Sustainable Business Magazine 04/19 by Sustainable Business Magazine

SUSTAINABLE ISSUE 04/19

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DIGICEL BLUE PRINT

MANAGEMENT

ARC JAMAICA

TALCOVE

CONSTRUCTION REGUS CARIBBEAN

JADE MOUNTAIN ALSO FEATURED THIS ISSUE

PMAC • PRECAMP SOUTH AMERICA • SLASPA • SVGPA

S U S TA I N I N G T O M O R R O W. T O D AY

2019 AASHE Conference & Expo 2019 AASHE Conference & Expo

Co-Creating a Co-Creating Sustainablea Sustainable Economy Economy October 27–30, 2019 Spokane, WA October 27–30, 2019 Spokane, WA

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Innovative Renewed Cutting Edge New Concepts Products & Purpose Sustainability & Share Discover Find Expand Access Learn Services Strategies with Peers Innovative Renewed Your Cutting Edge New Concepts Products & Purpose Network Sustainability & Share With a theme of Co-Creating a Sustainable Economy, AASHE 2019 is tackling the root cause Services Strategies with Peers for the continued rise in carbon emissions: our dysfunctional economic system. The conference Your Network

seeksato showcase and strengthen higher education’s movement for a susWith theme of Co-Creating a Sustainable Economy,contributions AASHE 2019toisthe tackling the root cause tainable economy, which we see as inclusive of the excitingeconomic work happening under a variety for the continued rise in carbon emissions: our dysfunctional system. The conference of other such asstrengthen the solidarity economy, wellbeing economy, circular economy, seeks to names showcase and higher education’s contributions to the movement for apostsusgrowth economy and restorative economy. tainableeconomy, economy,regenerative which we see as inclusive of the exciting work happening under a variety of other names such as the solidarity economy, wellbeing economy, circular economy, postgrowth economy, regenerative economy and restorative economy.

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Senior Writer:

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Graeme Watts

Business Development: George Bell Web Administrator: Ashley Hewitt

CONTENTS ISSUE 04/19 Welcome to the latest North America and the Caribbean edition of Sustainable Business Magazine. Sustainable Business Magazine aims to spread awareness of sustainable values in business, as well as the exciting ways in which organizations continue to meet challenges and champion corporate social responsibility. To begin this issue, we take an in-depth look at innovations in the Caribbean property sector. Whether it’s disruptive new approaches to office space, using sustainable technologies in construction, or embracing renewable energy, companies across the region are rethinking public, commercial, and residential buildings. We spoke to Mark Linehan, Managing Director at Williams Offices (Caribbean) Ltd, about bringing the Regus flexible workspace model, first to Barbados, then to the wider Caribbean. Next, in a conversation with Josée Atkinson, CEO at Blue Print Management, we discussed energy-saving technology and a comprehensive approach to construction and property management projects in Barbados. We also spoke to Trevor Wallace, Managing Director at Talcove Construction, about constructing a sustainable community around a geothermal energy source at the Schooner Bay development in the Bahamas. In this issue’s special ‘Focus On: Saint Lucia’, we present three features spanning the diversity of the Eastern Caribbean island’s economy. First, we spoke to John Gidharry, Business Solutions Manager at Digicel St. Lucia, about how the mobile network provider is bringing LTE technology to the island. We also spoke to Carl Hunter, Property Manager at Jade Mountain, about unique, sustainable design in the tourism and hospitality sector. And, in this issue’s first instalment of our ongoing Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) ‘Caribbean Ports’ series, Gasper George, Senior Manager at the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA), told us about a major new expansion project at Hewanorra International Airport. Also in our PMAC ‘Caribbean Ports’ series, we spoke to Bishen John, CEO at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority (SVGPA), about the new port facility under development north of Kingstown. Wrapping up this issue, we highlight two Caribbean manufacturers: Norman Horne, Executive Chairman of ARC Jamaica, a leading local building materials manufacturer, told us about investing in technological infrastructure and solar energy; and we spoke to Mireille Hunsel, Financial Director at Precamp South America N.V., about prefabricated structures in Suriname and the importance of flexibility. Details of upcoming sustainability events in North America throughout June and July can be found on our events calendar. Our featured events are the Water Expo (8th Edition) on 28th and 29th August 2019 at the Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC), the Energy Expo (formerly the MiaGreen Expo & Conference) on 12th and 13th February 2020, also at MACC, and the 2019 AASHE Conference and Expo on the theme ‘Co-Creating A Sustainable Economy’, from October 27-30 at the Spokane Convention Center. We hope that you find this issue both interesting and inspiring. Thank you for reading. The Sustainable Business Magazine Team

Regus Caribbean

Blue Print Management

Talcove Construction

Digicel St. Lucia

Jade Mountain

Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC)

Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA)

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ports Authority (SVGPA)

ARC Manufacturing

Precamp South America

Global Events

Advertisers Index

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ISSUE 04/19 FRONT COVER IMAGE ONE OF THE MANY SKILLED EMPLOYEES OF ARC MANUFACTURING IMAGE COURTESY OF ARC MANUFACTURING.

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REGUS CARIBBEAN

REGUS WORKSPACES ALLOW BUSINESSES OF ANY SIZE TO OPERATE FLEXIBLY IN MODERN DAY, PROFESSIONAL AND PRODUCTIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENTS.

BUILDING BUSINESS COMMUNITIES Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Mark Linehan, Managing Director at Regus franchise partner Williams Offices (Caribbean) Ltd, about flexible workspaces in the Caribbean, new opportunities, and enabling connections. Regus is a multinational workspace provider, with the largest network of office and co-working workspaces in the world. Found in over 120 countries, with over 3,300 business centers worldwide, Regus workspaces allow businesses of any size to operate flexibly in modern-day, professional, and productive working environments, without the need for large capital investments or time-consuming set-up. 2 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

The Regus franchise partner in the Caribbean, Williams Offices (Caribbean) Limited, was established in 2015, with business centers currently available in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. Regus are currently planning to open a second center in Trinidad and their first center in Guyana, as well as looking at further expansion across the region. “Regus came about in the Caribbean through a chance encounter between Mark

Dixon, CEO of Regus, and Ralph ‘Bizzy’ Williams, founder and chairman of Williams Industries,” explains Mark Linehan, Managing Director at Williams Offices (Caribbean) Limited. “Bizzy subsequently approached me with the idea, and we felt that there was a suitable gap in the market for flexible workspaces in the Caribbean. Following a period of research in 2015 we established Williams Offices and negotiated the Regus franchise rights for a number of Caribbean countries. Our first business center opened in Welches, Barbados in June 2016, followed by our second center which opened in 2017

REGUS INVADER’S BAY LOUNGE.

in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Then late last year our third center opened in New Kingston, Jamaica.” REGIONAL GROWTH In July 2019, Williams Offices will open their latest Regus center in South Trinidad. The Gulf City Center in San Fernando is targeted towards businesspeople who want to avoid the commute to Port of Spain. “This new center will really help us to push the Regus network dynamic in Trinidad and Tobago,” says Mr. Linehan. “In time we hope to expand our network further in Trinidad and

Tobago. We are also opening a new center in Guyana in August of this year, where we believe that the recent activity surrounding the oil and gas discoveries there will generate demand for flexible, professional, world-class office space. We continue to look for expansion opportunities with Regus, whether it’s opening another center in one of our existing markets or bringing Regus to another Caribbean country.” “For us it’s all about filling up the centers in the quickest time possible,” explains Mr. Linehan. “Occupancy is a key metric of success for our business model, but equally so

is building a vibrant business community at each center. These two meet when we reach about 60% occupancy, and it’s at this tipping point where clients really feel the benefits of the center community through networking with likeminded persons and referring business to one another. Beyond this point, the project breathes life into itself. When clients meet our center teams and feel the Regus experience, the word-of-mouth dynamic is triggered, which helps further build our reputation, generating new business at the centers and ultimately further growing our occupancy levels. The tipping point is usually SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

REGUS CARIBBEAN

KEY TO THE REGUS PRODUCT IS GLOBAL CONSISTENCY.

REGUS INVADER’S BAY LOUNGE.

reached within 6 months of opening, but can take longer depending on the specific market dynamics of each center location. But what allows our centers to stand out is the focus our teams put on our customers. It really is all about allowing our customers to do what they do best, and we will look after the rest.” PRODUCTIVE ENVIRONMENT Key to the Regus product is its global consistency. “The beauty of Regus is that the treatment and service you get at say our center in Port of Spain is going to be the same standard of service you will find in Singapore, Miami, Beijing, or whichever center you are working from,” says Mr. Linehan. “Our main offering is office space, but not in the traditional sense. It is high quality, professional, fully serviced offices, all available for different durations and in various sizes. Initially, when we opened our first center, we were enthusiastic if naturally cautious. We have been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reaction to our centers, and

ONE WELCHES BUILDING.

