Caribbean Export launches training to boost international competitiveness of services

As part of the ongoing efforts of Caribbean countries to develop initiatives to respond to the multi-faceted development challenges, made worse in just over the past year by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caribbean Export Development Agency has disclosed that it is partnering with the service industries sectors in five Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to host a series of training programmes. Under the umbrella “Services Go Global,” the initiative is designed to enhance the export-readiness of the services of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an effort to move the region into a position of COVID-19 export readiness at the earliest possible time.

The initiative will see Carib Export partnering with the Coalitions of Services bodies from Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, and will see the launch of training programmes during this month, which will be run over a three-month period.

A disclosure emanating from Caribbean Export just under a week ago says that the training will support one hundred and twenty service providers in the business and professional services, information, communication technology (ICT), health and wellness sectors, and sports and recreational services. The various training programmes, which will be delivered virtually, will provide an opportunity for businesses in the targeted countries to develop their export plans, access regional and international markets and develop their respective global brands.

The initiative, the Caribbean Export disclosure says, was developed “to optimize CARIFORUM countries export of services by building the capacity of service providers to capitalize on opportunities under the CARIFORUMEU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), CARICOM Single Market & Economy (CSME) and other existing trade agreements; and to build national capacity through a cadre of certified trainers for the programme geared to assist SMEs in the services sector.

The workshops, Caribbean Export says, will be facilitated by Master Trainers, Yvonne Agard, President of the Caribbean Network of Services Coalitions in St. Lucia; Dr Dionne Chamberlain, President of the Belize Coalition of Services Providers; Reynaldo Guerrero of Belize; Dr Tamu Browne of St. Kitts; and Rabindra Jaggernauth of Trinidad and Tobago.

Caribbean Export Services Specialist Allyson Francis is quoted as saying that “Services play a crucial role in the development of the economies in CARIFORUM, not just as a sector but also due to the significant impact on other sectors such as the manufacturing sector. Caribbean Export is deeply committed to the development of the region’s services sector and it is hoped that firms large and small capitalize upon this opportunity to build their capacity to take advantage of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA and better integrate into the global economy.”

The initiative is being undertaken against the backdrop of what Caribbean Export says are “a number of opportunities for small firms to enter new markets, which opportunities, it says, are likely to be increased “once they have participated in the Services Go Global training programme. The programme, which Carib Export says comes at an opportune time was developed by Global Links Network, a team of certified international trade professionals who have delivered services training in over 50 countries worldwide over the past 20 years.