The 2025 Trade Mission to Dominica has been recognized as a significant achievement, fostering engagement between essential players from Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica to pursue new opportunities for collaboration and economic development. Spearheaded by the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry of Trinidad and Tobago, alongside Roger Roach, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturer’s Association (TTMA), Vice President Emil Ramkissoon, and CEO Dr. Mahindra Ramdeen, the mission facilitated over 150 business-to-business (B2B) meetings.
These took place both on-site and off-site, connecting local enterprises in Dominica with a variety of manufacturing and service sectors from Trinidad and Tobago. The delegation included 16 Trinidadian firms and 27 representatives who collectively participated in [203] Dominica B2B meetings—111 planned, 50 held off-site, and 42 impromptu discussions with Dominica’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Brenton Hilaire, President of the Dominica Association of Industry & Commerce (DAIC), expressed gratitude for the productive partnership and underscored the significance of the evolving relationship between Dominica’s Chamber of Industry & Commerce and the TTMA. “The importance of this Mission cannot be overstated,” he asserted. “It’s about building a dynamic and resilient business network, not only for Dominica but also for strengthening private sector growth throughout the Caribbean. This collaboration stimulates investment, fosters innovation, and uncovers new opportunities for our businesses. As leaders in the private sector, it’s crucial that we harness these strategic alliances to expedite economic progress, address challenges flexibly, and position ourselves for sustained success in an increasingly competitive global market,” he remarked.
The trade mission was well-received by local entrepreneurs, presenting them with invaluable opportunities for growth and collaboration. Ashma McDougall, Executive Director of the DAIC and a consultant for the mission, highlighted its significance for local enterprises.”This mission allowed us to foster relationships between local companies and manufacturers from Trinidad & Tobago. Our MSMEs were able to explore new products, expand their offerings, and refine their business strategies,” McDougall explained.
She added,” The mission not only created opportunities for new partnerships but also equipped local entrepreneurs with valuable tools and insights to contribute to growth strategies for their businesses. The diverse expertise of the companies involved — spanning manufacturing, logistics, packaging, and chemical supplies —offered a wide range of products and services. Over the two-day trade mission, we’ve facilitated one-on-one business meetings between these companies and some of our micro, small, and medium enterprises. This wasn’t limited to just Chamber members; we saw a broader opportunity to expand beyond the Chamber, identifying potential for product development and growth across Dominica’s private sector,”
Senator Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry for Trinidad & Tobago, reflected on the mission’s favorable outcomes. “So, we’ve had a very successful mission after these last two days. We’ve had more than 150 meetings, with great engagement from businesspersons on both sides. We’ve already seen some orders placed, and I believe there’s a lot of potential for expanding trade between our two nations. Additionally, there are opportunities for Dominica’s producers of fruits and vegetables to export more goods to Trinidad & Tobago, particularly in sub-manufacturing sectors like the beverage industry,” she stated.
Gloria Joseph, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Public Service Reform, Social Partnership, Entrepreneurship, and Small Business Development, expressed her optimism regarding the long-term effects of the mission.”The Trade Mission will be very impactful as it has taken into consideration the realities on the ground. Since the team from Trinidad and Tobago have interacted with our business people, with our small business persons, with
the government and many other stakeholders, I believe that this will be just the beginning of better things to come and we look forward to seeing our businesses thrive from this mission,” Joseph commented.
Roger Roach, President of the TTMA, shared similar enthusiasm about the mission, citing the over 100 meetings as a clear indicator of the strong interest in future collaborations. “The willingness to do business and the camaraderie we’ve witnessed here are incredibly promising. We’ve already seen initial orders and expect further deals as the opportunities continue to unfold,” Roach noted.
“From the initial reports, some of the manufacturers who have come here and the service providers are in the process of evaluating prospects. What that means is that there is more than one opportunity and they’re evaluating what is the best opportunity. That’s always a good place to be in,” the TTMA president remarked.
John Robin, President of the Dominica Manufacturer’s Association, stressed the mission’s importance in bolstering inter-Caribbean trade.“The initiative from Trinidad & Tobago serves as an example for us. We can replicate these efforts across the Caribbean to promote trade, create jobs, and enhance our GDP,” Robin asserted.
He also added, “We need to come together through the Caribbean Private Sector Organization and we need to do a joint trade mission outside of our region so that we can export more to increase our GDP, increase employment, reduce unemployment and also even off the balance of trade.”
The successful mission has laid the foundation for future collaborations, underscoring the need for enhanced inter-Caribbean trade and economic cooperation. Special appreciation was conveyed to the Dominica Association of Industry & Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, the Ministry of Labour, Public Service Reform, Social Partnership, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, the Invest Dominica Authority, the National Bank of Dominica, the Dominica Export/Import Agency (DEXIA), and the dedicated members of the DAIC and other businesses that played vital roles in making the 2025 Dominica Trade Mission a notable success.
Taking place from January 20 to 21, 2025, at the Fort Young Hotel, the Trade Mission highlighted the substantial potential for enhanced economic collaboration between Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago — participants remain optimistic about the possibilities that lie ahead. The mission’s success serves as a testament to the strength of regional cooperation in fostering sustainable growth for Caribbean nations, shared the DAIC via statement.
Every bit of information coming out of this administration is undiluted hyperbole. Here are two blatant examples:
1) The P.M. – Dominica has the best healthcare anywhere
2)Finance Minister (McIntyre) – Dominica is the best place to live in the Caribbean
Any resident Dominican who experiences the harsh reality of life in Dominica and believes the abovementioned statements has to be born on April 1st.
So this very extensive article about OUTSTANDING results of the trade mission between Dominica and their counterparts from T&T is just fanciful tapestry to mislead the public into thinking that things are happening.
One question. What does Dominica have to export in sufficient quantity to boost the rapidly shrinking economy? Only passport!