Prepared by Ms. Dinah Hippolyte

1. VO L 2 MAY 2 0 1 2
Inside this issue:
SLCSI spotlights St. Lucia’s Services
St. Lucian Services Providers to
CEDA Announces new call for pro-
posals
1
2
3
Focus on
Services
PACE discusses text on Cultural 3
Co operation with Canada
Business Opportunities 3
SLCSI New Series: Tips for
Promoting your Services 4
SLCSI Spotlights Saint Lucia’s Services Sector at 2012 Trade and Investment Convention
economy. benefits of participating at TIC, Ms.
The SLCSI gave members Hippolyte notes, “what we have
the opportunity to promote their heard from our members is that the
work by displaying promotional most critical factors for success in
material, electronic videos, adver- the Services industry is credibility.
tisements and other promotional TIC gave the SLCSI the opportunity
clips throughout the course of the to send out a clear message that
exhibition. Saint Lucia has skilled, successful
The SLCSI was also invited to services providers who are experi-
make a presentation on its 21 enced, willing and eager to do
mont h CARTFUND project business.”
“Developing St. Lucia’s Services SLCSI participation at TIC
Traditionally heralded as a Sector” during the event. The pres- 2012 was made possible through
buyer/seller trade show for goods, entation outlined the develop- the support of Caribbean Export
this year’s Trade and Investment ments taking place in the Sector. and the GIZ Development Agency.
Convention (TIC) took on a revised The works of some of St. Lucia’s
format with the SLCSI sharing exhibi- service providers including Accela
tion space with other Services Coa- Marketing, Lee Productions and
litions across the region. Claudia Edwards were also high-
TIC was conceptualized by lighted.
the Trinidad & Tobago Manufactur-
ers Association. It has traditionally
focused on promoting trade in
goods by bringing buyers and sell-
ers under a single roof to allow 3 June -17 July: Saint Lucia Carnival
matchmaking and foster business
4-9 June 2012: Caribbean Week, New York
relationships between and
21-23 June 2012: ICAC 2012: 30th
amongst businessmen.
Caribbean Conference of Accountants,
The invitation extended to Antigua & Barbuda
the SLCSI by TIC organizers to par- Ms. Dinah Hippolyte presents on the Saint. Lucian Services
Sector at TIC 2012 Service Workshop 22-28 June 2012: 3rd Annual Aruba
ticipate in this year’s exhibition re- International Film festival
flects the growing importance of
the Services sector to the region’s Speaking on the tangible
FOCUS ON SERVICES IS THE OFFICIAL ENEWSLETTER OF THE SAINT LUCIA COALITION OF SERVICES INDUSTRIES

2. 2
Saint Lucian Services Providers Win Bid to Participate in European Study Tour and Mission
Lee Productions (Davina Lee), Cinnamon Pro-
echoed by all three persons was the need to be very
clear from the onset about is to be accomplished in
the proposal. As Frances noted, “it is important to be
able to identify what makes your service unique, what
your value proposition is. Don’t just go along with what
the market seems to be doing”.
Ms. Agnes Frances pointed out that the process
was not burdensome at all and that she was able to
get direct assistance from Caribbean Export in clarify-
ing certain requirements in the application process.
Ms. Mederick pointed out that she was able to get di-
rect support from the SLCSI Secretariat in developing
her own proposal. When asked what advice she
would give to persons contemplating responding to
calls for proposals of this nature, Ms Lee commented “ I
would encourage anyone to take full advantage of
such opportunities. It requires dedication, however, if
your business or your career is important to you, its defi-
nitely worth it. It is an investment that can open doors
ductions (Joycie Mederick ) and Accela Marketing to success”.
(Agnes Francis) are three Saint Lucian firms from the
In preparation for the
Creative Industry participating in an upcoming Study
Tour and Mission to the UK, Germany and France. They Study tour and Mission, The SLCSI
will be joined by their counterparts from the other initiated contact with the mission
CARIFORUM Countries. The event is coordinated by consultant Ms. Taiana Mora Ramis
Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean and facilitated a conference call in
Export) and financed by the European Commission, order to bring the parties together
through the ACP Business Climate (Bizclim) Pro- to discuss the upcoming tour. Every-
gramme.
one got an opportunity to discuss
The main objective of the study tour is to offer
both Caribbean and European firms an opportunity to their expectations for the Mission.
know each other and to identify business opportunities. Ms. Mora Ramis was able to pro-
The mission is scheduled to take place from 2nd to 11th vide very useful tips to assist the trio
July 2012 and is being promoted in Europe as an op- in preparing for the Study Tour and
portunity to experience a summer with new and excit- Mission.
ing colours and shapes; music and rhythm that the late
great Bob Marley would be proud of; animations, Trade in services between
documentaries and film productions to “wake up the CARIFORUM and Europe is governed by the Economic
world’s imagination”.
