The Exporter - Issue 2

ISSUE #2 | MAR 2017

THE TRADE IN SERVICES MAGAZINE OF THE BCSI

Women and the ‘New’ Economy An Economy that Works for Women

Women In Micro-Enterprise

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Vlogging to Success

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EDITORIAL

We welcome you

to the pages

of this second edition of the Barbados

This edition turns the spotlight on women

Services Quarterly Magazine – THE EXPORTER.

in trade and we are delighted to welcome

2016, the magazine has received rave reviews from those who have seen it and read it online. The Prime Minister’s office described it as “modern, attractive, colourful, interesting and exciting – a magazine that

Graham Clarke is a Chartered Marketer and Current Executive Director of BCSI

marketplace.

Coalition of Service Industry’s Trade in

Since our inaugural edition in November

GRAHAM CLARKE

their own success in the international

will appeal greatly to the creative persons in our midst, who are for the most part service providers, as well as to young people”. We are heartened and encouraged by these sentiments of goodwill which reinforce our commitment to excellence and to the principle of continuous improvement in all that we do as a Coalition.

on board UN Women as a supporter of this edition. We would also like to thank Tonni Brodber Head of Office, UN Women MultiCountry Office Caribbean for the inclusion of her stimulating discourse on “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work” - the theme for International Women’s Day 2017. On that note, we are delighted to feature on the front page of this edition the face of one of Barbados’ young and upcoming fashion ‘icons’ who is making waves across the region and internationally with her unique brand. Hers is an interesting and compelling story of breaking through barriers to make it in her field and THE EXPORTER

Our goal is to position this magazine

will certainly be tracking her exploits and

as the number one Trade in Services

journey to the top.

Magazine for Barbados and the Region.

The persistent challenge for our local and regional economies to generate the levels of foreign reserves needed to settle our high import bills and honour our burdensome external debt repayment schedules, creates the opportunity for our services sector (particularly our professional services firms many of whom are export ready) to be more aggressive in seeking out revenue generating opportunities beyond our borders. That is

We are also pleased to have the insights and perspectives from the Minister of Labour, Social

Security

and

Human

Resource

Development, Sen. Dr. the Honourable Esther Byer Suckoo on women in the workplace and Dr. Ena Harvey on culinary tourism.

The reader will also find some interesting statistics on wage gaps between women and men and the participation of women in the local and regional work force.

why are using this medium to delve behind

There’s much more in store among these

the scenes and uncover untold stories of

pages and therefore we encourage you to

the champion entrepreneurs and service

explore and provide us with feedback on

providers who are running on a track of

how we can enhance THE EXPORTER brand for

innovation and charting a path towards

future editions.

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contents women and trade in services 06 What would the economy look like if it truly worked for women?

10 Women in Micro-Enterprise 12 What Exactly is Trade in Services?

14 Fast Facts: With Tonni Brodber creative industries is big business 18 Culinary Tourism: Let’s Get Cooking 20 Agro-Tourism: Taking Entrepreneurship to a New Level 22 Identifying the Creative Industries as an Engine for Growth untold Stories 26 Ch’an: From Pig Farm to Paris 28 Patricia Berry-Greenidge: The Healing Touch 29 The Mosquito Maestro: The Untold Story Changing world, changing work 32 Cultural Industries & Information Communication Technology 33 The World of Work 34 Vlogging to Success 35 Why Social Media Matters?

36 What is Intellectual Property?

Members’ corner 40 Barefoot to Entrepreneurs 42 The Value of Copyright 34 Holistic Therapy: Wellness in the Workplace Your Professional toolkit 46 What is TPP? 48 Capitalising on Innovations 50 Opportunity + Planning + Execution = Export Success

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This year, International Women’s Day

The way gender inequality manifests itself,

was observed

in the stereotypes that prevent women and

under the theme, “Women’s Economic

men from exploring economic opportunities

Empowerment in the Changing World

that may be deemed ‘not for women’ such

of Work”. With this theme we must ask

as construction or not for men ‘such as stay

ourselves, what is changing? how can we

at home dad’, in gender based violence that

ensure the changes benefit us all? and

is estimated to cost the global economy 1.5

what must change in order for everyone to

Trillion, in a lack of respect and value for

benefit? It stands to reason then that with

unpaid care work, and in unequal pay for

this theme, we have to ask ourselves what

equal work; all of this has created a world

would the economy looked like if it truly

of work that is unsustainable and needs to

worked for women?

change.

These are interesting times as some cultures

The Service industry is the lynch pin of

would say Interesting times call for timely,

Barbados’ economy and most economies

effective and innovative measures.

in the Caribbean. All the identified enables

What would the economy look like if it truly worked for women?

are critical to the sustainable growth of the Across the Caribbean we are all looking for

Industry.

solutions and growth strategies.

How is the world of work in the service UN Women, the United Nations Entity for

industry changing and how does it need to

Gender Equality and the Empowerment of

change?

Women as part of its mandate supports women’s

economic

empowerment,

I’m going to focus on people, social

recognising that in line with the growing body

stability and security and finance and

of evidence, gender equality significantly

entrepreneurship.

TONNI BRODBER Head of Office UN Women Multi-Country Office Caribbean

contributes to advancing economies and sustainable development.

EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN It doesn’t matter where they work or what

Gender

A

they do. Women globally are paid less than

McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) report finds

men for the same work. The gender pay gap

that $12 trillion could be added to global GDP

for Latin America and the Caribbean is 19

by 2025 by advancing women’s equality.

per cent, compared to 24 per cent globally.

(McKinsey

Reports show that In Barbados men earn

2015).

equality

Global

means

Business.

Institute,

September

25% more than women.

as in most of the Caribbean region, females’ educational achievement is higher than that of males.

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WHEN A MAN EARNS $1 US DOLLAR, A WOMAN EARNS 77 CENTS. A WOMAN WITH CHILDREN EARNS EVEN LESS. An August 2010 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reviewing Gender Earning Gaps in the Caribbean with evidence from Barbados and Jamaica noted: In both countries, as in most of the Caribbean region, females’ educational achievement is higher than that of males. Nonetheless, males’ earnings surpass those of their female peers.

Based on their comparison, males’ earnings surpass those of females by between 14 and 27 percent of average females’ wages in Barbados, and between 8 and 17 percent of average females’ wages in Jamaica.

In Barbados, the highest earnings gaps are found among low-income workers.

Why does the gender pay gap persist?

The Caribbean Development Bank in its most recent Country Gender Assessments (CGAs) of its 10 Borrowing Member countries (BMCs) noted that the oft highlighted “academic over-achievement of girls in the region, compared to boys, has not translated into higher female labour force participation and earnings, especially in the sectors that contribute the most to GDP”.

Tourism is one of the main industries in Barbados. A 2004 study showed that 60% of the jobs in this industry were held by women. However, these women were not in leadership or decision making and were the first let go in times of financial strain.

What can we do to address the pay gap and support job security, and/or training so that people can get themselves back on their feet and contribute their skills in a different way?

One way is to Enforce regulations upholding the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. Ensure that businesses do

their part to close the gender pay gap. Another is to empower young girls and boys to look beyond what stereotypes tell them they can or cannot do, and enter into fields that interest them.

CLOSE THE PARTICIPATION GAP Between 1990 and 2013, Latin America and the Caribbean saw the largest increase in women’s labour force participation rates (LFPR) of all regions – from 40 to 54 per cent, narrowing the gender gap from 42 to 26 percent.