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the dynamic that each center creates with its diverse mix of clients. The location here in Barbados is a real hub of activity for all sorts of different businesses, from large corporates to smaller start-ups, including marketing agencies, lawyers, accountants, computing and IT companies, and FinTechs. Another key product for us is our Virtual Office solution where clients can have a prestigious address with dedicated call answering and mail management. With continued growth in our office and virtual office clients, and an increase in day office users and meeting room usage, we are seeing thriving communities develop in our centers. And as each center community grows, you see a lot of fraternization and business referrals between clients, which creates a real attraction for the modern-day businessperson.” Before Regus entered the market in Barbados, the signature concept of the flexible working space wasn’t available to local businesspeople. “It’s been a totally new phenomenon here,” says Mr. Linehan. “In Trinidad and Tobago there are a couple of smaller competing businesses, but the idea of serviced offices was still not a mainstream concept there. Part of going into new markets is educating the market on the benefit of taking a fully managed office. Most people when they come across our offering usually try and equate our pricing to that of traditional office space where one pays per square foot. We move the conversation away from the per square foot price

to the value proposition of a Regus business center. Our proposition covers things that you would normally expect like rent and common service charge, but it also covers things you would normally pay separately for, such as furnishings, utilities, kitchen amenities, cleaning, security, and a staffed receptionist to greet clients and guests alike. It truly is plug-and-play. Our professional business environments are delivered with modern, ergonomic office furniture. They have business lounges, meeting rooms, and break out areas with tea- and coffee-making facilities. In addition, our technology is state-of-the-art, with secure business-grade internet, high speed Wi-Fi throughout the centers, phone handset and lines per workstation, all carried to the client via Cat 6 cabling. Clients also have access to a printer, scanner, and photocopier, and of course admin support when they need it. And we have a simple all-inclusive pricing model to make it easier for our clients to manage.” SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY Ultimately, the needs of Caribbean businesspeople are the same as those of Regus clients everywhere. “We don’t get into the nitty gritty of our clients’ operations,” explains Mr. Linehan. “We provide a modern, productive, plug-and-play environment that allow businesses to get on with their business. Whether it’s office space that is needed long term, or for a specified period to deliver a project, or for use as swing space

while a client’s main office is being renovated, or whether a business just requires a business address, we have solutions to meet the needs of many different businesses. Our role is very simple: We provide people with a modern-day, conducive working environment. Feeding into that are components such as ambient temperature and practical amenities. There’s a lot of emphasis on ergonomic and robust furniture, and we work with one of the top office furniture manufacturers in the world. Our investments in our IT infrastructure ensures we stay on the cutting edge. It is paramount that we provide our clients with seamless connectivity.” Indeed, connectivity is one of Regus’s unique selling points. “The really appealing thing about the Regus network is that, if you leave your home center, say for example here in Barbados, and you travel to our center in Jamaica or any other Regus center in the world, you can turn on your device and be immediately connected to the Regus network,” says Mr. Linehan. “This is a huge, distinctly modern benefit that works well for the modern businessperson, who we believe is all about managing time efficiently and for whom connectivity is absolutely essential.

Regus has also invested quite heavily in the Regus app, which allows clients to monitor their accounts and easily manage payment and bookings online. Once again, what we try to do is provide the tools with which our clients can make their lives easier and more efficient.” GREEN TECHNOLOGY Technology also allows Regus centers to reduce energy and resource consumption, which makes them more competitive for international businesses. “All of our centers have motion sensor LED lighting, and we encourage all of our clients to go paperless,” says Mr. Linehan. “Thanks to this, more and more of our clients are storing their files digitally. We provide filtered water throughout our buildings, to reduce the impact of plastics. In One Welches, which is a 9,000 square foot center, the center is fully powered by solar. This is not something that we can do for every center yet, but it’s something we are very proud of. We are very conscious of our green responsibilities and our energy consumption across all our centers, and we will invest in renewable alternatives where we can.”

BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM “One of the major selling points for Regus is that our clients can enjoy being part of the global network, which they can access at any time and in any place,” says Mr. Linehan. “They can also register their business on Regus Marketplace, which then gives them access to customers across the globe that they might not have been able to connect with otherwise. Another aspect of this is Regus Business Link, which allows clients to exchange services worldwide. What really fascinates me is the communities that are being built up in our centers. Even though we get quite a varied mix of clients, they all have one common theme: The advancement of their own business. With that like-minded focus, clients gel well together in our centers, and clients end up referring business to one another. This in itself builds an ecosystem and momentum for Regus clients. Customer service is our number one focus, allowing us to deliver vibrant, thriving, and collaborative business environments where networking becomes the norm. Ultimately that’s what clients really appreciate about not only our centers but the Regus global network.” c

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MARK LINEHAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR REGUS CARIBBEAN; SHERENE DUNCAN CLARKE, GENERAL MANAGER OF REGUS JAMAICA; STEPHEN FACEY, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF PANJAM INVESTMENT LIMITED; AND RALPH ‘BIZZY’ WILLIAMS, CHAIRMAN OF WILLIAMS INDUSTRIES INC AND MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE THE HONOURABLE FAYVAL WILLIAMS.

Contact Barbados: 246-429-1041 barbados@pilotmanagementservices.com Trinidad and Tobago: 868-633-7517 trinidad@pilotmanagementservices.com

www.pilotmanagementservices.com SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

BLUE PRINT MANAGEMENT

BUILDING A LEGACY

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Josée Atkinson, CEO at Blue Print Management, about an all-encompassing approach to construction projects, energy-saving technologies, and leaving something behind for future generations. Blue Print Management is a design and construction management company based in Barbados. With expertise in a diversity of specialty areas, from concept development to interior design, maintenance to renewable energy, Blue Print offers a one-stop shop for construction projects. “Blue Print was created to facilitate a better continuity of service for prospective clients,” explains Ms. Josee Atkinson, CEO at Blue Print Management. “Rather than dealing with different people for piecemeal parts of a project, we can offer a well-rounded service where everything is available. We have the resources and a great pool of contacts from the industry who we can work with directly to facilitate a client’s project according to their specifications. They come to us and tell us what they want, then we can ensure everything is done properly and to a high standard.” Mrs. Atkinson started her career in Canada, before moving to Barbados seventeen years ago. “One of the main project

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we were involved with was the Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, where my client wanted to create a place for people from here and on holiday to go shopping, dine, and see entertainment and so on,” says Mrs. Atkinson. “We completed everything extremely efficiently and on schedule, projects like this one makes you realized how much there was a need in the industry for someone to provide an impartial mediatory role.” REDUCING CONSUMPTION Blue Print Management quickly gained a reputation for high standards at affordable prices, bringing in further work from around Barbados. “From the delivery of the Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, we quickly moved on to other projects,” says Mrs. Atkinson. “These included working on different banks using this all-encompassing style of construction management. For TD Bank in particular, we managed the construction of the building as well as organizing all of the

“WE ARE ALWAYS SEEKING OUT NEW TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNIQUES, CARRYING OUT A LOT OF RESEARCH TO ENSURE WE ARE ALWAYS AT THE TOP OF OUR GAME.”

JOSÉE ATKINSON, CEO AT BLUE PRINT MANAGEMENT.

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BLUE PRINT MANAGEMENT

design aspects, including architectural, interior, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing, so that the client could have a full project completed swiftly and to a high standard with minimal fuss. We managed to secure more space for that client and halve the electricity costs from their previous property, through innovative organizing and lighting controls, as well as having a well-managed system that was more sustainable.” More recently, Blue Print completed work on the Rubis regional headquarters in Barbados. “We had a very firm budget for this project, and we were also limited by the size of the piece of land we were working on, but we managed to meet the client’s specifications perfectly while staying within the budget,” says Mrs. Atkinson. “The

whole building was fully fitted out in less than sixteen months, which is very good for a project of this size. We sought to make the building as green as possible across all areas. There are nice large windows, but they all use reflective energy-saving glass, which has less impact on the heat in the building. Skylights were introduced above people’s workstations, so even those who sat far away from the windows are able to enjoy natural light. All the lighting and AC are controlled with motion sensors and are fully integrated into the building for energy saving.” TAILOR-MADE Key to Blue Print’s way of working is a period of information-gathering before beginning a project. “Before meeting with a prospec-

tive client, we are given a full brief of their requirements and specification,” explains Mrs. Atkinson. “Following this, we visit the client to observe how they work, and to better understand their needs and requirements. We speak with their primary staff to see how they work, in order to develop an interior that suits their needs, always aiming to increase efficiency and morale. When staff enjoy being at work then their work is done more efficiently, safely, and with greater enthusiasm. Meeting with clients, being good listeners, and fully understanding their needs is the most important part of what we do to ensure all goals are met. Our decisions are always based on the client’s specifications and making sure that they are happy with the end result.” “It is worth noting also that the cost of maintaining a building or repairing after several decades of wear is almost the same as constructing it in the first place,” says Mrs. Atkinson. “What this means is that if good quality products are not used throughout, degradation will be faster, and the maintenance bill will be larger. For example, if you have a high-quality AC system installed that is energy efficient, then your electricity costs are going to be so much lower long-term that you will quickly recoup your initial costs. Or by integrating everything with a building management system, you will save so much money, with automated lighting or being able to remotely track where energy is being wasted. The more efficiently a building is managed, the lower the cost of maintenance, which is something we emphasize to all of our clients and through our work.” FRESH PERSPECTIVE Thanks to their proactive approach to construction management, Blue Print are able to offer a unique perspective for the Barbadian market. “Ultimately, we try to be different

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BLUE PRINT MANAGEMENT

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here at Blue Print,” explains Mrs. Atkinson. “We will never base our decisions on what other people are doing, and we always try to think outside the box to achieve our aims as efficiently as possible, and to try to find better solutions than those being conventionally relied upon. By being fully aware of what is in the market right now, like what technology is available and what is in development or will soon be available, you can really increase your effectiveness. We are always seeking out new technology and techniques, carrying out a lot of research to ensure we are always at the top of our game. This kind of work and research is absolutely essential to ensure your work is the best it can be, and to ensure that a client gets the best possible solution.” FOOTPRINTS FOR THE FUTURE Today, Blue Print Management are developing a new Blue Print store, showcasing

the equipment and materials used in their construction projects. “We are opening our own retail store here in Barbados from which we want to show our clients just how many possibilities there are,” says Mrs. Atkinson. “We have sought out many different suppliers from across the world to find the best quality products at the lowest price that will suit our clients. These items we are showcasing are always sustainable in terms of the environment, but also extremely reliable. The advantages of this include always having useful and relevant stock on hand to achieve extremely quick turnarounds on urgent projects. Ultimately, we are passionate about every project we do, and we will continue by listening carefully to our clients and emphasizing reliable and sustainable technology. For us, it is a legacy that we want to leave behind for our children to see; our footprint for the next generation.” c

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TALCOVE CONSTRUCTION

TODAY, TALCOVE IS A THRIVING COMPANY, WITH THIRTY-FIVE EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE OFFICE AND FIELD OPERATIONS.

