Hurricane-Resistant Agriculture by STAR Publishing

THE STAR Businessweek MARCH 9, 2019

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in this edition of

HURRICANE-RESISTANT AGRICULTURE

Crops need no longer be at the mercy of Mother Nature as the first hurricane resistant greenhouse comes to market By Catherine Morris, STAR Businessweek Correspondent

When Hurricanes Irma and Maria roared through the Caribbean in September 2017, killing crops, flooding farmland and pulverising plantations, they devastated the landscape. In the aftermath, the worst affected countries of Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis scrambled to rebuild their agricultural industries. Almost two years later, they are still struggling. Continued on page 4

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Walking Tourism Takes Off For some tourists, the only way to get to know a destination is on foot. These active travellers are driving business in the steadily growing hiking tourism niche — a sector that has huge potential for Saint Lucia given the island’s rich natural beauty, stunning scenic views and volcanic mountains Page 3

The eSports Vision for the Caribbean As we detailed last month in an article titled “Seeking a New Level for Gaming in the Caribbean”, eSports is a rapidly growing phenomenon in gaming and entertainment right now Page 7

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Infrastructure

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Preparing a Flight Path: A new airport and its supporting infrastructure By ED Kennedy, STAR Businessweek Correspondent

The STAR Businessweek BY Christian Wayne – Editor at Large

It’s back to the drawing board for Brussels, the European Union, and their controversial ‘blacklist’ that was designed to name and shame so-called ‘tax havens’ and territories at risk to money laundering. According to the Financial Times, last week 27 out of 28 EU member states voted to block the publication of a draft blacklist that sought to name and shame 22 nations including, notably, Saudi Arabia and four American overseas territories for their failure to ‘get tough’ on combatting the flow of dirty money and terrorism financing. This is certainly not the first time that the EU blacklist has drawn criticism from the countries included on it, as several Caribbean nations and South Korea publicly denounced the Commission’s selection process in 2018, but the furore surrounding this new draft was particularly intense and resulted in not only a stunning defeat to the EU Justice Commission but also a very public display of Brussels’ political miscalculation. Inclusion of Saudi Arabia on the list sparked extreme diplomatic fury in Riyadh as well as in EU capitals who benefit from lucrative bilateral relations with the Kingdom. According to diplomatic notes viewed by the FT, Theresa May, prime minister of the UK, promised the Saudi king that the UK would staunchly oppose Brussels’ move to include Saudi Arabia on the list. According to some EU insiders, few, if any, past proposals were met with the unprecedented rejection as greeted this draft blacklist. Also on the transnational money laundering front, the British crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are facing additional pressure from the government in Whitehall due to an ongoing push from transparency groups that the British isles ‘clean up’ their acts and end their attitudes of secrecy and protecting the identities of directors of companies domiciled in their jurisdictions. Be sure to check out our article on Alquimi Renewables, an engineering firm that’s seeking to deploy ‘hurricane-resistant greenhouses’ throughout the Caribbean in our lead story “Hurricane-Resistant Agriculture” starting on the cover. Also in this edition, we take a look at the explosive growth in the eSports industry, the Hewanorra International Airport redevelopment project and hiking tourism. Plus we have an interview with a Saint Lucian entrepreneur who’s put her own spin on the adage Home is where the heart is.

It’s Nothing Personal. It’s Business. Stay connected with us at: Web: www.stluciastar.com Social: www.facebook.com/stluciastar Email: starbusinessweek@stluciastar.com

Renderings of the US$ 175mn Hewanorra International Airport redevelopment project released by the Government of Saint Lucia

he business community and Saint Lucia as a nation are looking forward to the completion of upgrades at Hewanorra International Airport. For anyone who is out of the loop and in need of a quick recap, the airport’s redevelopment process will provide a range of new additions and improvements to the current site, ensuring that the nation can maximise on the growth in tourism it has been experiencing in recent years, as well as offer a new foundation for long-term growth across the island generally. Though the airport will be central to the future of aviation in Saint Lucia, it will require strong supporting infrastructure. If ancillary infrastructure co-exists alongside a major new upgrade, then the benefits from it will flow more seamlessly. But if infrastructure is lacking, or new construction lagging, it can undermine the greatest virtues of a major upgrade. So what is the state of Saint Lucian infrastructure surrounding the airport project? And what wider considerations need to be factored in to ensure the new era in the airport has a strong start?

