The Standing Committee on Business Development (SCBD) Reconvenes at MTI

The Standing Committee on Business Development (SCBD), which comprises key individuals and organisations responsible for business growth and development from both the public and private sectors, held its first meeting on Friday 12^th March 2010, following a two year break. The meeting was held in the Ministry’s Level 16 Conference Room at Nicholas Tower, and MTI is responsible for providing technical and secretarial support to the Committee. In fact, the Business Development Directorate, headed by Ramesh Sarabjit, mobilised its resources under the lead of Abigail Edwards along with support from Communications, Events and Corporate Services to manage efficiently this first session.

As many of you would recall, the SCBD was established by Cabinet in 2003 to serve as an Advisory Committee mandated to drive business development in Trinidad and Tobago and in 2004, was the instigator of the development of the Seven Sectors – Food & Beverage, Fish and Fish Processing, Yachting, Merchant Marine, Music and Entertainment, Film and Printing and Packaging. The private sector was extremely pleased with the reconvening of the SCBD, given the importance of the Committee to developing the business sector in Trinidad and Tobago.

Senator Dr. the Hon. Lenny Saith, previously head of the SCBD, chaired this pivotal first meeting which was attended by several government Ministers and officials and prominent members of the business community. The main items discussed included T&T’s Investment Policy; the Single Electronic Window (SEW) and Competitiveness, general state of the work ethic in T&T and its effects on productivity and efficiency in the workplace, among others.

The key functions of the SCBD as agreed to by Cabinet are as follows:

• Monitor the ongoing implementation of the Strategic Plans for the seven industries
• Explore new industries for development;
• Monitor and address issues that impact negatively on the business environment; and
• Address other issues that may be deemed important by the private sector that need Government intervention.

The next meeting is scheduled for Friday 16^th April 2010 and after this date meetings are to be held every other month. MTI is delighted to have the opportunity to interact with its major stakeholders at this important forum and looks forward to working together with them to drive the development of the non-energy sectors of the economy.

Minister Browne and Senator Dr. the Hon. Lenny Saith

Senator Dr. the Hon. Lenny Saith greets Garvin Seemungal, Director, Greater Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Dr. the Hon. Lenny Saith chats with the Hon. Christine Kangaloo

MTI Staff Members Participate in 5K Run/Walk

Congratulations go out to our colleagues - Ann-Marie Goindoo, Esther LaPompe, Kathy-Ann Andrews, Lystra Warren-Lewis and Melissa Serrette - who represented MTI at the Annual 5K Run/Walk organized by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs (MCDCGA), last Saturday 13^th March. The 5K event, which started at the MCDCGA head office on the corner of Jerningham Avenue and Queen’s Park East, Port of Spain and ended at Frederick Street and Queen’s Park South is organized each year by the Ministry to commemorate International Women’s Day.

Well done, Ladies! We’re looking forward to having more people represent MTI at positive events such as this!

Food and Beverage Industry Stakeholders Meet to Discuss Update of Strategic Plan

The updated version of the strategic plan for the Food and Beverage industry (F&B) is well on its way to being completed. This comes after a consultation held on Monday 8^th March 2010 with industry stakeholders to align their objectives with those in the revised draft plan, with the ultimate goal of producing a final version that will drive the growth of the sector. Once completed, the revised plan is supposed to better guide the Food and Beverage Industry Development Committee (FBIDC) in its quest to further develop and expand this valuable industry, one of the key players in the Non-Energy Manufacturing sector in Trinidad and Tobago.

Held at the NAMDEVCO Packinghouse in Piarco, the event was chaired by our very own Nyron Mohammed, who functions as the interim Industry Specialist for the industry. PS Carl Francis delivered the opening remarks and highlighted the importance of the revised Strategic Plan stating that “it will redefine the role and function of the FBIDC in its mandate to expand the Industry, enhance its competitiveness and ultimately increase its contribution to Non-Energy Manufacturing Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”

Consultant Kyle Jackman and his team from Integrated Management Services Limited were commissioned by the FBIDC to prepare the revised and updated plan which was presented at the consultation. F&B Industry stakeholders - which included members of the TTMA, TTCIC and BDC – divided into working groups to discuss the proposed strategic objectives and to prioritize them depending on their line of business. They then presented their findings, along with relevant issues and recommendations.

The local F&B Industry is a stalwart of the non-energy manufacturing sector, contributing approximately TT $4.1 billion to GDP in 2009, amounting to 52 percent of overall Manufacturing GDP. There are on record 430 firms, employing some 11, 000 people. Furthermore, this industry is one of three industries in the Non-Energy Manufacturing sector that did not experience a negative growth rate during the period January-December 2009. The updated F&B Industry Strategic Plan is expected to be completed within the coming months.

From left: Nyron Mohammed, MTI, PS Carl Francis, Richard Joseph, Acting Chairman, FBIDC and Kyle Jackman, Consultant, Integrated Management Services Limited

MTI's Nyron Mohammed at the podium

From left: Nyron Mohammed, MTI, PS Carl Francis, Richard Joseph, Acting Chairman, FBIDC and Kyle Jackman, Consultant, Integrated Management Services Limited

MTI staff Cyntra Raghubar and Justin Pantin with a participant

MTI co-hosts session on Regional Harmonised Industrial Policy

Fast on the heels of our own Industrial policy development initiatives, MTI co-hosted with CARICOM Secretariat, two consultative sessions with local stakeholders for the development of a regional harmonized industrial policy. These sessions, which were held in the Level 16 Conference Room, were designed to secure input from the national community on developing the regional industrial policy. Over the next 14 months, the CARICOM Secretariat hopes to meet with the various Member States to hold similar discussions.

Among those representing the CARICOM Secretariat at the consultation were Ms. Leela Ramoutar, Specialist Private Sector Facilitation, and Dr. R. Alston Stoddard, Industrial Policy Expert. In his opening remarks, Dr. Stoddard highlighted the need for CARICOM Member States to come together to confront challenges as one with the development of a regional industrial policy. Mr. Wayne Punnette, Deputy Permanent Secretary, MTI, also addressed the gathering and emphasized the importance of Member States to work with instead of compete against each other to ensure greater economic development across the Region.

The consultative sessions were coordinated by the MTI Business Development Directorate and some of the members of this department who helped organize the event were Cherry Ann Grant, Shanna Ramesar, Stacey Honore, Mario Romany, Abigail Edwards, Ria Ramdial and Stephen Rodriguez, among others.