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE,

TECHNOLOGY Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Trevor Wallace, Managing Director at Talcove Construction, about geothermal energy, how sustainable technology can improve quality-of-life, and the importance of safety.

Located on the southern coast of Great Abaco Island in The Bahamas is the 220acre luxury real estate community Schooner Bay. Equipped with a full service marina for mooring, the exclusive community combines traditional Bahamian homes with low-carbon, environmentally-sustainable technologies, including the only geothermal cooling system in the Abacos.

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It was the unique demands of the blossoming community which prompted Trevor Wallace, Managing Director of Talcove Construction, to create his company. “About 10 years ago, there was an idea to build sustainable communities that would replicate some of the older communities around The Bahamas like Harbour Island, Green Turtle Cay, or Hope Town,” says Mr. Wallace.

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TALCOVE CONSTRUCTION

“The question was: ‘How do we take those older communities and bring them into the modern day while keeping the aesthetics of the architecture?’ It was important to keep the colonial style of architecture, with the outside

verandas, the shutters, et cetera, but also to have modern amenities such as water mains, an electrical grid, and geothermal cooling.” Founded in 2013, Talcove Construction is the general contractor for Schooner Bay.

“We have successfully worked with the owner/developer to create a planned community sustainable estate, which has utilized cutting edge environmental technology for its infrastructure,” says Mr. Wallace. AIR QUALITY Key to Talcove’s work at Schooner Bay is the embrace of technologies which improve environmental performance while simultaneously improving quality-of-life for residents. “One example of this is the layout of the roads, which were designed around the residents using electric golf carts,” says Mr. Wallace. “This means better quality air and less emissions.” It’s part of the appeal of Schooner Bay – the ability for residents to live their daily lives without the need for cars. All amenities are within walking distance of every building, which means the community’s mobility is based strictly around foot, bicycle, and golf cart traffic. “Then there’s the air conditioning, where we’ve used a geothermal system, rather than the usual HVAC system,” says Mr. Wallace. “This is actually the first project in The Bahamas where the entire community is based SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TALCOVE CONSTRUCTION

around a geothermal system.” By using geothermal cooling, Schooner Bay reduces the cost of energy used to cool homes and reduces fossil fuel consumption, preserving the clean, emissions-free Bahamian air.

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COMMUNITY DESIGN Recycling is also an essential part of the Schooner Bay way of life. “There is a community-wide composting system,” says Mr. Wallace. “Waste from tree trimmings and

other community garden work, including resident compostable items, can be put directly into the system to recycle. This results in a robust topsoil that is repurposed throughout the entire community.”

the materials and resources needed to work efficiently and safely. “We have several codes that we enforce in order to maintain a safe workplace, including zero tolerance on proper safety attire,” explains Mr. Wallace. “Thus far in six years we haven’t had any major accidents on our sites. Training extends to all our supervisors, to ensure they understand the importance of safety first. Working conditions must be functional but also safe for anyone involved in the project at that point. By maintaining a good environment for our staff, we ensure the sustainability of our company.” GIVING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD Today, Talcove Construction is thriving, with 35 employees across the office and field operations. The company is now adding philanthropy to its portfolio as it gives back to surrounding Abaco communities. “We are looking towards community efforts and we plan to make donations to various organizations,” says Mr. Wallace. “People frequently reach out to us for donations, whether it’s a special event for schools or an animal shelter. We also have a community where the

local fire station hosts an annual fundraiser to assist with upkeep. We participate in that event and wherever else we can assist.” Having spent many years working on private and commercial projects, Talcove Construction is now looking to expand its horizons. “We’re looking to expand into opportunities available from the government,” says Mr. Wallace. “We’ve gained a lot of experience, specifically in environmentally sustainable technologies, and we’re ready now to work on government projects and municipal projects. We believe that we have a lot to offer these campaigns and have a lot to gain from working with the Bahamian government.” c

For Schooner Bay, size matters. The quaint community was designed to encourage an intimate atmosphere. “An important feature of those older Bahamian communities was having smaller lots, so that you really lived alongside your neighbours and got to know them,” says Mr. Wallace. “It wasn’t a case of having 200 yards between buildings. You know who your neighbors are. That was the idea behind making Schooner Bay a village, and has always been a big part of the overall concept. We wanted to make it feel like a true village, and a tight-knit community.” SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY In six short years, Talcove Construction has also worked on several private residences and commercial buildings, not only in the Abacos, but also on other islands in The Bahamas. From custom homes to refurbishments and remodels, the company specializes in work highlighting traditional Bahamian architecture while embracing modern construction methods and design features. As such, Talcove Construction places great emphasis on ensuring employees are well-trained and equipping them with SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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DIGICEL ST. LUCIA

DIGICELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EMPHASIS ON STREAMLINING CONNECTIVITY HAS BUOYED THE SAINT LUCIAN ECONOMY.

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COMMUNITY AND COMMUNICATION Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to John Gidharry, Business Solutions Manager at Digicel St. Lucia, about new LTE technology, public-private partnerships, and supporting the community, Digicel St. Lucia is a telecommunications company providing cutting-edge, high quality mobile products and services, including talk and data plans, smartphones, other handsets, and all related network products. Since their launch in the early 2000s, Digicel St. Lucia have prioritized accessibility alongside steady technological advancement, enabling them to continually update their product line and better equip customers to communicate effectively. They have worked closely with the Government of Saint Lucia to further increase accessibility, and have been the first company to bring several technological advancements island-wide. “Digicel St. Lucia started our operations in 2002, off the back of negotiations with the government of that time to liberalize the mobile market,” says John Gidharry, Business Solutions Manager at Digicel St. Lucia. “We launched to the public in March of 2003 with full services on a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) network, providing voice and text messaging services to connect our customers to friends and family both locally and abroad at the most affordable rates with a much enhanced experience on

a ‘Bigger, Better’ GSM network. This was quite an extensive and revolutionary launch for us. Calling rates and handset prices plummeted in St. Lucia, while Digicel not only made mobile connectivity available to the wider population but also brought our people closer together and better aligned and connected them to the outside world. It’s one of the most exciting and refreshing period of our history: The advent of brand new technology, never before experienced in the region, St. Lucia’s and the Caribbean’s first ever GSM network. GSM networks were

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DIGICEL ST. LUCIA already present in the U.K. at the time and elsewhere around the world but not in the U.S. and the Caribbean. Having brought this technology to the region we made three promises: To make sure we are committed to the public while launching our services, to make sure that we had at least 95% mobile coverage in St. Lucia at the time of launch, and we also wanted world-class customer care including a support line.” CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY Digicel St. Lucia have developed their products and services as the industry has evolved. “From our launch onwards, we have evolved from a conventional voice and text GSM network into a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network,” says Mr. Gidharry.

“Following that we transformed into an EDGE network, where you can actually utilize your data to browse online and for emails. As more time went by, the telecoms industry evolved further, and we have continued to evolve alongside it. We have launched an island-wide HSPA+ (High Speed Broadband) or 4G network, and as recently as October 2018 we launched St. Lucia’s first island wide LTE network, which provides universal data speeds island-wide. This means it is available not just in the urban or affluent areas but throughout rural areas, across the entire island. Our technical and commercial teams had been working on this move approximately one year before the actual launch. Once again, this was a first for Saint Lucia, and while the technology was in existence

JOHN GIDHARRY, BUSINESS SOLUTIONS MANAGER AT DIGICEL ST. LUCIA.

prior to this, Digicel was the first to bring an island-wide LTE network to St. Lucia, bringing world class data services to everyone.” “Earlier this year, we at Digicel St. Lucia recently celebrated our sixteenth birthday,” says Mr. Gidharry. “Over that time we have literally transformed the business to become a full-fledged service provider, including mobile services, internet connectivity, and business solutions for our customers. In terms of business solutions, we offer a wide range of products that can be tailored specific to the needs of our business community. One of Digicel’s unique differentiators is ensuring that we provide a world class service and care to the businesses in Saint Lucia and wherever else we may operate. Whoever you are and wherever you are, you deserve access to our world class products and technologies” 22 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS An important aspect of Digicel Business is their work reinforcing national infrastructure, not least as part of their relationship

with government. “On the heels of the LTE network that we launched last year, we are currently working closely with the World Bank and the Governments of Saint Lucia,

Saint Vincent, and Grenada,” explains Mr. Gidharry. “Digicel, as part of a PPP (Public-Private Partnership) arrangement with the governments, will now increase internet