Partnership Agreement (EPA) which has been in effect
The trio were selected based on their respec-
since 2008, and which brings to many, preferential ac-
tive proposals which were submitted in response to the
cess in trade and investment with the Caribbean. The
Call for proposals from Caribbean Export. In weighing
mission will also seek to enhance the framework, iden-
the pros and cons of going through the proposal writ-
tify and increase joint access to development finance
ing process, everyone agreed that the process was a
and serve to support overall maximization of the
relatively easy one. One bit of advice which was
Agreement.
FOCUS ON SERVICES IS THE OFFICIAL ENEWSLETTER OF THE SAINT LUCIA COALITION OF SERVICES INDUSTRIES
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3. 3
IS SUE 1
VO L 2 2011
CEDA Publishes New Call for Proposals
Caribbean Export Development 4. Applications may be submit- the SLCSI to submit their applica-
Agency (Caribbean Export) has ted in any of the four (4) lan- tions, must submit applications in
announced the publication of guages (i.e. English, French, a sealed envelope by post, pri-
the Call for Proposals for the Spanish or Dutch). Applications vate courier or hand delivery to
Regular Procedures. The dead- submitted in French, Spanish or Caribbean Export’s Head Office
line for this Call is July 6, 2012 at Dutch will be translated into Eng- or Caribbean Export’s Sub-
4:30 p.m. (Barbados Time). lish by Caribbean Export. Regional Office on or before the
deadline July 6, 2012 @ 4:30 p.m.
Applicants are reminded of the 5. For this Call ONLY, Caribbean (Barbados Time). Section 3.2 of
following procedural changes: Export will allow applicants to the Guidelines for the Regular
submit their applications to the Procedures provides the mailing
1. Applications submitted via fax address.
SLCSI who will forward the appli-
or email will be not be accepted cations to Caribbean Export for
F o r mo r e i n f o r ma t i o n visit
evaluation. Applicants choosing
2. An applicant may submit one www.carib-export.com.
to submit applications through
(1) proposal/application for this the SLCSI must do so in a sealed
call per legally registered entity. envelope. The deadline for sub-
mitting applications to the SLCSI
3. Applications must be submit- for onward transmission to Carib-
ted in duplicate (i.e. two (2) cop- bean Export is 3rd July 2012.
ies) and hard copy to Caribbean @4.30 p.m.
Export with the required support
documentation. 6. Applicants’ that do not utilize
PACE discusses Cultural Co operation Chapter for CARICOM Canada Trade Negotiations
On Thursday territories for a period of up to 90 days in any twelve
31st May 2012, the month period. This would cover artists, actors, techni-
SLCSI and members of cians and other cultural professionals in the shooting
Professionals for Crea- of cinematographic films or television programmes,
tive Enterprise (PACE) visual, plastic and performing artists and instructors,
met with the Repre- composers, authors, practitioners involved in the re-
sentative of the Minis- cording of music.
try of Foreign Affairs to A Co Production Treaty: St. Lucian audio and
discuss the text on Cul- visual media practitioners would be eligible to all the
tural Co operation to benefits available to Canadian audiovisual works and
be tabled by CARI- producers. This would include entry and stay in Can-
COM at the upcoming ada for the purposes of developing, making and pro-
round of trade negotiations with Canada in July 2012. moting the approved co-production; temporary im-
The chapter on Cultural Co operation is part of the portation into its territory, exemption of all customs du-
region’s push for a Trade and Development Agree- ties and other duties and charges, of any equipment
ment with Canada that supports the development of or any other item required for the making of an ap-
the Services sector in general and the Creative Indus- proved co-production. The contributions of the co-
tries in particular. The CARICOM Proposal includes the producers proposed by Caricom is between 10% and
following: 90% of the co-production.
Entry and Temporary Stay: provisions to allow Technical Assistance: Canada would provide
the entry into and temporary stay of Saint Lucian cul- technical assistance to Saint Lucia with the aim of fur-
tural professionals and practitioners in the respective thering the development of the cultural industries.
FOCUS ON SERVICES IS THE OFFICIAL ENEWSLETTER OF THE SAINT LUCIA COALITION OF SERVICES INDUSTRIES
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4. 4
Professionals for Creative Enterprise Discuss Cultural Co operation
Chapter for CARICOM Canada Trade Negotiations (cont’d)
Areas identified for techni- The concerns gathered will
cal assistance include: fast-track efforts to meet the dead-
(1)The development of specialty line to complete an agreement
format printing capabilities; with Canada. The WTO General
(2) Training for illustrators and de- Council on 30 November 2011 ap-
signers of literary material; proved a new waiver for CARIB-
Request for Expression of Interests (3) The development of a French CAN until December 31 2013. Can-
Client: CARICOM Regional Organiza- language institute for training of ada’s application for the waiver
tion for Standards and Quality culture practitioners; became necessary in order to pre-
(CROSQ) (4 The development of film anima- serve CARICOM’s preferential ac-
Contract: Project Management Con- tion and video art capabilities; cess whilst the two Sides complete
sultancy Services for Caribbean Build- (5) Facilitating compliance with their negotiations of a new WTO-
ing Standards (CBS) Project international and regional stan- compatible trade agreement.
