contributions would go towards the health sector into which government is already contributing $108 million.

Meantime Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet, said climate change and its debilitating impact on the environment are a priority for his government. The Government of Saint Lucia will be allocating EC$8 million towards the project, of which the total cost is approximately EC $43.1 million.

Japan Contributes EC$37M

The project is expected to commence early in 2018, with completion earmarked for 2020.

For Bridge Reconstruction

Saint Lucia Is A Favorite Because Of Unique Attractions

sites. With a score of 82.6 out of 100, Saint Lucia emerged ahead of Barbados and other OECS countries, except for Anguilla that received 86.8. Travel and Leisure highlighted the fact that travelers were attracted to destinations offering more than the typical tourist experience of sun, sea and sand. Saint Lucia continues to be a favourite because it offers unique attractions such as the iconic twin peaks, the Pitons, the world’s only drive-in volcano and the Sulphur Springs mud baths. The magazine also named Jade Mountain in its top 100 hotels in the world with the hotel coming in at number 25, an outstanding achievement for the locally owned property.

The BodyHoliday one of the world’s best spas The governments of Japan and Saint Lucia have signed a multi-million dollar project agreement for the reconstruction of bridges in the Cul de Sac basin. During the signing ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Saint Lucia, His Excellency Mitsuhiko Okada, disclosed that his government would be providing financial assistance totalling 1,530,000 Yen, equivalent to EC$37 million, made available under the Japanese Development Cooperation Project, and will assist with the reconstruction of the Cul de Sac and Ravine Poission bridges which have proven to be vulnerable to flooding. “This project represents one of the most ambitious grant aid programs by the Government of Japan to the people of Saint Lucia. The area of adaptation to, and mitigation, against climate change has been the recent focus of Japanese grant aid in the Caribbean region. Today’s signing ceremony for the reconstruction of bridges in the Cul de Sac basin, marks the culmination of Japan’s efforts to assist Saint Lucia in strengthening its disaster preparedness and its resilience against climate change. I am glad to be a part of this

A leading US travel publication has named Saint Lucia one of the best Caribbean islands to visit. Travel and Leisure Magazine has released the results of its 2017 World’s Best Awards Survey and Saint Lucia emerged as one of the leading Caribbean vacation destinations. Every year, Travel and Leisure asks readers to share and rate their holiday experiences from around the world. Readers are invited to give their opinions on categories such as hotels and resorts, spas, sights and attractions, food, friendliness and general value for money. Based on readers’ feedback and rating, Travel and Leisure then produces its annual top list of premier places to visit and experience. For the “Top Islands in the Caribbean” list, the publication cited key characteristics that these destinations shared, such as secluded beaches, luxurious resorts and spas, and offthe-beaten-track experiences and

Travel + Leisure's 2017 World's Best Awards were recently announced and BodyHoliday ranked on the list of The Best International Destination Spas. With an overall score of 93.98, the resort ranked #4 on the list of the best spas around the world. These awards are developed by the editors of Travel + Leisure, in association with digital marketing firm Wylei. Readers were invited to participate from November 7, 2016, to March 6, 2017. More on the methodology here: www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/survey-methodology-2017. The Saint Lucia Tourist Board congratulates The BodyHoliday Saint Lucia on their achievement!

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Governance Guru BUSINESS FOCUS

Directors & Strategy

Directors & Strategy By: Dr. Chris Bart, FCPA, F.CIoD Chairman, The Caribbean Governance Training Institute & Chairman, Caribbean Institute of Directors Many directors are often clueless about their organization’s organization’s strategic activities. A few years back, a woman lost control of her BMW and careened off the Florida Turnpike around 5 a.m. The car landed in the middle of a canal in the pitch dark. The woman had only a few minutes before the car's electrical accessories would begin to fail, and not much more time before the car would sink. Frantically, she dialed 911 on her cell phone. Emergency operators shouted at her to tell them her location. She couldn't, because she didn't know where she was. Yet, rather than focus on getting her out of the car ("Ma'am, can you swim? Can you get your windows down and climb out? How far are you from shore? Activate your emergency flashers and alarm so we can see and hear you. Do you see any alligators?"), they persisted in trying to determine her location. The car sank and the woman drowned - with her rear window completely rolled down. This story serves as a metaphor for the way many board directors seem to be viewing their responsibilities these days. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Dr. Chris Bart, FCPA, F.CIoD is a recognized global governance authority and Co-Founder of the Caribbean Governance Training Institute. The Institute is the first to offer throughout the Caribbean an intensive 3 day governance program leading to the prestigious and internationally recognized Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation. For more information visit CGTI’s website: http:// www.caribbeangovernancetraininginstitute.com/ or phone Lisa at 758 451 2500

They are focusing exclusively - even obsessively - on knowing their organization's "location," or financial status, rather than focussing on those questions that are seminal to one of their most important governance responsibilities - assessing both the quality of their organization’s strategy (in particular those areas over which the CEO and Board have strategic discretion) and the administrative arrangements used to assure its implementation. Questions such as: what is the strategy? Is it the right strategy? Is the strategy working? If the strategy is not working, can it be fixed? If the strategy cannot be fixed, what’s the new strategy? So, why do boards act this way? I've observed, served on, and advised numerous boards over the years, and those experiences have taught me that there are a number of curious reasons for this state of affairs. The first is that, despite directors’ responsibility to constructively engage with the CEO on strategy, they often allow themselves to remain uninformed about both the appropriateness of the “strategic recommendations” their CEOs propose and the methods used to implement them. And second, directors typically lack a shared understanding of the strategy concept itself. For proof of the second element, look no further than the content of most board meeting agendas. If the agenda can be considered one of the tangible expressions of directors' priorities, then the strategy of most organizations appears to be irrelevant. In a cursory examination of board meeting agendas, I found that the typical one included items such as: financial results to date; capital spending; committee reports and recommendations; staff/functional reports; special presentations; major staff appointments/ terminations; old and new business; and special resolutions/ by- laws/policies. Rarely did I see regularly see the phrases: "strategy update and emerging risks"; "values assessment and proposed solutions”, and “issues in strategyorganizational alignment” Yet, the formulation and execution of a quality strategy is at the heart of ensuring an organization’s long-term success and survival. Without a clearly articulated strategy, one that is understood, accepted and continuously reinforced throughout the organization, an organization won't have the essential stakeholder commitment it needs to forge strongly ahead Employees especially will lack the sense of mission and engagement needed to implement the strategy in a concerted, cohesive manner. The result? Chaos and confusion as employees and other stakeholders work at crosspurposes to one another. Accordingly, when things go awry, boards who have failed to competently assess and advise their CEOs on both the appropriateness of their organization’s strategy and the methods to achieve it within the constraints of its budget and accountability agreement, cannot in good conscience put all the blame on the CEO. The fact that strategy gets so little on-going attention from boards is actually not that surprising, in large part because there's often a lack of understanding and interpretation of the term itself, never mind its individual components. Adding to the chaos is the fact that the independent directors appointed to organization boards typically come from a variety of organizations and backgrounds. Consequently, while they may use the same words, they often attach many different meanings to them.

Should Ask About Strategy” (See: http://corporatemissionsinc. com/best-sellers). It contains a framework which boards should adopt for describing/defining the strategy of their organization and a methodology to help directors evaluate its quality. It has appeared on the Books for Business Top 10 Best Sellers list for over 10 years!! Compliant Boards There's another reason, however, why boards may give so little attention to their strategy. CEOs simply do not want their boards involved in such discussions. Indeed, many CEOs view boards that get involved in their organization's strategy as interfering in their managerial responsibilities. The problem is further compounded with the appointment of board members who generally lack the “industry knowledge” necessary to challenge the appropriateness of their organization’s strategic plans. Finally, CEOs who want to distract their boards from discussing the tough strategic issues usually cram the agenda with items designed to dull the mind (copious slides, graphs and charts), dazzle the senses ("And now, Fred is going to give us a virtual reality presentation of the new manufacturing facility. Everybody got their 3-D glasses on?") or induce commitment and loyalty - all within a strict three- to four-hour time limit. It's time for boards to stop allowing their CEOs to use them this way. That's not an easy prospect; it requires board members to have the internal fortitude (aka “courage”) and personal ethics to refuse to be bullied or bribed into submission. Astute CEOs, on the other hand, use their boards as a fresh set of eyes in plotting their organization's strategy and assessing the organizational arrangements to facilitate its achievement. They know and accept the commonsense wisdom that every leader can benefit from receiving the input of multiple perspectives. Such a CEO, though, must have faith in the competence of his or her board. What can be done? In conclusion, the way to build better boards is by having better informed directors. So here’s the big, uncomfortable question for Caribbean directors: to what extent does your board have the competence, curiosity and courage required to give effective oversight of your organization’s strategy and the way it is being implemented? If you think that there is room for improvement in the way your board carries out this critical governance oversight function, you might want to suggest that they consider going to one of the corporate governance training programs currently available in the region – like the extraordinarily unique 3 day Chartered Director Program (“C. Dir.”) currently being offered by The Caribbean Governance Training Institute. Over 500 Caribbean directors have attended this program to date (including all the Governors of the ECCB and the entire Government of Saint Lucia!) By attending programs like this one, stakeholders would then know that their interests are being represented not just by individuals with successful track records in business, but also by men and women who have the governance qualifications - and the certification - necessary for effective board leadership and oversight of their organization’s strategic activities.After all, it’s not education which is expensive, but rather ignorance. ¤

To help address these concerns, I have recently written a monograph called “20 Essential Questions that Corporate Directors BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS

Volume 6

LEADERS'

Leaders' Corner The Real Cost Of Turnover

CORNER

The Real Cost Of Turnover By: Olivier Bottois

Turnover is a reality. People leave jobs every day for various reasons, sometimes personal, sometimes because they want a change. Numerous studies have outlined that money may be a contributing factor, however rarely the only reason someone is leaving an organization. People who are happy at work and enjoying the company culture especially when the company promotes "from within" are less likely to contemplate new opportunities as they see others getting promoted. Great morale boost! Besides the obvious cost of recruiting, turnover often impacts morale within the organization and ultimately financial results. The "learning curve" can take up to a year or more to fully understand the culture, the market place, the community and build a performing team.

Years of investment in a leader can be lost overnight when the leader leaves. Not only the leader's relations but their knowledge and understanding of the business accumulated over the years vanishes. That cost is rarely taken into consideration. Employee retention should remain a top priority when setting up company goals. As I learned at my last Caribbean post, people return for people, then may be for the product. While we eliminated most of the turnover, it took 4 years to build a stable team that felt like family. Property ratings and reputation online positively impacted the bottom line making the property successful. People are precious. Take good care of them... your bottom line is at stake. Â¤

New teams often are storming, then norming and ultimately performing. Team building and relationships take time to develop. In the meantime financial performance can be silently impacted. Leadership and company culture are often the main cause of turnover. While exit interviews are a best practice, they don't always reflect the real root of the problem. We know that people don't want to burn bridges and prefer to leave quietly. Investing into training labor to our standards and culture is costly and losing employees means starting all over again. Losing performing leaders is even a greater cost. Replacing a leader who has built and developed relationships in the market is no easy task. Relationships follow the leader and do not remain at property level. Why does it matter? Because it can directly impact our bottom line. It may take a year or longer to see the impact and then rush to rectify but the loss may be significant. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Olivier Bottois is a third generation French Hotelier with luxury hotel experience in six countries. Bottois is a Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Leading Hotels of the World alumni, who led iconic, urban hotels and remote resorts in the US, Canada and the Caribbean.

FOR ALL YOUR CATERING NEEDS!

Goddard Catering

After successfully operating as the official Caterer for Cricket World Cup 2007, Goddard Catering Group saw the need to raise the bar on catering services throughout the region. This led to the birth of GCG Events in October of 2008. GCG Events is an affiliated company of Goddard Catering Group and a member of the Goddard Enterprises Group of Companies. Our vision is to become the premier catering company in the region by providing culinary experiences that consistently meet and exceed customer expectations. To achieve this GCG Events has invested in a state of the art facility, an internationally trained team of event experts, and ingredients that meet our exacting standards. From conception to completion, our experienced team will help you turn your dream event into a reality. GCG Events is committed to make each and every event, “Simply Outstanding” At GCG Events we are dedicated to making you the perfect host. We strive to make every catered event, distinguished, blissful and stress-free. Our high standards, supreme service and exceptional quality will make your event a flawless, unforgettable experience.

• • • • • • •

WEDDINGS CONFERENCES BANQUETS OFFICE PARTIES SOCIAL GATHERINGS COCKTAIL PARTIES OTHER EVENTS

GCG Events is delighted to assist brides, grooms and their families with the menu planning for that signiﬁcant day of their dreams. From grand and lavish to intimate and informal, we can make your special day something you and your guests will always remember. Your employees and guests will surely appreciate your catering choice whilst consuming each delightful bite of their lunch, canapé or breakfast. Choose one of our menus or allow our chef to create a personalized menu for you that matches your vision and theme. Our team will make sure everything runs smoothly to ensure you and your guests have an unforgettable time.

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uvf.gcg-events@goddardcatering.com www.gcg-events.com BusinessFocus May/Jun | 11

BUSINESS FOCUS

Chilean President Makes Historic State Visit to St Lucia

Chilean President Makes Historic State Visit to St Lucia Chile and Saint Lucia Pledge to Collaborate on Trade, Women’s Development and Climate Change President of the Republic of Chile, Ms. Michelle Bachelet and Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet have both spoken on the success of the Official State Visit to Saint Lucia from August 24th to 25th 2017. During the visit President Bachelet had an extensive agenda which included meeting with the island’s Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy, the Honourable Members of the House of Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers. At a press briefing following the meeting with the Cabinet of Ministers, Prime Minister Chastanet stated that it was an incredible pleasure hosting the President and her contingent in Saint Lucia adding that the two nations have had common experiences. The two leaders signed a Joint Declaration pledging deeper ties in specific areas. The Chile President, who is passionate about women’s issues, also announced her country’s contribution of US$100,000 towards an entrepreneurial fund for local women. In thanking Chile, Prime Minister Chastanet said: “We have spoken about women’s affairs and I want to publicly say thank you very much to the Government of Chile through you, Madame President, for having agreed to contribute US$100,000 towards building the skills of women, particularly in the entrepreneurial area. This is obviously something that is very dear to our hearts BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

in Cabinet and I just want to say on behalf of all the women in the Cabinet, thank you, and also from the women in Saint Lucia who are going to benefit from this programme.” Prime Minister Chastanet explained to the media that Chile and Saint Lucia had also discussed matters as it relates to Climate Change adaptation and exciting new prospects for trade. “Sometimes we think it is going to be one way in terms of us just getting products from Chile but because of our geographic location and some of the trade agreements that we currently have, we believe that there are also opportunities for our manufacturers in the country,” stated the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Chastanet was equally elated about the potential assistance for local agriculture and the prospect of working with experts from Chile. “Thank you very much for sharing all of those things and I am looking forward to a very long lasting relationship.” For her part President Bachelet, who arrived here with key Chile Photo Above (L to R): President of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Charles A. Savarin, PM Allen M. Chastanet, President Michelle Bachelet, Antigua PM Gaston Browne

Government Ministers and Latin American media, described the visit as a historic one and said it reflected on the importance Chile places on relations with Saint Lucia and the Caribbean. “Chile and Saint Lucia share many points of view on issues of interest for our countries both bilaterally and at the regional and international levels,” Her Excellency noted. “I would like to emphasize the commitment of both countries to fundamental values such as respect for democracy, human rights, rule of law and concern for the environment. Even though we are the southern-most country in Latin America and you are here in the Caribbean Sea, we do share our concern about the ocean and seas. We do have our concerns about Climate Change. We do want to exchange all these experiences with our friends and partners. In that sense we have been working bilaterally with Saint Lucia but also in the context of Caricom and the OECS. We will continue working on focusing on areas such as poverty eradication, agriculture and the food sector, disaster

A Gift For Her Excellency management, adaptation to Climate Change and strengthening good practices in the private sector.” Regarding areas of trade the President said that Saint Lucia and Chile had complementing economies. “We don’t have the kind of things that you produce here. Many of them we don’t produce in Chile, so we are not adversaries; we can work together. I can imagine Chileans would love to have the possibility of consuming fantastic shrimp, lobsters and of course bananas. And do we do not produce any of those so we can improve and enhance our possibilities through trade.”

A Eudovic Original From St Lucia Prime Minister To The President of Chile

Saint Lucia first established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Chile in 1991. Two Ministers of Government are expected to visit Chile soon to continue discussions on areas of cooperation. ¤

Chile's President Meets Cabinet Of Ministers BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS TECH

Digicel founder Establishes ‘Deep Blue Cable’ New Entity to Focus on US$5 Billion Regional Underwater Fibre-Optic Cable System

Digicel founder Establishes ‘Deep Blue Cable’

Digicel Group Founder and Chairman Denis O’Brien holds the largest stake in Deep Blue Cable, the new entity that aims to string the region with underwater fibre-optic cables. Deep Blue is not connected to Digicel, which has operations in the Caribbean, Central America and Pacific Islands. Digicel Group Founder and Chairman Denis O’Brien. “Deep Blue Cable and Digicel Group have a common shareholder, but Deep Blue Cable has its own management team and is separate and distinct from Digicel Group,” said Deep Blue CEO Stephen Scott in response to Gleaner Business queries. That confirmation comes after it formally announced plans to lay cables across the Caribbean earlier this month. Digicel confirmed that O’Brien was the common shareholder and also the main owner. Deep Blue aims to fill a gap in the high-stakes fibre cable market. The company foresees that roughly half of existing cable entities will have outdated or failing technology within a decade. “The Deep Blue Cable will be ready for service in the first quarter of 2020,” said Scott, adding that it takes around four to five years to deliver a sub-sea cable system. The company plans to link a series of Caribbean countries and Miami, but has not disclosed the size of the investment it is making. However, given the rate of spend by Digicel on a past fibre-optic project, Deep Blue may be deploying more than US$100 million in the first phase of its project alone. Deep Blue Cable, formed in St Lucia, plans to develop and operate a fibre-optic cable network which will initially land in 12 BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

countries, including Jamaica. The second phase of Deep Denis O’Brien Blue’s development will grow Digicel Group Founder & Chairman the number of countries within its loop to 28 across the Caribbean and the Americas. Additionally, it plans to land the cable in select countries more than once, taking the number of landings to 40. For instance, it plans to land in Jamaica in five areas two in proximity to Kingston, two in proximity to Ocho Rios, and one landing in Montego Bay. The main markets it wants to penetrate include Puerto Rico, which it calls a US$3 billion telecoms market opportunity, Dominican Republic at US$1.9 billion, Haiti at US$700 million, Trinidad at US$650 million, Jamaica at US$600 million, Cayman Islands at US$150 million, and Turks & Caicos at US$50 million. The cable will initially span roughly 12,000km in the 12 markets, including the Cayman Islands, Curacao, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and Florida in the United States. The technology deployed will include cable that has eight fibre pairs with an initial capacity of 6 terabytes per second, Tbps, and ultimate capacity of some 20Tbps per fibre pair. Deep Blue will partner with TE SubCom to build the fibre-optic ring. Large telecom provider CWC owns a sub-sea network that spans more than 48,000km with an additional 38,000km of terrestrial fibre, according to its website. Digicel Group holds over 3,000km of sub-sea cable in the region, which it either acquired or built, according to its website and reports. ¤

We constantly work on providing the BEST to our customers. • INNOVATION • ERGONOMIC DESIGNS

Computer World

“ Aiming for the betterment of St. Lucians and the rest of the Caribbean”

COMPUTER WORLD LTD Bois D'Orange Tel 1758-458-4551/2 Fax 1758-458-0496 Email: sales@computerworldslu.com

Castries , Lower Jeremie St Tel: 1758-451-1010 Fax 1758-451-1212 Email : salescastries@computerworldslu.com

Website: www.computerworldslu.com

Vieux Fort Daher Plaza Tel 1758- 484-3338 Fax 1758-484-3337

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS TECH

5 Tech Trends For Sustainability

5 Tech Trends for Sustainability Corporate Sustainability: Five Tech Trends Defining The Future The rise of technological innovations that enable real-time data collection and reporting, new methods of communication and number-crunching is set to transform the world of corporate social responsibility, says CSR Asia’s Inna Amesheva. Corporate sustainability practices and reporting will be radically transformed in this era of rapid digital and technological change. Technological advances and increasing demand for real-time updates are going to bring a number of transformations in the way sustainability is monitored, implemented and reported. Companies currently spend a lot of time, effort and resources to prepare Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports, but how many are actually read? Without integration of CSR into business processes, and without CSR reports bringing tangible value, this annual exercise becomes a drain on company resources. Emerging technologies can help make reporting easier. They can also address the main data challenges of reporting, including: Read now • Information is dispersed throughout different business segments; • Insufficient quantitative information or metrics; • Information is unavailable due to inadequate recordkeeping; BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

• Low integration between processes and databases. Many companies still carry out cumbersome manual data collection, compilation and reporting procedures. This is time inefficient, involves a large amount of effort and can lead to poor quality findings or inaccuracies. A number of immediate improvements can result from the adoption of a technologicallyenhanced CSR reporting approach. Here are five key technology trends that sustainability practitioners need to be aware of. 1. Real-time Data Equals Real-time Stakeholder Scrutiny Ubiquitous access to network-connected mobile devices has made data more accessible and easier to gather, check, correlate and analyse. The extensive reach of technology into everyday life means that stakeholders now expect to be able to access information quickly and conveniently. They demand that information be updated regularly and be easily verifiable with regard to its consistency and validity. Such ongoing public scrutiny requires that companies present coherent and reliable sustainability information at all times. According to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): ‘Sustainability and Reporting Trends in 2025’ Report, this will result in a new role for stakeholders, who will now have a more direct impact

on the development of corporate governance and strategy. This can lead to greater stakeholder empowerment and involvement in corporate sustainability mechanisms. New technologies now allow companies to collect real-time data and automate the data collection process. This foreshadows the demise of annual CSR reports – which are usually at least three months out of date by the time they are published. Indeed, we are already seeing a trend towards online reporting, more regular reporting and even sustainability dashboards with realtime data. 2. Non-traditional Communication Channels Unlock Opportunities For Engagement The new ‘information age’ enables organisations and individuals alike to produce and disseminate their own data analyses and findings, through diverse media channels such as videos, interactive infographics and virtual reality (VR), complementing more traditional reporting methods such as annual CSR reports. Virtual reality, for instance, is one innovative way to provide communities and different stakeholders with new ways to engage with and build awareness of sustainability issues. These novel data distribution channels can reach many more people, in turn making sustainability findings more relatable and engaging, especially compared to conventional data presentation formats. Companies can leverage these different channels to disseminate sustainability information in ways that are more interesting and enjoyable for readers – which in turn could help businesses engage new and different audiences. Brewing giant Heineken, for instance, launched an interactive sustainability report, called ‘Brewing a Better World’, in which key information was presented via GIFs. Italian construction group Salini Impregilo has included a number of interactive CSR KPIs on its website, while Waste Management, a Houston-based waste disposal company, reports its sustainability metrics via an online interactive sustainability report. 3. Technology For More Integrated Sustainability Practices Technology can also act as an enabler for businesses to adopt a more coherent and integrated reporting framework. Through technology, companies are better placed to include detailed data on their supply chains and regional operations, providing a more comprehensive picture of their corporate sustainability and compliance. According to the GRI, this brings about the need to adopt a fresh view of management culture: “Data technology will enable companies to operate in an integrated way within and across sectors and regions, monitoring their impacts and supply chains, and acting together to tackle society’s and companies’ challenges.” Technology can have a particularly transformative impact on supply chain management, making it possible for businesses and stakeholders to establish a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between an organisation’s supply chain and its sustainability impact.

initiative, powered by Sourcemap – a supply chain platform that allows brands and manufacturers to gain visibility into the endto-end supplier network, so as to better assess performance and risk. Technology-enabled integrated reporting allows businesses to explore and benefit from the interconnections between organisational strategy, governance and economic performance on the one hand, and the socio-environmental context of a company’s operations on the other. 4. Big Data Will Transform Measurement Big data-enabled dynamic, accessible and real-time CSR reporting is becoming the norm. Sustainability performance data can now be collected and analysed by technologies such as Blockchain, big data and artificial intelligence, allowing organisations and consumers alike to understand and find the correlations between what would otherwise be complex and unintelligible statistics. Data technology can greatly facilitate the process of putting a price on impacts and externalities. This enables the creation of the right methodologies to more accurately assess and evaluate how externalities can be monetised. The growth of big data analytics facilitates ‘big picture’ sustainability reporting, providing useful tools to measure and analyse traditionally intangible ESG indicators in a more coherent and integrated manner. Greater accessibility and processing power can also empower senior management, investors and other stakeholders to analyse ever larger amounts of data. This means that companies are going to be increasingly driven towards achieving improved consistency between their stated values and actions in practice. 5. Artificial Intelligence To Drive Sustainable Business The final and perhaps most elusive trend defining the future of corporate sustainability is the role of artificial intelligence (AI). This is because AI is often unprecedented and has a wide-ranging potential to transform multiple industries and business sectors. Indeed, the rate of technological innovation has frequently outpaced the ability of regulators to adjust and adapt to these new developments. That said, AI and advanced technology tools are already available within the sustainability reporting space. One company, eRevalue, has developed an “AI tool that would provide fast, efficient and powerful business intelligence on large unstructured data sets from the global corporate reporting landscape.” While innovations like these are yet to become mainstream, technology is certain to have a tangible impact on how businesses record, report and ultimately implement sustainability within their operations. ¤ This article is republished from CSRAsia.com.