A City That Never Sleeps Any fair understanding of the need for

supporting infrastructure to a major population centre must recognise the size and scale of airports. While it’s easy to give this little thought if passing through for a holiday flight or connection, airports at heart are essentially ‘cities unto themselves’. Major airports often become 24-hour epicentres of commerce, transport and even recreational activity. And, just like a city, they cannot function by themselves, requiring a strong link with roads and resources to see their effective operation occur day by day.

Major Destinations Need Major Infrastructure

Supporting infrastructure can be allimportant to not only the operation of an airport but the region that surrounds it. This is true of any mega complex; true of Saint Lucia’s new airport, true of the Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados which was flagged for upgrade in late 2018, and even true of other facilities like the Thomas Santucci Jr., MD Cardiovascular Interventional Suite, the new private wing in the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Put simply, where major populations will go, strong logistical support must follow.

It’s why airports like Baltimore’s Washington International (BWI) have won acclaim and become passenger favourites. BWI is outside Washington DC’s main hub (and the city’s closer National Airport) but is less busy and offers an easy train ride into the city plus numerous amenities, including great food and even bicycle hire, which have helped ensure the traveller’s experience is a pleasant one. Even relatively simple upgrades like free Wi-Fi within the airport and its immediate surrounds, like the car park, can go a long way to boosting passenger experience. Airports also have an essential consideration due to their population and use: the effective access of emergency services. This is often seen as the starting point and most important area where an airport’s supporting infrastructure and services will be tested. It is also where the partnership between public and private sectors can be so valuable. Public resources that would otherwise be spent on services within the airport when run by government departments exclusively can be freed up for use elsewhere — in the airport and beyond — when a private stake exists in the facility. Continued on page 5

Tourism

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MARCH 9, 2019

Walking Tourism Takes Off Saint Lucia finds its feet as a hiking hotspot By Catherine Morris, STAR Businessweek Correspondent

or some tourists, the only way to get to know a destination is on foot. These active travellers are driving business in the steadily growing hiking tourism niche — a sector that has huge potential for Saint Lucia given the island’s rich natural beauty, stunning scenic views and volcanic mountains.

Piton appeal

There are two big reasons why Saint Lucia is a hiking hotspot: Gros Piton and Petit Piton. These towering volcanic mountains have become synonymous with the destination, and as attractions in their own right. Rob Davies, co-founder of Hike Caribbean, says the two most popular destinations in the company’s six-island portfolio are Antigua’s English Harbour and Saint Lucia’s Pitons. “The Pitons are iconic. You are guaranteed a great view whenever you go up there. It’s amazing.” A World Heritage Site, the Pitons are truly unique. Gros Piton stands an impressive 2,530ft above sea level and Petit Piton at 2,438ft. Despite being the smaller peak, Petit Piton is steeper and more dangerous, so tour companies mainly run hikes to the summit of Gros Piton. It offers a stunning 360 degree view of a lush tropical landscape, looking out over Soufriere, Vieux Fort and the turquoise sea. Walkers ascend on the Gros Piton Nature Trail, which is operated by the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation and carries a US$ 50 entrance fee (which includes a tour guide/park ranger). The first half of the trail is a relatively easy path which steepens as it approaches the summit. Depending on ability, it can take several hours to reach the summit and return, but an experienced guide will set a pace that matches the fitness level of visitors. They may dominate the skyline, but the

More and more visitors are opting for authentic tourism experiences that take them outside the resort and into the heart of the island