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CELEBRATING

YEARS

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DIGICEL ST. LUCIA

penetration to all public sector locations as well as the business sector. This is naturally a huge commitment on our part, and we will ensure that we deliver on that commitment to entire Saint Lucian community. In flight we also have other projects through which we partner closely with the public sector, including helping to reduce crime, and also increasing the quality of communication in general. Soon the public will benefit from a state-of-the-art safe city which includes 911, HD CCTV with facial recognition, as well as aggregated data via a command center where we can analyze data, record activity, and dispatch emergency services. This will assist the government in managing crime and addressing related issues. We believe we have an obligation to partner with the governments as much as possible, in order to effectively synergize and employ technology to improve public safety and services across the region. Increasing internet connectivity will also drastically improve access for businesses across the island, facilitating 26 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

more options for the Saint Lucian citizenry to do business and communicate effectively.” BUSINESS GROWTH Digicel’s emphasis on streamlining connectivity has buoyed the Saint Lucian economy. “We have always been a leader in technology throughout Saint Lucia,” says Mr. Gidharry. “As I mentioned previously, we were the first to implement a GSM network in this part of the world. Our commitment is ultimately to serving the community in which we operate. We believe that having an LTE network across the island, accessible to all, levels the playing field for our citizens, and this is a huge first for Saint Lucia. It also sets a tone for all the markets we operate in, demonstrating that we’re not leaving anybody behind based on their location. We are very committed to our communities and making sure technology is available to all. In particular, our students are empowered with world class technology and business can operate seamlessly. We have always

been pioneers in this regard and we want to ensure that legacy continues into our future. Having built a solid foundation, we will use our technology to support Saint Lucia’s ongoing endeavors and continued growth.” UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY Saint Lucian communities are highly diverse, ranging from urban areas to remote, rural villages. “By having a nationwide network, the possibilities will transform the economy of Saint Lucia,” says Mr. Gidharry. Saint Lucia is poised to take advantage of this evolving technology which is galvanizing the economy and business sector. Digicel is a huge believer of participating and giving back to the communities we are involved in, it creates sustainability and longevity which is central to our growth. To underpin this belief, we participate in sports events such as the Special Olympics, we support the education system and take part in community projects to improve the lives of people. This culture is embedded in the veins of

our teams and creates a very balanced approach to operations.” “On the operational level, which of course involves continuing to operate with a positive, pro-active mantra and remaining committed to delivering world-class customer care, Digicel has pioneered the art of developing local teams,” says Mr. Gidharry. “This ethos has cultivated local talent at all levels of the business. In true testimony, our CEO is local, the management team is 100% local, and we do have local talent evolving throughout the organization. However, we are by no means 100% local rather the diversity of nationalities and culture in our business is central to our success and product differentiation our customers enjoy.” NEW AVENUES “We would like to see ourselves in the home and entertainment industry in the coming years,” explains Mr. Gidharry. “This is something we have already taken steps towards in some of our markets, and Saint Lucia will be no different. We believe in perfecting our services as we expand. So we did the mobile service, which was great, we have been doing the fixed broadband to businesses,

and now we will move into the home and entertainment sector where we will provide a state-of-the-art product and quality services. It’s wonderful to see how Digicel has evolved along with the employees and

the community at large, making Digicel the world class business it is today. We will continue to deliver both as a service provider and being a part of the local community here in Saint Lucia.” c

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JADE MOUNTAIN

LIVING IN NATURE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Carl Hunter, Property Manager at Jade Mountain, about a unique guest experience, working with the local community, and using non-traditional methods to achieve environmental benefits.

Jade Mountain is a unique luxury resort on the south-western coastline of Saint Lucia. Designed and built by Nick Troubetzkoy, who is the owner and innovative force behind the resort, Jade Mountain’s radical architecture brings nature and opulence together, while also minimizing the resort’s energy consumption and environmental footprint. Jade Mountain was the first Caribbean hotel to receive LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and was also awarded Travelife Gold and TripAdvisor GreenLeader Platinum. “Jade Mountain is a project that was being contemplated as long ago as 1990,” says Carl Hunter, Property Manager at Jade Mountain. “The concept continued growing until 28 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ground was broken in 2003. Nick Troubetzkoy’s vision behind the building is really the natural and creative conclusion of a set of values about guest experience, by combining ultra-high-luxury and astonishing service while closely integrating the local scenery. Jade was built to allow guests to enjoy that sense of opulent living while simultaneously, and quite literally, touching nature. This was predominantly achieved by not having a fourth wall in the guest rooms, since all of Jade’s rooms are made with just three walls, facing the dramatic view and remaining completely open to the elements. What we provide here could be considered the ultimate glamping experience, combining the outdoors and indoors in a wonderful and luxurious manner.”

ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE The absent wall in every guest room put Jade Mountain in a unique position to take advantage of creative energy efficiency techniques. “With one wall missing, we had to proceed without air conditioning, so we needed to figure out how we were going to ensure our guests could remain comfortable in the Caribbean climate,” explains Mr. Hunter. “Again, this was really integral to the design of the building, and we chose to position Jade in order to take advantage of natural trade winds. Since each of the guest room spaces has a beautiful infinity pool on the front edge of the room, a natural breeze moves through the space, and you get an evaporative cooling effect through

its interaction with the water. You can also then accelerate or decelerate the wind flow through the room by adjusting the louvre walls, situated on the back wall of the property. It’s a unique design which takes advantage of nature to provide the thermal comfort level that your typical Caribbean guest is looking for. Naturally, there is also LED lighting throughout the building, which further reduces our energy consumption.” “Our guest room experience may sound bizarre at first, because we’re super highend and luxury, and yet there is no television and no radio available,” explains Mr. Hunter. “We call our rooms sanctuaries, and we are trying to create that sense of sanctuary from the everyday and that re-emergence for yourselves as well as re-engagement with nature. Some people come and may struggle initially with the sense of disconnect, but usually within a day or two people get it, and it can be a truly rejuvenating experience to understand that you can live with minimal power needs in an astonishingly beautiful environment. All of our environmental features tie into our unique guest experience.

The resort was designed from the beginning to house guests in a stunning natural environment, and to promote that sense of wellness via an alternative to your everyday life. If you are coming on vacation with us, we present you with the opportunity to really have a unique experience.” RENEWABLE RESOURCES Today, Jade Mountain are further investing in reducing their environmental footprint. “We are very lucky as we sit on an estate of six hundred acres but still have a tiny footprint,” explains Mr. Hunter. “Having that abundance of land around us now gives us the opportunity to look at the next level of sustainability for our operations, and we are now working with two other organizations towards having 100% renewable energy generation. This will be achieved principally using solar energy, but also incorporating some wind energy as well. In Saint Lucia this is a tremendously challenging thing to do, because there is no real legislative framework to allow us to pursue our renewable goals. We are essentially having to look at

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JADE MOUNTAIN

becoming an off-grid organization, a technically challenging but extremely thrilling idea. We would once again be leading by example, and once again what we hope is that we can be a model to allow others to pursue this kind of endeavor with less risk.” Jade Mountain also produce all of their own water. “When Jade was built, the local water company stated that they would be unable to supply our water needs,” says Mr. Hunter. “This was obviously a critical element for us. The estate Jade is

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built on used to be a sugar plantation, and in order to provide mechanical power the French who occupied the valley in approximately 1735 built a water reservoir with an aqueduct and a water wheel. Naturally all of this was in a state of ruin and the reservoir was only noticeable from one visible wall. But we rehabilitated the reservoir, and now utilize it as the source of water for our entire operation. We put the water through a rigorous and externally-audited purification process.”

By providing their own supply of water, Jade Mountain are also able to avoid adversely impacting the local community. “While there is an abundance of water here, being situated on the edge of the rainforest, the challenge is the infrastructure actually required to effectively distribute that water,” says Mr. Hunter. “So in order to pump to us, the community would have had their supply of water reduced dramatically. This of course would have been unacceptable, so a shrewd investment was made to become water inde-

pendent, and that is now one of our flagship environmental endeavors that sets us apart.” PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT In addition to the production of fresh water, preserving the quality of the local marine environment has been an important consideration for Jade Mountain. “We have perhaps the most pristine dive site in Saint Lucia and even the Eastern Caribbean in general,” says Mr. Hunter. “There is a stunningly beautiful set of reefs, and a lot of our business is naturally diving business. We operate within the Soufriere Marine Management Area, and it was really incumbent on us to come up with an innovative and effective way to manage waste water. When managing waste water generally you have an effluent quality that is considered acceptable for discharging into the marine environment, but we didn’t want to go that route at all. So again, given the benefit of our land area, the owners of Jade decided to invest in a man-made wetlands where we created over two acres of reedbeds. These reedbeds essentially manage all of the waste water generated at the resort, and convert that water through a natural

process of aggregate filtration, through interaction with aquaculture within these reedbeds. The end result from that is we get very high-quality wastewater, otherwise known as polished effluent, and that effluent is used for irrigation back-of-house. Once again, this makes our site unique.” WORKING WITH YOUTH Jade Mountain work closely with the local community through outreach programs and the creation of infrastructure. “We are currently rehabilitating the public toilets within the town,” says Mr. Hunter. “This is particularly important since not everyone has a toilet in their house, and the public facilities were in a very run-down condition. Last year we did a whole refitting of the toilets at local schools, where we have already been very proactive in assisting the schools and the community in reinforcing and building hurricane shelters, to make them more resilient and better-equipped for waiting out a long term storm. We have learned a lot of lessons since what happened to Dominica in 2017, and realizing we are lucky that we have not yet experienced a massive event. There was