The CDB CGAs further note that “sex-stereotyping and occupational segregation characterise the labour markets of the 10 BMCs, with women occupying the lower paying sectors of the economies. Women are more likely to be unemployed and defined as ‘economically inactive’. And as indicated across the CGAs, women’s unpaid reproductive work in the home (or ‘care economy’), and their work in the informal economy and subsistence agriculture are not quantified or taken into account in economic and social policy-making .

The IDB study showed that results from both countries confirmed a finding (that has been recurrent with this matching approach): the complete elimination of gender occupational segregation in labor markets would increase rather than reduce gender earnings gaps .

SHARED CARE WORK Women still predominantly shoulder the enormous—and economically essential—responsibility of unpaid care and domestic work. Women headed households tend to be larger than those headed by men; and these households, where there are only women and children, tend to have much higher unemployment.

Women are faced with limited mobility

options in light of the larger, extended family for which they are often solely responsible.

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There’s a need for us to refocus and see the reproductive work as just as important as the productive world.

FOR EVERY WOMAN DECENT WORK Let’s go back for a moment to gender inequality and gender stereotypes. Gender discrimination unfairly concentrates women in jobs in the informal sector including domestic workers.

An estimated 59% of women’s work in Latin America and the Caribbean takes place in the informal sector. Lack of protections and benefits, sexual harassment and minimum wage further undermines women’s rights at work and decent work principles.

Informal employment typically is poorly paid. Falling outside the reach of labour laws, it can be unsafe and bereft of social benefits, such as pensions, sick pay and health insurance.

What can we do? Extend social protection and minimum living wages, promote the transition to formal employment in line with ILO Recommendation No. 204, and ratify ILO Convention 189 on Domestic Workers.

We are calling for a robust care economy that responds to the needs of women and gainfully employs them; equal terms and conditions for women’s paid work and unpaid work; and support for women entrepreneurs, including their access to finance and markets.

In 2015, world leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, placing gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Achievement of the goals, including ending poverty, promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, reducing inequalities within and between countries, and achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls, rests upon unlocking the full potential of women in the world of work.

If we do not address gender inequality we will not be able to address the changes in the world of work nor will we be able to adequately change the world of work to tap into the potential of the women and men of Barbados, the Caribbean and the world.

The changing world of work is our reality and changing the world of work is our imperative as we strive to create inclusive and enabling environments for women and men to contribute to the non-care economy and the care economy. It is the only means of survival. We have to be bold for change.

source

http://www.caribank.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/SynthesisReportCountryGenderAssessment.pdf page 5. http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=35326952 IDB WORKING PAPER SERIES No. IDBWP-210 Gender Earnings Gaps in the Caribbean: Evidence from Barbados and Jamaica

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for more information on the BCsi and un women propelling women in business visit www.bcsi.org.bb

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Women, as the head of our households for generations, often in the absence of males, are the bedrock of our society.

Women in microenterprise

Our morals, manners and values have been taught by our mothers. They taught us to ‘cut and contrive’, seemed to serve a multitude from a modest pot and sent us to school often without the benefit of formal employment but by providing services to the community. In every village, mothers did ‘needle work’, made pudding and souse, baked, sold a few meagre goods, or even did the washing and ironing for neighbours. This domestic contribution must have been significant to our national development and economy but has gone unrecognized because it has not been quantified.

More women today are in formal employment in the services sector at all levels, and while the wages and the social security benefits have improved over the past 50 years, in some sectors women cannot demand better wages or improved conditions of work. The unions have worked in to bargain for improved conditions, and have also worked with government to create needed legislation. These women are still the primary caregivers at home and do most of the domestic duties. Medical and family emergencies are attended to at the risk of losing wages or the job. Mothers today are still overworked, tired and broke but press on.

Today mothers continue to offer services: cosmetology, floral arranging, cooking, catering, event planning, even paralegal, bailiff, secretarial and other services in demand in a modern Barbados, as well as the traditional ones. Some do this to supplement their wages, and others as the sole source of income when there are no employment opportunities. It also becomes the preferred option when it becomes challenging to keep up with the demands of formal employment and still play the primary caregiving role for young children or aging parents. This was my experience when I left my position at the QEH and ventured to my village in St. George to provide medical services and still have the flexibility to attend to the demands of my young family.

Our mothers have selflessly raised today’s leaders, but as entrepreneurs, they receive little support in sustaining and growing their microenterprises. They operate informally without the social protection of maternity benefit, sickness benefit and old age pensions. There are few developmental opportunities for training in business, bookkeeping and marketing and cannot prepare a business plan - the fundamental requirement of funding agencies including

Sen. Dr. the Hon. Esther Byer-Suckoo Minister of Labour Social Security and Human Resource Development

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credit unions and Fund Access. They also have no access to adequate cash or assets to invest. Many haven’t saved or recorded earnings as any earnings go immediately to meeting the day’s needs. So their innovative ideas will never be realized. Unless the agencies appreciate the unique characteristics and contributions of their businesses and target the assistance to suit, the women cannot upgrade or expand but must work even harder and longer to earn a penny more.

We owe our women better. Many persons making policy and administering the programmes have been raised by mothers in such circumstances. We recognize them on special days, but chocolates and flowers are not enough. Practical support must be given on a much larger scale by way of training, funding, providing incubators, marketing, networking and the formation of co-operatives. Government, financiers, and civil society can do it. Furthermore, we know that our women will not only share their proceeds with their families, but they will teach their children also. If we empower mothers in business and the creation and management of wealth, not only will their businesses grow, but through them a culture of entrepreneurship, enterprise and innovation will be fostered for coming generations. That will help Barbados ultimately to import less, export more and develop sustainably.

Essentially then, just as our social and economic development to date has been supported by women in microenterprises, we would do well to hang our fortunes on our women by investing in them in a significant way.

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The regulation of international trade in services has its genesis in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, which resulted in the General Agreement on Trade in Services. Prior to this, there were no multilateral rules on the international trade in services and countries could generally do whatever they desired concerning the regulation of the services trade.

what exactly is trade in services?

There are four modes of delivery of the international trade in services. These are:

Mode 1 - The cross-border supply of services.

Mode 2 - The consumption of services abroad.

This occurs where neither the service

This occurs when the consumer moves

provider nor the customer leaves their

from their location to the location of the

location, for example, shopping on

service provider, for example, Tourists

Amazon, wire transfers or any service

coming to Barbados for vacation or

transacted over the internet.

Barbadians going to Miami for cosmetic surgery or for business.

William clarke Consultant Projects Officer, Education and Capacity Building

Mode 3 - Commercial presence or Foreign Direct Investment.

This form of service delivery occurs when the service provider sets up a branch or headquarters in the jurisdiction of the customer. E.g. Royal Bank of Canada Broad Street Branch, Sandals Resort Barbados.

Mode 4 – Refers to the movement of natural persons or intra-corporate transfers.

This form of service supply occurs when independent professionals travel overseas to complete a contract or when specialists/management staff from the headquarters of an organization travel to overseas branches to complete tasks at those locations.

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The concept of Trade in services is important for Barbados for a number of reasons.

Primarily, the regional integration process of CSME (CARICOM Single Market and Economy) is based on this concept. Further, the wider Caribbean region is the first within the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of countries to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union liberalizing trade in services. For the first time, service providers from Barbados and the wider Caribbean have been given legal right of access to a number of subsectors in different European Union markets consisting of approximately 500 million customers. However, for regional stakeholders to transform this market access into market penetration they must do more.

In an effort to reap higher levels of market penetration, in the face of growing competition, service providers in Barbados must improve their international competitiveness in the production and dissemination of services. This may be done in various ways, such as decreased cost structures, increased branding and increased quality.

