ROLES OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE, INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS HIGHLIGHTED AT IDEA GENERATION SESSION

Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 19, 2019 (SKNIS): The role of the Ministry of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs was highlighted by Director of the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC), Phillip Browne, during the opening of the Idea Generation Session, which was hosted by the ministry and the Caribbean Climate Innovation Centre (CCIC) on March 18. The session was a precursor to the Caribbean Green Tech Start-up Bootcamp, which is taking place from March 19 to 21.

Mr. Browne noted that the ministry’s role is to formulate and implement foreign trade policy, to oversee responsibilities for multilateral and bilateral commercial relations, to export promotion measures, and to facilitate export oriented industries.

“With the execution of the foregoing, it is anticipated that cooperation with the global community will be strengthened and opportunities for economic investment will ensue. Underpinning these ambitions however, is the strategic configuration of the ministry so as to engage the necessary segmentation of the various facets and functional areas of the entire trading space. As such, the various programmes and initiatives aimed at ensuring fair and accessible trade are administered by four distinct divisions,” he stated.

He said that the divisions that operate under the ministry are the Departments of International Trade, Consumer Affairs, Industry and Commerce and the Bureau of Standards.

“Notwithstanding these areas of specialization, however, the goal of the ministry is to ensure that at the end of the day, the combination of the various inputs of these divisions would result in the achieving of its main objective and mission which is to facilitate socioeconomic development through accommodative training and training arrangements, and a competitive and enterprising business sector anchored in consumer friendly environments,” he said.

He said that the Boot Camp over the next few days will ensure a sharing of ideas and resources, thus leaving St. Kitts and Nevis a better place, and its people enriched from the knowledge gained.

“This we trust will trickle down to every citizen in the form of economic prosperity, whether it be more sustainable and better jobs or through the operating of successful business enterprises,” said Mr. Browne

“I just want to welcome all of you and wish you an extremely successful next three days and we in the Ministry would want to make sure that we take all of the lessons and continue to spread the word, training and ideas, and generate as we go along,” he said.

The Green Tech Boot Camp is focused on clean technology solutions to impact climate change.