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clearly a gap to close in terms of managing that at a community level, which we have since facilitated.” “We also work with a local comprehensive school every July, working with teachers at the school to identify at-risk students, who may be leaving school but potentially don’t have a pathway leading forward,” says Mr. Hunter. “We connect directly with those students through our management mentorship program, where sixteen department heads work directly with those students. Through that process we also identify what department of ours would be most appropriate for that student to partner with. So if someone has a child who can’t read or write very well, but they can hold their breath for two minutes and are simply incredible in the water, then they have a potential career

working within our scuba department. We bring them in, give them some experience of what it would be like to work within that field, then help them close the gap on the pre-requisites to become a qualified employee. Through that program, we have not only managed to place students within viable employee roles with us but also with other hotels and organizations around our area of Saint Lucia. So that has been a tremendous outreach program and really had an impact on the community.” DRIVING LOCAL PROSPERITY Jade Mountain’s biggest community impact comes from employing five hundred local people. “It is recognized that for each person who is employed with us, there are likely to be two or three dependents on that

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salary,” says Mr. Hunter. “So by employing five hundred people we are really touching a large segment of the local population, and are essentially the largest employers within the community. Despite being so far above the industry standard number of employees per room or guest, there is no desire to change the level of employment because it is understood that it delivers such a substantial contribution towards the economy and the community. In addition to this, all of our boutique stuff is genuine, artisan, and hand-crafted in Saint Lucia.” Jade Mountain also has a small farm on-site, to produce unique ingredients for the chef. “The farm was very successful, so we invited the local farming community in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture to come and have a seminar,” explains Mr. Hunter. “This was to show people there is a market for specific things that can be viably grown here in Saint Lucia. Then once a producer has established themselves as a supplier of that chosen product, we no longer compete by growing that product ourselves, and instead we would turn our attention to something else. We have established micro grains and exotic vegetables, mushroom

cultivation, unique honey production and so on, which was then shared with the local agricultural community with a hope to then inspire them to take leadership in that area. Through that process we have the unique ingredients our chef requires, but we are simultaneously steadily growing and informing the local agricultural community on how they can best diversify their products and have a greater reach for selling those products.” SUSTAINABLE CERTIFICATIONS Through their LEED and Travelife certifications, Jade Mountain have been trailblazers for international sustainability standards in Saint Lucia. “LEED Gold and Travelife Gold did not exist in Saint Lucia prior to us receiving them, so we’re very proud to have a property that has enabled us to get to that level,” says Mr. Hunter. “When we initially looked to partner with LEED, their process of application was a very extended credit process where you have to look at each credit and provide evidence of how your property conforms to that credit and so on. Our property being so very unique meant that it was quite challenging to apply the typical standards to it. Because of this we had to work closely with USGBC, and our participation in the accreditation process actually helped mature their product as well. We were able to suggest alternative compliance pathways to some of the very rigid

criteria that was too inflexible to accommodate the nuances of our property. LEED has matured since then, and we are still working with them and have been asked to participate on their steering committee to again continuously evolve their product to work with non-traditional property types.” “Our work with Travel Life really helped us evolve philosophically in general,” says Mr. Hunter. “Travel Life insisted that as part of the adjudication process we developed and inculcated very specific policies which mirror the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and embody things such as local purchasing preferences, as well as streamlining how we work and respect the local community, how we pledge to safeguard children, and all of those things that are relatively recent items on the agenda of Caribbean businesses. These are areas that people feel strongly about already, but not many businesses have formed concrete policies surrounding the ideas thus far. Part of

that process for us was not only to formalize effective policy, but to also be able to live it thereafter. We published those policies on our websites and in our employee handbooks. Our employees have all been well-informed of what their rights are, and how we manage and how we aspire to look after the local community through outreach and stewardship programs.” THE SKY’S THE LIMIT “A big plan for the future that I would like to achieve is that we genuinely have the opportunity to become a carbon neutral-certified property,” says Mr. Hunter. “In fact, we can do better than carbon neutral, given that we currently protect around six hundred acres of rainforest, which already technically makes us carbon neutral. We haven’t yet achieved the official certification, so we’re working on that right now, but when we become a renewable energy-powered facility, we would actually be the first hospitality facility in the world to be a carbon sink, consuming and burying carbon, protecting the rainforest, and consuming minimal energy. There are also plans afoot for the building of Jade Sea, a new sister resort to Jade Mountain. This would be a further evolution of Jade Mountain, something that is once again truly unique, partnering in all of the things we have achieved with the existing facility, and expanding in an even greater way.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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PORT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE CARIBBEAN

THE PORT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE CARIBBEAN (PMAC) WAS ESTABLISHED IN JUNE 1998.

CARIBBEAN

GLENN ROACH, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, PMAC.

Most countries in the Caribbean region are relatively small island-states. Despite the small size of the physical real estate which limits the accommodation of many international airports, actual shoreline space facil34 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PORTS A foreword to the ‘Caribbean Ports’ series by Glenn Roach, Executive Secretary of the Port Management Association of the Caribbean. itates a large number of marine ports and harbors through which regional and international maritime trade readily flows, as well as a relatively substantial segment of cruise tourism. These Caribbean island-states

collectively operate over two hundred seaports/harbors, the smaller of which are used for inter-island and schooner trade. Though these facilities are not physically alike, they all service the social and economic needs of

their respective countries while confronting similar institutional issues and concerns. Accordingly, such a situation demands a high level of effective management and operational efficiency. It is against this background that the Port Management Association of the Eastern Caribbean (PMAEC) was first founded in May 1988 to promote meaningful dialogue and foster better relations and networking among port managers. After ten years of existence, the scope of the organization was broadened to include the wider Caribbean, and the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) was established in June 1998. DRIVING CONCERNS As the maritime industry became more technologically advanced, there was the requirement for greater reforms, incoporating increased productivity, provision of cost effective services, and new training

methodologies in order to address the issues facing Caribbean ports. PMAC’s driving concerns therefore include the control of port cost and improvement of the technical skills of port staff within a safe and secure working environment. Moreover, the broader issues related to sustainability, including environmental issues such as climate change and its associated adverse weather effects, pollution, the requirements of the cruise industry for ever increasing port infrastructure and services, and cyber security in a world where ship and cargo movement are increasingly being monitored by wireless technology and internet-based systems, require that the Association has a mandate to ensure these matters are meaningfully addressed. STRATEGIES EMPLOYED PMAC, being a focused and responsible organization, has sought to build its capability

and profile by effecting a five-year strategic plan aimed at enhanced training and empowerment of port personnel through appropriate workshops and international seminars. Accordingly, in order to enhance its instructive capabilities, the Caribbean Maritime University has been firmly engaged and continues to significantly contribute to the Association’s development, both in an advisory and training capacity. Furthermore, PMAC has also incorporated a significant number of Associate Members into its fold, as well as established a number of strategic alliances through the signing of MOUs with organisations such as the American Association of Port Authorities, the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, the Caribbean Shipping Association, the Gulf Ports Association of the Americas, the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. Central to its public outreach PMAC’s profile was dramatically raised with its endorsement of Portside Caribbean, and the collaboration with that publication and the Caribbean Maritime University in staging a new regional event, the Caribbean Port Management Workshop. This event attracted the participation of seventy port management and port sector personnel from the four language groups of the Caribbean, and was a resounding success at its inauguration in January 2018. In light of the various challenges currently facing the maritime industry, PMAC, in collaboration with its strategic partners, continues to fulfil its mandate, and will spare no effort in facilitating the development of a sustainable and progressive future of this industry. c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SAINT LUCIA AIR AND SEA PORTS AUTHORITY

“SLASPA OVERSEES ALL MAJOR POINTS OF ENTRY TO SAINT LUCIA, BOTH MARITIME AND AVIATION.”

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Gasper George, Senior Manager at the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority, about a major airport expansion, pursuing the U.N. SDGs, and investing in human resources.

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The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) is responsible for operating the Castries and Vieux Fort seaports in Saint Lucia, the George F. L. Charles Airport and Hewanorra International Airport, and three smaller points of entry: Rodney Bay Marina, Marigot Bay Marina, and Soufriere. SLASPA was created in 1983 through the merger of the previously separate Saint Lucia Ports Authority and the Airports Division of the Ministry of Communications and Works, in order to provide better continuity in the management of Saint Lucian ports. SLASPA is also responsible for La Place Carenage, a duty-free shopping mall at the Castries waterfront, a ferry terminal which handles ferries to and from Martinique, and the Moule A Chique and Vigie lighthouses. At the ports, SLASPA handles 600,000 tons of cargo per year, accommodating 800,000 passengers, landing 40,000 aircraft, and berthing over 1000 vessels.

“SLASPA oversees all major points of entry to Saint Lucia, both maritime and aviation,” says Gasper George, Senior Manager at SLASPA. “We are a government statutory organization, overseen by a council appointed by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers. We are dedicated to supporting the region and the maritime industry in general. In areas related to cargo, the opportunities for export development and for promotion are rapidly increasing. Right now, our organization is primarily focused on incorporating modern business strategies to improve our efficiency. We are also in the process of conducting an economic impact study that will assess the exact footprint of our interactions with the local economy, so it’s a very interesting time for us.” GROWING AIRPORT Everything which comes from outside Saint Lucia passes through SLASPA’s air and sea ports from food to automobiles. Today,

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SAINT LUCIA AIR AND SEA PORTS AUTHORITY

SLASPA are updating and modernizing their infrastructure, to continue driving growth in Saint Lucia. “One of the most exciting aspects of our expansion project is at Hewanorra International Airport,” says Mr. George. “Hewanorra International Airport is situated on a very old airstrip which GASPER GEORGE, SENIOR MANAGER AT THE SAINT LUCIA AIR AND SEA PORTS AUTHORITY.