One cannot negate the welfare gains to be derived from engaging in the international trade in services. Active participation in the world economy for services will result in achieving higher rates of economic growth, attracting higher levels of foreign direct investment, earning greater amounts of foreign exchange and increasing employment opportunities across the various sectors for citizens.

In conclusion, the international trade in services is important to Barbados for the reasons outlined above. Nationally, we must be visionary and seize the opportunity before us to expand the services sector whilst diversifying and modernizing the Barbados economy. This can only be achieved through a comprehensive trade policy, which engenders welfare gains and results in sustainable economic development.

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FAST

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S T C A F with

tonni Brodber

Head of Office a.i.

UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO) Caribbean

This year 8th March – International Women’s Day – was observed under the theme, “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work”. With this theme we must ask ourselves, what is changing, how can we ensure the changes benefit us all, and what must change in order for everyone to benefit. It stands to reason then that with this theme, we have to ask ourselves what would the economy looked like if it truly worked for women? These are interesting times and as some cultures would say interesting times call for timely, effective and innovative measures.

• The Caribbean Development Bank in its most recent Country Gender Assessments of its 10 Borrowing Member countries noted that the oft highlighted “academic over-achievement of girls in the region, compared to boys, has not translated into higher female labour force participation and earnings, especially in the sectors that contribute the most to GDP”.

• Between 1990 and 2013, Latin America and the Caribbean saw the largest increase in women’s labour force participation rates (LFPR) of all regions – from 40 to 54 per cent, narrowing the gender gap from 42 to 26 percent.

• It doesn’t matter where they work or what they do. Women globally are paid less than men for the same work. The gender pay gap for Latin America and the Caribbean is 19 per cent, compared to 24 per cent globally. Reports show that in Barbados men earn 25% more than women.

Women in the Informal Employment in the Caribbean

59

%

INFORMAL SECTOR

• Street Vendor

• Petty Goods and Service Providers • Domestic Workers • Industrial Workers • Subsistence Farmers

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An estimated 59% of women’s work in Latin America and the Caribbean takes place in the informal sector.

• Tourism is one of the main industries in Barbados. A 2004 study showed that 60% of the jobs in this industry were held by women. However, these women were not in leadership or decision making and were the first let go in times of financial strain.

If we do not address gender inequality we will not be able to address the changes in the world of work nor will we be able to adequately change the world of work to tap into the potential of the women and men of Barbados, the Caribbean and the world.

The changing world of work is our reality and changing the world of work is our imperative as we strive to create inclusive and enabling environments for women and men to contribute to the non-care economy and the care economy. It is the only means of survival. We have to be bold for change.

DID YOU KNOW

Women’s economic equality is good for business. Companies greatly benefit from increasing leadership opportunities for women, which is shown to increase organizational effectiveness. It is estimated that companies with three or more women in senior management functions score higher in all dimensions of organizational effectiveness.

Source: http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures#sthash.snxKDSIU.dpuf

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CREATIVE INDUSTRIES IS BIG BUSINESS

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It’s hardly a wonder that food in the Caribbean is such an important focus of practically every social activity, whether it be a casual lyme, fete, religious festival, christening or even a funeral wake. And the enthusiasm is catching on as more and more of the 40 million tourists who visit our region each year come to savour and enjoy our food and culture.

Culinary Tourism: Let’s Get Cooking

Culinary tourism is the “pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences” and is a subset of cultural tourism. It includes tourism experiences where one learns about, appreciates and/or consumes food and drink that reflect the local, national or culinary techniques and tells the story of the heritage, people and landscape.

Culinary tourism enhances all tourism assets. All travelers eat and drink, therefore, food and drink have a greater ability to

create long-lasting memories than any other

kind of tourism experience. Not only does culinary tourism enrich experiences but it can serve as a valuable tool to boost economic, social and community development.

Culinary tourism provides rewarding opportunities for women, farmers and rural communities to achieve sustainable livelihood by increasing rural revenue sources

DR. Ena Harvey Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.

(IICA)

and improving income levels and enables a tangible and direct share in tourism revenues.

Culinary tourism has been described by the Travel Industry Association (TIA) in the USA as “one of the fasted growing segments of the industry.” Sixty percent (60%) of American leisure travelers indicate that they are interested in taking a trip to engage in culinary activities within the next 12 months. Travel enthusiasts are willing to pay big bucks for insider tips, immersive cooking classes, wine and agricultural experiences, as well as authentic cultural exchanges.

Caribbean cuisine

is the original fusion cuisine, reflecting the multi-ethnicity of our African, East Indian, Far Eastern, European and Amerindian ancestors and is presented uniquely in each island in a fabulous panorama of flavours and aromas.

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We now need to package the offer, link the promotion

We now need to package the offer, link the promotion programme to the products and market the Caribbean as the world’s top foodie destination.

programme to the products and market the Caribbean as the world’s top foodie destination. The influence of Food Network and celebrity chefs like Rachel Ray and Bobby Flay and Jamaica Levi Roots has resulted in a greater level of education and knowledge about Caribbean foods.

The time is now! The good news is that IICA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization are currently working to a develop a Culinary Tourism Association. The focus of the association is to develop on the following areas: leadership,

market

readiness,

market

intelligence,

integrated strategy, community-bases collaboration and effective destination marketing. The Caribbean has all of the ingredients for success. Let’s get cooking!

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The development of productive and fully integrated linkages between agriculture and tourism in Barbados offers significant potential for the repositioning of agriculture, as well as

opportunities for channelling Barbados’

diversity and building a genuine competitiveness and sustainability in our tourism product.

Agro-tourism: Taking Entrepreneurship in Agriculture to a New Level

Forging agriculture-tourism linkages will capitalize on the inherent ability of these two key sectors to diversify the Barbadian economy, stimulate entrepreneurship, catalyze investment and assist in the wider social development

of local communities. Such linkages

offer unprecedented opportunities to stem and reverse the declines in traditional agriculture, stimulate rapid growths in the new ‘food zones’ identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and build resilience and sustainability of the country within the context a preserved cultural identity.

It is foreseeable that stronger linkages between the two sectors can be a vehicle for the development of a more

The rural and natural landscape of Barbados provides the foundation for a sustainable tourism product and are significant tourism assets.

modern and commercial agriculture as agro-producers adapt to market demand. Of critical importance will be the manner in which the hospitality industry view the farming community, and on the other hand, the approach by the farmers and producers to meeting the demands and standards of the hospitality industry. Realistically, local farmers will never be able to supply all the goods hotels and restaurants need, but hotels have already discovered that greater use of local agriculture products

William clarke Consultant Projects Officer, Education and Capacity Building

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results in cost saving and fresh produce reduces the proportion of loss due to spoilage.

The Opportunity Agro-tourism provides significant opportunities to stimulate entrepreneurship and rural business, and to serve as a vehicle for enhancing lives and livelihoods in rural areas. It offers a wide range of continuous development of opportunities to find a unique blend of resources in agriculture and tourism that can sustain healthy local communities, reduce rural-urban drift and enhance the rural environment.

The rural and natural landscape of Barbados provides the foundation for a sustainable tourism product and are significant tourism assets. By keeping land in sustainable agricultural production and by creating tours into rural areas, agribusiness will be promoted.

The development of these linkages will also facilitate improved quality of life and access to service-related activities in production and processing of produce. Investments in training will create a new cadre of agro-entrepreneurs who are able to undertake high technology production (greenhouse development, hydroponics and organic farming), agro-processing, craft-making, tour guiding, entertainment and site management, among others.

