Encounter Series: Practical Actions To Make It Easier To Do Business

The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture will host the first in its 2015 Encounter Series: “Practical Actions To Make It Easier To Do Business”. This will take the form of panelists making provocative presentations, offering different perspectives on the issue of how and what is being done to make it easier to do business in Saint Lucia. Each presentation will be a maximum of 15 minutes long.

The “Encounter” will conclude with a “Next Steps Component” where action recommendations related to the subject at hand will be invited from the floor and each panelist will be given an opportunity to advance three critical recommendations.

Notwithstanding the many platitudes, in the last 3 years Saint Lucia has implemented few reforms which impacted positively on its “Ease of Doing Business Ranking”. During the last year, due primarily to inaction, the island dropped from 64 to 100 in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business report. During that same period the economy has shrunk. While the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Metrics are extremely useful, the Chamber argues, they are only representative. “There are many unmeasured factors affecting the conduct of business of equal importance. We will discuss what actions key public agencies are taking to make it easier, faster and cheaper for their clients to operate,” according to the Chamber.

Opening remarks will be done by Emma Hippolyte – Minster of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs. Panelists for this encounter are Andy Fenelon – Comptroller of Customs and Excise, Keigan Cox – General Manager, St. Lucia Air and Seaports Authority, Aldrick George – Customs and Brokerage Consultant. Moderator for the evening will be Gerard Bergasse – Immediate Past President, Chamber of Commerce and Island Manager and Business Development Manager, Tropical Shipping.

Practical Actions To Make It Easier To Do Business will be held on Wednesday 25th March, 2015 from 6:30 p.m. at the Palmville Conference Room, Coco Palm Resorts.