Objective: To assist CROSQ in manag- dards in order to ensure com-
ing the production of CBS within the
patibility and interoperability of
audio-visual technologies.
Project’s timeframe and budget
through the provision of project man-
agement services, buildings stan-
dards expertise, and coordination
SLCSI New Series: Tips for Promoting your Services
support to CROSQ and others in- In our first SLCSI Series, we captivate the attention of
volved in the delivery of the project focused on tips for Networking for passersby.
outputs. Services Providers. This second se- Services however, require
Deadline: 15th June 2012 ries was prompted by recent discus- a different marketing construct
www.caribank.org/procurement- sions surrounding the challenge from goods because what is being
notices/ that many service providers face- sold is a “promise to perform” rather
promoting their Services locally and than a completed service that can
Invitation for Bids internationally. be inspected before the decision to
Client: OECS Secretariat The recent exhibition of the purchase is made. For a service
Contract: Design, Development and SLCSI as we ventured into “goods provider be it a Hairdresser, Archi-
Implementation of E-Filing System territory” at the Trinidad & Tobago tect or Singer/Performer, promoting
Deadline: 21st June 2012 Trade and Investment Convention your service is everything you do! It
Click Here: www.oecs.org/job-
coupled with the exhibition of Ser- is impossible to tell when someone
opportunities
vices providers at the can refer business to
extremely successful you. Selling a promise
Expo 2012 and the up- means that referrals
coming Study Tour and and recommendations
Call for Applications
Mission to Europe raised are king! Most custom-
Organization: Compete Caribbean
a curious question. ers look for recommen-
Opportunity: Caribbean Idea Mar- What were the best dations or referrals be-
ketplace Business Competition ways that individual fore taking a chance
provides grant funding of up to services providers on an unknown service
US$ 100,000 for innovative busi- could promote their supplier.
ness projects. services, something If as a service
which was essentially supplier you are not
Click here:
www.competecaribbean.org
invisible? already known, you face the di-
We know that the task of lemma of how to become known.
promoting goods has over the For service providers looking to
years, been refined to a science. break into a new market, raising
Colourful shiny objects easily catch awareness of your expertise and
the eye of buyers and live demon- building credibility is one of the
strations or tasty samplings often most important areas to focus
FOCUS ON SERVICES IS THE OFFICIAL ENEWSLETTER OF THE SAINT LUCIA COALITION OF SERVICES INDUSTRIES
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SLCSI New Series: TIPS for Promoting your Business cont’d
focus on. There are plenty of low budget ideas which can help to create
buzz, build awareness of your services and showcase work which you have
already done in the past which can help bolster your credibility. In this three
part series we take a look at some great ideas for you to consider. For those
who have creative ideas we also invite you to write us at communica-
tions@slcsi.org and share your own tried and true ideas with us. Of course
some ideas may work for you and some may not, depending on your par-
ticular business model. However, whichever combination of suggestions you
choose, the key is to be persistent and consistent.
Tip #1: Find a platform to showcase your expertise.
This may include starting an e-Newsletter or e-Brief that includes tip and techniques in your area of expertise.
People appreciate free information especially if it is useful to them. Ensure that your mailing list includes existing
as well as potential clients and industry players so that those who matter to your business are aware of your ex-
pertise.
This can be a time consumer exercise and some of you simply may not have the time to spare. Another excellent
option is to volunteer to become a guest writer for a newspaper or magazine. In this scenario it may be tempting
to reach out to a publication with the widest readership. However, it often makes sense to go for publications
which appeal to your clientele. Remember, mass outreach isn’t necessarily your goal. What you do want is to
reach your clients and the key players in your industry.
SAINT LUCIA COALITION OF SERVICE We appreciate your feedback!
INDUSTRIES INC. Please share with us your comments and thoughts on the articles fea-
P. O. Box Choc 8056 tured in this edition . Let us know what you would like to see featured
Castries, Saint Lucia. W.I. in our upcoming Issue by contacting Ms. Dinah Hippolyte via Email:
Tel: 1 758 452 7865 communications@slcsi.org.lc.
Fax: 1 758 452 8695
Email: slcsi@candw.lc www.facebook.com/saintluciacoalitionofservices
Website: www.slcsi.org.lc
.
FOCUS ON SERVICES IS THE OFFICIAL ENEWSLETTER OF THE SAINT LUCIA COALITION OF SERVICES INDUSTRIES
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