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The cultural and creative industries are areas in which many developing countries enjoy some comparative advantage.

The rise of the digital economy and the increasing commercialization of the arts create a window of opportunity for these countries.

These industries also offer more sustainable development options than traditional exports

Identifying the Creative Industries As an Engine of Growth

because the sector draws on the creativity of local artists and entrepreneurs, generating higher levels of local value-added. Moreover, the sector has strong growth potential and plays a key role in the arena of identity formation.

Cultural or creative industries are the economic activities of artists, arts enterprises, and cultural entrepreneurs, for-profit as well as not-for-profit, in the production, distribution and consumption of film, literature, music, theatre, dance, visual arts, broadcasting, and fashion.

Techno-Economic Change New digital and information and communication technologies have revolutionized the industry’s production processes, distribution channels, and consumption modes. Lowcost digital recording technologies have facilitated the diffusion of sound, text, and image production to small entrepreneurs without any appreciable compromise in quality. Feature films can be shot digitally at a fraction of the cost of older analogy technologies.

Mass production technologies have been replaced by niche production and mass customization of ringtones, print-on-demand services, movies-on-demand, interactive media, and social networking sites like YouTube. The diffusion of production makes the production stage of the value chain the most competitive, and margins have fallen as a result.

The convergence of the telecoms, telephone, Internet, and cultural content has revolutionized product sales and marketing, and changed the nature of piracy and royalties’ collections.

It has also upset the balance between independent companies and the major content distribution and marketing companies, thus giving the consumer greater choices. But these gains depend on wider access to Internet services and the expansion of interoperability between content providers, digital distribution channels, and consumption devices such as phones and iPods.

The whole system would be impossible without digital rights management, which facilitates consumer usage rights while protecting the works of creators from unauthorized distribution and unfair use.

dr. Keith Nurse Senior Fellow at the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) and WTO Chair at the University of the West Indies.

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The Global Cultural Economy In economic terms, the cultural and creative sector is globally one of the fastest growing.

From 1994 to 2002, exports in this sector grew from $39 billion to $59 billion. Estimates value the sector at seven percent of the world’s gross domestic product and forecast ten percent growth per year.

In most developed market economies, the cultural and copyright industries account for two to five percent of GDP and have generated consistent and stable growth above world average in the last decade, as exemplified in a rising share of employment and exports. Creative industries are also a key driver of the digital economy. Consumer demand for creative content is driving new sales in computers, broadband, cell phones, and e-commerce.

Similar trends are observed in large developing countries where there are strong capabilities in the audio-visual sector and large domestic and diasporic markets, such as Brazil, India, and Mexico.

The creative sector also has strong linkages with tourism. In some major cities and tourist destinations, cultural tourism is estimated to be as high as 40 percent of annual visitor arrivals. In addition, cultural tourists tend to spend more on local goods and services than the average visitor.

Challenges and Recommendations The challenges that developing countries face in the creative industries differ from those they face in traditional export sectors. First, intellectual property protection and commercialization are top priorities. The creative industries cannot survive in the marketplace without adequate protection from copyright infringement. Without such protection, cultural entrepreneurs would be at the mercy of piracy, bootlegging, counterfeiting, and other forms of infringement such as unlicensed broadcasting.

Music is one of the easiest art forms to pirate as a result of the wide diffusion of reproduction technologies, such as recordable compact discs and Internet-based file-sharing and peerto-peer formats like Gnutella. Napster and Grokster. The latter technologies have helped to expand the demand for music but have also had a negative impact on the music industry.

Sales have fallen to the tune of five percent per year since the late 1990s.

Second, research and development (R&D) must be placed higher on the agenda. In the cultural industries, R&D means investment in human and creative capital. The cultural industries start with creativity and account for a large share of investment in the sector. For example, the Recording Industry Association of America estimates that the U.S. music industry spends at least 15 percent of its turnover on research and development, which is higher

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than in the computing, chemicals, and aerospace industries. Investing in creative capabilities calls for the establishment of professional training institutions, as well as business support mechanisms for young artists and cultural entrepreneurs.

Last, marketing and branding are crucial because audience loyalty is difficult to build and to predict. With the rise of the digital and Internet economy there is a tendency to underestimate how challenging it is to introduce new genres into the world market for creative goods and services. Ultimately, the issue for developing regions like the Caribbean is whether they will be able to develop the expertise, distribution infrastructure, and marketing savvy to tap into the growth potential of the rising creative sector.

Governments and corporations in most developing countries have not fully appreciated the ways in which their economies can diversify and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

Often the cultural industries are not seriously regarded as an economic sector, the key stakeholders are poorly organized, and its economic value remains largely undocumented.

In this context, policy measures have typically been absent. Changing this mindset is the first step forward.

Other recommendations for fostering environments conducive to the development of cultural and creative industries include the following:

• Improve government-industry relations through the harmonization of government policy on trade, industrial, and intellectual property policies.

• Document the economic impact of the cultural industries and establish benchmarks to promote jobs, business development, and export expansion.

• Increase local and regional content on the airwaves (radio and TV) through local content legislation or regulation where needed.

• Develop cultural industry associations to represent the interest of the sector and also to develop a code of ethics and standards for remuneration rates and work practice.

• Improve access to finance, credit, and business support services for emerging and exportready firms and artists.

• Enforce anti-piracy laws, protect copyrights, and establish public awareness campaigns.

• Expand the linkages between the cultural industries, the tourism sector, and the wider economy.

• Develop

Internet-readiness for alternative broadcasting, marketing and distribution of

cultural goods, services, and events.

• Upgrade the human resource capabilities of the cultural sector through training in the arts, as well as training in arts administration, management, and cultural entrepreneurship.

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untold stories

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Born Mia Cumberbatch, Ch’An aka The Black Marilyn at the age of 24, is proving that she is not only ready to rock the world stage but she has the ability to be the next big thing flying the Bajan Flag from the pig farm where she grew up to Paris and beyond!

Everyone wants to be a star these days with the likes of Kim Kardashian and Amber Rose, who are mega stars in their own rights. Many say star power is no longer attached to creative talent. The ability to transform yourself into a brand can now secure you a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Growing up in St. Philip, Ch’An, the daughter of ministers, fell in love with music but what was different about the relationship was that it wasn’t with the trending stars of today but with the Iconic Legends of what is known as the golden era in music. Sarah Vaughn, Etta James, Patsy Kline were the musical heroines she admired and emulated with hopes of being able to accomplish, at minimum, the opportunity to entertain the world with the sweet sound of jazz. Not quite the norm for a five-yearold girl from the east, one just has to sit with Ch’An for ten seconds to realize that normal is not an adjective to be used when describing ‘this talent’.

Now a full-time entertainer with three regional tours under her belt, Ch’An has shared stage with Grammy Winners Chrisette Michele and Melanie Fiona. With a release date for her first single, Ch’An is about to take her dreams to an ultimate high.

Where has music taken you thus far?

Music has crossed off quite a few things on my bucket list! Especially in the travel department. I’ve visited and

Ch’An: From Pig Farm to Paris

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performed in Paris, Cannes, London, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Trinidad, Curacao, Anguilla, Saint Marteen, Santo Domingo and Punta Cana just to name a few. And more is ahead, lots more! I’m so excited.

Describe your sound?

I’m what happens if you get the essences of Amy Winehouse and Patra and throw them into melting pot that is Pop! All the jazz vocals, rough chants and sexy, slinky, club hopping sound that mixtures imply.

Why music?

Music saved my life. I was always raised as an academic but in retrospect I realized I had always escaped into the arts. In secondary school, the place I felt most at home was in the art room. I would sit and sketch, paint or draw for hours– during and after school.