Some prominent examples of technology-enabled supply chain mapping include Patagonia’s Footprint Chronicles, which map and trace all the company’s mills, factories and farms, ensuring a seamless production network. Thread International is another BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS TECH

have already met to discuss the bill, which will also require a new treaty between them.

New Telecoms Law For Eastern Caribbean

“We have basically come to a point where through the dynamism of the telecoms industry and the advancements that have been made in technology, we are at a point where the existing Act can no longer work for us,” said Quincy Prentice, Board Director of ECTEL, quoted in the St Kitts and Nevis Observer.

By: Alan Burkitt-Gray

New Telecoms

The new legislation will take internet-based services into account and set standards for levels of service. As an indicator the Eastern change in technology since ECTEL was formed, its logo LawofFor Caribbean shows a satellite dish – the main means of linking the islands to the rest of the world in 2000. The five countries have a total population of 525,000, and all use the East Caribbean dollar as a common currency, worth around $0.37.

Five Caribbean states are to enact a new telecommunications law to replace existing regulations that date back to 2000. The independent states are all members of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), which is the telecoms regulator for the five – Dominica; Grenada; St Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Legislatures of all five are debating a common new Electronic Communications Bill, which will replace the existing law, passed in 2000 by each country in turn. Ministers of the five countries

Cable & Wireless and Digicel are the two mobile competitors in each country. It was Cable & Wireless’s acquisition of Columbus International that led the five to seek to strengthen the legislation that governs ECTEL. Meanwhile ECTEL has appointed Andrew Millet as acting managing director on the retirement of Embert Charles, who has run the regulator for nine years. Millet, who was director of technical services until his promotion, holds a master’s degree in telecommunications from Coventry University in the UK. According to ECTEL, his focus will be working on the draft bill and the issue of new operating licences; charting a strategic plan for the 2017-18 financial year; and launching of a new spectrum management and monitoring system for the five member states. ¤ Full article at www.globaltelecomsbusiness.com

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BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Fast Cash

BUSINESS FOCUS

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

1st National Bank

MONEY MATTERS

Transforming The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union Together

ECCB Unveils 5 Year Strategic Plan Within the current and future context, characterised by economic uncertainty, technological disruptions, rapid evolution towards a globally integrated economy and fiscal challenges faced by member governments, the Bank is developing the Strategic Plan 2017-2021. The Plan sets out the Bank’s vision for the next five years and focuses on goals that are needed to better reflect the expression of the Bank’s mandate and provides strategies to guide the accomplishment of these goals over the coming years. The Bank coordinated the in-house development of the Plan and its refinement in collaboration with an external consultant. Strategic Planning and Projects Department (SPPD) The Strategic Planning and Projects Department was established to provide a focal point for the planning and development of the Bank’s strategic priorities. The responsibilities of the department include strategic policy development and monitoring, policy counsel to the Bank’s leadership, policy formulation and coordination, project management and coordination of the Bank’s financial and economic developmental initiatives. Office Of Risk Management The international financial landscape has undergone significant changes in recent years which have heightened the importance of robust risk management regimes within organisations to mitigate the attendant risks in the global operating environment. Traditional risk management practices, where risk was primarily viewed as a series of single elements to be addressed individually, gave rise to the creation of silos within organisations and detracted from the overall achievement of strategic objectives. In response to these shortcomings, companies have adopted an Enterprise Risk Management approach. The intention is to develop a holistic view of the most significant risks that can deter or otherwise negatively impact the achievement of the entity’s key objectives. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

In response to this paradigm shift, an Office of Risk Management was established to implement an Enterprise Risk Management Framework. A Chief Risk Officer was appointed in September 2016 to lead this initiative. This separation of the risk function is in line with international best practices and facilitates greater efficiency in meeting the Bank’s objectives. This new focus on risk management extends to the Board of Directors. Consequently, the role of the Board Audit Committee was expanded to include oversight of the Enterprise Risk Management functions and the Charter was updated to reflect the added re s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . The Board Audit subcommittee was renamed the Board Audit and Risk Committee, (BARC)indicative of the increased focus. As part of the mandate for the development of the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, the Chief Risk Officer has responsibility for leading various initiatives including: • The development of a concise Risk Appetite Statement with clearly defined risk tolerances to guide the risk management operations throughout the Bank. This would be supported by clearly defined roles within the governance structure to support the Risk Management Framework at all levels including, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Department Heads, management and operational staff; • Oversight of the Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Management Programme; • Facilitating training sessions in risk management at all levels; and • The development and implementation of appropriate tools and methodologies for risk measurement and reporting. In formulating the Bank’s Risk Appetite, requisite attention is given to the inherent risks associated with the broad areas of monetary policy, financial sector stability, management of the

Payment and Settlements System and the daily operational tasks undertaken to support these functions. It is recognised, however, that a culture of aggressive risk avoidance could potentially stifle the progress of the institution and erode the Bank’s ability to achieve its overall objectives. Consequently, being cognisant of the need to take appropriate risks, the Risk Management Framework emphasises highly effective risk management responsibilities at all levels of the institution. Three broad categories of risk have been identified and articulated in the Risk Appetite Statement namely: Strategic, Financial, and Operational, which are further divided in multiple sub-categories. The effective management of the various risks, as identified, is reliant on detailed policies, processes and procedures as defined and documented. Monitoring and reporting are also vital elements of the framework to ensure that the practices remain in accordance with international best practices and applicable to the prevailing operating environment. During the year, the Chief Risk Officer spearheaded the following activities as part of the Enterprise Risk Management implementation programme: • A review of the Bank’s corporate governance structure to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to support effective risk management at the Bank; • The administering of a Bank-wide Risk Awareness Survey and follow-up risk awareness orientation sessions with all departments; • A revamping of the role of Surveillance Officers within departments to adopt a more risk-based approach. As a result, the designation was changed from Surveillance Officers to Risk Liaisons;

ECCB Governor - Timothy Antoine

• A one-week training session for select staff across the Bank, along with representatives from ECCU commercial banks, in Enterprise Risk Management and Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Management; and • The completion of a one-week training attachment at the Office of Risk Management of the CDB. Internal Management At its meeting of 9 June 2016, the Board Audit and Risk Committee (BARC) approved a three-year Strategic Plan and Revised Charter for the Internal Audit Department (IAD) which reflected a full assurance arrangement. The Strategic Plan and Revised Internal Audit Charter took into consideration the recommendations arising from the external quality review done by the KPMG and the Update Safeguards Assessment conducted by the IMF during the latter part of the 2015/16 financial year. As the Bank continued on the path of aligning the activities of the department with international best practices, all operational activities previously carried out by the IAD were reassigned to other areas within the Bank to allow the IAD to place greater focus on the function of assurance in keeping with its Revised Charter. The reassignment was necessary to ensure that there was no threat to the independence of the department. During the financial year the IAD completed the following audits: • The Human Resource Department’s effectiveness in providing value added services to the Bank; • The Research Department’s effectiveness in producing timely and effective policy advice to member governments; • Agency Office operations in three of the seven ECCB member countries, specifically as it related to the issue and redemption of currency; and • A follow-up audit of the Bank Supervision Department. ¤

ECCB Deputy Governor - Trevor Braithwaite BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS MONEY MATTERS

The Caribbean Finance Industry: Challenges And Strategies

The Caribbean Finance Industry: Challenges And Strategies The survival of the financial industry, and by extension the economies of the region, is constantly being challenged by internal and external shocks on a legislative, regulatory, institutional and industry level. The key question which must be answered is this: How will banks, large and small, continue to achieve their objectives while effectively managing these challenges? Regulatory and Legislative Challenges Compliance with the ever-changing regulatory framework has become a blueprint for survival for financial institutions. In the aftershock of the “great financial crisis”, a plethora of regulations has evolved, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter Terrorist Financing (CTF), Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), Common Reporting Standards (CRS) and the BASEL Accords.

CAB Members and Board of Directors

in heavy penalties and blacklisting of countries as tax havens. To date, all of our members have the necessary structures in place for FATCA reporting, and many are in-train for CRS reporting. In an effort to increase banking stability, the BASEL Committee of the Bank of International Settlements has released new “Accords” which are more stringent in their capital requirements. In a similar effort to strengthen the financial stability of regional banks, the OECS has also implemented their new banking act, which raised the capital requirement of banks in the region. Raising the necessary capital to satisfy these requirements has been a challenge for some banks due to the limited investment pool and appetite in the region. This supports the ongoing discussions and recommendations on the consolidation of various banking functions to drive sustainability and efficiency.

All are aimed at promoting better risk management and a more robust financial system that underpins strong and sustainable economic growth. Implementing the necessary systems to support a robust compliance framework requires significant resources, which adds pressure on resource constrained OECS banks.

It is therefore important to pursue the harmonisation of the Caribbean region’s regulatory and legislative framework to provide a more effective enabling environment for the financial services industry in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, including harmonised foreclosure, credit reporting, AML/CTF and privacy laws.

In the case of AML/CTF, the range of regulations are growing and changing continuously so keeping up and complying with all these regulations is a mammoth task for smaller banks whose processes are still semi-automated.

Threats To The Banking Industry The loss of correspondent banking relationships and de-risking are considered the most severe threats that the financial services sector and the Caribbean region face at this juncture.

Consequently, the Caribbean Association of Bankers believes that the development of a centralised compliance hub should reduce the cost of compliance and strengthen the AML/CTF framework of regional financial institutions. In that regard, CAB recently facilitated discussions between forty of its members and a potential provider of such services.

De-risking refers to the phenomenon of financial institutions terminating or restricting business relationships with clients or categories of clients to avoid rather than manage risk. The “derisking” decisions by the correspondent banks take into account several factors which include: • Risk Rating of Individual countries with regards to AML/CTF and Tax compliance; • Risk rating of financial services institutions; and • Adequacy of return received by the correspondent banks for undertaking the risks associated in providing correspondent banking services.

The international drive for greater tax transparency and accountability has given rise to regulations such as FATCA and CRS. The Banks have incurred significant cost to implement the necessary reporting infrastructure. Non-compliance could result BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

The loss of these vital relationships could render the Caribbean region “unbanked “and ultimately destabilise all sectors of our economies. In this regard, the CAB has collaborated with a correspondent banking service provider to facilitate U.S. correspondent banking services to members who have been negatively impacted. The CAB also continues to work with other correspondent banking providers to widen the pool of options available to members.

Bank of Saint Lucia

The CAB is currently researching the possibility of a regional payments system which would streamline the need for U.S. correspondent banks in intra-regional transactions. The CAB is also a partner in the Inter-American Development Bank’s project: “Strengthening Financial Transparency: Rebuilding Trust in Correspondent Banking in the Caribbean”. This multilateral project will involve initiatives aimed at helping to prevent and mitigate the risk of loss of correspondent banking relationships. The perception of the region’s risk rating by correspondent banks is another deciding factor. In this regard, it is necessary for countries to pay attention to rectifying the gaps identified in their national risk assessments and actively publish the positive initiatives that they are taking with respect to AML/CTF. The Financial Technology (Fintech) revolution has been radically challenging and threatening banks’ traditional roles as trusted intermediaries. It has also reduced barriers to entry in the financial industry, thereby enabling new entrants to compete with banks without incurring the injection of enormous capital investments. New services such as peer-to-peer lending, block chain, crypto currencies, cognitive computing, mobile and internet banking will certainly change the face of banking in the future, and banks should monitor these developments as well as customer demands, in order to be innovative, and responsive. For example, Carilend in Barbados, a peer to peer lender was recently established in Barbados. Cyber risks and implementation of necessary mitigating infrastructure is another area of great threat to banks. In this regard, the CAB has a group insurance scheme which covers such risks for members. Impact On Institutions The dynamics of the worldwide financial crisis brought to light a number of credit portfolio risks. Globally, there has been an increase in non-performing portfolios, giving rise to increased provisioning which exerts significant pressure on the banks’ capital base. For example, in the OECS sub-region, ‘non-productive loans’ average approximately 12% against a benchmark of 6%. With the impending introduction of the accounting standard IFRS 9, which is based on raising provisions upfront on future expected losses, banks may experience increased pressure on their capital and profitability. In order to continue recovery and growth, banks will have to continue to demonstrate strong leadership capabilities, good corporate governance, greater investments in talent management to produce the highest-performing teams, to steer the region’s financial services industry into the path of growth and expansion. ¤ Source: Caribbean Association of Banks BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

MONEY MATTERS

Mr. Philand A. Henderson Business Development Officer St. Lucia Co-operative Credit Union League Ltd

International Credit Union Day 2017 By: Philand Henderson

International Credit International Union Day 2017 Credit Union Day is observed on the third Thursday

The spirit of the Credit Union Movement is ever thriving and growing each year, and each year our members continue to articulate our place in the financial space.

Each of our Credit Unions as autonomous financial co-operatives specialize in efficiently serving their faction of our Movement’s overall membership, whilst working towards the same goal. The socio-economic development of the people who make up the organization is the primary focus of a Credit Union, whether achieved through financial literacy or sound investment, the objective is always for better. As Co-operative Enterprises, each Credit Union has an understanding of humanitarianbased principles that promote concepts such as community, education, and democracy in operation. We subscribe to a philosophical structure that guides our day-to-day decisions and consequently our lives. Credit Unions adhere to an adaptive but rigid model that ensures the simultaneous progression and sustainability of our livelihood. All Credit Unions share a common goal to offer access to affordable financial services to all their members and provide even the most financially disadvantaged, the tools, and the opportunities to be financially self-sufficient. For more than 150 years, Credit Unions have served as catalysts to making different professions, personal choices and other wanted experiences thrive. Currently 93,000 Saint Lucians trust in their 16 indigenous Credit Unions to manage their almost $800,000 million-asset base. Reporting figures such as these certainly indicate our strength and stability when we unite for growth and put people before profit. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

of October every year and is a celebration of our collective impact, the Credit Union difference, as well as our storied history of helping individuals, families, and communities. This year’s theme, “Dreams Thrive Here” tries to articulate the empowerment experienced by our members. A dream by its very definition is the materialization of an idea that achieves happiness, despite the occasional unorthodox structure. This day denotes the steadfast work of the Movement as we highlight our achievements along the way, grand and humble. In light of this, the Credit Union League along with CUNA Caribbean Insurance in its capacity to serve will host the Movement’s first ever Credit Union Awards Gala on October 21st 2017 at the Sandals Halcyon Hotel. The event’s intention is to venerate the work of the many volunteers, members, managers, and Credit Unions that exceed the call of duty and traverse the lines of self-sacrifice for the betterment of their follow-man. The awards and categories have been fashioned to acknowledge the concern and effort that our Credit Unions have demonstrated towards enhancing the Movement through cooperative social responsibility, community service, and sound financial management. This International Credit Union Day, join us in celebrating the Credit Union Difference, our proud Co-operative Heritage and the positive growth we relentlessly agitate for. ¤

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BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS

Blue Waters On A New Course In Social & Educational Initiatives More than a year ago after Business Focus Featured Ramon Esper and the story of Blue Waters in Saint Lucia, the company stands ready to give back to the community even more now than in its ﬁrst three years. Blue Waters quickly became a household name from 2013 after the opening of its bottling plant facility in Massade, gros-islet. year Mr. EsperInitiatives has continued to Blue Waters On a New Course In SocialThis & Educational improve the bottling facility with state of the art equipment, looking to increase production to better serve the growing clientel, complete with a newly colourful, re-energized logo.

Blue Waters

Business Focus recently sat down with Aida Azaire, Blue Waters' brand new Brand Coordinator, who was full of exciting plans, and Keitha Chiquot, who has been HR Supervisor since the company opened its doors in 2013, to ﬁnd out what has changed over the past year, and what Saint Lucian consumers can look forward to in 2017.

New Sizes, More Value

Since the Blue Waters bottling plant came on stream in 2013, its status as a local manufacturer has enhanced the company's ability to react faster to ﬂuctuating demand and the changing habits of Saint Lucian consumers. Staying well-hydrated is recommended by nutritionists as crucial for health and comfort, so Blue Waters has introduced new sizes which oﬀer the consumer more value for their money. The handy 410ml and 710ml sizes are 10% to 15% larger than other brands, and Aida reports that happy customers have responded well to the initiative.

BusinessFocus

Jul/Aug

Under the umbrella of Blue Waters come other products such as refreshing Cran Water; now with 65% less sugar than other juice brands, zesty Angostura Lemon Lime & Bitters everyone’s ﬁzzy favourite, Ting, Giant malt a natural booster for healthy bodies and active minds and Disney Malt. Both Malt's packed with vitamins and mineral , healthier for kids.

Health Benefits of Drinking Blue Waters

Giving Back Although a recent recruit to the Blue Waters' team, Aida is quick to list the ways in which social responsibility is intrinsic to the company's mission. This year will see an increase in support for community projects, sports events and school outreach, pushing an agenda of health, youth issues and conservation. “In 2017, the main focus for Blue Waters is developing social programs, providing sponsorship and ensuring we do our part to contribute to the upkeep of the environment through clean up campaigns. Blue Waters will continue to work towards creating a better Saint Lucia by focusing on the areas of arts & culture, education, sports, youth development and empowerment.”

Although it's a simple and well-known rule that eight glasses of water a day is good for general health, everyone knows someone who simply doesn't like to drink the clear, pure stuﬀ of life. Blue Waters is pure, pH-balanced and sodium free, so drinking the amount recommended by the experts has untold health beneﬁts. 1. Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue 2. Promotes Weight Loss 3. Flushes Out Toxins 4. Improves Skin Complexion 5. Maintains Regularity 6. Boosts Immune System 7. Natural Headache Remedy 8. Prevents Cramps & Sprains 9. Puts You In A Good Mood

Guaranteed Good

"Blue Waters remains committed to delivering products of the highest Quality and Food Safety standards and we are certiﬁed by the SLBS. "Furthermore, we subject ourselves to weekly quality analyses on random samples taken and tested by CARPHA. Our multi-stage water puriﬁcation process produces water free of contaminants and surpassing international standards." 100% Local

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BusinessFocus Follow us @bluewatersslu

Jul/Aug

RAMBALLY AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE COMPANY

E G R A L FROM LL

RASCO

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INSTALLATION OF SOLID TYRES

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OPEN: BusinessFocus

MON - FRI 7:30AM - 5PM SAT 7:30AM - 4PM Sep/Oct

BOIS D’ORANGE, GROS ISLET HWY

TEL: (758) 452-0945 / 9092 FAX: (758) 452-8307

E-MAIL: INCEATRASCO@GMAIL.COM WEBSITE WWW.RASCOSLU.COM

THE TYRE MASTERS

BusinessFocus

May/Jun

FEATURE

BUSINESS FOCUS

Keeping Saint Lucian Drivers On The Road for 25 Years

Keeping Saint Lucian Drivers On The Road For 25 Years

ustomer Service is key at the Rambally Automotive Service Company - known by its satisfied customers simply as RASCO. It comes from the top, with founder Ince Rambally’s firm conviction that every client is important and should be made to feel special, so there is no detail spared in making sure the entire team takes the same approach. Going the extra mile is the modus operandi at RASCO for all its staff, who willingly work six days a week with overtime to ensure that the facility can be open for business from 7am to 5pm on weekdays - the early start is all about client’s ability to drop off their vehicle and still get to work on time. Saturday is “early” closing, but 7am until 4pm gives many customers the opportunity to get their car serviced on their own time, rather than the company clock. The bays BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

are always kept busy, regardless of what day it is. So it’s all hands on the forecourt to offer the widest range of automotive services in Saint Lucia. In a nutshell for the uninformed non-auto-aficionado, RASCO is a state-ofthe-art facility with the hi-tech resources needed to service or repair most vehicle problems from the everyday to the highly unusual. Tyre sales and repairs, wheel alignment, exhausts, general maintenance - you name it, they do it. The team is made up of expert technicians and mechanics, who between them offer a wide range of experience and practical know-how. Without the inventory to back-up their services, any auto-repair operation is only as fast as the supplier’s shipping schedule, so RASCO is also renowned in the market

for having the right parts - right now. One of the main motivators for fast service is simply that vehicle owners are always inconvenienced when their transportation is down, so getting the problem solved as speedily and conveniently as possible is a high priority for both consumer and provider. “In and out as fast as possible” should be the company slogan, as Ince Rambally insists that every job be done in a day, with few vehicles ever overnighting on the forecourt. Although speed is important, even more crucial to RASCO’s sterling reputation is the reliability of their service. Ever more technological cars need a different type of skill set which is constantly evolving, so gaining every client’s trust is key to making them repeaters, one of the cornerstones of the company’s success over the past

RASCO is the largest Tyre Distributor in Saint Lucia

Quality Brands Available at

RASCO

quarter of a century. As is meeting and greeting as many customers as possible, as Ince Rambally has always done, talking about vehicles with their owners like babies with proud parents.

the forecourt by constantly learning and providing the latest services.

It’s the younger generation of Ramballys that say it best when talking about why RASCO continues to shine in - and frankly, dominate - the automotive maintenance industry. Like true Millennials, their entrepreneurial outlook includes a new type of Customer Service for a swiftlychanging product, which they liken to the latest smartphone, all new bells and whistles until the next model comes along next year.

Like their father, Ince Rambally, the next generation of RASCO will continue to put their customers first. They are definitely not a monopoly in Saint Lucia’s highly competitive auto-sector, which continues to grow unabated, it seems, as a more youthful clientele live their dreams on four wheels. Commercial business too, is a dynamic market, so the company strategy to invest in the best equipment, the best people and the best training can only result in a better customer environment at the island’s garage of choice.