Pitons are not the only option for trekking tourists. Hike Caribbean also offers tours on 3,117ft Mount Gimie which are longer and more challenging. The Mount Gimie trail is less developed, cutting through dense rainforest and over rocky hillsides. It’s a rewarding climb, however, with features such as a waterfall and pool, and a chance to catch a glimpse of one of Saint Lucia’s most beautiful birds, the Amazona Versicolor parrot. “I am an experienced hiker and Mount Gimie is probably the hardest day’s hiking I’ve ever done,” says Davies. “In some parts it is just relentless; you are pulling yourself up on tree roots and going over slippery rocks. The Pitons are great but you get a real sense of satisfaction and achievement climbing Gimie.” Those who don’t want to test their skills on Saint Lucia’s highest peak can enjoy Hike Caribbean’s cross-island route. This 10km path takes travellers from the Des Cartiers Rainforest on the east coast to the Edmond Rainforest in the west and is a popular choice for nature-lovers as hikers get a firsthand view of some of Saint Lucia’s most diverse wildlife.

SAINt Lucia’s potential

Hike Caribbean currently runs hiking tours in Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Montserrat, Guadaloupe and St Kitts and Nevis. Headquartered in Antigua and the UK, it caters mostly to British tourists and offers multi-island packages. Davies would like to expand the business in Saint Lucia, where the company has been building links with

tourism stakeholders, saying: “We are young and we are growing. We have partners and build relationships on our islands. The tourism board in Saint Lucia is really good and wants to develop other avenues [in tourism]. “There is a real appetite for this kind of product in Saint Lucia and a lot of opportunity — the island is big enough, it has variation in the terrain, it has those iconic walks and the rainforest experience.” If more routes were developed, especially in the north of the island close to tourism centres, Davies says Hike Caribbean would look at introducing a 7-10 day Saint Lucia-only tour, which would mean more tourism dollars for local resorts, restaurants and other amenities. “Given the size of the island, that would be sustainable. We just need more routes.” And more routes would be a good investment, given that the rise of hiking tourism shows no signs of slowing. “People don’t generally think about hiking but that’s where the opportunities are,” says Davies. “It is becoming more popular as a different way to see places.” Walking tourism’s growth can be attributed to several recent trends affecting the wider sector, such as those of sustainable travel, ethical vacations and a desire to explore more outdoor options. The millennial generation is interested in getting outdoors and engaging in activities that allow them to connect with their surroundings. “When people come to the Caribbean there is a tendency to sit on a beach and not go beyond the confines of the resort. With hiking, people get to see things they would not see in the grounds of their hotel or from a cruise ship,” says Davies. A focus on fitness is also welcome as this generation likes to move, and prioritises health. Davies says: “There is so much now around health and wellness. Hiking is great because it is an activity that is accessible to everyone. It doesn’t require any special equipment, except a sturdy pair of hiking boots, and you don’t have to be at a certain fitness level but it still gets your heart pumping and gets you outdoors.”

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Walking or hiking with an experienced local guide is also a way for tourists to learn about a destination from those who know it best and to see it from their perspective. “Walking tourism allows visitors to directly and deeply experience a destination through their five senses. It also promotes meaningful interactions with local people, nature and culture,” says Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). “When local community residents along a route, as well as other stakeholders, are engaged in its development, walking tourism has the potential to bring a variety of social and economic benefits to communities.”

Community involvement

One of the positive aspects of this type of tourism is that it requires relatively low investment. There’s no large-scale development involved, just the creation and maintenance of accessible walking trails and their associated facilities. Low-impact and sustainable, this is a strand of ecotourism that can generate business over the long-term if managed correctly. To fully develop a hiking, trekking or walking tourism product, the UNWTO suggests destinations consider the attractiveness, safety, difficulty and accessibility of routes. It is vital to have the necessary infrastructure in place such as route markers, benches, toilets and trash bins. There is also the potential to link with other business through shops, accommodation and associated activities. Sales of food and drink, provision of maps and guidebooks, handicraft vendors and souvenir shops can all tap into a busy tourist trail. Growth in this niche must be sustainable, but also sensitive — to local residents and the environment. There is potential for conflict as more tourists swarming over Saint Lucia’s green areas could mean more disruption. This is why buy-in from communities is essential, according to the UNWTO which advises ‘transparent and democratic’ consultation with everyone affected in the area to ensure concerns are heard and resolved, and everyone SBW is invested in the success of the venture.