My art teacher Ms. Alleyne was like my other mom. College was different, I escaped to open mics on the local stage and was both known for poetry and song. And in university, I took a creative writing course or something similar, every semester. I actually dropped out after running out of creative courses. It’s funny, on looking back how everything seems more obvious. I had spent my entire life “just getting by” until now.

Now I wake up and I’m either prepping for a tour or a local performance, or heading out for meetings with the guys. I’ve found my joy outside the classroom, in the midst of the “hobby” section of society. I’m sure my mom still wants me to get a “real job” but I like finding my happiness in music and keeping it is a real job. The stage saved my life. It’s an ultimate in connection; a way to have a voice that being one of those “smart kids from the island” couldn’t give me.

Being a performer is just as important as being a lawyer or a doctor, and maybe my generation will be the ones to prove that finally!

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A former magistrate in Nottingham, England, who switched gears in life,

is now a trainer of holistic therapists in Barbados and

the rest of the Caribbean. Patricia Berry-Greenidge owes that change in part to her son.

“When I completed my Master’s in human relations, I was about to do a PhD and received offers from two universities. My son bought me a book called, The Power of Touch, because he was interested in the subject,” said the principal of Personal Body Health Care Clinic and School of Holistic Therapies. “He was a young lawyer, and was always asking me to rub his shoulder. I got

patricia berrygreenidge: the healing touch

very interested in the book and instead of going to do my PhD, I started my training in therapy,” she added.

After marrying a Barbadian and coming to live in Barbados, Berry-Greenidge, who was born in Nevis and grew up in England, became the manager of a local spa where her experience and training sparked an interest among those she supervised. They would often ask her to teach them “how to do the work”. “I said to them, ‘I can show you, but if you do it wrong I can get into trouble for showing you because I am not really (qualified) to teach.’ That’s when I started to apply for accreditation to teach. It took me a while to get started and I thought I would just have that first group, but then it kept growing.”

Today, Berry-Greenidge isn’t disappointed that she made the switch as Personal Body Health Care is now an International Therapy Examination Council and International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists accredited school, making it the first such school to be accredited in the Caribbean. At the school, students are taught Indian head massage, aromatic Indian head massage, geothermal stone therapy, bamboo massage, reiki and spa training.

“It is important to understand that we are not just treating an injury someone received,” said the woman with a strong passion for holistic healing. “We have to look at the whole person, including nutrition, diet, exercise, lifestyle, the environment and biology.”

The therapist and teacher added: “If you come with a particular ailment obviously, you are looking to treat that ailment but the ailment may be caused by something else. Some people may want a specific thing done but a qualified therapist may recognise that they could benefit from something else. “My main interest is to teach and to get people qualified [so they can] get the qualifications that will make them internationally recognized and accepted worldwide,” she said.

BCSI Secretariat

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the mosquito maestro: the untold story

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The Exporter sat down with a chat with one of Barbados’ youngest entrepreneurs, dominic cox, who, at the age of 24, Dominic owns and operates a successful pest control company, Mosquito King. The somewhat shy, unassuming, polite and intelligent young man possesses a focus and a drive that is rare. Despite his youth, Dominic understands the dedication and hard work needed to stay successful.

Tell us a little about how the idea of your business came about?

It was my goal while I was away at school to start my own business, so every day I called my father for advice on what I could do and how I could make it happen, and we stumbled upon the idea of mosquito control. So, I figured why not? And I just went for it.

DC

What makes your method unique compared to other forms of pest/mosquito control?

Young, driven and focused,

Dominic Cox

Well, what we do is an entire integrated mosquito management programme, which starts with source reduction, treating sites, application of barrier sprays to foliage and dark areas as well as fogging. There is more to that but we cannot let the cat out of the bag!

DC

And this started when the Chikungunya and Zika virus was upon us?

is a becoming the answer to the region’s mosquito problem.

(Laughs) Yes actually. It was perfect timing! It was a sign!

DC

What would you say would be the top skill you would say is needed to be a successful entrepreneur?

This may sound cliché, but you need determination because you are going to get knocked down a few times, but you have to pick yourself up and try again!

DC What motivates you?

Watching my business grow from nothing into something as it was total risk.

DC So where do you see your business in five years’ time? What are the next steps?

Regional expansion, definitely. We have just started in Trinidad and we will use that as a launching pad.

DC What is your preferred method of marketing?

The best method so far is word-of-mouth. I found that once people started hearing about the mosquito guy, my phone started to ring non-stop. Social media is also a great tool!

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the changing world, changing work

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It is more evident in the cultural and creative industries than any other sector, how the Internet can serve as a global levelling tool! Several Barbadian artistes who perform worldwide (Rihanna, Alison Hinds, Buggy Nakhente and Rupee) sell their music over the Internet.

cultural Industries and Information Communication Technology

To be profitable within the cultural industries, artistes must consider factors beyond the art itself. How the art is produced, marketed, distributed and consumed must all be well thought out. Artistes need to better maximize the Internet as a resource for helping them to make money.

DID YOU KNOW

• You can turn your art into almost any product. On-demand canvas prints, posters, birthday cards, stickers, phone cases, skateboards, shoes, shirts etc., are all easily produced using services widely available on the Internet. Have you explored these opportunities?

• The Internet has developed from a place where information was consumed into a place for doing things. There is a wealth of e-tools (apps) available to you. Have you looked at the online tools and apps currently used by artists in your field?

• Have you ever thought about distributing music on iTunes or developing your own YouTube Channel?

A word to the wise!

To be competitive and to develop that COMPETIVE EDGE as cultural entrepreneur in the sector,

BECOME AN INTERNET EXPERT!

BCSI Secretariat

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the world of work

The world of work rapidly changing, through innovation

, iincreasing mobility and

informality. But it needs to change faster in terms of empowering women, whose work has already driven many of the global gains in recent decades.

Women still predominantly occupy jobs that pay less and provide no benefits.

They earn less than men, even as they shoulder the enormous—and economically essential— burden of unpaid care and domestic work.

Realizing women’s economic empowerment requires transformative change so that prosperity is equitably shared and no one is left behind.

The international community has made this commitment in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Every woman should enjoy her right to decent work.

70

% women

DID YOU KNOW In the Caribbean 11% of the population has tertiary education. Out of this 11% as a total, 70% of these are women.

As we all struggle to cope with the financial crisis and challenges taking place in the global economy, firms in both the manufacturing and service sectors need to find new ways to reduce costs and expand sales through innovation and technology.

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With the top 10 YouTube stars making a collaborative US $70 million in revenue for the period of June 2015 to June 2016, there is huge potential for persons to make a comfortable living through this

platform.

One individual who has been making use of the opportunities provided by this platform

is

Zoe Allamby, through her Carib Beauty YouTube Channel. Zoe Allamby, is a Barbadian model and YouTube beauty, fashion and lifestyle vlogger, who is currently making huge waves in the new digital

Vlogging to success!

economy. Based in Miami since the first year of her undergraduate studies, this 24-year-old beauty has made a successful business from digital make-up tutorials and product reviews. The Exporter recently sat with Zoe for an in-depth discussion on her journey and experiences in this novel and lucrative industry.

Who is Zoe Allamby?

I am a free-spirited, ambitious and family-oriented individual who was born and raised in Barbados.

I moved to Miami six years ago to complete my bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising. After completing my degree, I worked for two years in digital marketing for an established fashion design corporation. While in this job, I was actively making videos for YouTube and modelling. However, I left the corporate world in 2016 to pursue a full-time career as a model and YouTube vlogger.