Customers are handing over their largest financial investment - for in Saint Lucia that is often the story - to be nursed back to health by the experts, so Bobby and Frank plan to bring a new level of trust to

It takes a lot to stay ahead of any game, but the future of RASCO and its legions of enthusiastic customers appears safe for now - and another twenty-five years at the top. ¤

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS

Ince Rambally Living Proof That It Doesn’t Hurt To Be Humble

Engineer, Entrepreneur & Patriarch: Ince Rambally is synonymous with RASCO

INCE RAMBALLY Living Proof That It Doesn’t Hurt To Be Humble

By: Dee Lundy-Charles

n today’s global business world, where online platforms and social media statistics are the fuel of marketing engines, it seems like ‘the louder the better’ is modus operandi for many brands and companies. Even in a small market like Saint Lucia, businesses jostle for attention on the internet, offering bigger, better, faster, cheaper, more exclusive everything. Delivering those promises on the ground is where many businesses fall by the wayside, because the higher you fly on fickle social networks, the harder you fall when opinionated consumers decide to slice and dice their experiences in the cold light of a handheld device. Like word of mouth - forever the most viral of advertising success or failure - the power of online reviewing will inevitably reveal what no marketing budget can account for. Delivering the level

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

of service expected by today’s discerning spender is more important than before, even when yours is a household name in a competitive sector. Enter Ince Rambally, founder of Rambally Automotive Services Company - RASCO to anyone for the past twentyfive years who has owned, driven or even heard about cars in Saint Lucia. Without fanfare or acclaim, he has built a successful business by delivering the sort of customer service larger corporations can only dream about. He did it through a passion for engineering, an entrepreneurial streak in his DNA, and a disciplined approach to every decision, big and small, taking RASCO from a three-bay garage on one side of the road at Bois D’Orange to a massive, state-of-the-art facility on the other side, that remains the go-to garage for all types of vehicles. In an exclusive interview for Business Focus to coincide with RASCO’s Silver Jubilee, the everbusy Mr. Rambally took time out to reflect on the past quarter of a century, and to share some of the business wisdom he hopes to see carried on by the next generation, as they assume the driver’s seat in the family business.

NATURE & NURTURE An instantly recognised name in Saint Lucia, the Rambally family has in fact been a mere three generations on the island, and early in my conversation with Ince ‘Rasco’ Rambally it became clear that the experiences of his grandparents on arrival from Uttar Pradesh in the early twentieth century have always been a strong influence on his life path. Describing his childhood in Ravine Poisson as “tough”, he was part of a sprawling connection of “East Indian” immigrants, which had an “every-man-for-himself” edge of competitiveness despite carrying on the cultural tradition of the extended family community.

Never content with a future life of truck-driving for the family business, Ince showed that canny Indian instinct early on, collecting and selling dry coconuts, river stones - even milk - to produce the cashflow essential for setting the next phase of his life into motion. At seventeen years old he departed for St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, where he jobbed in the hospitality industry for two and a half years, mainly in hotels and restaurants, dishwashing, cleaning and spear-fishing for food when things got really rough. But engineering still remained his passion, and “cars” were always a fallback for his autodidactic skill set.

Ince is reverent about the work ethic he learnt from his father and other members of the family, and a shrewd approach to money he attributes to his mother, who managed the purse strings for a husband who “lived a big life, which cost beyond his means”.

In 1972, Ince Rambally took those skills and a strong sense of discipline into the military for almost 10 years, during which he married, started a family and built a firm foundation of experience to bring to his own business years later, when he came back to Saint Lucia and for a short time, the family home. Describing his 1990 return as “humiliating”, Ince is honest about the experience of seeing the progress some of his island peers had made compared to what he perceived as a non-productive period, at least in terms of business and building financial stability.

The Ramballys may have been the wealthiest family in the community, but there was no outward indication of that financial success, no ostentatious consumption or flashy lifestyle to be nitpicked by local onlookers. Ince remembers only owning one pair of shoes at a time, and watching the family “sacrifice everything” to overcome poverty the best way they knew how, by utilising their business-wits, trading acumen and opportunistic approach in their new island home. “People who were less wealthy than us enjoyed more perks than us,” he explains. “My parents didn’t splash money around. They escaped poverty by working hard, not by going to school. My father had trucks and other businesses from early, and my mother looked after the income, raised the kids and had her own little businesses.” He describes himself as an average student, “not very bright” in terms of book-learning, but with a keen interest in engineering and flair for constructing contraptions like the brick oven he built at age twelve. Frank Rambally wanted his sons to go to university, study law and have every opportunity he hadn’t had in life, but early on, Ince knew that the legal life would be left to older brother Clarence, and he set about making money in small, inventive ways to attain financial independence from the family.

He found Saint Lucia “asleep” as a culture, especially in commercial terms, due mainly to a few large monopolies that gripped the small market tightly and were protected by the consumer’s lack of options when it came to a wide range of essentials. Customer service was non-existent, as it had been years before, when as a little boy he would stand unnoticed and unserviced in the parts dealers’ and other company offices he was sent to on errands by his father. Looking around for opportunities, Ince saw no competition of quality in the automotive market, whether from dealers who point blank refused to add four free plastic mats to a seventy thousand dollar cash purchase, or from garages that offered little semblance of customer service. Within two years Ince Rambally was setting up RASCO and tapping into his passion for two things - cars and people. With a small team but a mighty will to be a different sort of business, the charismatic, straight-talking, self-taught entrepreneur brought a new understanding of providing service in an industry infamous for shysters and charlatans. Cont'd

Ince sharing his expertise with staff

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Sep/Oct

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Learning from the expert: Ince and his sons, Frank (seated) and Bobby, talk business

A WINNING FORMULA

fter quarter of a century, his philosophy remains the same, and is the basis for the company that is now synonymous with automotive services - the go-to guys for tyres, servicing and hi-tech wizardry in a swiftly evolving market. “I tell my boys, always remember that the customer has options. They don’t need us, we need them,” is number one nugget of biz-wisdom from 'Rasco' himself. “Whether you are spending ten dollars or a thousand, I greet everybody because that’s my job as the owner.” His sons now walk that talk, although Ince is still drawn to the massive facility on a regular basis, and loves to shake hands with customers, catch up on their families and car horror stories. He is very much part of the brand’s history and goodwill, and clearly provides Bobby and Frank with some big shoes to fill. Unrelentingly, he preaches the benefits of making customers feel important - “like at a restaurant, when the owner stops at my table and chats.” The strategy is pragmatic rather than touchy-feely, because Ince Rambally is a realist when it comes to the ugly side of customer behaviour; and his understanding approach and natural ability to diffuse a potentially tense situation are among the few things he boasts about, albeit in his inimitably understated way. There have been run-ins on the forecourt with disgruntled “fellas who came in angry,” he explains, but he calmed them down with a levelBusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

headed attitude and empathetic understanding that customers are people, in all their shapes, forms and temperaments. “You don’t know where their problems come from, what they are experiencing in their lives, what sort of day they are having. I tell my boys, the worst thing to do when you meet an angry customer is to get equally angry with them,” muses the patient patriarch, whose insistence on making every client feels special extends to an air-conditioned hospitality suite, complete with tea- and coffee-making facilities and complimentary wi-fi upstairs at the RASCO nerve centre at Bois D’Orange. Many folks prefer to forego the climb and sit “on an upturned bucket in the yard” which is not something management approves of, even with their openarmed approach to customer service.

RASCO & SONS After twenty-five years in the business, Ince Rambally is not ready to leave the floor completely, but he is committed to handing over the reins to the next generation with his blessing, support and noticeable confidence that this is their time, and navigating the future of the family business through an increasingly technological industry is their responsibility. Throughout our conversation, his comments invariably turn to the advice he shares daily with his ‘boys’. The ‘Rasco Business

Playbook’, if published, would be a best-seller for aspiring young entrepreneurs, who understand the longevity offered by circumspection and caution in all things business. Complacency is a killer, but so is a missed opportunity, an untimely decision or a mis-managed cashflow account. Fifteen years ago, on advice from big brother Clarence, and despite a certain level of comfort that had him settling for the “momand-pop” size and style of RASCO version one, Ince Rambally took a decision that would secure his company’s future as the major player on Saint Lucia’s automotive scene. He crossed the highway, built a behemoth base, staffed it with a knowledgeable, committed team and went about making every customer feel special. In their Silver Jubilee year, the RASCO team continues to reap the benefits of a company culture that values people more than products, gadgets or marketing promises - it’s a winning formula that Ince plans to oversee from a more distant perch, as he develops the next phase of his alternate career as a successful commercial property developer with aspirations to make a dent in the island’s virtually non-existent affordable housing sector.

“Doing your time and not reaping the benefits of the business too early. Succeeding is hard, but it is easy to become bankrupt - all it takes is one mistake and your business can fail.” To the young people he sees making their way in a contemporary business environment that perhaps seems increasingly alien to his generation, he has everpragmatic and practical advice that is supported with the evidence of a successful entrepreneurial life in Saint Lucia. “Ideas and proposals are not enough, the hard work required to succeed is more important,” asserts the man behind the island’s top-of-mind automotive brand, if he were to consider that an appropriately humble description. “Doing your time and not reaping the benefits of the business too early. Succeeding is hard, but it is easy to become bankrupt - all it takes is one mistake and your business can fail.” He has ominous warnings for those who would live a lavish lifestyle preemptively - or shambolically - outside their financial means. “Dipping hands deep” before the business is in a cashflow healthy situation is a recipe for early disaster, as is failing to reinvest profits if and when they come. Ince believes in diversifying where possible, and advises - with verifiable proof - that purchasing real estate continues to be a winner. His next-door neighbours at Bois D’Orange are also his commercial tenants, satisfied to have set up their businesses in wellbuilt warehouses since the day they were completed. Regards his vision to develop residential properties for hardworking Saint Lucians, Ince is also pragmatic. There is a win-win opportunity for developer and consumer at a point when it is

Walking the floor, Ince makes every customer feel special almost impossible for young salaried professionals to get a foot up on the property ladder. “Some people on a salary will never be able to afford a home in Saint Lucia, because the cost of living is so high. Jobs are not secure and companies are not reliable in this economy. Technology is changing a lot of businesses worldwide and global competition is real,” he proselytises, aware that it is a bleak picture for the next generation. With tourism as the island’s main economic focus - “a very fragile business” - this prodigious purchaser of land sees a new vision for providing affordable housing developments that meet the real needs and aspirations of hard-working young people who need commercial support rather than a hand-out. It fits Ince Rambally’s philosophy of business and life - that people come first, and the market opportunities will follow. ¤

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

RASCO GENERATION NEXT

On The Road To A High Tech Future By: Dee Lundy-Charles

RASCO Generation Next On The Road To A High Tech Future

Bobby also admits not having an interest in mechanics, “not very good with my hands,” he jokes. But he always had a passion for running a successful business, so managing RASCO’s administrative side suits him well. Frank is “a bit of both”, but more mechanically minded, and also honest about his early opinion of a future “in a tyre shop.” “If you had told me twenty years ago I would be doing this, I would tell you no way - neither of us really thought we would end up working with our father in his business, or thought I’ll buy my own tyre company,” admits the older brother. He came home after a stint in the air force and working in the commercial sector, realising along the way how hard his dad had worked to set up and grow his business in Saint Lucia. “As a kid you don’t dream of doing the same thing as your father, neither my brother nor I had any plans to buy a tyre shop,” he laughs. Then again, even back in the day RASCO was so much more than a tyre shop, as both Rambally siblings would come to realise. Watching his younger brother working with Ince and learning the the ropes of the family business gave Frank the inspiration he needed to return to the island and invest himself in helping to grow the business alongside them.

Frank (seated) and Bobby Rambally bring new energy and a vision for the future of RASCO

etting the next generation of Ramballys to sit down for an interview is a tough gig, as I discovered when we tried to schedule a meeting. The RASCO facility is an intense environment, constantly busy with an eye on safety first, noisy and fumey and exciting in any country of the world. Like their father, Frank (35) and Bobby (32) are humble guys who would rather be doing the work than talking about it, so we keep the personal stuff short and then focus on what really makes them tick, as in fourwheeled boys’ toys and keeping them on the road. BusinessFocus

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Bobby is pragmatic about his start in the family business on the other side of the road at Bois D’Orange, when the threebay garage was already one of the largest importers of tyres on the island. “I was given a job at twenty by my dad - I got lucky!” explains the younger brother. He started from the ground up, learning in the bays what every worker did, the office administrators, secretaries and finally, his father’s job, observing, absorbing and gaining practical skills in the process. He recommends it as the best way to learn to manage a business competently.

Seven years on, the strategy is clearly working, as Ince’s boys are a visible force on the floor, leading from the front with a fresh style based on core values learnt at their father’s knee. Watching these guys on the floor at RASCO on a busy Friday morning gives a clear indication of the frenetic level of energy it takes to run the business and maintain those high customer service standards. In a madly choreographed flow of movement and swift activity, one checks the work of a junior while the other signs off a receipt at the cash desk; then there’s the truckload of tyres for recycling to be looked over, while a customer explains their car problem to a patient ear. Between Bobby and Frank, they have it all covered, which is simply good leadership, if you ask ‘Ince’s boys’.

In Their Own Words On Leadership . . . Bobby “Leadership is about being an example, you yourself have to work very hard as a leader. If we’re lazy, coming to work late, goofing off, that will translate to the workers and they will follow suit. Even if you do work hard, for some workers that’s not enough for them to do the same. We don’t choose to keep these people on our team. We like to work with people who want go forward with the company, the same as we do, and who want better out of life.”

Bobby leads the team with training on the Hunter Hawkeye

Frank “It’s a domino effect if one person slacks off, so everybody has to be on point, every team member has their assigned task. It’s a lot of responsibility taking care of people’s vehicles, so safety is also top priority, because we are dealing with tyres, suspension, engines. Speed is also a factor, because we want your car to be off the road for as short a time as possible, so all these things have to be coordinated to provide the service.”

Frank “I think it boils down to passion, if you want to do it you will be good at it, male or female. If you come into the shop right now, as a female customer - and this is not to sound stereotypical - you may feel more comfortable talking to a woman who knows more about your vehicle than you do. It’s time for more women in the industry.”

On Apprenticeship . . .

On What Future Customers Can Expect From RASCO

Frank “This is a place of skill. We’ve had young men come in here who didn’t know what a socket was, or a tyre gun, and within a month they are working on everything. It is really learning a trade. RASCO is a place where if you’re willing to learn with us, you will leave a better person with a set of skills, whether it be with tyres, suspension or whatever.”

Bobby “Our equipment is state-of-the-art. We were second in the Caribbean region to get the Hunter Hawkeye alignment system only one shop in Jamaica had it at the time. RASCO works with the top brands in the world and can stand behind the service they help us deliver.” Frank “Our customers hand over their vehicles to RASCO to be maintained, repaired and cared for - that’s a lot of responsibility, so we take our work very seriously. We stick with the best, and focus on what we do best so customers can rely on us every time they have a car problem. As vehicles become more technological, we continue to learn and expand our skills as a company, which we believe will bring customers back to RASCO for another twentyfive years.” If passion is the magic ingredient for success, it seems these two sons have found their individual and collective formula for taking their father’s “tyre shop” into the next generation and beyond. Ince Rambally has good reason to be proud. ¤

Frank attending to customers' needs on the floor Bobby “Four times a year we take in students from Sir Arthur Technical College and they train with us, learning on the job. This is an environment where you learn something every day, so it is a very exciting place to work.”

On Women In A “Man’s” Industry . . . Bobby “You don’t get a lot of women applying for these positions. Mainly women apply for administrative jobs, in the office behind a computer. We haven’t encountered many who want to get under the hood of a vehicle, but we would most definitely welcome more women on the forecourt. It would be difficult for any lady working in a 99.9% male environment, but if you find one we will be happy to give her an opportunity.”

Taking Care Of A Satisfied Customer BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

PROUD TO SERVE YOU FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS

Proud To Serve You For The Past 25 Years

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Sep/Oct

EC Global

Tyrone’s Wrecker Service Bois D’Orange, Gros Islet Email: tyroneservices@hotmail.com Tel:(758) 452-9908 • (758) 719-5555 • (758) 485-9229 Tyrone Robinson, providing the most trusted and efficient wrecker services on the island, founded Tyrone’s Wrecker Service, in March 1994. The company has stood the test of time providing island wide service to individual customers and all insurance companies.

Services Provided • Towing Services • Recovery Services • Storage Services • Lock Out Assistance

24 hr

Tyrone's Wrecker Service

Service

Roadside Assistance Service • Emergency Towing Services • Lock Out Services • Tire Change or Repair • Emergency Fuel Delivery • Jumpstart Services • Mobile Mechanic Services • Courtesy Car Service BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Caring For Your Vehicle

CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLE

ake Care Of Your Car And Your Car Will Take Care Of You!

Making time to perform routine auto care not only ensures a safer, more dependable vehicle, but car owners can preserve the trade-in value and save money by addressing small issues before they become more complicated, expensive repairs. The most common maintenance procedures to keep a car operating safely and reliably while maintaining its long-term value involve checking the oil, filters and fluids, the belts and hoses, brakes, tires and air-conditioning. The US Car Care Council also recommends an annual tune-up and wheel alignment.

Key Maintenance Checks

Full Service Engine Oil Change. It is recommended that most vehicles driven under normal conditions need an oil and filter changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles for maximum protection of your vehicle. If the oil is not changed within recommended intervals, over time the heat generated breaks down the motor oil's ability to cool the engine and can eventually cause serious and costly damage to bearings, seals and rings. Changing oil and filters regularly will help prolong engine life and keep contaminants out.

PCV Valve The Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) The PCV valve is an emissions control device that routes unburned crankcase blowby gases back into the intake manifold where they can be reburned. Besides totally eliminating crankcase emissions as a source of air pollution, BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

the constant recirculation of air through the crankcase helps remove moisture which otherwise would cause sludge to form. Thus the PCV valve extends the life of the oil and engine. The PCV valve requires little maintenance. The valve and filter should be replaced around 30,000 miles (see the vehicle owners manual for service intervals). Air Filter Service The function of the air filter is to clean large quantities of air before the air passes into the carburettor or fuel injection system, directly below the air cleaner. Even the smallest amount of dust or dirt can work its way into the engine, where over time it will cause damage. By changing an air filtre, the life of the engine will be extended, saving you money while keeping gas mileage and horsepower at their best levels. Wiper Blades Many fast lube centres offer checking and replacement of windshield wiper blades. The best way to check the operation of windshield wiper blades is to do a visual check in operation. How well do they remove water? Do the blades wipe cleanly and without any chatter? The service person will also visually check the wiper blades for any tears or cracks, and check whether they are hard or brittle. If a wiper blade needs to be replaced, the customer will be notified and asked if he or she would like the wiper blade replaced.

Tyre Pressure Properly inflated tyres roll with the least amount of friction on the road. Under-inflated tyres make the engine work harder, use more gas, wear out the two outer edges of the tyre, and cause greater frictional contact with the road. Drivers can add about 5% to their gasoline mileage by keeping tyres properly inflated, compared to mileage on tyres that are under-inflated. That's like getting an extra mile free from every gallon of gasoline. Battery Check A simple in-service battery load test can be a very valuable service to perform under load by evaluating the battery's charge state and internal physical condition. Many battery failures are caused by heat and overcharging - conditions that are usually impossible to detect from inspecting the outside of the battery. Visual Brake Fluid Check Most reservoirs are translucent and you can see the fluid level without removing the cap. There will be a "full" line on the reservoir, the brake fluid should be at this line. We do not open or add to reservoir. If the fluid is low that means you may have a brake problem. That means you should have the brakes checked. Windshield Washer Fluid It is important to keep your windshield wiper fluid levels high to maintain good visibility while driving.

Preventative Maintenance Services All service intervals are based on Manufacturer recommendations. Refer to owners’ manual for specifics.

pump, heater core and other metal parts from rusting. Coolant is normally mixed half water to half fluid. Antifoam agents prevent foaming and lubricants protect the seals to prevent drying out, which causes cracking and leaking in the water pump, thermostat housing, etc. If the fluid is not changed regularly, the cooling system cannot be protected. Fuel Filter Service Fuel filters protect some of the very delicate parts of your engine. Carburettors and fuel injection systems can be clogged up by the tiniest of particles, so a properly functioning fuel filtre is very important. Doing scheduled maintenance will ensure proper performance. Fuel Injector Service Today, almost every car uses fuel injection. Fuel injection cleaning is a necessary maintenance service required on today’s cars and trucks. Your car can achieve optimum gas mileage, there’s a reduction of toxic emissions, so your car should give you better performance and your engine may even last longer. Service every 30,000 to 36,000 miles to help extend the life of your vehicle. Power Steering Fluid Flush Flushing the power steering fluid and recharging it with new fluid is the best assurance you can have for extended optimum power steering performance by allowing the fluid to run through the system effortlessly, providing the driver responsive and safe control. For more detailed technical support visit RASCO who will coordinate a computer diagnostic of your vehicle and advise how they can assist you. ¤

Automatic Transmission Service The automatic transmission fluid contains an additive package which is vital to the transmission. It lubricates and cools the transmission to avoid warping and cleans it to prevent acid, sludge and rust build-up. If it is not changed regularly, the additive package will no longer lubricate, clean and cool the transmission, leading to premature failure. Rear & Front Differential Service Evacuate and/or drain old fluid out and replace with new gear oil. This service is key in protecting the gears in the differential case. Over time the gear oil breaks down and doesn't provide the protection to the moving parts. If doing towing or plowing the service intervals change. Transfer Case Fluid Service Four-wheel drive vehicles have a transfer case that should be checked. The transfer case transfers power to the front differential when 4-wheel drive is engaged. Cooling System Service The main purpose of coolant is to cool the motor. Coolant contains additives that contain rust inhibitors, anti-foaming agents and lubricants. The rust inhibitors protect the water

Adding Coolant to Reservoir

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Sep/Oct

FEMALE ADVANTAGE free spirit motor plan

20%

Safe Drivers Discount

and an excellent coverage plan

Additional benefits Accidental Medical Benefit of $10,000.00 Loss of Income Benefit up to $5,000.00 No Fault Legal Aid Benefit up to $7,500.00 Hired Vehicle/Taxi Services up to $650.00 per week Full Replacement value of vehicle if total loss

Independence?

occurs under a year of new purchase

She prefers the word freedom. She wears what she likes, says what she thinks and goes where she pleases. Her automobile transports her dreams, protects her passions and delivers her safely. Sun General Free Spirit Motor Plan is created for women who drive with responsibility and take pride in their investment.

Lower excesses for accident-free driving

Special conditions apply.

visit sungeneral.net or call 458-8800 Castries | 454-9189 Vieux Fort St. Lucia

Helpful Hints On Tyre Care

unGroup Member Company

HELPFUL HINTS ON TYRE CARE

aring for your car's tyres doesn't require you to reinvent the wheel. It's simple, easy and takes only a few minutes a month. Proper tyre care can often mean the difference between arriving at your destination safely and finding yourself on the side of the road with a flat – or worse. Here are a few tyre care tips for checking and maintaining safe tyres, courtesy of t

Keep Up The Pressure The number one tyre care tip is to maintain proper air pressure in your tyres. Under-inflation can result in tyre failure, and lead to irregular wear, unnecessary tyre stress, a hard-to-control vehicle and even accidents. A tyre can lose up to half of its air pressure without appearing to be flat, so it's important to check your pressure regularly. When checking, make sure the tyres are cool and have not been driven on recently. If they need air, the proper pressure levels are often posted on the tyre or your vehicle's door, glove box or fuel door. Rotate Regularly Have your tyres rotated regularly so they wear evenly. Consult your owner's manual or the experts at RASCO for rotation recommendations and patterns. If there are no specific recommendations for rotation, tyres should be rotated roughly every 5,000 miles.

All About Alignment Poor alignment can cause uneven and rapid tread wear to your tyres. Have your alignment and tyre balance checked periodically as specified in your owner's manual for optimal care. Shaking, BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

vibrating and the tendency of your vehicle to "pull" in one direction are all signs of misalignment.

Tread Carefully Here's a simple tyre care rule to ensure your safety. Once the tread on your tires is worn down to a sixteenth of an inch, they should be replaced because they can no longer grip the road in bad weather. The manufacturer reminds you of this with builtin tread wear indicators, sometimes called "wear bars", which become visible on your tyres when the tread reach 1/16 of an inch. These "wear bars" look like narrow strips of smooth rubber.