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HURRICANE-RESISTANT AGRICULTURE Continued from page 1

According to Alquimi Renewables’ promotional material, their growing systems represent the first fully integrated, off-grid food production systems certified up to Category 5 hurricane resistance

ow, as the region heads into another hurricane season, many islands are contemplating the lessons learned from Irma and Maria and looking at how to maintain food security in the face of extreme weather. One US company thinks it has the answer as it brings to market the first fully certified Category 5 hurricaneresistant greenhouse.

Protection from the elements

Developed by Connecticut-based firm Alquimi Renewables in partnership with its technology group Island AgTech (IAT) and engineer Sprung Structures Ltd, these are a far cry from the ordinary greenhouse set-up.

The customised structures offer specialized evaporative cooling, humidity control and shading systems. They can also be equipped with solar panels, battery storage and water production. Alquimi’s greenhouses are fully scalable, making them equally suitable for smaller operations or commercial enterprises, and the company also builds ‘blackhouses’ — shaded greenhouses designed for medical cannabis production; good news for growers in Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Both blackhouses and greenhouses can withstand any wind rating, from tropical storms to 170mph hurricane-force gusts. Alquimi developed its greenhouses specifically for the Caribbean and Pacific regions where extreme weather is a constant threat. The current version is the latest in

a long line of indestructible greenhouses and was built in direct response to the 2017 hurricane crisis. “We had designed a Category 4 resistant greenhouse but then we had the hurricanes in 2017 and that changed everything,” says Alquimi co-founder Ralph Birkhoff. “After the hurricanes, Cat 4 was not good enough so we went back to the drawing board. We strengthened the structure and we are back in the game. We are all trying to rebuild and be cognisant of how we do that. We cannot go through what we went through in 2017 again.”

Reducing the food import bill

The Caribbean has always had problems feeding its people. Poor soil, limited land, scarcity of resources and natural disasters

have led to an agricultural sector that consistently fails to reach its full potential. Over the past decade, island nations have run up staggeringly high food import bills as they rely on international providers rather than homegrown crops. In 2010 Saint Lucia spent over EC$ 350mn on food imports (according to 2012 figures from the Ministry of Agriculture). The region currently imports 80 per cent of its fresh produce, at a cost of US$ 1.4bn. Alquimi and IAT are setting up a greenhouse system on St. Croix which is projected to grow 3 million lbs of produce per year. The firm is focused on helping Caribbean nations reduce their food import bill and hopes that the St. Croix farm will act as a template for the region. “You have to start somewhere and create a model that everyone can see, feel and inspect so they can really get an understanding of what we are doing,” says Birkhoff. “I want people to see what our technology can do and the type of high-quality food we can produce. We only want to grow what is imported. The region’s food import bill is growing very quickly because of growing demand. There are a lot of new resorts putting pressure on the food supply chain. If we can grow at a high volume on each Caribbean island, we would be able to produce much higher quality food at a lower cost.”

Financial challenges

Cost is always a consideration for island farmers, and while Alquimi greenhouses are suitable for small-scale operations, Birkhoff warns that they don’t come cheap. “The biggest issue is cost but you have to compare it with the alternative,” he says. “An inexpensive greenhouse will not last through a tropical storm, it will blow away. Then your biggest loss isn’t the greenhouse, it’s your crop, your work, that sweat equity you have built up. “If you invest in a strong greenhouse and put a good hydroponics system in there, you are going to grow ten times more so you can pay it off faster. The rate of return on that investment is tenfold.” A smaller greenhouse of around 1,000-

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Preparing a Flight Path: a new airport and its supporting infrastructure Continued from page 2

Prime Minister Chastanet and government officials at a sod-turning ceremony for the HIA redevelopment project

Hurricanes are the leading cause of natural disasters in the Caribbean, making the region one of the most vulnerable in the world

1,500sq ft costs US$ 50-70 per sq ft. Birkhoff says this is a great investment, but finding funding in the sector can be tough, with traditional banks wary of throwing their support behind such a challenged industry. “It is very difficult to lend money to farming now because there are a lot of risks in open field farming — hurricanes, droughts, flooding.” Given the risks, it’s no surprise that those at the forefront of agriculture are embracing ‘protected agriculture’ where farms are created in a controlled environment such as containers and customised greenhouses. Birkhoff says: “You do not have to depend on the natural environment any more. The technology is accessible for everybody that can afford it, and it will repay itself very very quickly.”

