Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture

1. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities The Experience of The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture

2. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities • Small Chamber of 150 Members • Membership All Sectors of Economic Activity • Financed Primarily From Subscription 80% • Main Services Offered • Advocacy • Representation • HRD • Event Organisation • Information • Business Support Services (BDU)

3. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities • Financial Sustainability is Paramount • Most Events attract Participation Fee • Providing Value to Members and Wider Business Community Survival • Members Have Shown a Keen Interest in Participating in Trade Missions Over the Years

4. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities • Trade Missions Have Been done as stand alone events in the past • A Measure of Success has been Achieved. • Even well Established Exporting Companies Participating in Our Business Missions • All our Business Missions have been the Recipient of Grant Support • Makes Profit

5. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities • This Support has come from Government, Donor Agencies like the EU • Participants Make a Significant Financial Contribution • Chamber Benefits • Business Missions are Expensive Propositions for the Business Community

6. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities • Firms who can Benefit are not able to participate in the Business Missions • HIGH VALUE

7. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities We Offer A Rigorous Pre-Mission Service Mandatory Half Day Workshop on “Effective Participation in Business Missions” Provide Information on All Aspects Guarantee a Minimum Number of Appointments Before Hand All Logistics, Administrative Arrangements

8. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities We Conduct Basic Preliminary Research Host a Cocktail or Reception Assist with the Evaluation and Assessment Of Contacts and Meetings Provide Post Mission Advice (Follow-up)

9. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES OUR APPROACH IS CHANGING

10. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities PART OF A BROADER PROGRAM OF EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE NATIONAL EXPORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

11. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities ST.LUCIA CHAMBER’S PASSPORT TO EXPORT WE WILL ASK SERIOUS QUESTIONS

12. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities • WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EXPORT • ARE YOU ALERT OF ALL RISKS • DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOU OWN APPRAOCH • EVALUATE WITH THE FRIM ITS BUSINESS PLAN

13. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities IDENTIFY WHAT FIRM NEEDS TO SUCCEED IDENTIFY THE OTHER THINGS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED DO THEY UNDERSTAND THE ST. LUCIA MARKET ASK AND HELP THEM TO CONDUCT A SWOT

14. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities MAKE THEM ASK THEMSELVES: Which Market? HELP WITH MARKET SELECTION considerations? WE WILL DISCUSS ROUTE TO MARKET

15. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities We will help look at Entry Strategy inter alia: Proper Decisions about Doing Business Encourage proper Research of Market Potential We will Identify Proper Research Sources for them

16. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities THEN WE WILL COME TO CONTACTING THE MARKET ONLY THEN WE TALK ABOUT A VISIT ‘IF YOU DO NOT VISIT, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL”

17. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities • TRADE MISSIONS ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE • CLIENTS MUST GET RESULTS • HOLISTIC POINT OF VIEW • THE NATIONAL EXPORT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS SOON TO COMMENCE

18. Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Trade Missions And Related Activities IS THERE A ROLE FOR CARIBBEAN EXPORT TO SUPPORT SUCH A PROGRAM CAN GRANT FUNDING BE ACCESSED AND PROVIDED TO SUPPOR THIS CAN FIRMS ON SUCH A PROGRAM ACCESS THE CARIBBEAN EXPORT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS CAN ST. LUCIA CHAMBER WORK WITH OTHER BSO’S TO OFFER SUCH A SERVICE TO THEIR CLIENTS

19. S.L.C.C.I.A. CONCLUSION AS CARIBBEAN EXPORT STARTS THE 10TH EDF WHAT VISION DOES IT HAVE FOR WORKING WITH BSO’s WHO ARE OFFERING QUALITY SERVICES IN THEIR OWN STATE STRENGTHENING BSO’S LIKE OURS TO OFFER SUCH SERVICES APPEARS TO BE A NO BRAINER

20. St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture WE ARE THE HELEN OF THE WEST THANK YOU !