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Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Empowerment, Trade, Industry and Commerce, Patrick Todd??

A challenge has been thrown out to the local banking sector to be more amenable, when providing financial assistance to help small businesses secure export possibilities, under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Empowerment, Trade, Industry and Commerce, Patrick Todd, made this suggestion last Tuesday, while addressing Caribbean Export Development Agency’s Export Marketing Training Programme for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and business support organisations of CARIFORUM countries.?? It was held at the Accra Beach Hotel, Rockley, Christ Church.

Emphasising that the banking sector needed to revamp its financial and technological framework to facilitate e-commerce transactions, he urged regional technocrats to "get its house in order" and the small business sector, to "divorce itself from small-mindedness and to recognise that capacity building was not a function of Caribbean Export and other agencies".

Mr. Todd added: "They [small businesses], have a sacred responsibility to protect their own interests, by retooling and restrategising their own development needs."

Outlining the benefits to be derived from the EPA, the Minister of State intimated that the agreement had opened a number of services sectors that would permit regional entertainers and other professional service providers, such as architects and doctors, to broaden their scope of business.

However, Mr. Todd has lamented the slow pace of regional cooperation at the level of CARICOM.?? "As Caribbean island states, we just cannot go alone since, to do this, would be disadvantageous to the region both individually, and as a whole.?? Some may ask why the region is so blinded to the reality that there is strength in numbers and that insularity would not suffice.

"Let me, therefore, take this opportunity to challenge you, the participants who represent the region, to spread this gospel of regional cooperation at the level of our citizenry, enterprise and business support organisations," he declared. jwilson@barbados.gov.bb

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