The future of farming

Pressure to reduce food costs and sustain production in the face of mounting weather threats in recent years has led to a boom in so-called ‘GreenTech’ solutions. As technology evolves, so do options in protected agriculture and Birkhoff

believes that the sector is undergoing a transformation, saying: “Things are going to change a lot within the next few years. It is extremely exciting. It’s happening everywhere — urban farming, rooftop farming, hydroponics, aquaponics. There are all kinds of new ways of producing food where you can produce ten times more than soil-based farming. “Technology adapts to solve all the world’s problems. With technology, plants grow faster, they grow healthier and there is no spoilage or wastage.” As agriculture changes, the Caribbean is being forced to keep up. With land scarcity, an exploding population, a rising food bill and more hurricanes on the way, there is no other option. For Birkhoff, the social aspect to Alquimi’s work is as important as the commercial. Originally from Canada, the long-time Anguilla resident says this is a cause close to his heart, “I am here because I love the Caribbean. I know the problems, I see the issues. We need better quality food. We are state of the art, we have the technology and we want to get those solutions going.”

Given the need for public safety and access, governments will always have an important role to play within the aviation sector. 14% of airports worldwide have some privatisation already, so growth can be anticipated in this area, especially considering the diminished reliance upon public money that many airports are experiencing as their profits and resources grow.

Land, Sea and Air

The Hewanorra International Airport upgrade comes at a time when Saint Lucia’s government is planning a new cruise ship terminal in Vieux Fort. This would mean that road upgrades become a crucial consideration not only for the airport, but for the new port too if the upgrade goes ahead. In the 2018 budget the Chastanet government outlined a plan to upgrade road infrastructure alongside

improvements in housing, water supply, and more. Central to the road plans were thoroughfares to the airport and the Castries port. The funding for this was flagged to come from a mix of investment avenues, including publicprivate partnerships. With the 2019 budget looming, keen eyes will be on Castries to see the government’s latest work in this arena, and what further detail surrounding infrastructure funding may be put forward.

Getting a Green Light for Take-off

These upgrades are undoubtedly terrific, and come following a period when Saint Lucia has seen its tourism numbers go from strength to strength over successive years. The excitement that so many Saint Lucians feel about this new era is not only understandable, but commendable. The airport upgrade is a landmark symbol of a new chapter for the local business community, and the nation

as a whole. The excitement notwithstanding, more traffic of all kinds, from planes in the sky to vehicles travelling to and from the airport on the roads, can give rise to new environmental problems. This is something that has been considered and accounted for with the present phase of the upgrade. But going forward, as volume grows at the airport in years ahead, this will become an ongoing consideration. Especially as (though this should be important to any nation in the 21st century) so much of Saint Lucia’s appeal in the tourism market is built upon its natural beauty and environment, alongside the warmth of its people and culture. Maintaining these assets today isn’t just clean and green policy, but a matter of common sense for ongoing profitability in the tourism sector. All up, it’s undoubtedly a promising, new chapter for Saint Lucian business and travel. It’s just also crucial to ensure the progress already made and the promise on offer that saw this airport upgrade confirmed, serve as a continued foundation, and one the nation can indeed build on in future as it seeks to reach new heights with the Hewanorra airport upgrade.