As Barbadians, we are culturally risk averse, so what motivated you to leave the security of a corporate job for the unpredictability of being an independent professional as a model and vlogger?

It was a big risk leaving a guaranteed salary every month for a career where when you are paid it might be very decent, but not as consistent. However, that job was not what I wanted to do. I pride myself in being very passionate because it is at that point that I realise my full potential. Knowing I already had an online fan base made the decision a bit easier. Also, as a creative individual, I felt stifled by the rigidity of an office, so taking all things into consideration I jumped off the deep end and took that risk.

Can you please outline some of the opportunities that were presented to you after leaving the corporate environment to become an independent professional?

Leaving corporate life really opened many opportunities for me. While I was in the corporate environment I was presented with a fair amount of opportunities, but I never really had the time to fully exploit them.

Regardless of whether I am doing sponsored or paid posts or just general videos, I take great pride in my work. So now I have been able to accept more proposals to do sponsored posts by beauty and apparel companies on YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms as I no longer have the same degree of time constraints as before. The most prestigious project I have taken on to date ironically is this 3-month beauty sponsorship by IMAN Cosmetics that I am currently working on. Under this arrangement, IMAN Cosmetics provides me with different themes that I in turn produce content for my channel in the form of product reviews and make-up tutorials.

zoe allamby vlogger & barbadian model

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In your opinion, how important is branding for independent professionals such as yourself?

As an individual, you need to bring something unique or different to the table. We live in an era where everybody is trying to be somebody not only in the fashion or beauty industry but also in each of our respective fields. So, in order to be truly successful, it’s important to find an element that differentiates you from the girl sitting next to

looking back, I would just tell 16-year-old Zoe to put 100% more into YouTube!

you, or the guy for that matter!

Having taken the metaphorical “dive off the deep end” and survived, is there any advice you would give to yourself retrospectively, at 16 or 17 years old?

At 16 or 17, I always had a vague idea of where I wanted to go in life, however, I would say to myself, be very focused and driven and remember that time management is the key! It is true what people say, that we find time for those things which are most important to us and that’s how we know what we want to truly focus on. At that, age I had no idea that it would have been possible to produce videos myself, which was previously just a hobby, and turn them into something very lucrative through monetization. Looking back, I would just tell 16-year-old Zoe to put 100% more into YouTube!

What is next for 24-year-old Zoe? I have several things planned for this year; however, I can’t let it all out of the bag as yet!

What I am willing to share though is that I am in the process of developing a beauty product, which I plan to distribute in the Barbadian market.

Fingers crossed, this product will be on a shelf near you by the end of 2017!

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Despite the time and money spent on fancy magazine ads and funny television commercials, it is well known in advertising circles that word-of-mouth is the most persuasive factor in purchasing decisions. In fact, 92%

WHY SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS?

of consumers trust recommendations from people they know and trust 70% online reviews.

Social media is the new conduit for word-of-mouth marketing: 67% of online adults use social media sites. In some Caribbean countries, as many as 100% of online adults use Facebook.

So why social media marketing?

• First, it is an inexpensive alternative to the more traditional marketing campaign channels such as the newspaper, radio and television. (Social media, however, should not replace all other marketing activities);

• Word-of-mouth

marketing conducted via social media

platforms is a highly convincing form of marketing;

• It has a wide global reach; • It offers an opportunity to collect feedback from clients and to accordingly improve service offerings and delivery;

• It enhances credibility; • It improves customer relations; and • Lastly, a thoughtful social media presence bolsters sales.

The truth is that you can no longer opt out. Like it or not, every business is probably being talked about on social media platforms. Given this fact, it is better to take control of your company’s image by participating in the dialogue.

BCSI Secretariat

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what is intellecutal property?

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intellectual property (IP) REFERS to CREATIONS of the intellect for which a monopoly is assigned to designated owners by law. Intellectual property rights (IPRs) are the protections granted to the creators of IP, and include trademarks, copyright, patents, industrial design rights, and in some jurisdictions trade secrets. Artistic works including music and literature, as well as discoveries, inventions, words, phrases, symbols, and designs can all be protected as intellectual property. While intellectual property law has evolved over centuries, it was not until the 19th century that the term intellectual property began to be used, and not until the late 20th century that it became commonplace in the majority of the world (Source: Wikipedia) IP (Intellectual Property) is an idea that has transformed sight, touch, sound and even smell into a

BCSI Secretariat

trademark, patent or copyright when protected under law, and grants exclusive rights to the creator/ owner.

Below is a list of a several IP categories. A product or service can be protected in one or more of these areas.

COPYRIGHT: Protects literacy and artistic works (songs, films, compositions, etc.). The term of protection is the life of the author + 50 years after his death in the USA while in Europe it is + 70 years.

For example: Edwin Yearwood’s song, “Home Sweet Home”

TRADEMARKS: Protects distinctive signs (words, letters, designs and logos) used to identify a product or service.

Term of protection is 10 years.

For example: VISA/Clarks/TIDE/Panadol

PATENTS: Protects new and innovative products or processes. The term of protection is 20 years.

For example: Apple’s store staircase/iPhone/mp3 player

INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS: Protects the physical/aesthetic appearance of a product. Protection is offered initially for 5 years, and can be renewed up to 10 years.

For example: Volkswagen Beetle/iPad/Coca-Cola bottle

GEOGRAPHIC INDICATIONS: Protects products originating from a particular region/country in which factors are unique to the production.

Example: Cognac from Cognac, France; Scotch whisky from Scotland and; Parmigiano –Reggiano (parmesan cheese)

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MEMBERS’ CORNER

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In today’s society, the term “barefoot and pregnant” can no longer

be used to describe women. We have used our intelligence and personality to overthrow this societal stereotype and continue to create cracks in proverbial glass ceilings in various

FROM Barefoot to Entrepreneurs

occupational disciplines. Women have been relentless in their pursuit of autonomy and equal opportunity and have used economic independence to control their lives. Empowering anthems such as Beyoncé’s Run the World (Girls), serves to inspire trailblazers to climb the corporate ladder of established business sectors and inspire others to create their own paths through entrepreneurial ventures.

The strategic efforts of women have been aided by various governmental and non- governmental agencies over the years. Due to a combined effort, women are deeply woven into the fabric of the service industry, from hotels and restaurants to communications and retail. Over the years, we have seen the exponential growth of the cosmetology industry. “Kitchen hairdressers” and established business professionals from various sectors, have taken to this profession to create new streams of income. Many women who would have performed

Aleika Walker The Career Development Institute

Make-Up, make-overs and hairstyling as hobbies have transformed these talents into financial ventures to contribute or fully support their household.

With a student population of more than 90% females, The Career Development Institute (CDI), is dedicated to providing women with the training and skills necessary for economic empowerment through education. One important key to eradicating poverty and reconfiguring the status quo is to provide opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills. CDI advocates the delivery of dual qualifications to its students after the completion of a rigorous curriculum in the theory and practice in cosmetology. Our CVQ in Cosmetology has contributed to women transforming their raw talent

Aleika Walker is a Business Development Assistant at the Career Development Institute and holds a BSc in Management with a specialization in International Business. She has also completed her CVQ in Management and is Co-owner of Tams Tasty Treats. She is a contributor to The Barbados Employers Confederation newsletter and contributor and editor of Caribbean Association of Safety and Security Professionals Newsletter.

Ms. Walker is an avid reader and world traveller.

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into profitable careers and providing a solid foundation of certification. This certification not only allows them to actualize their dreams locally but also opens the door for them to apply their trade regionally.

