The current work program of the EDU involves the implementation of activities under the 10th EDF Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS region and is expected to provide support to firms and cluster groupings in a wide range of trade and economic integration matters over the next five years.
The program is part of the regional strategy to further regional cooperation and deepen the process of integration of the OECS Economic Union.
Head of O.E.C.S EDU, Vincent Philbert, told the Government Information Service (GIS) recently that the unit is looking to embrace more creative niche areas.
“In some respects we are doing things a little differently, for instance it’s the first time we are doing a Tourism component and we are hoping to have some support for the Tourism sector which has not been a feature of the past” remarked Philbert.
“We are trying to see if we can do some work in the agricultural sector to include agricultural enterprises, and non-traditional agriculture. Historically we have done agri- business work but this time around we are trying to do something in the agricultural sector, such as organic agriculture and other things that are more creative than just the regular agriculture of the past,” he said.
The O.E.C.S/ EDU recently met with stakeholders at the Fort Young Hotel to discuss its work program for the next year 2013-2014. Philbert added that the unit is poised to work with export ready enterprises.
“We work with enterprises that we consider to be either export ready or exporting. We have a structure by which we categorize them, we assess their ability to do things in a short time to become exporting entities in both services and products”.
He said the unit is interested in attracting enterprises are serious about doing business.
“Importantly we are looking for winners, we are looking for enterprises that have potential to do things, innovative, young people new ideas, creativity is important for us in addition to talking about exporting” he explained.
Philbert confirmed that Dominica is expected to benefit from funding from the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) to assist enterprises in getting their projects off the ground.
“The good news for Dominica is that we have a huge budget in the form of the BAM- the Banana Accompanying Measures. What we can do is help enterprises who want to access the BAM,” he confirmed.
“We need to brainstorm as to how we can work to help the BAM receive viable project ideas, how we can help the BAM not have to start from scratch with every single business project that they have to consider. Some of them are clients of ours so we can bring our information to the BAM to support enterprises who want to go into the BAM support” Philbert concluded.
The recent stakeholder meeting at the Fort Young Hotel brought together major players and cluster groupings in Dominica who are currently working with the Export Development Unit in the delivery of its various services.
That is just a talk shop. Ask them when in the last few years they do anything for Dominican companies. Bring back Collin…How you going to take a tourism peg and to export …
“OECS/EDU” –
What does “EDU” stand for within the context of the article?? I could make an educated guess, but I would prefer that the article not leave me to resort to guessing to figure out the meaning of abbreviations or acronyms used.
UPDATE:
I see “Export Development Unit” is mentioned in the very last sentence of the article although “EDU” is mentioned both in the title and the very first sentence of the article. I will assume that “EDU” stands for “Export Development Unit”.
I don’t mean to be picky, but I think it would help the reader if the meaning of the abbreviation would be added immediately after the abbreviation used. That way, the reader does not have to be distracted into scanning the rest of the article to figure out what the abbreviation means.
Just some constructive criticism, that all.
I agree with your comment. I was wondering the same thing.