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has undergone quite a few upgrades over the last few years, the most recent change being the addition of extra space to accommodate wider-bodied airplanes. However, the terminal building itself has not received any major upgrades for nearly three decades now. Much of that infrastructure is no

longer in keeping with what other airports are doing and what we are aiming to do here. The demand is currently exceeding the capacity for which the original terminal structure was built to accommodate, hence our upcoming construction. Also insufficient parking positions during the airport’s busy

period results in flights circling the airport waiting for a suitable space on the apron.” “Thanks to our productive relationship with the Saint Lucian government, we will be embarking on a general redevelopment project,” elaborates Mr. George. “This will build up a new airport terminal, as well as extend the parking aprons on existing runways for the benefit of airlines in the immediate future. Our new development is envisaged to have far-reaching benefits in Saint Lucia, particularly because we are primarily a tourist-based economy, and over the years the number of visitors to Saint Lucia has grown steadily. Our source markets, from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., continue to strengthen, as there is new interest in Saint Lucia as a holiday destination and new flights are

announced all the time. This is in part thanks to the tourism authority, who do a robust job and are marketing Saint Lucia very aggressively and with a great deal of success.” As the infrastructure project progresses, the government and SLASPA hope to deliver increasing returns to the Saint Lucian economy. “It was the 40th anniversary of our independence in February, and we hope that this project will capture that kind of hopeful, positive energy,” says Mr. George. “We believe this project will be one of national significance, with an immediate impact on local surroundings eventually becoming an achievement the entire region can enjoy. The reconstruction of the airport will bring many benefits to the Saint Lucian economy. This includes job creation, commerce, and other

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SAINT LUCIA AIR AND SEA PORTS AUTHORITY ciency. We are also working very hard with human resources to ensure that our staff are properly equipped and trained in appropriate areas, and that they have the requisite knowledge to also improve and drive efficiency. Customer service is of absolute importance to us, and is at the centre of our strategies moving forward.”

activities with a general, far-reaching, and positive impact.” CUSTOMER FOCUS By employing new technology, SLASPA is able to streamline operations at the air and sea ports, improving efficiency and user experience. “We are really bringing in the use

of modern and cutting-edge technology to both improve and track our efficiency,” says Mr. George. “Technology has a significant impact on the timeframe and logistics of our service delivery. We also require modern technology and equipment to facilitate our relationship with the trucks who distribute cargo, ensuring better end-to-end effi-

GREEN SAINT LUCIA As a key stakeholder in the marine and aviation industries in Saint Lucia, SLASPA is leading the way in environmental sustainability. “We are currently augmenting our CSR program in order to better align with and address the broader United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” says Mr. George. “While we are not ready to reveal all the specific details yet, we can confirm that we will be better managing our carbon footprint and emissions, and of course continuing to upgrade to modern equipment and technology in order to improve our efficiency and sustainability. We also know that we will continue to work closely with communities in the cities, towns, and villages where we operate.” SLASPA takes a human-resource-oriented approach to sustainability. “We realize that

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T: (758) 450-4060/67/90 | F: (758) 450-4050 | M: (758) 485-3976 | E: lewis@candw.lc

the future of our port ultimately rests with the employees themselves,” says Mr. George. “This off course is also where further work towards sustainability can begin, employing new generations of workers, and ensuring everyone is both trained and bringing fresh and youthful new ideas to the table. We are mindful of the fact that we work within the maritime sector, and that staying mindful of marine life and the aquatic environment is absolutely essential. So what we are trying to do is develop a CSR program that will highlight these goals, moving towards a greater awareness of environmental issues and improved efficiency and sustainability.”

Experts in Travel and hospitality

QUALITY OF SERVICE Next in line for SLASPA’s infrastructure development may be the port of Castries. “At Castries, which is a multi-use port, we welcome large cruise liners as well as various cargo and industry vessels,” says Mr. George. “There is serious traffic there, and we need to undergo heavy upgrades and development there specifically. We are aiming to streamline our work across all ports and airports, improving infrastructure and growing our capacity for passage. The government is also considering the feasibility of separating cruise and commercial traffic within Castries, bringing commercial freight

away from the city centre and exploring the possibility of making that central area primarily cruise based.” “We are charged with ensuring the highest quality of services at air and sea gateways and as a result continually seek ways to enhance infrastructure and human resources to meet current and forecasted demands,” says Mr. George. “We find ourselves at a very interesting point in our growth and development, and as such are heavily focused on modernizing and streamlining. This is in order to remain both current and efficient, and to continue to offer the best quality service we possibly can.” c

Using our vast knowledge of the travel and hospitality industry and fully computerized access to the Sabre Reservation System, we provide tours, travel packages, travel product and services to ensure complete customer satisfaction. • Groups & Incentive Package • Cruise Packages • Nature & Historic Tours • Charter flights • Airline, Hotel and Car Reservations & much more!

E: toursntravel@candw.lc T: 1 758 451 1400/01 (b) / 1 758 384-0443 (m)

www.toursntravelinc.com SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES PORT AUTHORITY

SVGPA REGULATES PORT ACTIVITIES WHILE ALSO CARRYING OUT THE OPERATIONS OF A PORT AUTHORITY.

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Bishen John, Chief Executive Officer of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority, about the importance of efficiency for port customers, the significance of ports to the country’s economy, and developing a major new facility. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority (SVGPA) is responsible for the day-to-day operation and administration of ports across the multi-island state of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Headquartered in Kingstown, SVGPA runs the busy ports at Kingstown and Campden Park, the Kingstown cruise and ferry terminals, and four smaller ports in the Grenadines: Mustique, Bequia, Union Island, and Canouan. Founded by an Act of Parliament in 1975, SVGPA 42 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

is today a self-funded statutory body that works independent of, but in conjunction with, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. “SVGPA regulates port activities while also carrying out the operations of a port authority,” explains Bishen John, Chief Executive Officer of SVGPA. “At the moment, we have three main facilities in Kingstown. We have dedicated cruise and freight terminals, and, as a multi-island steward, we also have

ferry vessels running between all our islands on a daily basis. We also have a container facility at Campden Park Container Port, which is our main containerized area, handling more than 90% of our containerized cargo.” ECONOMIC STEWARDSHIP SVGPA play a crucial role in the economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with responsibility for sea trade, inter-island commuting, and the country’s essential cruise

tourism industry. “Being a multi-island state, on a given day there could be as many as 600 to 700 people passing through our ferry terminal,” says Mr. John. “From that perspective alone, we developed and continued to develop port facilities at all ports that enable persons to move seamlessly between the mainland and the islands, which has been a significant boost for the economy. This is important not only for commuting and inter-island shipping, but for the cruise industry as well, because visitors can be assured that all ports will be adequately outfitted while moving from one island to the next.”

“While we don’t own vessels, we do create the facilities and environment that allow for business growth,” explains Mr. John. “From that standpoint, we play a significant role in the country’s economy. Our ports handle roughly 17,000 to 18,000 containers per annum. For our users, if they submit their paperwork at customs and excise, then they can have a container ready within four hours. This is significant because it allows for just-in-time shipping, thereby guaranteeing efficiency. At this moment, we have zero waiting time for bulk space. It’s almost guaranteed that if a client comes, they will be allocated a berth.

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ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES PORT AUTHORITY

That reassures our port users by giving them regularity. They know they have a berthing window and the logistics have a low processing time. It also cuts the need for inventory, because they can get shipments every week or fortnight, so they don’t need to stockpile. From that standpoint, we are also playing a significant role in reducing the cost of operations and maintenance in the country.” BREAKING NEW GROUND SVGPA’s Port of Kingstown has operated continuously since it was first built in the 1960s. While Kingstown continues to provide sufficient services for the country,

SVGPA recognize the need to expand and update capacity. “In 2016, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines accepted a proposal to develop a new port facility,” said Mr. John. “It is going to be built north of the current Kingstown harbor, and will have over 380 meters of berthing space, with the possibility of being extended. It’s a completely new facility incorporating both ferry and container terminals, and it will be funded through local grants as well as loans from the Caribbean Development Bank.” Currently, a joint venture of German port planning and engineering consultant Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH and

Hamburg Port Consulting GmbH are preparing details designs for the new facility. “We should be breaking ground if not in the first quarter of 2020 then early in the secong quarter of 2020,” says Mr. John. “Because the new facility is on a greenfield site, we believe the construction process should be pretty fast. At present, having two port facilities means we have significant redundancy in equipment and other areas. The new port will dramatically increase our efficiency and cut down operational cost. Once it is completed, we are hoping to find partners within the industry to redevelop and repurpose the Port of

www.sellhorn-hamburg.de

Consulting Engineers for Marine and Infrastructure Projects Teilfeld 5, 20459 Hamburg • Tel: +49 40 361201-0 • Email: info@sellhorn-hamburg.de

44 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Kingstown for other activities that will go hand-in-hand with the development of our growing tourism industry.” HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT Since Saint Vincent and Grenadines gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1979, the new port facility project is the country’s second-largest capital project, after the construction of Argyle National Airport between 2008 and 2017. “It will be an essential part of the country’s entire

logistics network,” says Mr. John. “The Prime Minister has a hands-on approach to this project from a policy standpoint, and recognizes the importance of a port in an island where our manufacturing base is pretty low at the moment. In the end, it is part of the broader government economic development plan, and will be used to develop the country holistically.” Looking to the future, SVGPA intend to boost their efficiency, though not only better physical infrastructure but through better

organizational processes too. “The shipping sector is much more dynamic than it was when we began, and we have to take that into account as we go forwards,” says Mr. John. “Our governance structure is being reviewed at a policy level to be the most efficient for the country and all our stakeholders. The whole region is moving towards the free movement of persons and cargo. The port has to be a part of that movement as well; we are looking forward to playing a significant role in realizing that goal.” c

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ARC MANUFACTURING LTD

ARCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PRODUCTS ARE TAILORED TO THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE JAMAICAN AND CARIBBEAN MARKETS.

