Quality goods on display annually at the Barbados Manufacturers??? Exhibition (BMEX) should be available in our furniture stores and supermarkets.

This view was expressed today as Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones, addressed the awards ceremony for schools which participated in BMEX 2013.

The ceremony took place in the conference room of the Media Resource Centre (MRD), Elsie Payne Complex.

???There should be a lot more Barbadian products on shelves to provide Barbadian labourers with money to help the economy,??? Mr. Jones said.

While he noted the significance of the exhibition, held yearly at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, he further lamented the unavailability of Barbadian goods.

He said: ???BMEX gives us an opportunity not only to showcase the work of manufacturers in Barbados, not only to give new innovations and new ideas the kinds of display that is necessary. In fact, when you go to that exhibition, you are surprised, every year as to the quality and quantity of innovative products, of new products, of excellent products on display.

???And, sometimes, one wonders when one goes into the supermarkets or one goes into the furniture places where are those products that were on display? How come there is no transition into the commercial situation? How come we are not seeing the quantity of material which we know is quite good. How come that is not there for Barbadians to buy????

The Minister also queried why Barbadian products were not visible in the Caribbean and whether it meant that Barbadian manufacturers were not exporting enough. ???Why develop excellent products here in Barbados and then at the end of the day we don???t export???? he asked.

Students, teachers and the MRD were congratulated by the Education Minister who presented the awards and he said the young people, through their work stood as ???the harbingers or messengers” to ensure the transition was made.

Meanwhile, Chief Media Resource Officer, Walter Harper, said since its inception more than 18 years ago, the MRD had played a significant role in BMEX.

He stated: ???We have been at BMEX every year; we have the largest allocated space and we have been using that space to display samples of the various talented works of our teachers and students. We see their work as the genesis of innovation and manufacturing in Barbados and we feel committed to every year host those schools for display at BMEX.

???Over the last 10 years, we have been making incremental changes to our BMEX display; we have brought more technology in as a result of our close affiliation to the EDUTECH programme and we expect to make some more adjustments for BMEX 2014.???

According to Mr. Harper, the display for BMEX 2014 promises to be the ???largest display and the best??? as the MRD would be concentrating on secondary schools encouraging their participation in electronics, software, apps, woodwork, metal work, food, art and craft ???as examples of their initiative talent and innovation???.

The Chief further noted that from December, promotional materials would be circulated to ensure this happens and the MRD would also be encouraging more sponsors on board.

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

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