The Dominica Manufactures Association (DMA) continues to build awareness in order help Dominicans understand what it means to manufacture their own products in Dominica and also to appreciate it.
President of the DMA, Severin Mckenzie said so at the opening on Friday, of the Buy Dominica Expo, an activity of the ‘Buy Dominica Campaign’ which is being observed this month in order to bring attention to local products and services in Dominica.
Mckenzie said that out of the hundreds of thousands of products that are being consumed daily in Dominica, more than 99 percent is imported.
“This little 1 percent or less than 1 percent that we produce here, we’ve got many challenges to get people to appreciate it, and this is one of the reasons why the Dominica Manufactures Association has been so consistent in trying to build awareness, in trying to get Dominicans to understand what it is, what it means to be manufacturing your own products in Dominica and trying to appreciate what we do,” he said.
He said the Buy Dominica Expo is one of a number of events that have been organized since the DMA was re-instituted in 2010.
“We have had a number of events here in the Roseau market and most recently we got the support of the Ministry of Commerce, Enterprise and Small Business Development, DEXIA and the DCSI to establish the Buy Dominica Super Centre…where we sell only products made in Dominica,” Mckenzie explained.
Mckenzie said the DMA is confident that the manufacturing sector will survive and thrive and described as “a very good sign of things to come,” the support that the manufacturer’s association has received so far from the Ministry of Commerce, Enterprise and Small Business Development.
He added that there has been some level of collaboration with DEXIA and the Ministry of Trade and disclosed that one of the things that the DMA is working on is to build the awareness that investing in machines is “maybe the way to go.”
“We have to step up on our production means so that we can get the necessary machines to help production,” he noted.
The DMA president also called on service providers to “step up to the plate” to see how best they can live up to the theme of this month which is, “Buy Local, Go Global: Building our Products and Services for Global Success.”
Local food has no chemicals, Imported food has chemicals that are harmful for the body. I will support local.
A very good move by the organizers.True LIBERATION and INDEPENDENCE comes from the ability to provide for self;, consuming what you produce and trade surplus with others.
Mckenzie said that out of the hundreds of thousands of products that are being consumed daily in Dominica, more than 99 percent is imported.
If that statement is even approximately correct something is wrong.. Is there a problem with marketing, quality, packaging, consistency of supply, distribution, pricing??? ..I have often thought that our marketing efforts generally leave much to be desired.. For example there are several Jamaican shops here in the US selling Jamaican products and promoting the country..What about Dominica?? What are our representatives like High Commissioners and Ambassadors to various countries doing besides the charge that they are involved in finding people to vote in local elections or spending time doing degrees ..Selling passports too??
Bravo, nobody is obliged to buy our products so make them at least as good an desirable as the imported ones. If you can not compete you have no right to win.
And, Coca Cola is not produced in Dominica!
I expect the real problem is usually insufficient economy of scale.
DMA, DEXIA, DCSI, etc…too many associations. Dominica is too small for all those associations. Combine your resources to gain results
Mr. Sams I COMPLETELY agree with you. And still with all those associations, nothing much is happening ( no progress).
What does Dexia do for us but have a monopoly on foul smelling substandard sugar!