Caribbean Export and Business Support Organizations

Supporting BSO Projects and Programme Activities

For more than a decade, Caribbean Export has actively supported BSOs in the implementation of their own activities, which are consistent with the Agency’s development programme objectives. These activities include business linkages events, trainingandcertification, andexport development andpromotion initiatives. Business Linkages The establishment of business linkages among regional SMEs is a significant way in which firms can boost their competitiveness and become integrated into the global supply chain. This is mainly because they can attain the necessary assets, which they are often not able to provide on their own, such as access to international markets, finance, technology, management skills and specialised knowledge. Caribbean Export recognises the value of these interactions, and has continually provided financial support to BSOs for the delivery of business linkage programmes to not only raise the visibility of their local SMEs, but also enhance partnerships and business opportunities among buyers and exhibitors. Examples of these events include the Trade Missions to Jamaican and the Dominican Republic, Small Business Week in Barbados, and Services Week in Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaica-Dominican Republic Trade Missions In September 2013, Caribbean Export facilitated JAMPRO in organising a mission to the Dominican Republic for 15 Jamaican exporters. The initiative sought to explore opportunities for increased trade between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic through public-private sector dialogue, the execution of Business to Business (B2B) meetings; and the establishment of relationships between the key BSOs on the mission, including JAMPRO and Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) with their counterparts the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo (CCPSD), the Dominican Association of Industries

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