??
Adriel Brathwaite, Attorney General and Acting Minister of International Business and International Transport. (FP)

The Government of Barbados has promised to do all it can to respond to the requirements of the international business sector, but it is up to those involved in the industry to excel at service.

This message was delivered by the Attorney General and Acting Minister of International Business and International Transport, Adriel Brathwaite at the official opening ceremony for International Business Week. ??The opening ceremony was held last Monday at the Hilton Barbados, where key industry professionals gathered to toast the official start of the week of activities.

The Minister stated: "I want to encourage the industry that if there are other new products out there, you can work with the Ministry responsible for International Business so that we can give you additional resources to sell in the market place… we have an open door so that we can talk about it and see how best we can facilitate your requirements."

He said that the Ministry of International Business had explored a number of strategic initiatives at strengthening the capacity for it to respond to the needs of practitioners in the sector, adding: "We thought we would formally look at the strengths and the weaknesses in the Ministry and have a more scientific approach so we can see how best the Ministry can respond to your requirements."

Service was identified as an area that needed attention and the Minister maintained that Government was working to remove any barriers preventing the sector from moving forward. He urged members of the international business community to work together with the Ministry "to find out what are the problems that we have that prevent us from being number one in terms of service.

"The only difference between us being able to pay our bills and not pay our bills is to turn up every day and do the best we can at service. It is soon, if the time has not passed, going to be the only thing that separates us from the rest of the pack… As a government, we can sign as many treaties as anyone else in the world, but the difference will still remain the service," he stressed.

Mr. Brathwaite, while celebrating the growth of the sector, pointed out that there is much more to be done.?? "As an industry, I think that we have underachieved and I think that we can do much more. I therefore, want to challenge you as an industry to let us do much more."

alicia.griffith@barbados.gov.bb

Pin It on Pinterest