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MARCH 9, 2019

Regional News

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SVG EXPECTING EC$ 5MN FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN 2019

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the latest Caribbean jurisdictions to enter the medical marijuana industry

he medical marijuana industry is expected to generate EC$5 million for the government this year, says Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves. “This year, St. Vincent and the Grenadines will issue its first licences to traditional farmers and other local, regional and extra-regional stakeholders for the cultivation, manufacture and export of medicinal cannabis products,” he said in his budget address this month. “Our exciting foray into this new and developing industry will not be without difficulties, and there is no metaphoric pot of gold at the end of the cannabis rainbow. However, we expect medicinal cannabis to generate employment, generate income and generate additional growth for the Vincentian economy,” Gonsalves told lawmakers. SVG, last year, passed medical marijuana legislation, with opposition lawmakers saying that the law should include the decriminalisation of small qualities for recreational use. The bill was passed into law amidst demonstrations outside parliament by groups of Rastafarians and other persons in support and opposition to its provisions. In his budget address, Gonsalves told parliament because medical marijuana is a new and emerging industry for which there is very little regional or global precedent, his government has chosen to be extremely conservative in its 2019– 2020 revenue projections for the sector. He said that in terms of his government’s 2019-2020 projections, it has taken account of the time required to establish and operationalise the

Medical Cannabis Authority; the steps involved in conducting due diligence of applicants; the licensing and the establishment of cultivation and production facilities that can meet the necessary legal and technical requirements; and the actual production and export of medicinal products. “As such, 2019 revenues will be primarily derived from licensing fees, although we hope that sufficient traditional cultivators take advantage of the amnesty provisions of the cannabis legislation to generate some level of export revenue this year. “Going forward, after licences are issued and production facilities established, we expect to provide enhanced and increasingly more predictable revenue projections. “I urge the ganja farmers, who have traditionally driven the Vincentian informal economy and endured countless indignities, to open their minds to the possibilities of the legitimate production and export of medicinal cannabis.” Gonsalves urged those sectors of society that have “historically stigmatised and excoriated marijuana growers and users” to open their minds to the documented medical benefits of this complex plant. “And I urge those who advocate for a maximalist, unregulated free-for-all vis-à vis cannabis to open their minds to the historic progress made to date, the new opportunities for living and production, and the social, legal and economic realities within which we are seeking to progress. Only together we can make medicinal cannabis work for the benefit of all Vincentians,” he said. The finance minister noted that SVG will be the second country in the Caribbean, after Jamaica, to establish a medical marijuana industry. “The space within which a small island state can establish an exportfocused medicinal cannabis industry is narrow and fraught with challenges — from international treaty compliance to correspondent banking relations to logistical hurdles to new burdens on the local education and health care apparatuses.” He said his government is attempting to chart a course that will balance these challenges against the real potential that SVG can leverage its traditional advantages to generate strong earningsfor Vincentian cultivators within the framework of a well-regulated, export-driven and value-added medicinal cannabis industry. “The important work of establishing the regulatory and administrative infrastructure for this medicinal cannabis industry is ongoing,” he said. Originally published by iWitness News

ENTERTAINMENT

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The eSports Vision for the Caribbean By ED Kennedy, STAR Businessweek Correspondent

s we detailed last month in an article titled “Seeking a New Level for Gaming in the Caribbean”, eSports is a rapidly growing phenomenon in gaming and entertainment right now. It is very much a new industry, and the figures behind its growth are astounding. Worth US$ 130mn in 2012, in just two years’ time the global eSports industry is projected to command US$ 1.65bn. Hosting and growing an eSports industry is enticing for its rare mix of personal hobby and public event, where multi-player gaming can be brought out of bedrooms and lounge rooms and into the public square. Attracting sizeable investment and major crowds, it usually requires relatively simple infrastructure to host proceedings: a huge screen, a console or computer set-up to bring the game on, and power points! So what’s behind this meteoric rise of eSports as a public attraction? And given that so many countries and cities around the world are looking to build their own unique eSports brand, what foundations can nations across the Caribbean put in place? Let’s look in-depth now.

eSPORTS Growth and the Games that Drive it Following are a number of video game titles that are currently the most popular in the eSports universe. The more titles you recognise, the more likely it is that you have an understanding of just how valuable the eSports industry is. StarCraft II, Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), League of Legends, Fortnite and Dota 2. To many, these titles are already household names, and many more will know of them soon. Each of these titles saw multiple millions (in USD) of profits in 2018, with Dota 2 raking in a colossal US$ 41.26mn. It’s easy to understand how any tourism provider or local leader reading this would view drawing eSports to the region as an alluring idea. But although, at a basic level, the equipment required to host an eSports event may appear simple, to host it in a way that pulls in crowds from near and far, demands that certain amenities are available locally.