With a student population of more than 90% females, The Career Development Institute (CDI) is dedicated to providing women with the training and skills necessary for economic empowerment through education.

The nature of the Cosmetology industry is based primarily on technical skills and entrepreneurship, and the Cosmetology CVQ allows persons to create and map their entrepreneurial strategy for their current or future business.

Students are not only required to demonstrate excellence in their craft but they are trained to develop a business plan, provide excellent customer service and marketing protocols to prepare them for the demands of business in this highly competitive industry.

The Career Development Institute is committed to the personal and professional development of all our students. In this regard, we have conceptualized The Rising Stars in Beauty Competition with the goal of presenting persons with “talented hands� an opportunity to acquire scholarship and where successful, to receive certification in this highly competitive and financially rewarding field.

As women continue to use their prowess to make significant strides in the service industry, The Career Development Institute will continue to ensure that avenues are created and nurtured to chart the way in educational development. CDI has embarked on offering a Small Business Management course, which provides individuals the essential techniques and knowledge to launch their entrepreneurial goals. I am persuaded that women will continue to break barriers and shatter glass ceilings, as our contribution to society’s development is imperative to the holistic development of our nation.

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A Tactical Choice!

Copyright of intellectual property has been recognised as one of the most important ways in which ‘music creators’ are able to generate income and should not be taken lightly. This was the advice from

The Value of Copyright

music copyrights expert Derek Wilkie as he shared his views with the Barbados Coalition of Service Industries (BCSI) on the value of copyright protection for music creators – songwriters, composers and singers.

According to Wilkie, while there are numerous challenges associated with the music industry in small island states such as Barbados, none are more apparent than that of copyright infringement. Wilkie made this point while drawing reference to the global music economy.

“Music remains one of easiest art forms to pirate as a result of numerous distribution and reproduction channels that exist because of the new digital and information communication technology advances”.

While admitting that these channels have acted positively in boosting the demand and supply for music worldwide, Wilkie noted that they have significantly stymied the economic gains of the industry.

derek wilkie

Stressing the need for music creators to take ownership and move

Founder, Caribbean 2 World Music

parallel with the industry in the international arena as it relates to copyright, Wilkie posited that there was no better time to do so than now. He believes that ample opportunities exist for industry professionals to take advantage of globalization and the numerous trade routes that have been developed over years in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Wilkie notes that the onus will lie on the music creator to determine whether are not he or she wishes to earn money through royalties paid on the public performances of his/her work, whether it is for entertainment (concerts, events and in the hotels) or for ambience (in offices, shops and restaurants) or have protection for a minimum of 50 years after death through which royalties will be collected as a reward for creative work. A tactical choice! Why not invest in yourself!

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holistic therapy: Wellness in the workplace

PBHC School of Holistic Therapies Inc. (PBHC) PBHC School of Holistic Therapies Inc. (PBHC), is an international accredited training provider, also offering holistic treatments and spa consultancy in the Health and Wellness Sector. We have been operational since 2007. Our scope of services extends to persons with a desire to serve the sector locally, regionally and internationally.

The company is managed by a Board of Directors with day-to-day management being done by a Managing Director, who is also the founding member. Our faculty consists of qualified facilitators who have vast knowledge of holistic therapy treatments and the growing trends in the industry. We are committed to training and graduating

Sherie McGeary-Ifill Business Development Officer PBHC School of Holistic Therapies Inc.

highly qualified and motivated professional therapists with qualifications, which are worldwide recognized.

Our accreditations include:

• ITEC – international accreditation.

• IFPA – international accreditation • N/CVQ CENTRE – regional accreditation.

• REGISTERED AND ACCREDITED with the Barbados Accreditation Council.

• Registered with the Ministry of Education as a tertiary training provider.

The school has participated in many regional and international trade fairs and summits in the Health & Wellness industry, including World Travel Market. The most recent being the Global Wellness Summit which was held in New Mexico City in November 2015.

This is an invitation-only Summit for leaders and visionaries within the industry. This was the first time that Barbados was represented on the delegate level at the Summit and this was made possible by the Barbados Investment & Development Corporation.

The school also submitted the country’s first briefing paper at the summit, which was prepared in conjunction with the Barbados Coalition of Service Industries (BCSI).

PBHC is also committed to the development of standards and skills within the Health & Wellness Industry. In recent years, we have conducted training in other Caribbean islands such as Dominica, Jamaica, Belize and St. Kitts. In 2014, PBHC through the CARTFund, conducted training in Dominica, Jamaica, Belize with twenty-four (24) persons graduating with an ITEC Diploma in Holistic Massage.

patricia berry-greenidge (PBHC) Global Wellness Summit Delegate (Barbados)

These graduands

have gone on to work as entrepreneurs and within the spa/wellness sector including prominent destination hotels within their respective countries. One individual is also working in the cruise industry and another with an international hotel chain.

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Due to numerous requests for international training and certifications, PBHC opened its first satellite school in December 2015 in Ocho Rios, Jamaica where we offer short and long-term training to the sector. PBHC Jamaica will be the “hub” for training to be offered to the Greater Antilles and other countries.

PBHC was also successful in obtaining a grant made possible by the Government of Barbados, through the Competency-Based Training Fund,

PBHC, 1A Endeavour Plantation,

provided by the Inter-American Development Bank.

West Indies.

This partnership

between BSCI (“employer”) and PBHC (“training provider”) was a dual certification project to train 60 practitioners in Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Sports Massage Therapy as these are niche markets within the sector.

The dual certification comprised of the internationally accredited ITEC certification along with the CVQ in Massage Therapy.

Like their Caribbean colleagues, the first cohort of graduands of these programmes have moved on to be entrepreneurs in their own right. The partnership is pleased to announce the positive output of the project, especially in Sports Massage Therapy. Three of the Sports graduands, namely, Jason Branch, Nkoyo Meade and Jeffrey Gay, have recently worked with prominent sporting bodies locally and regionally. The partnership is now completing the second cohort of the project.

PBHC will continue to lobby with the relevant governmental organizations and associations to make sure that the relevant standards and practices become a priority for Barbados. This is imperative as tourists are aware of the standards to expect when they book a spa/holistic treatment and for insurance purposes, thus, the need for certified therapists within any territory.

PBHC was also successful in obtaining a grant made possible by the Government of Barbados, through the Competency-Based Training Fund, provided by the Inter-American Development Bank. This partnership between BSCI (“employer”) and PBHC (“training provider”) was a dual certification project to train 60 practitioners in Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Sports Massage Therapy as these are niche markets within the sector.

Endeavour, St. Thomas, Barbados,

1 (246) 424-1127 or 234-0187 admin@pbhcclinicandschool. com

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YOUR PROFESSIONAL TOOLKIT

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TPP is an acronym for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Why is it important in a regional context?

The TPP is important in a regional context because two of our main trading partners

The TPP is a

the US and Canada are parties to this

bilateral free trade agreement, which was

agreement. Under the status quo CARICOM

negotiated by countries surrounding the

countries

Pacific Ocean between 2008 and 2016.

preferential treatment from the US and

These countries are Singapore, Brunei,

Canada under the Caribbean Basin Initiative

New Zealand, Australia, Chile, The United

and CARIBCAN respectively in the area

Sates, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan,

of goods. It is important to note however

Canada

This agreement

that the largest volume exports from the

is potentially set to become the largest

region are in the area of services and these

bilateral trade agreement in world trade as

instruments do not provide any preferences

these 12 countries collectively account for

for services from the region. However, their

40% of total international trade.