The Importance of Balance

Tire balancing is a process of compensating for the weight of the tire and wheel after assembly. If not properly balanced, it increases vibration and cause stress on your vehicle. If you feel a vibration from a tire, visit RASCO where they will attach a balancing weight to the exterior or interior of the wheel to counteract centrifugal forces acting on the heavy areas when the wheel is turning.

What Causes Rapid Tyre Wear?

• Driving habits and styles; • Tyres paired with incorrect vehicle model; • Different road surfaces; • Lack of vehicle and tyre maintenance; • Improper wheel alignment; • Braking system error.

Impact on Tyres: Affects longevity of tyre by causing erosion and wearing down the tread. Solution: To achieve maximum tyre life, regularly check the suspension system and perform proper wheel alignment. ¤

FEMALE ADVANTAGE free spirit motor plan

20%

Safe Drivers Discount and an excellent coverage plan Additional benefits • Accidental Medical Benefit of $10,000.00 • Loss of Income Benefit up to $5,000.00

Sun General

• No Fault Legal Aid Benefit up to $7,500.00 • Hired Vehicle/Taxi Services up to $650.00 per week • Full Replacement value of vehicle if total loss

Independence?

occurs under a year of new purchase

• Lower excesses for accident-free driving

Special conditions apply.

visit sungeneral.net or call 458-8800 Castries | 454-9189 Vieux Fort St. Lucia

A SunGroup Member Company

Radiator Hose Work

Hydraulic Hoses & fittings for • Heavy Equipment • Transmissions • Power Steering • Brakes • Fuel, Air & Water • Air Conditioning SALES OF AUTOMOTIVE BELTS Agent for DAYCO Belts

Radiator Service includes:

• Testing • Troubleshooting • Repairs • Recores • Replacing Plastic Tanks • Fabricating Metal Tanks Mon - Fri 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Saturdays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Box G.I. 2059, Gros-Islet, Beausejour. Gros-Islet, St. Lucia, W.I.

Tel/Fax: (758) 450-8362 Cell: (758) 484-3828 email: radhose@hotmail.com website: www.radiatorhoseworks.com BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS

They Call Us The Tyre Masters!

THEY CALL US THE TYRE MASTERS! RASCO HAS THE RIGHT TYRE FOR EVERY NEED

hether you’re a seasoned vehicle owner or have a brand new car for the first time, you understand the importance of tyres when it comes to safety, efficiency and even the cost of running your ride. Saint Lucia’s hilly terrain and difficult roads offer unique challenges to every driver, so making sure you have the best set of tyres for your vehicle and driving habits is a top priority. For 25 years, RASCO has been a household name in tyres, so we’re here to support every customer with information, advice and the widest range of everyday and specialist tyres for private, commercial and industrial vehicles. Visit it us today for a consultation on YOUR tyre options.

PCR (Passenger Car Radial)

Passenger tyres feature high mileage ratings and offer the best bang for your buck. All-weather tyres are designed for year round use. All-season tyres provide a smooth ride, long wear and adequate traction on dry and wet weather conditions High performance tyres offer less road grip, which means more stress on the engine, especially when taking corners and acceleration. Some of the key benefits of high performance tires include: Speed – these tyres come with higher speed ratings for the demands of higher speeds. Grip – these tyres provide an enhanced ability to grip the road, especially during hard cornering. Touring tyres are for drivers who prefer long wear, a smooth quiet ride and predictable handling. Touring tyres are most commonly S or T speed rated (with) aspect ratios 60 series and higher, and most are all-season. Run Flat tyres allow the car to continue moving safely, even once the tyre has developed a puncture. They will function even when there is zero pressure in the tyre, so if you get a puncture there’s BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

no need for an uncomfortable roadside tyre change – you should be able to safely drive home or to your nearest garage.

LTR (Light Truck Radial)

LTR tyres are engineered to operate at maximum load for an indefinite amount of time. In fact, every component of a light truck tyre is designed with an extra safety factor to accommodate the increased stress that comes with higher loads and inflation pressures. The steel belts are heavier, and there are typically stronger radial cords, with more cords per inch on an LTR when compared to a PCR. Finally, the difference in physical weight is often more than 10 pounds heavier than PCR tyres, which further illustrates the LTR’s heavy-duty nature. All Terrain tyres generally have a straight 50% split between on and off road performance. The tread blocks are designed with enough width to resist the clogging up of mud. They are also heavily siped to support the wet weather performance. The tyre’s carcass construction is designed in such a way to produce a flat contact patch to ensure even tyre wear. Such tyres generally have a strong traction in off-road conditions, bold tread pattern resists clogging and easily 'self-cleans' and they are apt at providing a comfortable ride quality.

TBR (Truck & Bus Radial)

In the U.S., ‘truck and bus’ normally mean all vehicles: 1) bigger than 21 feet in length; 2) weighted at over 10,000 lbs gross vehicle weight and not licensed as a recreational vehicle.

OTR (Off The Road)

Off The Road tyres are built to take a massive amount of weight and roll through conditions that would stop most cars dead. There are three types of construction: Bias, Belted Bias and Radial. At RASCO, we are proud to be the sole distributors of one of the world’s top quality, hard-wearing Solideal OTR tyres. ¤

ONLY AVAILABLE AT RASCO

TRIANGLE TR668 TBR Tyre

GT Adventuro AT3 All Terrain Tyre

GT RADIAL Maxmiler LTR Tyre

SOLIDEAL OTR Tyres

HANKOOK S1 Evo & V12 evo PCR Tyres

SOLIDEAL Forklift Tyres - Solid & Pneumatic

S1 evo

V12 evo

RASCO is the ONLY garage in Saint Lucia to offer Solid Press Tyre Installation! RASCO is the ONLY supplier islandwide of Solid & Pneumatic Forklift Tyres for a wide range of industrial needs.

At RASCO we offer tyres for every conceivable application from wheel barrows to luxury cars, trucks, buses, commercial and industrial vehicles as well as speciality tyres for off-road and other uses. RASCO installs, balances, repairs, replaces and provides all the tyre support you need to keep your vehicle safe, road-worthy and running reliably. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Tyre Balancing And Alignment

TYRE BALANCING AND ALIGNMENT

heel Alignment

To prevent vibration, skidding, noise, and wear, wheel alignment inspection is necessary. Learn about useful information regarding wheel alignment and how to perform an inspection.

The Importance of Wheel Alignment The purpose of wheel alignment is to adjust front-wheel handling while driving. If wheel alignment is off, tire life is shortened while car and mileage performance also decrease.

Types of Wheel Alignment Caster Definition of Caster is the angle created by steering axis and vertical line to the ground when viewed from the side. Caster is positive if the axis is angled backward, and negative if forward. Typically, positive caster will make the vehicle more stable at high speeds.

Camber Definition of Camber is the angle created by steering axis and vertical line to the ground when viewed from the front or rear. If the top of the tire is farther out than the bottom (that is, away from the axle), it is called positive camber; if the bottom of the tire is farther out than the top, it is called negative camber; if the tire stands perfectly vertical, it is called neutral camber. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Alignment in progress

With the development of suspension and vehicle technology, most vehicles today have negative camber, which increases outer tire’s contact area and provides stable cornering performance.

Toe Definition of Toe is the angle created by tire direction and vehicle direction when viewed from the upper. If the tire’s front is inward, it’s called Toe-in; if outward, called Toe-out. Too much toe-out usually causes fast wear on tire’s inner surface of tread. And Too much toe-in causes fast wear on outer surface of tread in reverse. Both cases results in worse riding comfort and less fuel efficiency.

When To Inspect For Tire Balance If you feel a vibration from a tire, visit a mechanic where he or she will attach a balancing weight to the exterior or interior of the wheel to counteract centrifugal forces acting on the heavy areas when the wheel is turning. ¤ Source: www.hankooktire.com Installation of tyre on Alloy Wheel using the Hoffman Tire-Changer Monty 3300 Racing Machine

When to Check Wheel Alignment Hankook Tire recommends to inspect wheel alignment every year or for every 20,000km. The inspection is required • After a car accident. • After tire replacement. • when there is uneven wear on a shoulder. • when the steering wheel is unstable and/or vibrating • when riding is uncomfortable or fuel efficiency gets worse

Balance Tire balance must be checked if there is unexpected vibration or noise from a tire. Learn about the importance of tire balance, which is necessary for a comfortable driving experience and when to inspect a balance.

The Importance of Tire Balance

Tire balancing is a process of compensating for the weight of the tire and wheel after assembly. If not properly balanced, it increases vibration and cause stress on your vehicle.

Staff balancing tyres BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

AT YOUR SERVICE WITH WORLD CLASS BRANDS

Customer delivery!

RASCO At Your Service With World Class Brands

Installation of OTR tire on COATS tire machine BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Delicate Handling And Aligning Of Allow Wheel Light wheel alignment

Solid tyre press and installation of fork lift tyres

Installation Of Tyres Alignment of heavy vehicle

Super efficient tyre installation BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BATTERY CARE AND SUPPORT

Battery Care And Support

Basic Battery Care

There's nothing but a loud buzzing noise coming from under the hood when you try to start your car. Jumper cables get you up and scurrying to work – but you need another jump to get home. Time to pull some maintenance on the battery. Automotive batteries have a finite life span. Undercharging, overcharging and heat all team up to degrade your battery. Poor electrical connections make it more difficult for even a good battery to do its job. of at least 1.265. More important, all six cells should show very similar readings.

All Charged Up

Start any battery maintenance program by checking open-cell voltage, either with a dedicated battery tester or a voltmeter. With the battery fully charged and all electrical drains-dome light, warning buzzer, etc.-shut down, the voltage across the terminals should be 12.5 to 12.6 volts. If the battery is not completely charged, but still adequate to turn over the motor, you may see a voltage closer to 12.0 volts.

Is one cell lower than the other five by 0.05 or more? Start shopping for a new battery – RASCO and YUASA can help!

If the battery shows less voltage or won't take a charge, it's time to get out the hydrometer. This device checks the proportions of sulfuric acid and water in the electrolyte, which is a precise indication of the level of charge. Pull up the battery fill caps – if you can. Add distilled water to any cells in which the level of electrolyte isn't touching the bottom of the fill port. Use only distilled water. The minerals in tap water will eventually reduce a battery's capacity.

Start with a gentle cleaning of the battery clamps and the general area with a handful of baking soda, some cold water and an old toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly. Now you've neutralized most of the sulfuric acid that's collected near your battery so it won't get on your hands or clothes or in your eyes.

So Near And Yet So Far

If your battery has passed these tests and your car still won't start reliably, you may have some issues with the wiring. Now it's time for a general overhaul of the clamps and cables.

Remove the battery clamps by loosening the pinch bolt. Don't bang on it or try to pry it off – the post is lead, soft as a stick of margarine, and alarmingly easy to break off flush with the top of If your battery is one of the so-called low-maintenance varieties, the battery case, requiring the battery to be scrapped. you may not see any filler caps. These batteries claim to never need water added. While it's true that they have a slightly different Now clean the clamps and posts with more baking soda and water. chemistry that consumes less water, and the level of electrolyte Follow that with a cleaning of the entire battery top using a few in the cells is deeper over the top of the plates, eventually these drops of detergent and plenty of water. Any dirt that accumulates batteries run out of water and die. Look carefully and see if there on top of the battery will attract moisture. The moist film of dirt is a way to pull up a set of filler caps. They may be hidden under a will conduct a small amount of current from one post to another, sticker that can be slit open. Others are permanently sealed shut. constantly discharging the battery even when the vehicle is turned off. Keep your battery clean and dry. If the level of electrolyte is very low, suspect a charging system that's generating too high a voltage. The maximum voltage you Follow up with a post-cleaning tool. This double-ended wire brush should see across the battery terminals with a fully charged battery should be used to get bright, shiny metal showing on both the and an engine running well above idle is about 14.6 volts. Another post and the inside surface of the clamp. Reinstall the clamp; cause of low electrolyte is excessive heat. Sun Belt drivers should avoid overtightening. top up battery levels regularly because underhood temps will climb high enough to drive water out of the battery very rapidly, But if all this seems too much for your busy life, RASCO is here even if the charging system is doing its job correctly. If your vehicle to provide comprehensive battery diagnostics and new YUASA came with an insulator around the battery, be sure it's in place and batteries for every vehicle! in good shape. Time-honoured baking soda paste is still the best way to neutralise and remove the acid on the battery top, and an inexpensive wire brush-style post cleaner will leave a shiny surface with low electrical resistance and good conductivity.

A Final Word - “Universal Clamps” Aren't!

If the clamp or wiring looks cheesy, replace it. When the starter is engaged, these components conduct several hundred amperes – more than some arc welders. Avoid "universal" replacement clamps, except as an emergency repair. Use proper moulded-on clamps and heavy-gauge replacement cables, which you can get Leave the bottom of the hydrometer inside the port to keep any from RASCO. Positive and negative posts are slightly different in drips contained. Don't spill any electrolyte on yourself or the car size – don't substitute the clamps or they won't fit properly. – make any bubbles clinging to the float rise to the surface. Read the specific gravity on the hydrometer's scale at the bottom of the meniscus. A fully charged battery should have a specific gravity BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

RASCO EXHAUST REPAIRS Your car’s exhaust system might not be the first thing you think about when it comes to engine performance or personal safety, but it should be pretty high on that list. Your engine combusts fuel and air in order to run. This creates gases that must be vented from the engine. However, many of the gases produced are pollutants and can harm the environment. Your exhaust system is designed not only to transport these gases from the engine to the muffler, but to help reduce harmful gases as well. As such, it’s vital that you keep your exhaust system in good condition. Not sure how to do that? Here are some of RASCO’s most important tips.

Take Notice Of The Check Engine Light Your Check Engine Light can come on for a number of reasons, but they’re all somehow related to your emissions system. If the light is on, there’s a problem. The onboard diagnostics (OBD) system is designed to monitor the components in your engine and exhaust system and alert you when they begin to deteriorate or break down. It can come on for very minor reasons like a loose gas cap, but it will also illuminate for engine misfires, failed oxygen sensors, and bad catalytic converters to name just a few. Get the code checked, and then repair the problem.

RASCO Exhaust Repairs

Welding a faulty exhaust system can crack, but it’s more common for the gasket to start to fail and begin leaking. Leaks can also develop at the juncture of the different pipes in your system, which are generally sealed with gaskets as well. Of course, the pipes themselves can fail – rust and corrosion can eat through them quickly (particularly in areas where salting the roads is common in winter, or areas

close to the ocean where atmospheric salt can be a problem). Caring for your exhaust system isn’t difficult, but it does require that you pay attention to your car and take a proactive stance. Visit RASCO for regular checks and diagnostics to keep your vehicle running safely. ¤

Repair Broken Components Your exhaust system requires a significant number of components in order to work correctly. Only some of these are actually part of the system itself – the rest are supplemental, but no less important. For instance, exhaust hangers are necessary to secure the pipes to the underside of your car, but they can be damaged pretty easily. When this happens, the system sags, which puts strain on other components. If you have broken hangers or snapped bolts, they should be replaced.

Fix Leaks Quickly Your exhaust system is subject to pressure, high heat, and lots of vibration. That’s a recipe for leading to leaks in a number of different parts. One of the first areas where leaks might develop is at the exhaust manifold. The manifold itself

Exhaust Pipe Bending Machine BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

SERVICING YOUR VEHICLE Our Full Car Service includes the following check and top ups:

Servicing Your Vehicle

• Road test (before and after service) • Numerous tyre checks • 10 under bonnet checks • 4 exterior checks • 12 under body checks • Multiple brake system checks • Up to 5 qts. of Mobil oil • Oil filter change • Clutch fluid top-up • Powering steering oil top-up • Screen wash top-up • Service light re-set (subject to equipment capability) Products available at RASCO to Keep Your Vehicle On The Road: • YUASA Automotive Batteries • Castrol, Formula Shell, Mobil 1 - Conventional and Synthetic • Motor Oil • Bulbs for front, rear, parking & reverse lights for all makes and models • HID head and fog lights for all makes and models • Lubricants • Brake Pads & Shoes • Windshield Wipers • Car Care Supplies • Vehicle Accessories • Spark plugs - standard and premium COMING SOON! A newer, wider range of Auto Accessories, making RASCO an even more convenient one-stop shop for all your vehicle needs. ¤

At RASCO we offer a range of service options as detailed below.

Standard Car Service

A standard service is the most basic level of car service. The oil and oil filter will be changed, some additional safety checks will be made and some moving parts will be lubricated. The checks will be centred around the horn, lights, brakes, fluid levels, exhaust, tyres and searching for any fluid leaks in the car.

Full Car Service

A full service includes all the same tests in the interim service, in addition to a further points of interest. Typically included will be top ups of the brake fluid and coolant, more brake checks, inspection of the engine, wheel bearings and shock absorbers and replacement of filter. A full service usually includes everything apart from any parts specified as requiring replacement in your vehicles servicing schedule, such as fuel filters, spark plugs etc...

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS How RASCO Finds Your Car Problems

To help motorists better understand computer diagnosis, RASCO offers the following information: • Modern vehicle electronic control systems “know” and monitor the operating parameters of every component. When the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) that manages the system sees a signal that is outside normal limits, or fails to see an expected change in a signal, it stores a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). • To access DTCs, our technicians connect a “scan” tool to a Diagnostic Link Connector that is commonly located under the driver’s side of the instrument panel. The scan tool displays any stored codes, but that is only the beginning of a full computer diagnosis.

Computer Diagnostics

• DTCs don’t tell our technicians if a particular part is bad, they only indicate that the PCM has seen something it didn’t expect in a certain circuit. The problem might be the part, but it could just as easily be an issue with the circuit’s electrical wiring. • Sometimes, DTCs are set when there is nothing wrong with the electronic control system. This happens when a mechanical problem, like an engine vacuum leak, creates operating conditions that cause system components to generate signals outside their normal range. ¤

When your auto repair shop recommends a ‘computer diagnosis’ it sounds serious, and everyone knows that serious vehicle problems can lead to serious repair bills. However, RASCO advises consumers not to be overly concerned because computer diagnosis is a common practice for identifying problems on today’s microprocessor-controlled cars. But if your vehicle needs a computer diagnosis, don’t be alarmed. This is often the most efficient and cost-effective way for an automotive technician to diagnose a problem,” says Bobby Rambally. “We explain what will be done before you authorise the work because ‘computer diagnosis’ is a generic term that can cover a wide range of operations.”

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TEL: 452-9395 / 485-9669 Bois D’Orange Gros Islet St. Lucia BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

CARING FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT WASTE OIL COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL

Caring For Our Environment

Waste Oil Collection And Disposal

RASCO's Daily delivery of used tyres to the Deglos Landfill

Equipment for collection of waste oil at RASCO

• If the seal on your gas cap is damaged or worn, replace the gas cap to prevent fuel evaporation. • If your Check Engine Light is on, let RASCO help you find out why. The most common causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light are fuel and emissions issues that can reduce fuel economy and increase air pollution. • Be sure to inspect your air conditioning system for leaks to prevent refrigerant from leaking into the atmosphere and to ensure your car stays cool.

DRIVE SMART WE CARE FOR THE FUTURE! At RASCO, we are serious about protecting the environment of our beautiful island, and at our Bois D'Orange facility we have introduced ways to ensure the company takes a responsible "green" approach to as many processes as possible.

Avoid excessive speeding, idling, aggressive acceleration and rapid braking to save gas. Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by up to 33% on the highway and up to 5% in the city.

RASCO WILL DISPOSE OF YOUR USED OIL & TYRES Don't worry about what to do with your used batteries, filters and motor oil.

As one of the biggest tyre dealerships in Saint Lucia, we generate hundreds of tons of used tyres annually, so the introduction of the Deglos shredding facility has allowed us to manage this waste by sending several truckloads to be processed every week.

After your service, RASCO stores and safely disposes of waste lubricants, metal, filters and hundreds of used tyres every week. This reduces greenhouse gases and preserves Saint Lucia's landfill space. ¤

If you are concerned about keeping Saint Lucia simply beautiful, we want to help. Here are a few easy ways you can help take care of our world while taking care of your car.

KEEPING YOUR CAR WELL MAINTAINED IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO! • Regular tune-ups (replacing worn spark plugs, plug wires, oxygen sensors, dirty air filters and pouring in a fuel treatment) help your vehicle run at maximum efficiency to help minimize emissions and maximize gas mileage. • Maintain proper tyre pressure to reduce friction with the road and help you save gas. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Collection of waste metal and filters

Deglos Landfill Tyre Shredder A Green Success For 5 Years

CARING FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT DEGLOS LANDFILL TYRE SHREDDER A GREEN SUCCESS FOR 5 YEARS

oorly managed waste tyres serve as nesting areas for pests and a breeding ground for rodents and mosquitoes, which spread a variety of diseases and illnesses in the community where they are often abandoned. Given the urgent need to manage the problem of waste tyres in an environmentally sound manner, in March 2012 the Government of Saint Lucia, in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority (SLSWMA), invested in an industrial tyre shredder. The dual speed shredder consists of a complete 'tyre-to-chip' processing system through which whole tyres are processed, shredded and chipped into three-inch nuggets of tyre-derived aggregate or TDA. Capable of processing whole steel-belted radial, passenger and light truck tyres as well as tractor-trailer tyres, the high volume machine can handle 1,200 passenger tyres or 200 truck tyres per hour. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to 12 tons of tyres in 60 minutes! A huge volume of tyres has accumulated which requires cleaning before shredding, however, an average of 6,500 more are received at the landfill monthly, and approximately 10,000 are shredded every month. To date, all shredded material is utilised as intermediate cover at the Deglos Sanitary Landfill. Saint Lucia is now well-positioned to better manage waste tyres received at the Deglos Sanitary Landfill and Vieux-Fort Solid Waste Management Facility, and further prevent health risks associated with the indiscriminate disposal of waste tyres. The Saint Lucian public is therefore encouraged to ensure that all waste tyres reach the island's landfills for final management. What's good for the environment will also benefit the health of the nation in the long term. Â¤ BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

MUST READS Must Reads

Business Books

MUST READS

A Speed Review

Business Books

How to Engage Sweeping Change Without Killing Yourself Or Your Business When It’s Time For Change In today’s economy and marketplace, change is inevitable for nearly every organisation. Usually the best way to facilitate that change is to get some outside help. That’s where the co-authors of Executing Your Business Transformation come in. Each of them has spent years helping companies transform themselves into organizations that are better prepared for the future. In their book, the four consultants and strategy experts — including Mark I. Morgan, lead author of Executing Your Strategy and CEO of the consulting firm StratEx Advisors — team up to offer business leaders their seasoned guidance for dealing with an organisational change, whether that change comes in the form of a merger, an acquisition or a restructuring effort. Executing Your Business Transformation combines the authors’ expertise in human resources, sales and enterprise solutions into 11 lessons that all companies going through a transformation can use to improve the results of that change. While some of these lessons have been heard before, and others might sound like clichés, each of the authors’ principles offers valuable wisdom that cannot be ignored when a change is underway. Spelled out in the most basic terms and combined with the experiences of a variety of companies, the advice and tips the authors present can help any company move forward on the road toward transformation. Create Change From Inside Out The authors dedicate a chapter to each of the lessons they offer to leaders and companies on the brink of a major change. Their first lesson takes Marshall Goldsmith’s classic book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, one step further by stating, "What got you here may kill you there." In this chapter, the authors explain that many organizations tend to hang on to old roots that could be choking out new roots. Instead, these BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

leaders should be thinking more about the future than the past. One of the authors’ solutions for changing a deepseated business model is to make sure that the results that are being sought are "supported by and consistent with the context and core of the organisation." In other words, company leaders must look deeply at the organization’s core strategies and systematically create change from the inside out. Another lesson that the authors offer that is often easier said than done is "Yesterday’s leadership skills may prevent tomorrow’s success." Recognizing that some leaders do not have the skills that will be appropriate to lead the organisation after the transformation is not easy, but it is the only way to make a transformation stick. The authors explain that better listening habits and an ability to admit that there can be multiple right answers can also be crucial leadership traits during a time of change. Not A Book About Best Practices The authors explain that this is not a book about best practices, since best practices from one organization’s experiences are not always the best prescription for dealing with another organization’s issues. Instead, Executing Your Business Transformation offers time-tested wisdom that helps business leaders develop their own best practices to fit their own sets of circumstances and challenges. The wisdom they offer can help any business organically grow its own solutions, move beyond today’s problems through natural experimentation and find the strategies that will help it better fit into tomorrow’s marketplace. Source: Soundview Executive Book Summaries at www. summary.com/book-reviews ¤