THROUGH THE ROOF Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Norman Horne, Executive Chairman of ARC Manufacturing Ltd., about advanced manufacturing facilities, improving energy efficiency, and new opportunities in the regional and international markets.

ARC MANUFACTURING LTD. IS THE EMPLOYER OF CHOICE FOR OVER 400 SKILLED PROFESSIONALS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN WHICH IT OPERATES, AND PROMOTES A VIBRANT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ENVIRONMENT.

46 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

NORMAN HORNE, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT ARC MANUFACTURING.

ARC is a leading Jamaican manufacturer and distributor of building materials, including sheeting for roofing, nails, construction fabric mesh, wire, concrete products and cement, lumber, and wood products. The company was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1996, after founder Norman Horne recognized a need in Jamaica for improved roofing solutions. At the time, most new Jamaican buildings had galvanized steel roofs, and Horne saw the need to invest in a plant to produce alu-zinc-coated steel tiles and sheets for the local market. “Business took off very quickly,” says Norman Horne, Chairman of ARC. “The company started with five employees, and today we have in excess of four hundred employees in a number of strategic locations, serving our customers’ needs. The company now has two main offices and a secondary office to serve customers who are domiciled in the west of the island. The primary office is located in Kingston on approximately eighteen acres of land, hous-

ing plants for the wire, lumber treatment, and roofing products. Another location in Kingston houses ARC’s transportation and logistics hub, while the office in Montego Bay is primarily a distribution hub.” ONE-OF-A-KIND FACILITY ARC is one of Jamaica’s three largest suppliers of building materials. “Our roofing plant produces various categories of products, including circular and industrial profiles and technological roofing tiles,” explains Mr. Horne. “A wide variety of wire products including industrial wire, binding wire, construction fabric, chain link, and security fencing are manufactured at our wire plant”. ARC’s state-of-the-art lumber treatment plant has the capacity to treat approximately five million board feet of lumber each month, and is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean. In addition to their manufacturing facilities, ARC are also a major distributor of steel, timber, and concrete products, including cement. SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ARC MANUFACTURING LTD LUMBER FOR THE TREATMENT CHAMBER.

DIFFERENTIATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY Technology advancement is crucial to ARC’s manufacturing success. “Recently we invested in improving the technological infrastruc-

ture at the manufacturing plants, including the wire plant,” explains Mr. Horne. “This J$340 Million investment has resulted in optimization of efficiencies and output, while simultaneously reducing labour costs at the

plants. Not only will this increased production satisfy the domestic demands, but it will unequivocally improve the company’s competitive advantages and support our export growth strategy.” “ARC’s Lumber Treatment Plant is managed with support from Osmose, a USA-based wood treatment company,” says Mr. Horne. “We are proud that a number of American companies in the industry have sent their employees to be trained at ARC’s lumber treatment plant. This is one of the most recent plants to be developed, since it was only constructed about five years ago.” SUN ROOF ARC’s products are tailored to the specific requirements of the Jamaican and Caribbean markets. “Jamaica, being a tropical country, has between 8 to 12 hours of intense sunlight each day,” says Mr. Horne. “Depending on the time of year, temperatures can rise up to the high 90s. Consequently, many houses require air conditioning units to provide cool-

48 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Build with the Best!

Use MicroPro® Brand Pressure Treated Lumber & Plywood. MicroPro® Treated Wood Advantages • Lighter, more natural wood appearance. • Better corrosion resistance for code-approved fasteners and hardware. • Approved for aluminum contact. • National Green Building Standard™ Certified • Environmentally Preferable Product™ (EPP) • UL Greenguard Gold Certified • Global GreenTag Certified™

For more information, visit www.arcja.com MicroPro pressure treated wood products are treated with Micronized Copper Azole. MicroPro pressure treated wood products are treated at independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. MicroPro® is a registered trademark of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. ©4/2019 SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Universal Forest Products, Inc., is a U.S.-based global corporation that finds reward in its roots and its hard-earned success. Founded in 1955 as a supplier of lumber to the manufactured housing industry, Universal today is a multibillion-dollar holding company with subsidiaries around the globe that serve three robust markets: retail, industrial and construction. Since 1993, Universal has been publicly traded (Nasdaq: UFPI).

We can assist in:

Steel is our passion. Service is our mission. Quality is our goal.

• Steel Trading • Logistics • Document Facilitation • Trade Financing

We congratulate ARC Manufacturing on a good business relationship lasting many years

To discuss how we can use our expertise to assist you please contact us: T: +32 3 224 11 60 | F: +32 3 224 11 70 | E: info@steelforce.net | www.steelforce.eu 50 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ARC MANUFACTURING LTD

AN AERIAL SHOT OF A SECTION OF THE 18-ACRE ARC MANUFACTURING PLANT SHOWS ITS SOLAR FARM, WHICH IS USED TO POWER SECTIONS OF THE PLANT.

ing and improve comfort. We thought that if ARC provided a roofing system that helped to reflect the heat, as our alu-zinc roofing system does, then we would have satisfied a need to make the houses cooler and less dependent on air conditioning. That is a simple but powerful example of the type of conservation solutions ARC provides.” “It should also be noted that there is about 80,000 square feet of warehouse space at ARC,” says Mr. Horne. “The roof

of these spaces was used to construct a solar farm that harvests sunlight, which we use as an alternative source of energy in the manufacturing process. This has helped the company to reduce our reliance on the national grid, which has resulted in significant energy savings. ARC amortized the solar farm investment over a period of 28 months, and since then the energy expense has been substantially reduced. Minute costs are incurred for the servicing

and maintenance of the solar panels. To achieve greater levels of energy efficiency, ARC plans to continue investing in additional solar farms, which will allow for greater levels of energy independence.” VERTICAL INTEGRATION TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES Having already achieved the status of being one of Jamaica’s top suppliers of building materials, ARC have a clear vision

The management and staff of Atlantic Hardware & Plumbing Company Limited wish to express our Warmest Congratulations to Norman Horne, CEO of ARC Manufacturing. Norman, you have been an inspiration to a lot of us to follow in your footsteps on the road to the pinnacle of success. During your journey, you have been a very pleasant and humble person, and that is of further inspiration to us. Just by the dedication and loyalty displayed by your staff, we know it’s a reflection of your personality that they are emulating.

7a Ashenheim Road Kingston 11, Jamaica Phone: 876-758-0266 to 9 Fax: 876-758-0222 Email: atlantichdw@gmail.com

Atlantic Hardware & Plumbing have been collaborating with your company for the past decade, and we would like to express our deepest appreciation for the valuable support that you have given to us over the period that words are inadequate to express.

Norman, we wish you continued good health and success along your journey, and just to let you know, we are here to support you along the way. From the management and staff of Atlantic Hardware & Plumbing Company Limited.

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ARC MANUFACTURING LTD

ARC HAVE A CLEAR VISION TO CONTINUE THEIR GROWTH AND EXPANSION TRAJECTORY.

52 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

STUDENTS FROM THE HANOVER HOPE FOUNDATION IN WESTERN JAMAICA TOUR THE ARC MANUFACTURING PLANT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF SENIOR MANAGER OF THE TECHNICAL DIVISION, LEVAR BEEZER. THE TOUR HELPED TO EXPOSE STUDENTS TO NON-TRADITIONAL CAREER OPTIONS.

to continue their growth and expansion trajectory. “Our motto is ‘we must change before we are forced to change’, which means we have to mutate and grow,” says Mr. Horne. “We have also utilized vertical integration to own elements of the manufacturing value chain, which were previously outsourced. This will no doubt enhance our competitiveness.” Additional expansion plans include the build out of ARC’s transportation and logistics activities to include high-end equipment, which will be leased and rented in the domestic market. This means a significant investment in equipment, to include

building cranes standing 70 feet, concrete pump trucks for multi-storey buildings, and piles that drill 80 feet. “We are looking into incorporating more advanced technology to differentiate the service offerings to building contractors and developers,” says Mr. Horne. “We now have the capacity to satisfy the domestic market and export our surplus. Therefore, to realize further growth in market share and profits, we will export by forging strategic partnerships and joint ventures over the next five years. ARC will continue to provide customers with innovative and affordable product offerings in the local and international markets.” c

THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF COMMON WIRE NAILS IN JAMAICA, ARC MANUFACTURES HIGH QUALITY WIRE NAILS, WHICH COME IN A VARIETY OF TYPES, SIZES AND OFFER INNUMERABLE FUNCTIONS IN ALL TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

EVERY PRODUCT MANUFACTURED BY ARC IS TESTED AND CHECKED TO ENSURE THAT IT MEETS THE COMPANY’S QUALITY STANDARDS BEFORE IT GOES TO DISTRIBUTION. THE COMPANY WAS RECENTLY AWARDED THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE TO ISO 9001:2015 STANDARDS.

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PRECAMP SOUTH AMERICA

“ULTIMATELY, WE FOCUS ON OUR CLIENTS AND THEIR NEEDS, EMPHASIZING THE HIGH QUALITY AND CONVENIENCE OF OUR SERVICES.”