Bilateral

contribution to our regional economies must

trade agreements are generally considered

still not be under estimated. As a result,

beneficial as they allow countries to

through the TPP, it is possible for the erosion

decrease the price paid on goods and

of our preferential access into this market.

services by consumers. This is done through

As more countries are able to access theses

the liberalisation international trade between

preferences, the less valuable they become.

themselves to levels higher than practically

In addition, our domestic service providers

allowable in the WTO.

will be required to engage in more regulatory

and Mexico.

However many

currently

measures

as back door means of influencing the

signatory to the agreement. In effect this will

multilateral trading system (WTO), often to

make our domestic service providers less

the detriment of developing countries. Such

competitive as our services will then take

provisions, which persons have identified as

longer and be more expensive, assuming all

being detrimental to developing countries

other things equal.  

term extensions, and second use patents which both have the ability of increasing the cost of public health, even for countries not signatory to the agreement.

compared

to

unilateral

detractors often refer to such agreements

in the TPP in particular, relates to patent

as

receive

WHAT IS THE TPP?

Elihu Wahid Projects Officer, Trade Policy and Research

countries

The US has pulled out, so what now?

Globally, there has been a wave of discontent with the political establishment. One of the main sources of this discontent has arisen through the fact that the average citizen

What are the countires involved in the

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has felt as though they are forced to pay high

CARICOM nationals must take ownership of our

taxes in an environment of decreasing social

development trajectory and be mindful that we

privileges, whilst multinational corporations

are no longer newly independent states whose

(MNCs) continue to reap huge gains through

hands will be held to full development maturity

government subsidisation or tax avoidance.

by the first world and international non-profit

Trade agreements are seen as one of the

organisations.

main means through which these elements

become internationally competitive.

are offered to MNCs.

It must be identified

require social partnership of the private sector,

however, that trade agreements are taking

government and the trade unions to act in

the blame for what must described as overall

unison to remove structural inefficiencies within

structural deficiencies within both domestic and

the system to ensure that Barbadians provide

international economies. Nevertheless, the TPP

the best service as seamlessly and economically

was a major theme in the last US election with

as possible. Further, it is very important that

all major candidates disavowing the agreement.

regionally we develop an appropriate trade

Therefore, it was not a surprise when the US

policy to reasonably and sustainably address the

President Trump signed an executive order to

changing needs of our society. It is ridiculous

withdraw the US from the agreement.

to expect that economies worldwide will put the

Regardless there is still a wave of uncertainty over the agreement as some countries have stated that there is no agreement without the US, whilst some countries are unwilling to let go of the gains, which were negotiated through the agreement. Therefore one must wait to see if this agreement will take life and in what form.

The first step to this will to This will

needs of our society paramount to their own and as a result, we must anticipate not only the erosion of preferential access but also the withdrawal of unilateral preferences to a more reciprocal arrangement. Trade agreements are short to medium term instruments, as eventually we all hope to reach a point of global free trade where the consumer pays as little as possible.

The way forward

Therefore we must be mindful that in such an

For some time now, it has been clear that

environment, the only regional preference is

the old way of doing business is dead. We as

price.

trans pacific partnership?

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Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States (until January 23, 2017) and Vietnam.

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‘How can I innovate,’ he exclaims.

“I work in small country, in a deficient hospital. There is no money for anything, limited human resources and large workloads. I can’t finance research myself. But, my colleagues

Capitalizing on Innovations

in Holland…”

‘But, I bet that because you have live in a small country and work in a poor hospital, you have found creative way to keep your patients alive with limited resources,’ she said.

‘Of course! I have to!’ he counters.

‘So, you have innovated,’ she responds. ‘If you have found a way to produce the same results with fewer resources, that is, more efficiently, that’s an innovation’.

Like the doctor in the dialogue above, it is generally thought that our circumstances limit innovation by Caribbean businesses, but consider it is because of these circumstances that innovation is not only likely, but also probable. So how do Caribbean business make use of circumstances, including many limitations, to innovate and create international possibilities? Here are some suggestions.

Tourists: Some

20 million cruise and 24 million stay-over

tourists visit the Caribbean every year. The influx of tourists provides an opportunity for service providers to deliver services to them, perhaps at lower prices than these visitors pay in their home countries.

Dental, cosmetic, wellness and therapeutic procedures are some examples of services that can be offered when cruise ships are docked, and can be promoted like any other land excursion would. Is there a service you can adapt to offer to this market?

Tamira La Cruz MarkStra Caribbean

WWW.BCSI.ORG.BB

Tropics: 40% of the world’s population live in the tropics (3 billion people). Innovations are typically not developed with this market in mind. How can the Caribbean offer innovations to the market? One idea might be in the development of weight loss programmes based on tropical fruits and vegetables to Caribbean/tropical households.

Ethnicity: Black women spend more time on hair care products than women of other ethnicities do. Most of our products come from the Unites States of America, where the climate is not tropical. Can you develop a hair care product line (or make-up) specific to tropical climates? The population of Sub-Saharan Africa alone is 800 million people and projected to increase by 1.5 billion by 2050.

Innovation is the creation of better or more

effective products, processes, services, technologies or ideas that are readily available to markets, governments and society.

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This formula works! It works for engineers and architects.

It works for consultants and human resource professionals and PR firms. It works for musicians, designers and producers. It works for all services sector. But remember it’s a formula! If you miss any one of the components, the formula won’t add up.

• Look behind – to draw on your expertise, your credentials, your network of contacts; ahead – for future trends and market

demands;

• Look to either side of you – for support, family, friends, employees, partners – past, present and future; -

for

inspiration,

imagination,

innovation, creativity;

• Look close and look far – see the small picture and the big picture; and

• Look

• Are

your services clearly defined and in

demand?

• Do you understand your company’s strengths and weaknesses?

• How well do you know your target market?

• Is your promotional material/website world-

• Do you have ready-made proposal templates,

for them!

up

WHAT IS AN EXPORTER WITHOUT AN EXPORT PLAN?

Opportunity + Planning + Execution = Export SUCCESS

electronic and media tools?

Where are they? Everywhere, but you need to look

• Look

spreadsheet?

class and are you taking advantage of new

THE FIRST PART: OPPORTUNITIES!

• Look

blueprint? What is a financial planner without a

around you – and remember to write it

all down!

THE SECOND PART: PLANNING!

letters of intent, partnerships proposal?

• Research, analyse, strategize – and remember to write it all down!

THE THIRD PART: EXECUTION! • Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.

• Do

the most important things first! Get your

team involved and engaged – entering new markets means new opportunities for them too;

• Set goals, timelines, roles and responsibilities; • Schedule a certain day every week, or a certain time of day that you can devote working on your export plan;

• Use

technology

tools

to

connect

with

prospective clients and partners internationally

If you don’t know where you are going, you will

– make sure you use email, Skype and good

never get there!

old-fashioned face-to-face;

You have to identify opportunities! Great! They now need to be researched, analysed and strategized. More importantly, you need to right all down! What is an engineer without a

• Get it done! Write it all down and get it all done!

Diane Girard Certified International Trade Professional, Global Links Network

WWW.BCSI.ORG.BB

BUILDING BUSINESS SUPPORTING SERVICES EXPORTING EXCELLENCE

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BUILDING BUSINESSES. SUPPORTING SERVICES. EXPORTING EXCELLENCE.

Barbados Coalition of Service Industries (BCSI) Building #3 Unit 2B Harbour Industrial Estate Telephone: 1 (246) 429-5357 Fax: 1 (246) 429-5352 E-mail: info@bcsi.org.bb Website: http://www.bcsi.org.bb