Business View Caribbean - February 2016 15
could be put “to proper, effective and profitable use”.
According to him, Barbados had given the world a
top, international recording artiste in Rihanna. How-
ever, he stressed that there were many other talent-
ed persons here who were awaiting similar opportu-
nities. He said the Cultural Industries Development
Act had been passed, the Cultural Industries Devel-
opment Authority had been established, and the
ministries of tourism and culture would be working
closely to develop the synergies that could result
from that collaborative relationship.
Stuart told his audience that government was con-
tinuing to work towards making Barbados one of the
safest, happiest and most peaceful places on this
planet. “And I think we have done quite well up to
now in trying to achieve that objective. But we could
not have been as successful as we have been, par-
ticularly over the past 50 years as an independent
nation, had it not been for people like yourselves,
who let slip no opportunity to demonstrate your
faith and your confidence in Barbados,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Industry Minister, Donville Inniss said
there is a dire need to increase the exports of goods
and services from Barbados to a global market. He
insisted that the country must first start with the re-
gion, as it is the largest export market for goods and
services from Barbados, and the one that offers the
greatest potential to increase exports. Inniss was
speaking at a recent press conference following a
five-day Caribbean Community (CARICOM) trade
mission aimed at generating increased exports to
Saint Lucia, Grenada and Guyana.
Stating that the last statistics he had seen indicated
that from January to September 2015, Barbados ex-
ported approximately $259 million in value of goods
to the region, the minister explained that with the
current trajectory, the figure in 2016 could expect
to reach $285 million in exports to the CARICOM
region. He continued: “Many Barbadians might cer-
tainly not appreciate the volume of goods that we
export in the region and whilst these figures might
seem significant, we didn’t get there just by sitting
here in Barbados and believing others will buy what
we produce.”
Inniss further explained that Saint Lucia, Grenada
and Guyana were chosen based on the volume of
exports to those countries, as well as the already es-
tablished relations. He pointed out that up until Sep-
tember 2015, Barbados had exported approximately
$27 million in goods to Saint Lucia; $14.6 million in
goods to Grenada; and $49.9 million worth to Guy-
ana, and Barbados needed to improve upon these
figures.
“This mission was mounted with the intention of
taking into those three territories companies that
we know have the synergies there; some of them
are already exporting or they are certainly in a posi-
tion to satisfy any demands of those markets. [The
mission] was also designed to expose our manufac-
turers and service providers as to what is happening
in the market place. It is one thing to sit here and
read reports and to talk to people on the phone but
when you get up and actually go there you actually
get to feel and experience what is happening,” he
contended.
The ministerial party also took the opportunity to
explore opportunities for further expanding exports
to Guyana, as well as inward investment in areas
where Barbadian companies could compete. The
prospects for exploring increased trade with Bra-
zil via Guyana’s partial scope agreement with that
country were also investigated.
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