Pressing Start on eSPORTS Stadiums

eSports events need stadiums. They can exist on a small scale but, given the size and popularity of mega tournaments around the world, an event will always be at its best when hosted in a large

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technology. The same equipment that exists in stadiums hosting eSports events can also be utilised for training courses, formal education, and even as community epicentres for hosting technologists-inresidence and other professional ‘tech’ events.

eSPORTS Isn’t Without Issue

According to eSports industry website Esport Earnings, Kuro “KuroKy” Takhasomi — the world’s top ranked Dota 2 video game player — has won approximately US$ 4mn in cash prizes in 94 competitive gaming tournaments across the world

arena. For nations like Saint Lucia (with its Master Sports Plan) that are currently considering the future of their sporting facilities, this is an opportunity to build in the near-term for long-term benefit. Conversely, urban planners who ignore the growing popularity of eSports may do so at their peril. While crazes do come and go, the capacity for eSports to not only draw crowds locally and in-person, but also to be streamed as digital live events, means that even if one particular tournament would not generate significant audience interest, there would still be others to entice crowds to the event. Alongside new stadiums, it is possible to see existing venues repurposed. For example, the Crow’s Nest in Beijing was a centrepiece to the People’s Republic of China’s hosting of the Olympic Games in 2008. In 2017 the opening of the annual eSports event League of Legends Worlds took place at the same venue. For nations planning new stadiums or stadium upgrades, this presents an opportunity to build anew with a view to hosting multisports in an arena that will stand the test of time. For those who maintain that eSports stadiums should be completely separate from traditional sports venues, it’s

Hosting and growing an eSports industry is enticing for its rare mix of personal hobby and public event, where multi-player gaming can be brought out of bedrooms and lounge rooms and into the public square

important to recognise the many and varied uses, beyond officially designated events, of eSports stadiums. In the same way that traditional sporting stadiums are often used for team training, sports ceremonies and other events like concerts, so too can eSports stadiums be used for a variety of purposes, with a special emphasis on

Though eSports offers many benefits to a community’s entertainment and business sectors, like any new, popular craze, there are considerations that come into play surrounding the social aspects and the health and lifestyle factors. In this regard, eSports is something of a double-edged sword. For any parent (or any younger reader who remembers their parents making such a remark!), eSports does offer a great way for gaming fans to set down the controller at home and get out and about. It also offers a great new avenue for youth and community engagement in an era when the rise of online entertainment at home has seen a drop in attendance at many public events and community groups. At the same time, eSports will not typically offer the same athletic experience that traditional sports such as soccer, cricket and gymnastics can provide. On this basis, the benefits for health and wellbeing of physical activity derived from traditional sports will continue to outpace this new form. By no means does this demand that one must be chosen over the other, or that they are mutually exclusive; just that those who dream of a new playing field where eSports can replace traditional sports for greater profits and public participation must nonetheless keep this factor in mind. As outlined more widely in our piece on gaming last month, the rise of truly digital and global gaming is exciting, but also gives rise to a risk of gambling and corruption. Traditional sports are not immune from this. There is much to be optimistic about when it comes to the future of eSports, but it has to be viewed through clear eyes. Recognizing these challenges in eSports will be essential to ensuring its success and sustainability.

Getting Ready to Play

Many Caribbean nations hold the dynamic of having relatively small populations while annually attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists. They also possess the knowledge of how to host large-scale events with expertise and precision. And this region, its culture, and its people are among the most appealing in the world. In many respects, the Caribbean and eSports are a match made in heaven. The region has the proven capacity to draw tourists and to host great events. What’s required in-between is more eSports venues. eSports is growing at a rapid rate so ‘watch this space’ SBW in Caribbean business.

