President of the Dominica Manufacturers Association (DMA) Lynford Guthrie has made it known that while there are concerns about the impending implications of the Treaty of Basseterre, which is set to make the OECS into a single economic space, his organization is not panicked.
The DMA, in association with the Dominica Association for Industry and Commerce, the AID bank and a number of other stakeholders will stage a symposium today to discuss some of the challenges the Treaty potentially presents and chart ways of dealing with them moving forward before the Treaty officially comes into full effect in July 2013.
Guthrie said, “We are not intimidated by the Treaty, we are concerned. This is the reason why we need to know what we can do and what we should not try to do because a lot of manufacturers in Dominica are sort of ‘shooting in the dark’, uncertain as to whether or not they are doing the right things right. So the symposium is going to really open up for questions and dialogue as to some of the things that are necessary. So right now, it’s not a lack of confidence. It’s just that we do not know enough and we are hoping that off of the symposium we may find that some of the things that people are doing, we may not need to do it, or you might need to retool or shift gears.”
“But it’s not that we are intimidated, just that we want to know so that we can make better plans to face whatever is enshrined in this treaty,” he said further.
PRO of the DMA Severin McKenzie has urged Dominican manufacturers and businesses in general to come out and participate, because, he pointed out, a liberalized open space may leave Dominican companies at a significant disadvantage because of constraints that currently exists, like those associated with shipping and air access.
He said, “If we are to enter into this open space, we may very well find ourselves disadvantaged if we do not prepare for what is coming in July 2013. So it is very important that Dominican manufacturers and businesses in Dominica take note and come to participate in the symposium to know exactly how it is going to affect Dominican businesses; it may really be that business will not be the same again.”
McKenzie added, “Also, the professional community, because they are also going to be affected and there may be this attitude that some people take that they do not really care, but we really have to look at how our future is shaping up.”
The symposium will be conducted today from 9AM-12:30PM at the Fort Young Hotel and will be facilitated by officials from the OECS Secretariat.
the executive is 99% FOREIGN (jamaicans; frenchmen etc)
While we wish for a successful symposium, the fear of Waitikubuli being at a disadvantage is giving the wrong signals.
The symposium sholu spell out all the advantages and disadvantages AND ESTABLISH WAYS AND MEANS to make this agreement inclusive for all stakeholders- including the everyday people whose collective taxes are what always push the cart.
We are looking out for an encouraging report.