The Minister of Trade, Ian Douglas, revealed that a trade team from Dominica will visit other regional markets to expand the country’s trade potential. The minister said the team will travel next week to visit Guadeloupe, Martinique, Antigua, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Barbados, the United States, and the United Kingdom among other countries in Europe to diversify Dominica’s markets.
The commerce and entrepreneurship minister said the team will consult with trade experts and market movers in those countries to get them to accept Dominican products and services. He expressed confidence that Dominican products can compete favorably with those manufactured in western and European markets because of their Caribbean factors. He said the government plans to set up trade depots in those foreign markets to facilitate trade links and physical presence.
Minister Douglas made this declaration during the Business to Business Forum organized by the Ministry of Tourism to deal with the challenges faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Dominica. He assured business owners who participated in the two-day programme that the government will collaborate with them to make the visit to regional markets a beneficial one for them all.
He said the proposed international visits will create the opportunity for local businesses to share information and network with foreign buyers for sustained business growth. He urged participants at the business forum to establish valuable contacts and nurture relationships that will drive dynamic business expansions and profits.
Douglas also urged Dominicans to patronize made-in-Dominica goods to boost local revenue. He tasked agro-processors in the country to partner with the Dominica Bureau of Standards to upscale their products in terms of quality and packaging for export.
Provide a platform for small businesses to showcase their products and services to markets and investors, and to provide a platform for markets and investors to learn about new locally made products.
Lisa Valmond, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism
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