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ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS

Saint Lucia Transitions To Organic Farming

Saint Lucia Transitions To Organic Farming Seven Farms will Pilot an Organic Farming Transitionary Project Funded by GEF. The land bank project aims to preserve Saint Lucia’s agricultural lands for future use, ensuring food security and encouraging sustainable livelihoods for the future. Saint Lucia’s agriculture will soon transition from the use of toxic to non-toxic organic chemicals. Anthony Herman, Project Co-Ordinator of the Belle Vue Farmers Co-Operative, one of the co-operatives chosen to take part in transitionary project, said the process will take some time as educating via demonstration and advocacy is something that cannot be rushed. “The project is about transitioning, which is a gradual process,” he said. “The project is funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) and they are working with other strategy partners to help us implement as well as co-fund. This project aims to do a number of things. In the first instance it is about training and organising seven farms. So in two years we are going to have seven functioning organic farms. Then there are about four schools that would also have transitioned from the use of toxic chemicals to non-toxic at the level of the environment. We plan to expose a number of persons, community leaders, housewives, etc. to the question of harsh toxic chemicals to human health and the environment.” It is hoped that national sensitisation will culminate through the hosting of an organic farming symposium. “At the end of the two year period, a functional booklet will be presented for persons who are interested in starting organic farming,” said Mr. Herman, “and after this we will hold a two to three-day symposium which will most probably be the first in the OECS, where we will be inviting a whole heap of organic practitioners, and researchers in the organic field to talk about their research, especially where it comes to breaking myths that organic farming is expensive. Through this process, over a period of time we will have a functioning organic farmers’ network that will champion the cause of organic farming in Saint Lucia.” One of the major aims of the project is to eliminate the use of toxic chemicals in farming within Saint Lucian schools. Non-toxic organic chemicals include fertilizers and pesticides. Ministry of Agriculture Pilots Land Bank Project. Agricultural crown lands in Babonneau and Mabouya Valley have been chosen as the ideal locations to pilot a project currently BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

underway within the Ministry of Agriculture. Kwesi Goddard, Agricultural Engineer connected to the National Land Bank Project, said the first point of action was to sensitise major stakeholders and national counterparts. “We’ve had an inception workshop to bring together heads, farmers and potential land users, to get everyone on the same page, and identify the challenges that may limit us from achieving the stated goals. This is one of the first things, to get everyone on board, following which we will have the input of the majority into the proper design of the project.” The second point of action was to identify the pilot areas. “So far we’ve identified two pilot areas – one in Babonneau, and in region three in Mabouya Valley. We’ve had some participatory role appraisals with farmers who voiced their concerns and identified issues they think would be a hindrance to the project. They also made reference to various uses they had in mind. They really supported the project in that sense, and said the initiative was very timely.” “This initiative, could not have come at a more opportune time,” he said. “It is deserving of our national focus and our national efforts, because it is for future generations.” The pilot project, funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has a brief 18-month duration, which will thereafter continue with support from the local government. “The first stage of the project stops from the establishment of the pilot sites. We want the pilot sites that we selected to be up and running, in the sense that we have a lease and payment system established, a farmer comes in with his own investment, and you have the Ministry of Agriculture supporting his production.” Mr. Goddard noted that agricultural land acquisition is vital for national development. “A people, a country, and a nation that can become self-sufficient by the development of agriculture can look to the future with confidence,” he explained. “Agriculture is one of the fundamental prerequisites for industrial and other development, and at the root of the expansion of agricultural development is land and the access to land.” The Ministry of Agriculture endeavors to ensure that Saint Lucia’s agricultural lands are protected. ¤ Original Source: GIS

COCO PALM FULL PAGE

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Your Truck, Our Passion!

Automotive Art Your Truck, Our Passion!

If something sounds amiss with our headline, don't worry - "If we sell a product to one of our resellers and it doesn't move, it's not that Automotive Art has abandoned its well-known, we take it back and replace it with something that will work Ăźber-catchy jingle of twenty years plus, but as Sales Manager better for that client," explains the experienced auto-industry Winston Anatole promises, there's much more to the company Sales Manager. known for its dizzying display of vehicle accessories than meets the eye, even at its sleek, modern retail showroom at Vide "What sells in Micoud may not be the same as what drivers Automotive Art - Your Truck, Our Passion are buying in Soufriere, so with our experience in the market, Boutielle. we can work with every commercial customer to find the best But don't let that fool you! Despite its popularity as the go-to mix of lines and brands for their operation. We look at a threeplace to 'pimp' your latest set of wheels, Automotive Art's core month period and make changes based on the performance of business is much wider than many Saint Lucian drivers realise, each line." with an impressive range of tyres, batteries, lubricants, and yes, accessories, for virtually every private vehicle on the market, For commercial and private customers, Winston Anatole packed into two additional warehouses on the same industrial says the service they experience is no different. Even in the automotive market - or perhaps especially in that diverse complex. sector - one size does not fit all, and tailoring the service to the Also at the core of the business is the Customer Relationship, a individual company is crucial for a win-win outcome. simple-sounding description of the excellent quality of service that has been intrinsic to Automotive Art's success over the "At Automotive Art, we are in it for the long-term relationship years. In fact, there is a relationship established with every with each customer, not to sell a product today and lose that visitor to the showroom, and much of the time, with their customer due to a disappointing choice," promises Mr. Anatole. vehicle too. The staff are not only trained in best practices, but they have adopted their own policy which could be described He tells a story from his personal experience which represents as "go outside and meet the ride." The Sales Manager jokes that passion for the customer, and sounds like an excerpt from that "some fellas on the team know customers better by their the ancient Hollywood movie 'Miracle On 34th Street'. A client vehicle than by their name", such is their level of sheer passion who happened to be the CEO of a well-known local business called him for a certain set of tyres which Winston knew were for what they do. out of stock. He called around his competitors and located a set, "Forming a relationship with our customers means meeting called the client and gave him the good news - that he could buy them as people first, connecting with their interests, giving them his tyres somewhere other than Automotive Art. the opportunity to show off their vehicle and ask questions before finding out what their needs are and how we can help "My client was speechless. He couldn't believe I didn't try to them," says Mr. Anatole. "In my twenty years of experience, sell him the alternative we had in stock, but that would not Automotive Art is second to none in terms of customer-focused have been the best option for his vehicle, so losing the sale was service, and we are also bringing that level of relationship to the much less important than making sure the client had what he needed," says the consummate professional. commercial side of the business." Indeed, the "truck" referred to in the title represents Automotive Art's ongoing expansion into wholesaling tyres, batteries, lubricants and other supplies to a wide range of commercial clients, whether resellers such as gas stations and rural 'mom and pop' stores, or rental companies, resorts and corporations with fleets. Winston Anatole's main priority is reaching out to these clients, and offering a supplier relationship that is supportive, timely and reactive. By getting to know the client's business at first hand, the small but expert sales team at Automotive Art is well-placed to offer guidance on which products to stock for the reseller to turn over a healthy volume and margin. Every product must earn its space on the retail shelf, which Mr. Anatole likens to "real estate".

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

"Our message is come into Automotive Art and ask questions, have a conversation with us about your needs and let us see how we can provide the best solution. If we can't provide what is best for you and your needs, we will point you in the right direction, because satisfying our customers is priority number one." And one tangible result of such high-end customer focus? That CEO gave Automotive Art a contract and the company has been a satisfied client ever since. Â¤

Automotive Art

BusinessFocus

Jul/Aug

ECONOMY & TRADE

ISL PROVIDES INPUT ON INNOVATION & DEVELOPMENT According to the recent IDB publication "Engine of Growth?” Caribbean enterprises are performing worse than those in the Rest The event organised by Compete Caribbean and Saint Lucia’s of the Small Economies (ROSE). Natasha Edwin-Walcott National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) was It was estimated that average held under the theme, “Stimulating Private Sector Development sales and employment growth of Manager for the Research, Caribbean firms was only 40 per and Economic Growth”. Policy Advocacy and cent and 66 per cent respectively Communication Executive Director of Compete Caribbean, Dr. Sylvia Dohnert, of ROSE comparators. Further, noted that this dialogue is an important milestone for the Caribbean firms’ performance has worsened over time, and most firms are stagnant with the Caribbean region. proportion&ofDevelopment stagnating firms increasing from 50 to 87 percent Isl Provides Input On Innovation “The intention is to not only sensitise stakeholders on the state from 2010 to 2014. of private sector development (PSD) in the region and the importance of PSD for economic development, but similarly to It is within this context that governments and local, regional and increase awareness of current private sector development best international development agencies, including ISL, have been practices and solutions that have achieved successful outcomes in intensifying efforts to support private sector development as a other countries. We are elated to be collaborating with the NCPC catalyst for growth. Compete Caribbean is intended to support on this initiative. We look forward to working with all stakeholders the region in increasing productivity and Caribbean firms' to create an environment which is increasingly competitive and in contribution to economic growth. which businesses are able to flourish,” she said. The rechent forum featured presentations on The Imperatives Dr. Dohnert elaborated that the forum is intended to provide a for Innovation, as well as inspiring examples from the Caribbean strategic platform for the private and public sector, civil society region that demonstrate how to use innovation to stimulate and academia, to discuss national PSD priorities within the context development and growth. Representatives from a number of local of technological change and innovation. and regional agencies attended this event, including members of professional associations, financial institutions, entrepreneurship Given the thrust to advance socio-economic growth through associations, academia, non-governmental organizations and the stimulating and facilitating direct investment, Natasha Edwin- public sector. Walcott, Manager for the Research, Policy Advocacy and Communications at Invest Saint Lucia noted the critical nature of Phase I of the Compete Caribbean (2010-2017), formally innovation and productivity as a driver for investment. concluded at the end of February 2017. According to an endof-program evaluation, Compete Caribbean’s 101 technical “For Saint Lucia to move up the productivity spectrum, public and assistance projects involved national regulatory or policy reforms, private sector entities must recognise the value of innovation, and institutional strengthening, and direct support to the private reforming our institutional capacity, to do old things in a better, sector and knowledge production generated over 12,000 jobs in the region, increased revenues of firms and clusters by USD$153m and more efficient manner.” (41%), and increased overall exports by USD$37m (23%). Phase II “More emphasis must be placed on reforming the education (2017-2020) is a joint initiative of the Inter-American Development curriculum, to integrate science, technology, engineering and Bank (IDB), the United Kingdom’s Department for International mathematics so that innovation becomes a tool for development,” Development (DFID) and the Caribbean Development Bank. ¤ she added. Representatives from Invest Saint Lucia attended a two-day workshop in July geared towards increasing productivity levels within the region and supporting the contribution of Caribbean firms to economic growth.

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Invest Saint Lucia Promotes Manufacturing At TIC 2017

tradeshow brought together local, regional and international businesses, as well as exhibitors with a range of product offerings who met with scores of buyers seeking new suppliers, goods and services. Given that Smart Manufacturing is one of the major sectors actively promoted by ISL, the Agency took advantage of the opportunities presented by the TIC. According to Senior Investment Promotion and Fulfilment Officer, Earland Labadie, “ISL and TEPA used this opportunity to not only network with regional and international companies but also to build on existing relationships and highlight Saint Lucia’s attributes as it relates to being an ideal place within which manufacturers and agro-processors can operate given the available factory shell space in our industrial estates.” “As has happened in the past,” he explained, “the TIC also allowed ISL to foster partnerships and joint ventures between regional exhibitors and local companies in Saint Lucia.”

Invest Saint Lucia (ISL) and the Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) teamed up in July to represent Saint Lucia at the annual Trade and Investment Convention (TIC 2017) which took place in Trinidad. Organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association, the TIC’s mandate is to foster intra and extra regional trade for businesses throughout the Caribbean. This multi-sectoral

Labadie noted that ISL and TEPA both met their objectives. “The TIC 2017 was successful in that, TEPA was able to promote a number of locally manufactured products from companies looking to expand their export markets. In fact, Saint Lucia Distillers and Natmed were also represented at the TIC.” He indicated that, “ISL was able to generate leads where at least four (4) of those companies will be looking to visit Saint Lucia in the coming months to discuss the possibility of having a presence in Saint Lucia.” TIC 2017 took place from July 6th-9th. ¤

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Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS ECONOMY & TRADE

Taiwan: New Banana Cooperation Project Taiwan: New Banana Cooperation Project

Photo: H.E. Jose Mria Liu, the vice minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of China (Taiwan) accompanied by Taiwanese Ambassador H.E. Douglas Shen and the officer of BPIP office together with local farmers

Dr. Jose Mria Liu, Vice Minister at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) led a delegation to visit Saint Lucia from 29th to 30th August 2017. During his stay, Vice Minister Liu visited the 'Banana Productivity Improvement Project (BPIP) ′ office and local banana farm at Crown Land to better understand the actual needs of the Saint Lucian banana industry. Deputy Permanent Secretary Augustin Cadette of the Ministry of Agriculture welcomed the delegation and expressed gratitude to the government and people of Taiwan for its contribution in assisting the development of agriculture in Saint Lucia. Mr. Cadette emphasised that bananas are one of the most important economy crops in the island, and stated that the Ministry looked forward to continuing cooperation with the government of Taiwan to increase productivity and quality of Saint Lucia’s bananas. Vice Minister Liu noted that realising the banana industry plays an important role in the economy of Saint Lucia, the Taiwan government will remain committed to support the development of the island’s banana industry through the joint effort of the two countries. After the meeting, Vice minister Liu visited the local banana farmers at Crown Land to see banana harvesting and packing process. He also talked with local farmers, and sampled some bananas and praised the unique and delicious flavour. The new bilateral banana project will be executed over a fouryear period and cost nearly 5 million US dollars. During the first year, the major focus shall be on restoring the industry to pre-Matthew condition and increasing productivity on the existing acreages. Thereafter attention will be placed on expanding current acreages, building resilience to climate change, establishing sustainable financing mechanism, building BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Lucia’s Banana Industry StStOnLucia’s Banana The Rebound Industry on the Rebound Banana production is at an all-time high in St Lucia with the country on track to record a near 300 per cent rise in output. According to Agriculture Minister Ezechiel Joseph, based on current trends, the island could see the production of almost 20,000 tonnes for 2017, which could be an over 300 per cent increase compared to 2016 figures. “We might reach almost 20,000 tonnes for the year 2017, despite the fact that [for] the first quarter of 2017, we were recovering from Tropical Storm Matthew,” he noted. Joseph noted that the development comes as the country continues the search for new markets to boost it exports. Officials have already targeted France, and according to the minister, they are hoping to start the shipment of 3,000 boxes on a weekly basis from January. “They [French officials] have given a commitment. They are still interested in purchasing our bananas through…our established mechanism – that’s through Winfresh. So we are looking at starting sometime in January,” Joseph said. He added that the demand for bananas from the Windward Islands remains strong and he was confident farmers could meet that demand. “When I went to London, I had the opportunity to meet with some of the major supermarkets and they are saying that they want more of the Windward Islands bananas, so there is a market. It’s for farmers now to be able to produce the fruit on a sustainable basis to increase the productivity so they can generate the type of returns,” he said. Globalization and changes in the European market since the early 90s decimated the fragile banana industry in the Windward Islands. Exports declined from 132,000 tonnes in 1992, to just 42,000 tonnes in 1995 and have declined further since, with exports sometimes lower than 5,000 tonnes. ¤ Source: Caribbean360.com

CIBC FirstCaribbean Runs Summer Internship Programme

CIBC FirstCaribbean Runs Summer Internship Programme From June to August 2017, fourteen students from various learning institutions, as well as two secondary school graduates, got first hand experience of various careers in banking.

frontline personnel worked efficiently under pressure, multitask, and manage to maintain a positive attitude with customers who are uncooperative.”

They were participants in CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank’s annual summer internship programme. Ranging in age from 17 to 21, the interns were drawn from learning institutions such as: HR Wise, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College – north and south divisions, St. Josephs Convent and Castries Comprehensive Secondary School.

Darlene Francis The interns were matched with a branch of the bank in closest proximity to their community. As such CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Vieux Fort, Soufriere, Bridge Street and Rodney Bay branches played an active part in orienting the interns to the world of work.

They underwent a briefing / orientation session on the bank’s history, the importance of customer service excellence, dressing for the office, and the various ways in which the bank exemplifies its core corporate behaviours of collaboration, agility, integrity, ownership and urgency. Throughout the programme, the interns garnered exposure and work experience within assigned units of the bank, namely the Customer Service Centre, Corporate Banking Centre, Insurance Unit, Merchant Services Unit and the Operations/Processing Centre. Describing the experience as a “wonderful and prestigious opportunity”, Darlene Francis, who participated in the June to July intake noted in a thank you letter to the bank, that the internship gave a real world experience that gives full clarity to learning from the classroom. “Every single day was productive, and an eye opener as I observed the manner in which the

Country Manager Ladesa James explained that the internship programme delivers on the bank’s commitment to supporting the development of our youth. “Our approach is to go beyond the sponsorship of material needs, to creating pathways for personal and professional empowerment as well. It is not unusual for some interns to be engaged as permanent employees, if we identify extraordinary talent and potential for development.” Mrs. Williams concluded. The CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank’s internship programme runs annually for approximately twelve weeks, sometimes extending to September and October. Interns receive a weekly stipend to assist with their transportation to and from work, and meals. The St. Lucia interns were part of an overall intake of close to 100 young people spread across the bank’s 17-member regional footprint that participated in its internship programme this summer. ¤ BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS YOUTH IN FOCUS

OECS Announces 30 Under 30 Campaign Winners

OECS Announces

30 Under 30

Campaign Winners St. Lucian Young Entrepreneurs Excel In list of OECS 30 Under 30 At the centre of this effort is “ youth development. The youth demographic is among the most disadvantaged segment of the population, characterised by unacceptably high rates of unemployment...

’’

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

The OECS Commission is pleased to announce that after five months, and over one hundred applications from young business men and women throughout the region, the top 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs have been chosen. The selected cohort represents a diverse cross section of industries, including Food and Beverage, Art and Photography, Business, Technology, Agriculture, Sustainable Development, Social Development, Sports, Photography and Entertainment. OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules, commended this initiative that seeks to bolster the creativity of the region’s youth. “At the center of this effort is youth development. The youth demographic is among the most disadvantaged segment of the population characterised by unacceptably high rates of unemployment; therefore youth empowerment and entrepreneurship must be a priority if we are to drive the change we all seek.” “It is the hope that this initiative will provide the support that these young entrepreneurs need to take their businesses to the next level,” Dr. Jules said. Winners will receive business support from the OECS Competitive Business Unit in the form of mentorship, to aid their professional and business development; technical assistance in sourcing markets; and financial assistance. Through its Youth Empowerment Strategy (YES), the OECS Commission opened nominations for its inaugural 30 Under 30 in Entrepreneurship initiative in November of 2016 and extended the nominating period until March 31, 2017. Eligible entrepreneurs had to be 30 years old or younger at the time of nomination, and be a citizen or resident of an OECS Member State. All eligible applications were considered despite business size, years of operation, and business industry. ¤

OECS 30 Under 30 Winners St. Lucian Awardees Highlighted Name

Country

Industry

Akeem Edwards

Antigua & Barbuda

Food & Beverage

Regis Burton

Antigua & Barbuda

Social Business

Winston Laville

Antigua & Barbuda

Agriculture

Sharie De Castro

British Virgin Islands

Education

Mitch Jno Charles

Commonwealth of Dominica

Agriculture

Oudin Samuel

Commonwealth of Dominica

Website Design

Sherwin Thomas

Commonwealth of Dominica

Entertainment & Media

Prince F. Thomas

Grenada

Agriculture

Tereika Peters

Grenada

Food & Beverage

Shakim J. Fortune

Grenada

Food & Beverage

Kimron Corion

Grenada

Media

Jacques Sanquer

Martinique

Consulting

SĂŠbastien CĂŠlestine

Martinique

Culture & Entertainment

Sasha Herbert

St. Kitts & Nevis

Art & Entertainment

Dijaun Jack

St. Kitts & Nevis

Business & Personal Service

Janeel Boon

St. Kitts & Nevis

Computers, Communications & Electronics

Shane Browne

St. Kitts & Nevis

Shopping & Specialty Services

Desi Brown

St. Kitts & Nevis

Creative Enterprise & Business and Personal Services

Wendel George

St. Lucia

Sports & Recreation

Larry Shepherd

St. Lucia

Construction & Renovation

Jonathan Theobalds

St. Lucia

Computers, Communications & Electronics

Kenisha Jn Baptiste

St. Lucia

Construction & Renovation

Kandice Delice

St. Lucia

Shopping & Specialty Stores

Denell Florius

St. Lucia

Public Utilities & Environment

Randy Lafontaine

St. Lucia

Photography, Automotive & Tourism (respectively)

Johanan Dujon

St. Lucia

Agriculture

Heidi C. St. Clair

St. Lucia

Child Care Services

Anton Volney

St. Lucia

Business & Personal Service

Javid Collins

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Photography

Jeronnie Richardson

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Messenger & Courier, Online Marketing & Advertising

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS

Wendel George Portable Swimming Pools SLU offers St Lucians the options of hosting events in the privacy of their homes, as well as hosting of public events. Customers can rent a pool for up to two days and enjoy special moments with friends and family at an affordable rate. It is currently the only pool rental business in St Lucia and offers a unique entertainment product. Wendel George the company’s founder believes that it is an opportune time to diversify in the entertainment and recreational market and looks forward to continued growth and success.

Larry Shepherd BL Designs is an architectural company specializing in residential building and renovation. The company provides its clients with full architectural drawings accompanied by 3D models, rendering, animation and physical models. The company’s designs are influenced by nature, and owner Larry Shepard believes that a ‘house’ is essentially an extension of nature and therefore it should not disrupt its environment. BL Designs’ goal is to improve the quality of living of its clients whilst fostering a healthy green environment. As a model corporate citizen the company often provides guidance and equips young architects from the community, encouraging them to be creative.

Jonathan Theobalds Tibbs Tech Solutions is a fast and affordable computer, cell phone and other electronics repairs and maintenance service company. The company provides home/office networking, sales of computers and cell phone hardware and software products and accessories; online ordering and shipping to St. Lucia. Tibbs Tech Solutions was started by Jonathan Theobalds in 2009 while attending community college. What started as a small business operating from his home, serving a few friends and family has now expanded to serving customers around St. Lucia. The young entrepreneur anticipates that in the future his business will expand further to meet the needs of clients in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Kenisha Jn Baptiste KDL Architecture & Engineering provides professional, high-end 3D architectural design and rendering. The company also offers walk-through animation services to architects, contractors, builders, developers and land development professionals. KDL Architecture & Engineering follows the evolving trends and technologies in the field of design and 3D presentations. Kenisha Jn Baptiste, the St. Lucian owner of this company continuously signs up for courses to learn new software for architecture and engineering. The constant increase in knowledge and competence in her field has enabled her company to remain sustainable in a dynamic environment. One of the company’s key goals is to expand regionally and create job opportunities across the Caribbean with a focus on reintroducing youth to skilled job sets.