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MARCH 9, 2019

Making moves

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Jessica Alexander: “Sa Nou is a reflection of me” By DEAN NESTOR, STAR BUSINESSWEEK CORRESPONDENT

How many boxes have you sold and what is the price range?

essica Alexander’s entrepreneurial career began back in 2010 when she played an integral role in the establishment of the Paintball Wars Company. She then moved on to found her own business, Sa Nou St Lucia, two years later. Since then, this proud mother of four has been busy balancing her duties as a parent with her role as an entrepreneur. Sa Nou started off as a gift basket business that focused on packaging local products in a creative way, but has grown into a subscription gift box company which “seeks to give customers an easy, eco-friendly way of gift-giving so that they’re able to travel with ease, and customise its contents.” STAR Businessweek sat down with Jessica to discuss her business and passion for promoting and using local products.

JESSICA: Over 75 so far. Each package costs about US $25

Have you broken into the international market? JESSICA: Yes. I’ve sold packages in Sweden, France, USA, Canada and the UK.

Do you have any employees?

JESSICA: No, but I engage often with other small-business persons.

Do you consider Sa Nou St Lucia more than just a business?

How did Sa Nou St Lucia get off the ground?

JESSICA: Sa Nou St Lucia started off back in 2012. I curated a gift basket for a friend of mine who was living in the US. She had asked me to get a number of different items for her, and I decided to put them into a basket and package it.

Jessica Alexander, owner and founder of Sa Nou St Lucia

for everything that matters

I took a photo of that, posted it on Blackberry at the time and got a lot of positive feedback and enquiries. It snowballed from there. Fast forward six and a half years and it’s evolved from gift baskets into island boxes. So two years ago I launched Island Boxes, which is a subsidiary of Sa Nou St Lucia.

Why did you make the change?

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JESSICA: I wanted to move away from using baskets, as much as I loved it. It was a case of not being able to get the baskets consistently, in terms of the size and quantity. So that’s what sparked me using the boxes as the new way of doing my packaging.

Is THE BUSINESS full-time and have you received any funding?

JESSICA: Yes, it is full-time, and no, I haven’t received any funding — no grants or government assistance.

JESSICA: It’s something I live every day, from the moment I get up to the moment I fall asleep. How I eat, what I do, what I use, what I wear, are all things that I promote in my business. About 90-95% of what I use on my skin, on my body, what I eat, is local, so it’s something I actively live. I’m constantly talking about this stuff. I’m like a walking plug for good, healthy, all-natural local products; though, I do enjoy an unhealthy snack here and there.

What role have your children played in inspiring this endeavour?

JESSICA: Obviously they play the hugest role. Not only that, they contribute greatly to me having to be innovative in my approach, especially with Sa Nou St Lucia. I’m trying to figure out the balance. Life is about balance. I try to have as much downtime with them as possible and to make them aware of what I’m doing. It’s a juggling act. It’s not the easiest thing in the world but I think it can inspire others, just like my kids inspire me. Hopefully, when they’re grown they can take over and this can become a family business. I’ll be more than happy to leave that as my legacy.

What advice would you give persons looking to start their own business?

JESSICA: Well, we’re living in an age when social media is obviously the way to go. When I started off, I posted a picture What products do you and got that feedback and I’m sure if I typically package? had just made my basket and probably JESSICA: Locally-produced soaps, oils, not taken any photos, a few people scrubs, chocolates, jewellery, candles, lotions, coffee, cards; you name it, as long would have said, ‘Okay, that’s nice,’ but I probably wouldn’t have gotten as much as it’s local and all natural, I’ll package feedback. So I think people definitely it. Customers are becoming a lot more need to use and employ social media. aware of the quality and the consistency of our local products. They are actively If you’d like to package gift items with going that route because there’s been a Sa Nou St Lucia you can reach Jessica at paradigm shift in our society — more of (758) 519-8870 and us are becoming health-conscious and @sanoustlucia on Instagram. environmentally savvy.

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