Trade Talk: May 2010

Co-sponsor of the annual Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) for the last nine years, MTI was well represented at this year’s installment, held last week at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Port of Spain. As well as mounting our own impressive booth at the Convention, MTI also ensured that the seven sectors targeted by the Government for strategic development– food and beverage, film, merchant marine, music and entertainment, printing and packaging, seafood and yachting - were also represented, with their respective booths.

Over 37 countries participated in TIC 2010, along with more than 500 buyers and 200 companies, and the event was deemed a “huge success” by TIC Chairman Anthony Aboud. The Hon. Patrick Manning, Prime Minister delivered the feature address and officially opened TIC 2010. Several other officials spoke at the opening, including Trade and Industry Minister Mariano Browne, and Sharon Christopher, Dep. CEO, First Citizens Group and Jay Alvi, Exec. Vice President, Enterprise Services, TSTT. Both of these companies are also TIC co-sponsors. The audience included representatives from the business community, senior government officials and diplomats. Among the foreign officials visiting TIC 2010 was the Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment of the Republic of Cuba, His Excellency Oscar Perez Oliva.

TIC 2010 proved to be an excellent forum for business to business as well as business to consumer transactions and was also quite exciting with prize drawings taking place at the MTI booth and each of the seven sector booths on various days. MTI staff members represented the Ministry at TIC including Carol Bickram, Videsh Maharaj, Timitra Williams, Abigail Edwards, Cyntra Raghubar, Dominic Nelson, Donna De Four, Elizabeth Shand, Justin Pantin, Kanika Mc Leod, Kathy-Ann Andrews, Lorraine Barrow, Mario Romany, Neshan Singh, Nyron Mohammed, Savitree Thompson, Shane Seepersad, Shanna Ramesar, Stacey Honore, Stephen Rodriguez, Susan Singh-Seerattan and Kateri Johnston.