Kandice Delice House of Balloons provides customers with a variety of helium balloons for every occasion. Balloon decor (columns, arches, and sculptures) and other party essentials are also offered. With the use of creative, innovative and forward thinking, this company has made birthday celebrations more exciting by incorporating unique designs, colours and flare. Kandice Delice the company’s owner currently seeks to expand her business locally and anticipates that her company will eventually become a regional luxury event designer, in the future.

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Denell Florius EcoCarib Inc. is an Energy Saving and Service Company which specialises in renewable energy and green building technologies. The company has grown over the course of 2 years into a powerful brand and has aided in the design and installation of over 300 kW of solar power on the island of St. Lucia. The company’s owner Danell Florius is currently seeking to expand into the Jamaican market. EcoCarib’s goal is to promote eco-living in the Caribbean through green technology. Among the major issues faced by clients are the high upfront capital to purchase their solar energy system, and getting access to tier 1 solar technology which would last the warranted period. EcoCarib Inc. has however successfully been able to solve both of these problems by developing a solar financing and supply company.

Randy Lafontaine Randy Lafontaine is the owner of 3 small enterprises in St Lucia which are: Top Notch Media Inc. - a photography service; Top Notch Auto Detailing - a car maintenance and detailing service; St Lucia Travel and Tours - a tourism based service which specializes in planning and executing tours and travel arrangements for clients, usually tourist. Though his enterprises are still growing, Randy Lafontaine provides opportunities for young people to receive part-time income from them. He also volunteers the resources of his photography business to non-profit organisations when requested. Randy Lafontaine has a vision to develop his brands further into something which will benefit more young people across Saint Lucia.

Johanan Dujon Algas Organics is a Caribbean agricultural and household chemical manufacturer based in St. Lucia. The company’s main objective is to provide effective, affordable and natural solutions to synthetic chemical products for both the household and agricultural market. Algas Organics seeks to provide products that are child friendly, pet friendly, and do not harm the environment. Johanan Dujon the company’s owner developed an innovative process which incorporates Sargassum seaweed as one of its key raw materials and thereby converting what is currently a regional problem into an enormous opportunity.

Heidi C. St. Clair St. Clair’s Sitting Services’ key goal is to provide convenient, high quality and exceptional service to parents and family-oriented hotels with qualified people to care for their clients’ loved ones, homes and children when they are away. The fundamental objective is reflected in the services offered which contribute to the enrichment of the lives of people around Saint Lucia. Heidi C. St. Clair the company’s owner, has over time gained the credibility and trust of many Saint Lucians. St. Clair’s Sitting Services understands its customers’ needs and deals with them on a personal level. As a service provider the company constantly seeks to develop and motivate its human resource.

Anton Volney Midas Touch Writer is an internet marketing consultant agency founded by Anton Volney, which provides business owners with clear, powerful and profitable written communication. This includes giving business owners the insight they need to increase their profits from their online businesses as well as writing the sales material that converts one-time customers into repeat customers. It is virtual and location-independent, which means that jobs can be completed from anywhere in the world. Midas Touch Writer services clients from all over the world; with a client base comprising mainly of internet based entrepreneurs. In the future, Midas Touch Writer will explore the possibility of collaborating with designers, programmers, and other tech based professionals to enhance the company’s services.

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

u s i n e ss b a e r a Pre p

Pl a n

BUSINESS FOCUS FOCUS IN THE KNOW ENVIRONMENTAL

Ten Tips For Starting A Business

Ten Tips For Starting A Business By Trudy O. Glasgow B.A., LL.B (Hons), BVC, LL.M, P.C.H.E*

Starting your own business can be a real challenge; there are numerous decisions that have to be made. Here are my top ten tips for your new venture. 1. Prepare a business plan: what sort of business do you want to have? Sole trader? Partnership? Limited liability company? and when do you plan to officially open for business. Depending on your expertise, type of business and other personal considerations, you should average at least three to six months from the planning stage to being fully functional in your new business. This time line will vary depending on numerous variables including how long it will take you to source financing; finding a suitable location and the other tips discussed below. 2. Location, location, location: The location of your business is one of the most important factors particularly for a service based business. Naturally, if you are a graphics designer or computer programmer, your location isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as crucial because you can function from almost anywhere, once your equipment has been set up. I am referring to law offices, accountants, doctors, engineers and the like. It is important to do some market research and consider whether the location you are choosing will cater adequately to your customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. Is it easily accessible? Is it near town, in town or in a busy area? A secluded location works well for a writer, who wants to finish a novel; customers who cannot find you will eventually find someone else to assist them.

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

3. See your bank (or financial institution): Visit your bank as soon as you have decided on the type of business and prepared a business plan. In your business plan, itemise a budget for three to six months. Include startup capital, that is what you will be purchasing to get the business going as well as an estimated budget for the daily operations of your business for the next few months. Your banker will be in a Ms. Trudy O. Glasgow, B.A (History) (UWI), LL.B (Hons.) (Hull), B.V.C, (Northumbria) LL.M, P.C.H.E, (Sheffield) is a practising attorney at the law firm of Trudy O. Glasgow & Associates, a court-appointed mediator and author in Saint Lucia (and has also taught law at University level in the UK). Ms. Glasgow is the current Vice President of the Bar Association of Saint Lucia and sits on various boards and committees including: Chairperson of the National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF); Co-Chair and a founding member of 100 women who care (St. Lucia) and member of the Rotary Club of Gros Islet. This article is for general use only, for advice specifically for your case, please see your lawyer. Share your thoughts and comments: you are invited to email me at trudyoglasgow@lawyer.com

position to advise you further on which loan option would be best suited for your business. 4. Name your business: the name should reflect the nature of your business as well as, be unique. It is advisable to register your business name before you start operating your business. See your lawyer for assistance with this or go to the Companies Registry for further information. 5. Buy, rent or lease? What is your financial standing? Are you in a position to purchase property? If you are, discuss this as an option with your financial adviser. Renting or leasing a property is more common. Renting would be yearly or less and leasing would be for over a year. 6. Furniture and office equipment: Sourcing the right furniture and office equipment for your business will take some time. Do not simply buy the first items you see - shop around and get assistance with choosing the right furniture to suit the décor and the business. The décor you choose reflects the image of the business; an office with papers flowing all over the floor may not project the desired business image. 7. Who to hire: getting the right personnel is vital to your business. Look for individuals who are pleasant, articulate, dress neatly, have good personal and work habits and good references. He or she should be proficient with good interpersonal and technical skills.

8. Insurance: speak to your insurance agent about the type of insurance you need for your business. Will you be getting insurance to cover just the contents of your office or business? For yourself? How about insurance for members of your team? 9. Accounting: Get a good accountant to set up your accounts and review your books periodically. This is important for the proper operation and management of your business. Billing, fees, salaries and income are just a few of the issues that your accountant will be able to advise you on from the outset. 10. Get a lawyer! There are a lot of legal issues that arise when setting up your business and for the duration of your business. Get a lawyer well versed in your type of business, and seek advice early. Do not wait until some difficulties arise to select a lawyer. It is preferable to have a good working relationship with your attorney before a crisis arises. It is vital to have a good ethical and professional compass when dealing with your customers and members of the public. Safeguard your reputation and your public image jealously. ¤

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Sep/Oct

IN THE KNOW

Three High End Brand Strategies

Three High End Brand Strategies By: Hanna Fitz

For years, luxury brands have mesmerised us with highly desirable products and services. They inspire us to dream bigger and leave us desiring more. You can learn so much about attracting ideal clients from these dream-building brands. I had a client (let’s call the brand “Arnanda”) and this client had on their list of personalised services, Mr. Giorgio Armani and Fiona Swarovski, yet the client had not been able to grow their brand name and reach more high-end clients. On the outside, it seemed that the brand was a success, but actually the client was struggling financially to reach more high-end customers and make a profit. On the other hand, another one of my clients from Florence, who had worked as a consultant for Salvatore Ferragamo and Roberto Cavalli, had understood the power of branding and leveraging luxury positioning. This client was able to scale their business fast and grow internationally, leveraging some of the most powerful strategies that luxury brands use to drive up desire and demand. You can create a unique positioning for your brand in the market by applying some of these proven strategies to attract your ideal clients, earn more for your services and grow your business. Your brand does not have to be super high-end for these strategies to work. It can be applied to almost any business to leverage a unique positioning. Here are three powerful strategies from the luxury market that you can use today: BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

#1 Rethink Your Category The temptation may be strong to follow the positioning strategies of everyone else in your niche. However, so much can be learnt from French Luxury Bakery Ladurée. Though a bakery, Ladurée has taken on the style, look and feel of a beauty and fashion brand. They even refer to the brand as “Maison Ladurée”, a term typically used in luxury fashion brands. This gives the brand a distinct style and has helped positioned it as more than just a macaron store. It offers a lifestyle experience, true Parisian luxury and beauty. Apple has used the same strategy to differentiate its brand from other technology brands. Apple is all about creativity and style, and with the appointment of former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts as their Vice President of Retail, the brand is showing a stronger commitment to making tech very fashionable. Think outside the box, borrowing the style and positioning strategy of brands that inspire you outside of your category to create an experience that is distinct, new and unforgettable for your ideal clients. This type of approach will help you create a unique selling proposition and also enable you to charge a premium price for your services, as your clients will not be able to get the same experience anywhere else. Remember a luxury brand does not seek to be different from its competitors, it seeks to be different, full stop.

#2 Distinct Brand Personality During my time in Milan as a consultant, it really gave me a closer look behind the scenes of how luxury fashion brands, which are all competing for high-end clients, are not actually competing for the same client. Versace is focused on rock’n’roll, free-spirited, rebellious and sexually provocative women, while Giorgio Armani is focused on the sophisticated yet understated woman. The brands had different values and styles. One brand is focused on “the dress on the woman” and the other, “the woman in the dress”. Within the same market, the two brands were able to capture two different types of buyers by developing a distinct brand DNA that was reflected through their advertising, product design, website, and of course carefully selecting which celebrities were wearing their product (Lady Gaga for Versace and Kate Blanchett for Armani). Crafting a distinct brand DNA is key to sending a clear message of who your ideal client is, and subconscious signals for them to find you. Everyone has a type, and your clients will be the people who identify with your brand style and values. #3 Compelling Visuals Every luxury brand knows that creating a unique brand experience and attracting the right clients comes down to aesthetics and triggering the right emotions through high impact visuals. We connect with and remember the things we see. This is why luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Dolce and Gabbana spend

millions of dollars on in-store design, website, photography and video. These are all touch points; the places and things that your ideal client will come in contact with when they encounter your brand. Luxury brands intelligently infuse codes from their brand DNA into all the visual aspects of their brand to magnetise clients and create high perceived value, turning non-essential products into must-haves. Have you ever noticed how no one is smiling in Louis Vuitton print ads? Go ahead and Google! That’s code for inaccessible and a level of unattainability that is part of the exclusive nature of luxury. Imagine powerfully combining strong visuals with your very essential service of actually transforming people’s lives? You would be able to attract your clients with greater ease and create a more successful coaching practice. After working with one of my clients, she posted on Facebook that “Last night I had my first online workshop with my new branding and it was amazing. The most sign ups and attendees ever!” A brand well-built gets results. ¤ In my Free e-workbook “THE IRRESISTIBLE BRAND”, I share seven steps to building a brand that attracts high-value clients and how to build a brand that can charge a premium price. Download it to get started on magnetizing the right clients to your business at www.hannafitz.com

Talent and Imagination from Cover to Cover “we develop and maintain our Clients’ Business Marketing Needs”

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An Official Publication & Tourism Associ ation and Saint

Lucia Tourist

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www.amsstlucia.com • lokesh@amsstlucia.com

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

IN THE KNOW

Doors To Really Secure Your Home Doors To Really Secure Your Home By Brian Ramsey

Periodically one reads about thieves who forced their way into a home through one of the doors. Indeed, at one time there was a phrase used in Guyana where they describe this type of thieves as “Kick Down the Door Bandits”! Undeniably, external doors are one of the first ways of entry considered by thieves, and therefore should always be a security priority. While many homeowners do consider security when selecting an external door, a lack of understanding sometimes leads to poor selection, or even good selection but poor installation. In this article we will address not just the physical door, but the security of the doorway itself, as at times it is other elements that are the weak point. NOT ALL DOORS ARE EQUAL All exterior doors should either be made of solid wood or metal as this construction is difficult to break through, but there is difficulty in obtaining solid wood doors in the Caribbean, since most commercially manufactured doors are actually ‘panel doors’. On wood panel doors, the sections that hold the panels in place are very thin, short and glued in place. These doors can easily be kicked apart. Similarly, many wood flush doors are actually plywood sides with a hollow interior, so they can be easily kicked apart and thus should only be used as interior doors. Steel doors come in several designs; hollow steel, wood steelbacked and ribbed steel. The minimum acceptable security specification for a hollow steel door would be two sheets of 18 gauge steel (1/20 of an inch each). While this specification is the minimum, it can still be penetrated by a determined intruder, therefore thicker steel is better. A wooden steel fronted door can also be used as a security door. In that design the wood thickness should be three quarter inch and then 12-gauge steel (1/10 of an inch) placed in front of the wood. The steel should be bolted to the door with the nut end of the bolt on the inside, so not accessible to an intruder. When cladding steel to a wooden door, the steel must wrap around the top, bottom and sides of the door so that the steel cannot be pried away from the wood. A ribbed steel door would be one where the steel on the door would be 1/8 of an inch and then reinforced with steel ribs on the inside. There is now also the option in the Caribbean to purchase doors that have a decorative facing but with a steel sheet inserted inside the door. Many of these doors come with 3, 4 or 6 deadbolts built into the door (top, bottom & sides) so that when the door is locked all the bolts engage simultaneously. DOOR DOS & DON’TS All exterior doors should be mounted to swing outward. When an intruder attempts to force their way into a building they will apply force to the door to push it inward. By having the door swing outward it means that the intruder will be applying force in the opposite direction to which the door is made to swing and BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

therefore it becomes harder for the intruder to force the door. Door frames should be constructed of metal or solid hardwood. The frame can sometimes be the weakest point in the security of a door, allowing an intruder to enter notwithstanding how good the door and locks are. Hinges are generally screwed into the door frame and if the frame can be jimmied away from the wall it is a security risk. In moving the frame, the entire hinge assembly - and as a result the door - will be moved out and access gained. If the door frame is moved on the lock side, access is gained to the lock bolt and depending upon the type, the bolt can be manipulated to open the door. Frames should therefore be made of solid construction to prevent from being forced apart. Hinges should ideally be mounted on the interior of the door so that they are not exposed to an intruder. If the hinge is mounted on the exterior and cannot be relocated to the interior then the hinge pins can be welded or flanged to prevent removal. An additional protective measure would be the use of hinge protectors which have bolts that extend into the door and the door frame so that even if the hinge pin is removed the door cannot be removed from the hinge side. Another alternative is to install ball-bearing type ‘butt hinges’, which have a standard cap but not a pin. This hinge is therefore suitable for external use, because even if the cap is pried off, you cannot get the door off. The tolerance between door and jamb – which means the gap – should never be more than 1/8 of an inch. A wider tolerance means that the door can be forced open or that the bolt for the lock is exposed allowing an intruder to saw the bolt. External doors are an important security component of the home, so care must be taken in selecting the right type. However, that care must extend beyond just the door to include all components of the doorway. ¤

Brian Ramsey has a B.A. in Accounting & Management, along with an M.B.A. in Finance and over 29 years in the Caribbean security field. He is the Regional Development Director for Amalgamated Security Services Limited which operates in Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago and is the parent company of Alternative Security Services (St. Lucia) Limited. He can be contacted at bramsey@assl.com.

Go lean or go home?

Go Lean Or Go Home?

By Kezia Preville

The concept of ‘Lean Management’ works on the premise that business operations support the notion of continuous improvement through incremental changes in specific processes to improve efficiency (or kaizen as coined by the Japanese). Change is inevitable, so why not make it a good change? In Lean Management, change is always for the betterment of the organization. This philosophy centres on the elimination of all forms of waste in a work environment. Some effective ‘lean’ methods include Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), 5S workplace organisation, Kanban scheduling systems and Six Sigma which all in some way could improve profitability and increase productivity when implemented. The more popular method, TPM, is a team-based system used to improve production while at the same time increase employee morale and job satisfaction.

What guides Lean Management principles?

Advantages & Disadvantages of Lean Management Advantages

• Increase productivity • Reduce amount of floor space • Reduce manufacturing lead time • Improve flexibility to react to changes • Improved quality • Reduce on costs • Saves on time • Product failure rates can be reduced • Increased output

Disadvantages

• Long term commitments • Can be risky in some processes • Negative perception by some staff members • Over reliance on technology • Cost saving may not materialize • Can be expensive to implement • The organization may become reactive instead of proactive to customer needs • Relies on a good supply chain

Lean Management ultimately allows a firm to gain a competitive advantage by going beyond merely increasing productivity, reducing costs and improving efficiency. By utilising lean techniques in various management processes, staff are able to develop skills which improves reaction time and as a byproduct, increase sales. However, if the lean techniques are over-used in an effort to gain more production for example, the employees can become discouraged and as a result undermine the positive effects of the techniques employed in the first place.

Can Lean Methods Work In All Businesses?

Although Lean Management stemmed from the manufacturing industry, many other industries have also seen lean as a way of improving its safety, quality, speed, cost and employee morale. As such, all industries can benefit from the core principles of ‘lean’ in one way or another. These core principles promote continual improvement, customer focused processes, quality, improvements in flow and rigorous but non-bureaucratic experimental problem solving.

Eliminating any waste of time, effort or money are integral components of Lean Management. Causes of waste can stem from an unaligned machine producing defective products, to poor environmental conditions preventing a worker from working at maximum efficiency levels. With roots in manufacturing, there are guiding principles to Lean management which include: - Defining value from the customers’ standpoint. - Carefully identifying each step in the business process and eliminating any steps which do not create value. - Ensuring the value-creating steps occur in tight sequence, so the product will flow smoothly towards the customer. - Steps 1 to 3 are repeated until all waste is eliminated.

Thinking of going lean? Learn more from AdVizze Consulting Inc or visit www.ad-vizze.com ¤ Kezia Preville is a Business Development and Marketing Specialist with over 10 years’ experience in various industries. For more information on Business Development, Marketing, PR and Event Management, contact her at AdVizze Consulting Inc or kezia@ ad-vizze.com or visit www. ad-vizze.com. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS IN THE KNOW

The Art Of Accountability

THE ART OF ACCOUNTABILITY By Basil Springer “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God” Romans 3:19 CBET Enterprise Development brings me into contact weekly with younger entrepreneurs across a wide spectrum of business activity. It is educational, at least, but it also exposes me to the real world of social, economic and political behaviour, not to speak of business challenges, which I find to be extremely stimulating. I regard it intellectually, emotionally and physically as the “Elixir of Youth” which induces peace of mind. If I can succeed in combining this with systematic control of diet and exercise, then for what more should I ask? I had a bit of a reality check this week as I visited the NIS office to register a yellow form sent to me in the mail. I automatically filled it in, but as I was checking the information required one last time, my eyes caught the title of the form “Old Age Pensioner Registration”. There was immediate psychological damage done, which I hope will be repaired for a long time yet by the Elixir of Youth and its companion panacea. One prospective entrepreneur www.caribarts.org, last week shared with me as follows: “Hi Basil, a friend sent this to me, thought you might be interested. Here is an eZine by Francis Wade that many of you may find very informative www.fwconsulting. com called The Accountability Challenge: The Making or Breaking of Caribbean Corporations. My first fascination was with the “eZine” concept and I rushed to “Google” its meaning. It was simple – “Electronic Magazine” which has hitherto failed to find itself in my vocabulary. This column has been an eZine for over thirteen years and I never used the term. My research of this eZine wonder, in the emerging world of electronic commerce, now opens up a new vista of possibilities. Wade observed the following: “There is not a company we have worked with in the region that has not complained about its lack of bench strength i.e. the lack of qualified managers waiting in the wings to be promoted. While there are many managers with the necessary technical qualifications, they lack a certain profound ownership of their own performance, let alone the performance of the company. This prevents them from being able to step up to higher positions in which they are asked to produce difficult results under trying circumstances, without anyone being able to tell them what to do. Instead, they have managers who are more interested in staying out of trouble, doing the minimum, not being taken advantage of, and caring only that their personal results are good enough for the next raise. They give excuses, manufacture explanations and create reasons for poor performance, when what is really needed is solid leadership that is willing to own negative and positive results alike. In short, there is a level above which they cannot be trusted to be accountable.” BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Wade went on to say that “what many executives do not fully comprehend is the hundreds of years of hostile worker-manager relationships they have inherited. A great deal could be said about the effects of slavery, indentureship and colonialism, and there is truth to the claim that workplaces in the region, and employees in particular, were deliberately stunted by the first European managers.” Following the email from the prospective entrepreneur, almost in harmony, arrives another email this time from Ambassador Charles Maynard from Dominica: “Hi Basil, I am forwarding you a landmark publication on the issue of a runaway slave with all its implications for our history and culture. With the continuing emphasis on Slavery by UNESCO and the rest of the world I think this is timely. I have read through the book Pharcel: Runaway Slave by Alick Lazare published by iUniverse, Inc. and with no exaggeration I consider it a masterpiece.” Alick Lazare, after a career in Public Finance, is planning to launch this book in Dominica on August 23rd 2006. Pharcel looks at the other side of history, from the African perspective, and tells of the motives and aspirations of the runaway slaves in Dominica about the turn of the nineteenth century, and their constant battle against the oppression and greed of white colonial society. Maynard reported that Pharcel is an historical novel that brings into play the politics of slavery, revolutionary fervour, sexual exploitation, inter-racial love, personal loyalty and betrayal, brought together in a gripping tale that will hold the reader’s attention and interest. Bernard Wiltshire described it as “a fast moving, gripping read, full of excitement and action that leaves one feeling that we have it in us to reach for the stars, to triumph over ourselves, to transform our limitations.” I only had time to read the first two pages, before writing this column, but if this sample is indicative of the style of what is to come in the rest of the book, it is likely to be a treat. In addition, I understand from Charles that there will be lessons learned to help us further understand and address the challenges which thwart our efforts to effect the transformation to sustainable development. Lessons in the art of accountability, ultimately to God. ¤ Dr. Basil Springer GCM is Change-Engine Consultant, Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust Inc. CBET. His email address is basilgf57@gmail.com and his columns may be found at www.cbetmodel.org and www.nothingbeatsbusiness. com.

Employee Development: Investment or Expense?

Employee Development: Investment or Expense? By: Veronica Harris CPS, CAM, MSc.

Some companies are reluctant to invest in their employees’ development for a number of reasons, which include: 1. When trained employees leave, they take with them the training received and another company would benefit from my investment; 2. Management does not believe in the effectiveness of training and does not consider it necessary for better performance; 3. It is difficult to measure the effectiveness of a training program; 4. Time spent in the training room can be better spent on the job; 5. Investment in training development is expensive and uses scarce financial resources which can be directed to other areas; 6. Employees agree to training only to get away from having to be on duty; 7. Employees do not want to be trained and find it boring and unnecessary; 8. Some employees are untrainable – “they will never change”. A well-trained, confident and engaged employee is more professional in the way they conduct their work and communicate with customers. This will save you money as employees become more efficient and proficient. Employee development also has the potential to increase sales and improve customer service. Hence, employee development is an investment and should not be viewed as an unnecessary expense. There are many reasons why employee development is a very important component of an efficient business structure. • It helps attract and retain valuable employees. Employee retention and attracting great employees are major challenges for some employers. Contrary to belief, having a solid development program helps with acquisition and retention of good employees as they see professional development as a plus when seeking employment.

