[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he public is hereby notified that Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) has been renamed Export Saint Lucia. The public is further advised that this in no way changes the functions or mandate of the agency which remains a statutory board under the Department of Commerce, International Trade, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs.
This change is in keeping with the re-branding of Saint Lucia and the agencies representing the island abroad. It is intended to reflect a name more closely aligned to the agency’s core mandate which is “to increase Saint Lucia’s aggregate volume and value of exports”.
TEPA’s branding, though in line with government requirements, did not establish a country profile for exporters. The lack of a clear Saint Lucian identity in TEPA’s name was commented on by clients and it was suggested that the name Export Saint Lucia better suited and identified with the stakeholders.
The National Export Council therefore requested that the Department of Commerce consider changing the name of the agency to Export Saint Lucia, being more in line with the agency’s main functions, more impactful and in keeping with like-named statutory boards such as Invest Saint Lucia and Events Saint Lucia.
Given this request, the reasoning and consensus derived through stakeholder consultation, the Department of Commerce, International Trade, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs recommended for Cabinet consideration, that the agency name should be changed.
As a result, on July 1, 2018 the Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) was renamed Export Saint Lucia. A rebranding and public relations campaign will roll out shortly to introduce and reinforce Export Saint Lucia as the lead agency of export promotion and facilitation to industry stakeholders, partners, exporters and the general public.
—Source: Export Saint Lucia
