Participants of the 2nd annual National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) Creole in the Streets Trade Expo, have been told to ensure that their products are up to par and ready for the export market.
The event, which is being held on Friday, October 23, showcases the products of over 50 medium, small, micro enterprises (MSME) and clients of the NDFD. Enterprises range from food, clothing, manufacturing, among others and is being held under the theme: Nation Building Continues Through the Restoration of our MSME Sector.
“We want to encourage you to ensure that your products are of the highest standards. If we are to compete, not only nationally but regionally and internationally, then our products must be of the highest standard,” Trade Minister Ian Douglas said at the opening ceremony. “Our packaging, our labeling, the product quality itself must be of the highest standards if we are be to export ready.”
The trade expo was created to heighten the awareness of the products available locally, create marketing and advertising opportunities for small businesses, and small business owners also get the opportunity to expose their business throughout the independence season when a large number of visitors are on island.
The Expo is also geared at developing the export potential of the participants of as well as to create the necessary linkages in the region and further afield.
“So we are proud in the Ministry of Trade to see that all of those objectives are being met today and we are particularly pleased to see the export potential of those businesses displayed here,” Douglas added.
He informed that personnel from his Ministry will be available to provide guidance on accessing the various markets out of Dominica.
Meantime Minister for Commerce, Enterprise and Small Business Development Roselyn Paul called for the establishment of a center for Small Micro Enterprises on island.
She said work in that regard should be done in a quicker manner.
“I must at this juncture highlight the need for greater partnership and refining of the services we offer to MSME,” she said. “Here I wish to speak of the need for us to work more feverishly to establish a small business Development center to offer SME’s a one stop shop for obtaining support, for strengthening the marketability of their products and services.”
“Rest assured of our commitment to this initiative,” Paul added.
Is mr. Ian Douglas export ready himself? Does any one outside Dominica want him? Is he packaged and labeled properly and is his quality of the highest standard? Carcon, give me a break and stick to what you know.
Is it me or I fail to digest the words of the minister of trade? He encouraged participants to produce and present products of high standard, but at no time did he identify the markets for such products. Instead, he said that personnel from his ministry will provide guidance on accessing various markets. I will be bold in saying that Ian Douglas is the most unproductive minister of government in recent memory. He has not left his mark in any of the ministry that he has headed thus the reason why he is being moved so often. The Portsmouth constituency has accepted mediocrity performance from Ian and that is a darn shame. It would have been encouraging to hear of the visits and efforts made with friendly countries and enterprises to welcome Dominica’s products. Has Ian negotiated any trade deal. Isn’t he a lawyer ? well, I think Ian should try his hands on representing people in court and leave the business of government to those who honestly want to work for a pay check.
” Trade Expo, have been told to ensure that their products are up to par and ready for the export market.”(Ian Douglas).
Ian it is difficult for me to make sense out of anything you’re blowing hot air about. In the first place one need to have something to export before you can get them ready and on par with the rest of the export system, in the world.
What sort of manufacturing commodities do you have to export from Dominica? Are you going to clean up all the garbage in the streets of Roseau, package and get the garbage read for export? Are you referring to the export of green fig, tanya, pepper sauce, and coconut?
Be very careful boy, the Arab Spring, and the American Indian Summer, might set back your plans. I suspect you dream of exporting something last night, so you wake today running off your mouth, talking nonsense!
Now every minister is on the ball , so the people can follow , to get changes leadership has to come from the top, we need examples. Our people needs fire in their belly , we have been asleep for to long, its time to wake up we mud t do better no one will do it for us . Its time to stop the begging, our kids will never respect us , we have 70 yrs at trying to feed ourselves , we are so much smarter now , but we are still lazy begging Governments all over the world for help. If we fall flat on our faces we should wake up dust our selves and try again. Wr have plenty of water , good soil, the seas all around us , with good leadership e e should not beg and wait gor some one to save us.