• Training builds loyalty. Knowing that the employer provides training gives an employee the feeling of worthiness and importance which encourages loyalty among the workforce. • It gives the company a good reputation. The employer will be recognised as one who cares enough to provide training. This is good for the reputation of the company especially to its customers, a win-win outcome for all involved - employee, employer and customers. In a climate where companies are looking to be more efficient, employee development will play a vital role is ensuring that employees are trained and motivated to carry out their duties efficiently and effectively. One of the more cost-effective ways to ensure you establish the right training and development program to suit your needs is to enroll the services of a consultant. Hiring full-time staff with salary and benefits to undertake assignments that can be outsourced, has now become a thing of the past. ¤

Veronica Harris CPS, CAM, MSc. is a Consultant with TBS Consultancy Services. She holds a Master of Science in Tourism from UWI Cave Hill Campus, is a Certified Administrative Manager (CAM) and has over 15 years’ experience in Executive Management. Ms. Harris is a Board member of the Barbados Association of Office Professionals and was awarded Office Professional of the Year.

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

IN THE KNOW

Sir Richard Branson On Startups

Sir Richard Branson On Startups Like many entrepreneurs, Richard Branson loves creating things. He sees problems in the world and provides solutions. But unlike others, he has established many different businesses. In fact, in his 40+ years as an entrepreneur, he has developed over 100 brands. Branson has given a lot of advice along the way. He has spoken on topics of starting a business, running a business, managing people, and hiring people. Let’s get into some of what he advises entrepreneurs. Four Tips for Avoiding Startup Mistakes When speaking on avoiding common startup mistakes, Branson gives these tips: 1. Stay on target – You need to be clear and concise in explaining your idea. Branson says that the shorter the pitch is, the clearer it will be. Don’t plan too many years in advance, and stay on target. 2. Be realistic about costs – Don’t underestimate the cost that it will take to launch your company. Branson says that JetBlue needed $160 million to launch. Conventional wisdom said that cost was too high and they wouldn’t be able to raise that much capital. But they did and had one of the most successful launches in airline history and turned a profit after only six months. 3. Hire people you need, not people you like – It’s been said that people would rather work with people they like than people who are competent. Branson says entrepreneurs may want to stay away from working with friends because, if they don’t work out, it will be difficult letting them go. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

4. Know when to say goodbye – Entrepreneurs need to know when to step away from the CEO role. This doesn’t mean turning your back on the business, but realising you’ll have a new role in the company which will allow you to focus more. It also doesn’t mean that you cannot return to running the company. Your First Year Is All About Surviving “In a company’s first year, your goal should be simply to survive, and this will likely take everything you’ve got. No matter how tired or afraid you are, you have to figure out how to keep going.” ~ Sir Richard Branson, CEO Investors Bring More Than Just Money When examining investors, Branson suggests that you ask yourself, “Will this person or group give us the space and time we need to build a great business?” A “dictatorial financial partner” can ruin the spirit and enthusiasm of entrepreneurs, so ensure that your investor is someone who will let you run your company without getting in the way or questioning every decision you make. Remember that it’s not all about the money and that the person you are bringing on is also important. They carry more than just a cheque book. The most important partnership you have is the one with your staff. Branson says that if you get that right, your chances of success are much higher. Making Sure Your Startup is a Success In a LinkedIn post, Branson gives entrepreneurs five tips for starting a successful business: 1. Listen more than you talk.

2. Keep it simple. 3. Take pride in your work. 4. Have fun, success will follow. 5. Rip it up and start again – be prepared to reinvent the idea. When Branson Launches A Business Sir Richard and his friends followed these five guidelines when they launched their first magazine, Student, and, later, Virgin Music: 1. If you don’t enjoy it, don’t do it: You must love what you do. 2. Be innovative: Create something different that will stand out. 3. Your employees are your best asset: Happy employees make for happy customers. 4. Lead by listening: Get feedback from your staff and customers on a regular basis. 5. Be visible: Market the company and its offers by putting yourself or a senior person in front of the cameras.

Grant Thornton

The Bottom Line: Create Value In The World Branson says that he starts a business only if it will improve people’s lives. He was unhappy with the customer service he was getting from British Airways, so he started a new airline, Virgin Atlantic, which is focused around the customer. Building something you’re passionate about is important as well. If Branson hadn’t been passionate about building an airline, he wouldn’t have put so much time into getting the staff, buying the aircraft, and working hard to turn it into a viable business. Source: Blog.Kissmetrics.com

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Sep/Oct

IN THE KNOW

Local Music Fraternity Welcome Business of Music Certification Course

Local Music Fraternity Welcomes Business of Music Certification Course A who’s who of popular music in Saint Lucia turned out for the launch of new Business of Music online course at the Royal Saint Lucian Hotel on Wednesday July 26th. The event attracted interest and participation from trending names in Soca, Calypso, R&B, Rap and other contemporary musical genres. A joint initiative by the Saint Lucia Coalition of Service Industries (SLCSI) and the Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA), the Business of Music Online Course is another step forward in the agencies' workplan to create the enabling environment that will lead to new market opportunities for producers and increased exports for Saint Lucia’s creative industries. It is being implemented under the SLCSI’s Services Go Global (SGG) program which assists small to medium sized businesses to develop the capacity to export their services. SLCSI Executive Director Yvonne Agard explained that this assistance includes knowledge strengthening, strategic planning, technical support coaching and mentoring, designed to make the market landscape easier to understand and navigate. TEPA’s CEO Jacqueline Emmanuel- Flood framed her opening remarks on the value of export readiness to the producer of music, and “the critical importance” of a focus on the creative sector within the national export agenda. She said that the current realities of today’s global marketplace put a demand on small economies like Saint Lucia to invest equally in goods deriving from intellectual property and foster a market environment that makes room for the inventors of consumable creative goods. According to Ms. Emmanuel-Flood, given the support and tools, the creative community can play a leading role in recalibrating the BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

engine of growth because it is well positioned to facilitate the shift from the traditional manufacturing‐based economy to today’s knowledge‐based economy, “but no matter how the global market changes from day to day, competitiveness remains the key to expansion, profitability and longevity for creative producers. And we know that the drivers of competition are innovation, quality and access”. She concluded. Those attending the launch had the benefit of a critical analysis of the music market for Caribbean music, the challenges and opportunities from Alyson Francis, Services Specialist at Carib Export. A detailed preview of the 12 module course was presented by the course designer Lloyd Standbury, an Entertainment Attorney who is hailed as a Caribbean pioneer in the field of Entertainment Law. During a question and answer session, attending music sector representatives described the course as a welcome opportunity which will have favourable uptake among their peers because of the dynamism that is evident in the sector. Saint Lucian strings virtuoso and multiple recording artist Ronald “Boo” Hinkson commended the two agencies for what he called “strategic and well-informed action, which is evident in their selection of a reputable expert who is steeped in the business aspects of the industry, sound knowledge of the Caribbean context in the business of music and a track record in furthering the interests of Caribbean music producers”. The Business of Music course is funded by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) under the 10th EDF on behalf of the Caribbean Network of Services Coalition (CNSC) and is endorsed by the Caribbean Export Agency (Carib Export). ¤

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Sep/Oct

TOURISM IN FOCUS

SLTB’s Annual Marketing Meeting A Success

SLTB Marketing & PR reps from USA, UK and Canada

SLTB’s Annual Marketing Meeting A Success The Saint Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) hosted a successful Annual Marketing Meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25th and Friday, Aug. 26th at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa. The aim of this annual exercise by the SLTB is to appraise the tourism industry stakeholders of the island’s performance in its main markets and of the marketing strategy for the destination. The meeting attracted approximately 70 participants from hotels, destination management companies (DMCs) and other relevant parties in the sector. The SLTB’s marketing and public relations representatives from the US, UK, Canada and Germany joined their local counterparts for the meeting and delivered presentations on their respective markets. Executive Chairperson of the SLTB, Agnes Francis, presented a performance review of the sector including among other areas, statistics on stayover arrivals from the major markets. This was followed by a discussion with participants’ feedback on the marketing approach for the island’s niche areas of romance, health and wellness, soft adventure, yachting and diving among others. The Marketing and Public Relations teams from the respective markets then shared the latest market trends and analysis as well as the strategies to be employed. There was lively BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

discussion on how these can be as effective as possible to achieve growth for the industry. The meeting’s concluding presentation was made by Translation LLC, a Manhattan-based marketing company that is working with SLTB on a rebranding of the destination. The Translation team shared its ideas on brand development and how to maximize the impact of branding. ¤

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Sep/Oct

TOURISM IN FOCUS

Fairmont Saint Lucia At Sunset Bay Resort Breaks Ground In Choiseul

Fairmont Saint Lucia at Sunset Bay Resort Breaks Ground in choiseul Resort Expands Tourism Plant, Creates Jobs and Linkages Invest Saint Lucia officially welcomed one of several investments earmarked for the south of the island at a sod turning ceremony which took place on June 29th on Sab Wisha Beach in Choiseul.

linkages between and among the various sectors of our economy.”

The sod turning signalled the start of construction on the Fairmont Saint Lucia at Sunset Bay, which is projected to open in 2019.

“We are gathered here to Chairman of Invest Saint Lucia witness the commencement of a new chapter in our tourism industry – a sector which boasts international brands; numerous awards; consistent visitor arrivals; and is the biggest driver of our economy – employing close to 20,000 Saint Lucians. The entry of this Fairmont branded resort,” he explained, “will add at least 800 to this number. It is envisaged that at least 336 people will be employed during the construction phase and another 584 during the operations of the resort.”

The resort is being developed by the GP Group, a Joint Stock Company (JSC) based in Bulgaria under the Fairmont brand. GP Group is part of a holding structure specializing in the construction of infrastructure sites which includes industrial buildings, residential complexes and hotels as well as the maintenance of petrol stations and related facilities. The US$220 million Fairmont-branded resort, will comprise 120 luxury rooms and 40 private residential villas. It will be situated on 25 acres of land which includes 1,870 feet of exquisite beach-front located in Sab Wisha, Choiseul, situated on the southwest coast of Saint Lucia. Invest Saint Lucia has been instrumental in facilitating this investment on behalf of the GP Group. Addressing the sod turning ceremony on the Sab Wisha beach, Chairman of Invest Saint Lucia, Pinkley Francis, reiterated ISL’s commitment to stimulating inward investment to bolster the island’s socio-economic development. “Let me assure you,” he remarked, “that our team of professionals will stop at nothing to ensure that we fulfill our mandate of creating sustainable jobs, enabling direct investments and supporting the BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Pinkley Francis

“This is great news for Saint Lucia since we have been grappling with issues of unemployment over the last few years,” he added. “We need to close this gap and so we welcome this opportunity to provide steady engagement particularly to our skilled and employable youth especially those from the Choiseul community.” “Our farmers have much to look forward to as well. With Choiseul’s enviable reputation as a sustainable farming community, the linkage between agriculture and tourism will be solidified once this project comes on stream.” In his remarks, Francis also indicated that the GP Group is not solely interested in the tourism sector. “In fact,” he confirmed, “talks are already underway for their likely involvement in some major infrastructural projects due to come on stream in the coming months.” ¤

The Ritz-Carlton To Operate Luxury Resort In South

To Operate Luxury Resort In South Ritz Carlton, the luxury hotel subsidiary of Marriott International, on Thursday, August 3, signed an operating agreement with Range Developments and the government of Saint Lucia to operate the planned new resort development at Black Bay on the beautiful southern tip of the island. Ritz Carlton has 91 luxury hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories, including six in the wider Caribbean: Aruba, Cayman Islands; Mexico, Puerto Rico (2); and USVI. The agreement was signed on behalf of Marriott/Ritz Carlton by Alejandro Acevedo, regional vice president of Marriott International; Mohammed Asaria, vice chairman of Range Developments; and Saint Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet. The heart of the Black Bay Master Development will consist of Ritz Carlton branded hotel and villas set on 180 acres. The site is on the Caribbean southwest coast, within easy reach of the international airport and the Pitons, the world famous heritage site. The master development will be developed in a number of phases. The Ritz Carlton hotel, the anchor of the master development, will be developed under the country’s citizenship-by-investment programme and will comprise 180 rooms. Range Developments has received plaudits and awards both for its designs and robust and innovative corporate social responsibility activities. This will be the company's third major

luxury development in the Caribbean, following the Park Hyatt St Kitts, which is due to open in November, and Kempinski Dominica. The Park Hyatt St Kitts won the prestigious Best New Hotel Construction and Design St Kitts and Nevis award at The International Property Awards 2014-2015. It also won the coveted award of Best New Hotel Construction and Design in the Caribbean 2014-2015. The Ritz Carlton will be designed and built to the highest standards in keeping with Range Development’s ethos and the project will create about 500 jobs on the island during construction, with a similar amount once the hotel is operational. Saint Lucia’s citizenship-by-investment programme is aimed at encouraging investment in the island. Investors not only have a chance to invest, but assuming they meet the stringent requirements, apply for citizenship of the country, with all the benefits of full citizenship. ¤ Source: Caribbean News Now (L-R) Pinkley Franics, Chairman, Invest Saint Lucia, Alejandro Acevedo, Regional Vice President, Marriott International; Mohammed Asaria, Vice Chairman of Range Developments; and Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, Kamal Shehada of Range Developments, and Minister Dominique Fedee at signing of the agreement. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

TOURISM IN FOCUS

Coco Appoints Shine CocoPalm Palm Appoints Shine Brighter’s Chelcie Lewis As UK Representative Brighter’s Chelcie Lewis As UK Representative

Rodney Bay Village hotel in the UK and Europe with training in Canada and the US markets. Coco Palm’s Managing Director, Mark Ferguson, welcomed Chelcie Lewis to the Marketing team as the Rodney Bay Village 100 room boutique hotel continues to implement a strategic approach to its global marketing. "Chelcie's experience working with the trade has won her many accolades which Coco Palm is keen to capitalise on through her network and strong following in the travel industry." Chelcie Lewis, formally with the Saint Lucia Tourist Board UK for seven years, launched Shine Brighter Marketing in July 1st, 2017 with Coco Palm as her first client. “It is a pleasure to represent Coco Palm through Shine Brighter Marketing as I love the property and feel it represents true Saint Lucian hospitality through both its product and people on the team”. According to Ms. Lewis, Shine Brighter Marketing acts as representation in the UK and Europe for a range of “amazing products based on the island of Saint Lucia, providing a bespoke and professional marketing service. Coco Palm is one of three clients that Shine Brighter Marketing services represents in Saint Lucia.”

Saint Lucia’s award-winning resort, Coco Palm, has appointed Shine Brighter Marketing, headed by Chelcie Lewis, as their Sales & Marketing representative based in the UK. Chelcie will be working with the travel trade and consumers promoting the

Chelcie Lewis is British born with close ties to Saint Lucia, as her family originates from Choiseul on South-West coast of the island. Ms. Lewis is a marketing consultant who holds a BA with Honours in English, Language Literature and Media Studies and also a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). ¤

SLTB Selects TOTAL Public Relations In Canada targeting key niche markets aimed at increasing Canadian visitors.

SLTB Selects TOTAL Public Relations In Canada

The TOTAL agency will continue to grow awareness of Saint Lucia in specialized niche markets with its combination of romance offerings, health and wellness spas, culinary options and travel trends like “affinity” tours for those seeking learning-based vacations. “We are humbled to have been given this opportunity by the Saint Lucia Tourist Board to support their marketing efforts in Canada,” said Andrew Ricketts, President of TOTAL Public Relations. “Saint Lucia is a place to indulge all senses. The island is blessed with some of the Caribbean’s finest beaches, luxury resorts with unparalleled views and the perfect balance of activities and relaxation. Saint Lucia and love go hand in hand.” Reporting directly to Dunstan James, SLTB’s Director of Marketing Canada, TOTAL PR will lead the media relations from its Toronto based office.

Andrew Ricketts of TOTAL Public Relations and Dustan James, Director of Marketing Canada The Saint Lucia Tourist Board has selected TOTAL Public Relations as its official PR agency in Canada to represent the destination. TOTAL PR will be responsible for developing and implementing a strategic public relations plan, with the overall objective of BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

For media inquiries on Saint Lucia, please contact Andrew Ricketts at (416) 820-4310 or by email andrew@totalpublicrelations.ca. For all sales and travel trade related inquiries, please contact Dunstan James at (416) 801-9519 or by email djames@stlucia. org. For more information about the island of Saint Lucia, call 1-800456-3984, or 1-888 4STLUCIA or visit http://stlucia.org/. ¤

Chastanet wants the market to be on the lines of successful markets of the world, mentioning London’s Borough Market as a case in point. He said that plans for the refurbishment are soon to be completed and that he has identified two sources of funds for the project which idealistically he would like to be completed before Christmas. He also said that the Castries City Council and the Mayor are intimately involved in the project. “We certainly want to make this a location where everybody comes,” Chastanet said, adding that once government had completed the project the idea would be taken right across the island.

Market Refurbishment To Kickstart Castries Redevelopment The more than 100-year-old Castries Market is in for a major refurbishment which will mark the start of the redevelopment of the City of Castries.

Mayor Francis welcomed the impending refurbishment of the market claiming that what is happening in the market must be re-engineered. “We are going to modernise the vending situation in Castries. We want more Saint Lucian products to be sold at the market. People will be licensed to sell products,” Francis said. ¤

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Allen Chastanet following a tour of the market in August with Physical Planning Minister Ezechiel Joseph, Mayor Peterson Francis and representatives of the St. Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA), St. Lucia Manufacturers Association and two architects, one of whom works with government. The Prime Minister said that the market, which was constructed in 1891 by building engineers Bruce & Still Ltd., of Liverpool is grossly underutilised and that his government is looking at it to not only improve its appearance but to ensure that vendors sell primarily St. Lucian products. “Before the elections we came here several times as a party and always thought that this place was grossly underutilised. When you go and meet the people who work here on a daily basis you can see the level of frustration that they have. So once and for all we want to come in here and fix up the place,” Chastanet said. “This is the beginning of the plan for the re-development of Castries. Right now, we have an outside agency reviewing the plan that was done in 2008 and basically bringing it up to date,” Chastanet said. The Castries Market is the largest open-air market in the country with hundreds of regular vendors and other types of vendors plying their trade there. It has facilities for the selling of fish, meat, fresh produce, restaurants and at one time was the popular weekend venue for lovers of Country & Western music who would dance to their favourite songs, an event which sometimes ended in the wee hours of the morning.

Blair’s Auto Parts Bois D’Orange, Gros-Islet Hwy, P. O. Box QAB 275, La Guerre Tel: 1(758) 450-6609 1(758) 717-5723 1(758) 488-0402

We Offer a Wide Range of Parts for all Types of Vehicles

Suzuki • Nissan • Toyota • Mitsubushi • Isuzu • Mazda We also sell brake pads for:

APV • D-Max • Navara • Mark 11 Model 2000 – Up. Other parts in stock are:

Water Pumps • Lead Wires • Brakes Hoses • Suspension Parts Wheel Cylinders • Mounts and MUCH MORE BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

HEAR DAT….HEAR DAT….

HEAR DAT….HEAR DAT…. HEAR DAT… HEAR DAT …..HEAR DAT

HEAR DAT… HEAR DAT …..HEAR DAT

By: Glad Taylor

Ears come in all shapes and sizes … and are decorated in different ways … plus they make handy “hooks for glasses!! Ears are also one of the end points of energy lines in our bodies … and different parts of the external ear relate directly to various parts of the body. This is similar to reflexology points in the feet…. But not quite as easy to locate to massage!

A problem in any of these areas will require a hearing test to determine the type of hearing loss you have. How common is Hearing Loss? Hearing loss is the result of sound signals not reaching the brain. There are two main types of hearing loss, depending on where the problem lies. • Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the sensitive hair cells inside the inner ear or damage to the auditory nerve. This occurs naturally with age or as a result of injury. • Conductive hearing loss happens when sounds are unable to pass from your outer ear to your inner ear, often because of a blockage such as earwax or glue ear. The main cause are : Age Hearing loss that develops as a result of getting older is the biggest single cause. Most people begin to lose a small amount of their hearing from around 40 years. This hearing loss increases over the next twenty years. By the age of 80, many people have significant hearing problems.

But, the principal function of our ears is obviously to listen to the world around us. Many people don’t realise how complicated and how finely tuned the ear is.

As your hearing starts to deteriorate, high-frequency sounds, such as female or children’s voices, may become difficult to hear. It may also be harder to hear consonants such as "s", "f" and "th". This can make understanding speech in background noise very difficult. Unfortunately, many families don’t realise the importance of hearing in their older members. A deterioration in hearing can sometime lead to depression and isolation and lack of comfort in social groups like churches. Regular hearing tests as we age are important, as in many cases the use of a hearing aid can make life for seniors much easier. Loud noises Another common cause of hearing loss is damage to the ear from repeated exposure to loud noises over time. This is known as noise-induced hearing loss, and it occurs when the sensitive hair cells inside the cochlea become damaged.

Many members of the animal kingdom have much more finely tuned hearing than human hearing. A Fox’s hearing is so keen it can hear the squeek of a mouse 100 metres away. The HUMAN EAR is made up of three main areas: • the outer ear – sound enters the outer ear and passes down the ear canal to the eardrum (a thin membrane), which vibrates • the middle ear – this air-filled cavity contains three tiny bones that pick up and carry the vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear • the inner ear – this contains the vestibular system (the balance organ) and the cochlea (the hearing organ), which is a coiled fluid-filled tube that turns the vibrations into electrical signals that are fed along the auditory nerve to the brain BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

You are at higher risk of developing noise-induced hearing loss if you: • work with noisy equipment, such as pneumatic drills or compressed-air hammers • work in environments where there's loud music, such as a nightclub • regularly listen to music at a high volume through headphones Hearing loss can also occur suddenly after exposure to an exceptionally loud noise, such as an explosion. This is known as acoustic trauma. Hearing loss may also occur as a result of disease, infections or drugs. It may be inherited or be a result of physical damage to the ears or serious injuries to the head. What happens in a Hearing Test Initially the hearing specialist will ask you a few questions about your hearing and if you are aware of any problems.

A machine called an audiometer is then used to produce sounds at various volumes and frequencies (pitches). You listen to the sounds through headphones and respond when you hear them by pressing a button. The audiometer prints out the result of your hearing test and the hearing specialist will explain what the results show and what can be done to improve any hearing loss. If you would benefit from wearing a hearing aid, the specialist will explain the aids which are suitable for you. A Hearing loss is generally described as mild, moderate, severe or profound. How long does it take to get a hearing test? The initial examination and audiometry test takes about twenty minutes. Discussion of the test results and a trial fitting of a hearing aid usually takes about another thirty minutes.

He will then examine your ear canal and eardrum with an Otoscope. He is looking for any sign of inflammation or infection, and any abnormalities in the ear.

The digital hearing aids now available are very small and offer excellent help in combatting hearing problems. They are all battery operated and batteries need to be changed every one to two weeks. Â¤

Surprising Health Benefits of Soursop Leaves Surprising Health Benefits of Soursop Leaves

products. Some of the major health benefits of soursop leaves are as follows: Treatment of Cancer Soursop leaves can inhibit cancer cells and cure cancer more quickly and effectively than chemotherapy which results in several side effects besides being expensive. Research has proved that soursop has an active ingredient that is 10,000 times stronger in fighting cancer cells including prostate, lung and breast cancers and is one of the most potent cures to date.