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CUSTOM-MADE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Mireille Hunsel, Financial Director at Precamp South America N.V., about building prefabricated structures in Suriname, flexibility and customizability, and new markets. Precamp South America N.V. is a Surinamese manufacturer of prefabricated buildings. By providing engineering, construction, electrical infrastructure, and air conditioning, Precamp can control all aspects of a modular building’s installation. Initially Precamp buildings were used mainly in the mining sector, but now they are used in diverse sectors. “Precamp South America was started in December 2004, partnering with a company based in Italy,” explains Mireille

Hunsel, Financial Director at Precamp South America. Over the years we have extended into roof construction, warehouses, framing for houses, and so on. Ultimately, we focus on our clients and their needs, emphasizing the high quality and convenience of our services. We custom-build our projects according to the client’s specifications, and are always mindful of environmental concerns and green construction techniques. Our product range consists of offices, sleeping accommodation, lavatories, cleaning facilities, ATM cabins, medical clinics, guard houses, vacation homes, security buildings, and more. We have provided the Surinamese market and the Caribbean market with our products. In Trinidad and Tobago, St. Maarten, and Guyana we have built a university complex, port facility buildings, and men camps.”

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PRECAMP SOUTH AMERICA

MINE STRUCTURES Since being established in 2004, Precamp has worked on a diverse portfolio of projects in Suriname, large and small. “In 2012, we won a contract to build a camp for about one thousand people,” says Ms. Hunsel. “This was as part of a state-run refinery project where they needed office spaces, a

56 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

kitchen, a recreation facility, sanitary cabins, and high-quality temporary accommodation. The project duration was approximately two-and-a-half years. This was a buy-back deal, meaning after their project was completed we bought back all of the prefabs and reconditioned everything at our own factory for resale. Normally, we do not

re-purchase the cabins after a project is finished, but in this case we allowed it, which was very convenient for the client. More often, after a project is done, the client can use the prefabs for their next project. We are often requested to move the structures and set them up at their next location. Our customers are purchasing the product, but they are also purchasing our expertise and professional advice, which we are more than happy to provide as part of the package.” “We have also built several lab buildings at Newmont gold mine, as well as a mill office and a mine office on location,” elaborates Ms. Hunsel. “The Newmont project began with a 250-man camp in 2012, but it has expanded over the years to well beyond that number. The biggest challenge in working at remote locations is the transportation of our products. Roads are often dirt roads and in bad condition, especially in the rainy season.

Transportation of our products is mostly done by road, but if a project is in the interior or abroad, it can also be done by air or boat. Transportation can be arranged by us, or the customers can use their own means of transportation.”

CUSTOMIZED PRODUCTS The versatile, customizable nature of Precamp’s product is a significant advantage for clients. “The fact that we can provide structures of any size is a huge selling point,” explains Ms. Hunsel. “Precamp is able to

provide a custom-tailored product to meet the requirements of our clients. We have provided prefabs for medical purposes, such as dental clinics for elementary schools at ten different locations, a malaria testing facility, a lab building for regular medical tests, and

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PRECAMP SOUTH AMERICA enables better construction solutions in remote locations than the traditional building method.”

a Red Cross blood testing facility. The dental clinics are positioned in and around Paramaribo, but the other medical clinics are spread quite far into remote areas, to better enable public access to these services and facilities.” “The university building in Trinidad and Tobago was actually our first big project in the Caribbean,” says Ms. Hunsel. “This made it a challenging but exciting time for

us. Part of the challenge was naturally the cultural complexity of working in another region, combining different attitudes and work ethics and so on. We have also recently extended our market into Guyana, and have been working there more. Ultimately, the mining industry is our primary market and we will continue to explore this alongside other sectors. Our product

PIVA GROUP A completely Italian story Piva Group was set up in Italy in 1986 to manufacture insulation panels and doors and windows made of various combinations of materials, aluminium and PVC for the building trade. The search for new techniques to develop innovative products has made the Piva brand known not only in Italy but also in international markets like Spain, the USA, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Australia. Today, Piva is a prestigious name in the building trade, owing to its production versatility, its product quality and its wealth of experience. A company that is always ready to match its customers’ needs, where Future is the watchword.

+39 0442 536 111 marketing@pivagroupspa.com www.pivagroupspa.com 58 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

NEW FRONTIERS Precamp has operated successfully for fifteen years, and is looking forward with further development and expansion in mind. “In the future, we would love to expand our availability in the Caribbean and start seeing more projects and business there,” says Ms. Hunsel. “We have many new products that we would like to continue developing in order to broaden our range and hopefully expand our reach. These are ultimately the two main focal points for Precamp currently: To develop and roll out new products, and to continue expanding in the Caribbean region. Regarding our new products, we would like to focus more on houses, further enabling us to cater to a wider variety of markets. Related, we would love to work more within the private sector, as opposed to the industrial and mining market which we have focused on previously. By providing our high-quality products to those who may struggle to build the

traditional way, we hope to enable more people to access homes.” “In short, Precamp South America N.V. is a young, dynamic, and professional company,” says Ms. Hunsel. “We are versatile, and we do everything ourselves, designing and building our own profiles for the cabins and houses we provide. The only thing

that we import is the wall and roof panels, though they are also assembled here in Suriname at our facility. This facility is approximately 2.1 hectares and employs twenty-two people. We have an engineering department, marketing and sales, finance, and production. This enables us to provide a one-stop shop for all our customers and

offer the best price-quality ratio. We offer high quality, comfortable, and custom-made accommodations to fulfil all requirements of the customer. All of this means that we will continue providing whatever products our clients require, across a variety of markets and different locations, always to a very high standard.” c

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GLOBAL EVENTS

JUNE

2019

3rd - 6th

Sustainable Brands: Global Flagship - Detroit Detroit, MI, USA www.sustainablebrands.com/events

6th - 7th

Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2019 New York, NY, USA www.cse-net.org

This challenging two-day training offered by CSE aims to give you all the latest practical tools and resources required to implement or upscale corporate sustainability in order to drive your initiatives to the next level by generating value and creating effective strategies.

11th - 13th

Global Petroleum Show Calgary, AB, Canada

Global Petroleum Show (GPS) is North America’s Leading Exhibition & Conference, where oil and gas professionals convene to engage in dialogue, create partnerships, do business, and identify the solutions and strategies that will shape the industry for the years ahead.

www.globalpetroleumshow.com

21st - 23rd

The Energy Fair Custer, WI, USA www.theenergyfair.org

The Energy Fair is the nation’s longest running clean energy and sustainable living event of its kind. This conference relates to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living topics.

24th - 25th

Solar Power Texas Austin, TX, USA events.solar/texas/

Solar Power Texas gives solar professionals a place to gain updates from local policy drivers and learn from leading businesses in the region. Enjoy the networking reception at this premier event for professionals looking to take advantage of this growing market.

9th - 11th

Intersolar North America San Francisco, CA, USA www.intersolar.us

It’s the industry hotspot to discover the latest trends in photovoltaics, PV production technologies, smart renewable energy, and solar heating and cooling.

14th - 18th

Power Conference and Nuclear Forum Salt Lake City, UT, USA event.asme.org/power

Joining all of ASME’s world-class conferences on power generation and energy sustainability in one place and covers the latest research, development trends, innovative technologies, solutions for renewable and other energy sustainability, and more.

15th - 18th

Carbon Management Technology Conference Houston, TX, USA

The Carbon Management Technology Conference will focus on carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies that provide options for lowering greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining fuel diversity for sustainable growth.

23rd - 25th

HydroVision International 2019 Oregon, USA

This conference and exhibition is tailormade for companies who desire to make a big impact in the world of hydropower. Attendees are able to take advantage of a generous panel schedule of 350 speakers.

Energy Issues Summit St. Cloud, MN, USA

The Energy Issues Summit will include topics such as EPA standards, NRECA updates, pension and benefit information, and issues specific to the Minnesota Rural Electric Cooperative Industry.

www.hydroevent.com/index.html

31st - 1st Aug

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The SB Community will once again convene in Detroit for their flagship event. Join the global dialog about how together, through their vision for the aspirational lifestyle of the future, brands are Delivering the Good Life.

JULY

2019

ADVERTISERS INDEX A Arc Jamaica P49 AASHE Conference & Expo Inside Front Atlantic Hardware & Plumbing P51 B Bahamas Foam Insulations Ltd.

P14

B C.O. Williams Construction

P23

D Daher Broadcasting Services Doorsons Konstrucktie Ind E Energy Expo Ernst & Young G Grant Thornton Goddard Catering Group

P27 P57

Back Cover P25

P32 P20

L Ladera Resort Lewis Industries Ltd.

P23 P40

M Marjoblac Ltd.

P50

N Next Generation Electrical Inc. P Parker Davis HVAC Intl., Inc. Pilot Management Services (Barbados) Ltd. Piva Group

P08

P32 P05 P58

R RTEK Services

P09

S Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH Sign Depot

P44 P05

Souther Taxi Association P40 Steelforce P50 Symphonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aluminium & Vinyl Products Co. Ltd. P14 T The Landings Hotel Resort & Spa Total Office Ltd. Tours & Travel Services Inc.

P24 P09 P41

U UFP International P50 Unicomer P25 W Water Expo 2019 Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort

Back Cover P21

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR for these 2 outstanding events in MIAMI, The Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Capital.

Where manufacturers & distributors CONNECT BIG with Latin American, Caribbean & United States HUGE MARKETS 40 countries under one roof!

AUG.

8TH EDITION!

28 & 29

2019

In MIAMI

The WATER & WASTEWATER

MARKETPLACE for ALL of The AMERICAS

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2nd edition! February 12 & 13, 2020 In warm MIAMI - MACC Convention Center

CONNECT

with Latin America The Caribbean & East USA! www.TEE2020.com mail@TheEnergyExpo.com (305) 412-0000