Soursop is a fruit that has its origin in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen broad leaved tree whose every part is useful and has medicinal properties. Recently, it has gained attention and popularity due to its natural cancer cell killing properties. Apart from its anti-cancer properties, it has several other medical benefits. Soursop leaves are the most beneficial parts of the tree. Scientific research conducted by The National Cancer Institute has proved that Soursop leaves can effectively attack and destroy cancer cells. They are rich in protein, calcium, fructose, fat, vitamins A and B making them usable as an ingredient in several herbal health

Treatment of Diabetes The limit of normal sugar levels ranges from 70 mg to 120 mg. The nutrients in soursop leaves are believed to stabilize blood sugar levels in the normal range. Besides, the extracts of soursop leaves can be used as one of the natural diabetes remedies. Other Benefits Treatment can also be applied for management of uric acid, back pain, eczema, rheumatism as well as generally to boost the immune system and prevent infections. Their healing properties make them capable of reducing fever, lowering high blood pressure and can help in treating inflammation and swollen feet. They aid in digestion and improve appetite. Soursop leaf consumption on a regular basis helps in improving stamina and facilitating quick recovery from diseases. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

HEALTH AND WELLNESS BUSINESS FOCUS ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS

Reverse Pharmacology

Reverse Pharmacology By Dr. Takira Glasgow

Most persons are hesitant to start medications. In some cases, your physician will not start a medication for diseases such as newly diagnosed diabetes or hypertension unless three months of conservative measures and referrals have been unsuccessful. The cusp of introduction of a new medication is an unsettling time for a patient who might, in denial, try unproven leafs or herbal tablets, choose to take the medication only when symptoms manifest or think that after the first prescription ends would be a good time to do a trial without medications. There are a few terms that are used to define a patient’s response to initiation of a medication as recommended by a physician. Medication adherence, for instance, refers to the act of observing the correct dosage, timing and frequency of administration of a medication. Perhaps adherence to general advice on the particular medication can be added to this definition, such as monitoring blood pressure or blood glucose at defined intervals while taking a new medication. Similarly, medication persistence is a measure of treatment continuity, sometimes defined by the interval between repeating a prescription as advised.

• refill the prescription before the medications finish completely, • disclose any use of supplements or herbs, • take the medications at the correct time (day or night or with meals). General advice is given, such as monitoring of blood pressure or blood glucose, monitoring for any adverse symptoms and emphasising care with any unusual or strenuous activities when starting a new medication. For instance if a person starts insulin and is not aware that skipping meals and taking an extended walk about town in the hot sun will likely cause hypoglycaemia, perhaps this should be mentioned in advance. A reasonable target for all of us who take medications should be to take as few medications as possible at the lowest doses necessary. In the case of non-communicable diseases that rely heavily on lifestyle interventions, medications may be reduced or even removed as an incentive to continue positive meal plan changes, increased physical activity and weight loss. Such adjustments should best occur in collaboration with a familiar physician. ¤

Rejected paternalistic patterns of doctor-patient interactions have ushered in a new unfortunate role of physicians as apologists. Modern health care practitioners must bridge the gap between learning from experience and structured protocols of evidence based medicine while tackling Dr. Google. The results of systematic reviews of double-blind randomised controlled trials must still be applied as a therapeutic principle to a single client. And this requires experience and intuitiveness. Cooperation and individualised health management are the order of the day. Your physician, with the invaluable help of the highly trained pharmacists, and other members of the healthcare team work together to ensure that patients: • take medications as prescribed without omitting doses, • avoid taking medications with alcohol or any substance that might interact with the prescribed medication, • avoid sharing medications with others, • store medications correctly and avoid using expired medications, • administer medications correctly as in the case of insulin and inhalers, BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Dr. Glasgow is a diabetes physician with her office at Tapion Hospital, Castries. She has a radio programme on Radio St. Lucia called “Your Diabetes Health”

The Mysteries Of LUPUS The Mysteries Of Lupus

By: Dr. Celia McConnell-Downes

What Is Lupus?

Many persons have never heard of the condition, or have heard of it but know very little about the nature of the illness. Some think it’s a type of cancer while others believe it’s a contagious disease but to everyone who knows of Lupus, all agree it is a condition that no one wants to live with. So What Exactly Is Lupus? It’s a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body and affect people of any age and any race. With Lupus, something goes wrong with the immune system making it difficult to fight off bacteria, viruses and germs. “Chronic” means the signs and symptoms last longer than six weeks and often for many years. “Autoimmunity” means your immune system cannot tell the difference between bacteria, viruses, etc and your body’s healthy tissues. As a result, it creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue leading to inflammation, pain and damage in various parts of the body. Approximately 5 million people worldwide have a form of Lupus. It affects predominantly women of child-bearing age, but anyone, including men and teenagers, may be affected. There Are 4 Forms Of Lupus: 1. Systemic: accounting for approximately 70% of all cases of Lupus. In these patients, about 50% will have a major organ such as the heart, lungs, kidneys or brain affected. 2. Cutaneous: affects only the skin and accounts for about 10% of all cases. 3. Drug Induced: affects about 10% of all cases and is caused by high doses of certain medications. The symptoms are similar to systemic Lupus but they usually subside when the medications are discontinued. 4. Neonatal Lupus: is rare and occurs when the mother’s antibodies affect the foetus. At birth, the baby may have skin rash, liver problems or low blood cell counts but these

symptoms disappear completely after 6 months with no lasting effects. The symptoms of Lupus differ from one person to another. Some may have a few symptoms, while others have many. There are many symptoms of Lupus because the disease can affect any part of the body. Many suffer from cardiovascular disease, strokes, disfiguring rashes and painful joints. Some may have no visible symptoms. Common symptoms include: • Achy joints (arthralgia) • Unexplained fever • Swollen joints (arthritis) • Prolonged or extreme fatigue • Skin rash • Ankle swelling and fluid accumulation • Chest pain on deep inspiration (pleurisy) • A butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose • Hair loss • Sensitivity to the sun and/or other light • Seizures • Mouth or nose sores • Pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress (Raynaud's phenomenon) The malar, or “butterfly” rash on the face is present in about one-third of people with Lupus. This flat, reddish rash across the bridge of the nose and cheeks often is the only outward symptom of Lupus. Lupus symptoms can imitate other illnesses and is sometimes called the great imitator. Symptoms may come and go over time, making diagnosis difficult. To make a diagnosis, doctors evaluate a patient’s symptoms, lab test results, personal medical history and family medical history. Factors that may trigger a Lupus flare include infections, ultraviolet light (sunlight and artificial light), stress, some medications, and environment with some still unknown. With current methods of therapy, 80 to 90 percent of people with non-organ threatening Lupus can look forward to having the same lifespan as people without Lupus. ¤ Dr. Celia McConnell-Downes is a General Practitioner of sixteen years. She graduated from the University of Guyana in 2001 with her MBBS and in 2013 she earned her Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes (Distinction) from the Cardiff University. Dr. McConnellDownes has spent over a decade working in the emergency rooms at Victoria and Tapion Hospitals and is a certified American Heart Association instructor in Advanced Cariac Life Support. Dr. McConnell-Downes currently operates her GP practice in the Fitz St. Rose Medical Centre on Micoud St, Castries where she sees patients of all ages and gender. She has a keen interest in diabetic patients as they are so vulnerable to developing many complications. She’s a member of the St. Lucia Medical and Dental Association, Secretary of the St. Lucia Heart, Lung and Blood Foundation and Vice President of the St. Lucia Arthritis and Lupus Association. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

No Privatisation For New Owen King EU Hospital

No Privatisation For NEW Owen King EU Hospital

Health and Wellness Minister Mary Isaac dealt a fatal blow to rumours that the OKEU Hospital will be privatised when it opens its doors to the public. At a news conference, Isaac said that while government was looking at a partnership deal, privatisation was not on the cards at all. “Right now, we do not envisage any privatisation of our national hospital,” Isaac said. “The Ministry of Health sent out invitations to people who may be interested in coming in as a partner with us in the hospital. We are still accepting people who want to

bring proposals in, in terms of coming in as a partner but that will not cause the hospital to be privatised,” Isaac added. According to the minister, the hospital will be managed by a board of directors and the transition from the old Victoria Hospital to the OKEU will be done in phases because of the learning process involved in the changeover. This is the first time the country will be transferring from one hospital to another and both Isaac and her Permanent Secretary Felix St. Hill said issues will arise as a result. However, both exclaimed that those problems will be taken care of. “This is new territory for us,” Isaac said. Said St. Hill, “While the transition is going on we need the public to bear with us, it is an exercise being done for the first time in St. Lucia. It’s a mammoth task. There will be some teething problems but our professional staff in the Ministry will

resolve all the problems that will surface,” he said. The transition from Victoria Hospital to the OKEU will be accomplished hopefully before year end, according to St. Hill. The first phase of transition will be the transferring of non-clinical services like the out-patient clinic, physiotherapy, pharmacy and departments like administration and management. The second phase will include services like the lab, intensive care unit and in-patients. The third phase will include the finalisation of the transition. Domestic assistants will be transferred at every stage. The OKEU comprised 33 departments including accident and emergency department, out-patient, general wards, operating theatres, radiographer, intensive care unit and a range of support services among other departments. The hospital was constructed from a grant of Euro 40 million from the European Commission to the Government of St. Lucia. The Commission gave another grant of Euro 8.9 million to outfit the hospital with the necessary furniture and equipment. ¤

Will Transform Into Urban Polyclinic VHVHWill Transform Into Urban Polyclinic The 130-year-old Victoria Hospital, better known locally as VH, will end its long reign as the main public health care facility in Saint Lucia late this year as the new Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital takes over the reins. But VH, which opened in 1887, will not fade away. It will continue to operate on the health care landscape as an urban polyclinic according to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Felix St. Hill. Others within the health and wellness fraternity have also indicated that this will occur, but a timeline of transition has yet to be revealed. Meanwhile, great plans are in store for the OKEU Hospital, the soon to be flagship health facility on the island. For instance, twelve dialysis machines are presently

Senator Mary Isaac Minister of Health BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

being installed there, ten in the general area and two in the intensive care unit. Six more will be installed at St. Jude Hospital in Vieux Fort while those at VH will be replaced. This expansion in the government’s dialysis programme is to coincide with the opening of the OKEU Hospital. So too it seems is the expansion of the Ministry of Health paediatric programme which includes the special needs assessment programme. The OKEU is the largest European Union project in the eastern Caribbean worth approximately EC$180 million. The money was a grant from the European Commission to the Government of St. Lucia. Its main purpose, as explained by St. Hill, is to provide quality health care to all citizens in the most cost effective and efficient manner. ¤

Events

events 2017

Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF 2017) Events

September 28 – October 1, 2017, San Diego, California, USA. From utility scale to distributed generation, storage to smart grids, financing to regulation, energy efficiency to the role of gas as a complement to renewables, CREF 2016 is the primary meeting place for regional and international market participants. CREF is where knowledge meets need, projects meet finance, and where the Caribbean meets the global experience of developing renewables and diversifying national energy matrices. For further information: www.crefmeeting.com

Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) – SOTIC 2017 October 9 – 13, 2017. Grenada, Location: TBA. CTO’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) is the “not-to-be-missed” tourism conference for anyone involved in the Caribbean Hospitality Industry. Join the dozens of tourism decision-makers, government officials, tourism, hotel and airline executives, travel agents, students, the media and persons directly and indirectly involved in tourism to network and discuss challenges, trends and solutions for the industry. UNWTO and WTTC heads will join other distinguished speakers who will provide best case practices and winning strategies critical for Caribbean tourism. For further information: www.onecaribbean.org

World Travel Market (WTM) 2017 November 6 – 8, 2017. ExCel Center, London, UK. WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. Almost 51,500 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on ExCeL – London every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM. This unique one-to-one event is targeted at leisure and niche travel markets, allowing exhibitors to exclusively meet with elite hosted buyers. WTM London, now in its 36th year, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals generating in excess of £2.5 billion of travel industry contracts. For further information: www.wtmlondon.com

10th Annual Saint Lucia-Taiwan Partnership Trade show November 24 – 26, 2017. Johnsons Centre, Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia The Department of Commerce, International Trade, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) will host the 10th Annual Saint Lucia-Taiwan Partnership Trade Show. The Trade Show will highlight a wide range of quality goods and services from Saint Lucia and Taiwan. In addition, businesses from both countries will profit the opportunity to develop strategic trading and networking alliances. The Taiwanese contingent is keenly interested in seeking agents for the retail of their products. To this end, the Department of Commerce wishes to invite manufacturers and service providers interested in participating in the Trade Show, to collect registration forms from the Department or download at www.commerce.gov.lc and submit completed forms, on or before September 15, 2017. For further information, please contact Ms. Cindy Eugene, Marketing Specialist at cindy. eugene@govt.lc or 468-4216/285-4677. For further information: www.onecaribbean.org

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Major Moves

GOSL Honourable Herod Stanislas Appointed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperatives Member of Parliament for Soufriere/Fond St Jacques, the Honourable Herod Stanislas, has been appointed to serve as Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperatives, with effect from August 21st 2017.

Prior to his current appointment, his former roles include Executive Director of the Gaming Authority; Financial Management Consultant; Banker in the jurisdictions of Saint Lucia, Barbados and the Cayman Islands; Senior Executive within the East Caribbean Financial Holding Group; Director of Saint Lucia Financial Sector Supervision Unit; Registrar of Insurance and Assistant Comptroller of Inland Revenue Saint Lucia. Regionally, he serves as Commissioner to CARICOM Competition Commission. Nestor brings to CIP Saint Lucia, his vast experience as a regulator within the financial services sector and his expertise in the areas of Anti Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).

Minister Stanislas had previously served as a Minister in the Ministry of Economic Development, Housing, Urban Renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation. Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet, in explaining the decision to reassign the Minister, noted: “Minister Stanislas has proven himself to be a dedicated and hard worker on the part of the people of Saint Lucia and this particular Ministry he has been assigned to is essential to the ambitious economic agenda we have set forth. We know that he will be successful in this new role.”

The Citizenship by Investment Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Nestor Alfred to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Citizenship by Investment Unit effective 8th

August, 2017. Nestor holds a BSc. Management Studies from the University of the West Indies and an MBA from Henley Management College/ Brunel University. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

Amory Jervis was appointed Senior Corporate Manager of CIBC FirstCaribbean Barbados Limited, St Lucia on July 3, 2017. Amory is Jamaican and has over 23 years banking experience. Prior to joining CIBC FirstCaribbean he held Senior Management and Management positions across Retail and Corporate Banking at four international and local banks, holds a Diploma from the Chartered Banker Institute, a Chartered Banker MBA from Bangor University in UK and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland. Passionate about client service, Mr. Jervis believes in developing people to reach their full potential.

MAJOR MOVES

Windward and Leeward Brewery Limited (WLBL), leader in the beverage industry would like to announce that Mr. Oscar Garcia has been appointed as Managing Director. Oscar joins the WLBL family with over 20 years in the beverage industry. Starting his career with The Coca-Cola Company in different Sales and Marketing roles, he joined the HEINEKEN family in 1997 as a Business Development Manager in Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma’s (CM) (HEINEKEN Mexico) International Division. Oscar, who during his tenure with HEINEKEN, has held numerous roles including Regional Sales Director for the Central and Eastern US, Exports Director CM and Manager of Sales Development for HEINEKEN Global Commerce, Americas Region. In 2013 Oscar then joined the HEINEKEN USA team as the Regional Vice President his role prior to joining WLBL. “We are delighted to have Oscar join our team in St. Lucia. He will play a pivotal role in augmenting the company’s growth strategy as well as building on WLBL’s outstanding reputation for providing high quality beverages and exceptional service delivery” stated Lisle Chase, Chairman of the Board. In a brief statement, Oscar Garcia indicated “It is exciting continuing my journey in the beverage industry with WLBL. I look forward to my tenure in this beautiful island and pledge my commitment to continue growing the organisation with St. Lucia.

MAJOR MOVES

Juan Bailey will take on the leadership role for B2B in Saint Lucia. Juan Bailey is a Grenadian national, with over 20 years of professional experience in the Caribbean ICT industry, working in the public sector, private sector, and as an independent consultant. The holder of an MBA (Finance) from the University of Leicester and a B.Sc in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of the West Indies, he most recently re-joined the Cable & Wireless Family in 2015 under C&W Business, as Regional Sales Director with responsibility for Curacao, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Under the new B2B structure in Saint Lucia, Sales Support under the leadership of Mary Delice will now report to Juan, as will Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), led by Dione Benn.

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort has announced the appointment of Mark Sterner as General Manager of the over 100acre beach front resort between St Lucia’s UNESCO World Heritagelisted Pitons. A five-year veteran of the Viceroy Hotel Group, German-born Mark is the son of hoteliers and grew up in Africa before attending hotel school in Hanover, Germany. Prior to joining Sugar Beach, Mark was the General Manager and Hotel Manager of Viceroy Yas, Abu Dhabi, and was also General Manager of Viceroy Maldives for two years. In his close to 25-year career in the hospitality industry, he has also worked

at the Langham in London, K-Club in Barbuda, at Burj Al Arab in Dubai, Gleneagles in Scotland, Sandy Lane in Barbados, Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands and The Carlyle in New York. “I am excited about this new challenge and welcome the opportunity to extend my experience with Viceroy Hotel Group in the Caribbean and to work with hotel owner, Roger Myers at this truly world class resort,” said Mark.

Mr. Gillray Cadet is the new Chief Executive Officer at Invest Saint Lucia (ISL) effective 7th September 2017. Mr. Cadet holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting (Magna Cum Laude) from Louisiana State University (USA) and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (USA). He is also a USA Certified Public Accountant. He brings a wealth of leadership, finance and investment experience to ISL, having worked across the globe during his career spanning almost two decades. Mr. Cadet has significant experience in both emerging and developed markets, and has spent the last 11 years focusing on the emerging markets of the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America, where economic development is a priority. Mr. Cadet has held positions of Chief Investment Officer, Group Finance Director & Acting CFO and Managing Director, among others, at various entities in the USA, Europe and the Middle East. Some of these entities include PricewaterhouseCoopers, Aabar Investments PJS, Arabtec Holding PJSC and Deutsche Bank. During his career as an investment professional, he has structured and executed on over US $10 billion of transactions as a Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions professional.

“My long-term goal,” he remarks, “has always been to one day utilize my experience to advance Saint Lucia’s development. I therefore embrace this opportunity as CEO of Invest Saint Lucia to make a meaningful contribution towards my country’s socio-economic development.”

Goretti Paul has been appointed to serve as Director on the Board of the St. Lucia Employers’ Federation (SLEF) effective 17th August 2017. Goretti is a human resource professional with over 13 years’ experience in the field. She has held local and regional executive positions including Vice President HR St. Lucia and Head of HR Southern Caribbean at Cable & Wireless. In 2014, Goretti founded St. Lucia’s first full service human resource management solutions company – HRWise Inc. and currently serves as the Managing Director. During her HR career, Goretti has been instrumental in designing and executing major HR policies, the introduction of a HR Shared Service Model and numerous organizational restructuring projects while maintaining an amicable industrial relations climate. Through HRWise, she supports a range of private and public sector organizations, by providing HR solutions aimed at improving efficiencies, employee engagement and the value gained from effectively managing their people. Goretti holds an Executive Diploma in Human Resource Management from the University of the West Indies and a Masters in Human Resource Management from the Australian Institute of Business. As SLEF continues to deliver our mandate, which is to serve as a representative of employers, to promote and protect their interests, as well as to promote the cause of good industrial relations in St. Lucia, we look forward to Goretti’s valuable contribution and active support in her new role. BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

BUSINESS FOCUS

ADVERTISERS INDEX COMPANY

Advertisers Index

Page

1st National Bank

Advertising & Marketing Services

Automative World

Automotive Art

Auto Serv

Bank of Saint Lucia

Blue Waters

Caribbean Hearing Clinic

Coco Palm Resorts

Computer World

Cool Breeze

EC Global

Fast Cash

First Citizens Investment Services

FLOW

Goddard Catering

Grant Thornton

H & L Environmental Services

JQ Motors

Kleydun Consulting Services

Lazarus Funeral Home

Leaders' Corner

Massey Gourmet

Radiator Hose Work

RASCO

Sagicor

SDG Engineering Inc

Sun General

The Real Cost Of Turnover

Tool Hut

Tyrone's Wrecker Service

Visions Express

COVERS FLOW

IFC

Harris Paints

OBC

Automotive Art

IBC

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

NEW COMPANY REGISTRATIONS COMPANY

NATURE OF BUSINESS

DIRECTORS

Afro’s Best

Hairdressing

Tasha Annick Francis

Ali’s Cove

Restaurant & Bar

Alison Dawne Leonce

Boinin Heart Villa

Bed & Breakfast

Joannes Lamontagne

Caribaid F Club

Retail wholesale, Special Events

Earl Augustin

Castries South Constituency Office

Management Constituency Business

Ernest Hilaire

Cox Digital Impressions

Producing Woodwork & Signage

Dale Lincoln Cox Alisha Sherma Felicien - Cox

Curt Travel And Tours

Taxi & Tours Services

Curt Wendel Amedee

DJ’s Palace

Beauty Salon

Jacline C. Daniel Deon Straughn

Double M Enterprises

Retailing of Vehicle spares and Accessories.

Moses Jeff Montoute

Dr. Nelsons Health and Wellness Cosmetique

Cosmetics for hair and skin – Tourist Industry

Michael Sheilan St. John Nelson

Early Bird

Variety Shop

Pamela Eve Moncherry

Emysweet Creations

Catering

Emel Astra Felix

En- Trepid Imports

Ordering of goods, consumer retail, and electronic repair.

Joel Simeon Bernard

Farm Essence

Natural handmade soap and body care products

Leandra Gillian Peter

Forever Charmed

Retail of Jewelry and Cosmetics

Velander Jermina Emiliens

G&S Japan Imports

Motor vehicle and parts import

Glenroy Kwamie Nerville Theophile Shanice Lucky Tamar Evans

Good To Go Tire Services

Retail of Tires

Damian Remy

Happy Tours and Rental

Rental & Tours

Jodi Boodhoo

Harbour Terrace

Apartment Complex

Jemima Eunice Bevan Anthony Beardmore Bevan Cameron George Bevan

Havyn’s Foundation

Construction & Interior Decorating

Gladys Noel

Health Nutz

Healthy Food Products

Shorvanie Melissa Justin-leon

HH Technical Services

Training of Technicians, maintenance and other technical services

Kenisworth McSherry Hackshaw Colin Fibel Huskinson

Indoor Environmental Cleaning Solutions

Cleaning of Air condition and indoor air quality

Cecil Asner Lubin Godlin Prince - Lubin BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

NEW COMPANY REGISTRATIONS COMPANY

NATURE OF BUSINESS

DIRECTORS

Jamaican Dish

Restaurant

Camille Stacey-Ann Ellis

KOATINGS

Painting / Cleaning

Kenny Lincoln Victor

L&A Composting

Production and sale of compost & compost tea.

Richard Trevor Lovence

Lisa’s Beauty Salon

Hair Salon

Lisa Jn Baptiste -Hippolyte

LP’s Handmade Crochet

Crochet

Laura Peterson Gina Sophia Peterson - Joseph

Memwa De Sent Lisi

Gift Shop

Timothy Danzie Luciana Mangal

Mile Services

Car Rental

Lena Edward

Mitch’s Taxi Service

Taxi Service

Joanne Lamontagne

Oasis Cafe

Food Establishment

Syrecta Sherrie Alcee

OOGGEE’s Place

Retail of General Merchandise

Saria Nadia Khodra

Prime Trading

Health & Beauty Distribution

Alphonsus Victor Edwards

Shanty’s Kitchen & Catering Service

Cooking & Catering

Chantal Francisca Sylvestre

Silver Star

Taxi Services, car Rental, Apartment Rental & Entertainment

Kevin Nathan Thomas Kay Cindy St Louis

Suzy Dezigns

Craft Store

Samantha Rosanna Alexander

The Player’s Chill Spot

Sports Bar

Nikki Shervelle St. Louis

Tiffney Travel Concierge

Tourism - Tours

Tiffney Joseph

Van Dou Relaxation Resort

Accommodation

David Emmanuel

Veno’s Hardware and Variety Store

Selling of Hardware & Household Items

Vincent St Catherine

WAY-ZON-NAB

Small Grocery / Variety Shop

Leanda Lucia Charmont

WKD Consultancy

Accounting Business Advisory and Consulting

Winnetta Dupres

Woman to Woman House of Fashion

Fashion House

Macrina Antoine

Xtreme Beauty Spa

Salon

Surbina Louis

BusinessFocus

Sep/Oct

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