The importance of exporting can never be overstated for small countries – and for a region like the Caribbean, it is critical for our very existence.
Growth of an economy is directly related to exports. If exports increase at a faster pace than imports, nothing prevents an economy from being a developed one.
For this very reason, Caribbean Export Development Agency is heavily invested in providing quality trade and export development to CARIFORUM member states.
A statement from Barbados-based Caribbean Export said the agency had rolled out a series of Export Marketing Training and ProNET workshops to ensure the Caribbean private sector has the know-how and the tools to support our need to export.
In addition to benefiting the economy, exporting goods and services also benefits firms themselves. Diversifying sales across international borders spreads risk, especially if demand patterns differ across borders, and they can experience faster sales.
Exporting not only boosts an individual firm’s performance but also the long-term survival of the economy and its performance as a whole.
Aside from the economic benefits, exports also enable the world to learn more about the Caribbean. The most obvious example of this is tourism, but cultural exports also play an important role – Caribbean Export enabled five regional fashion designers to showcase their collections at this years’ Dominicana Moda in October.
“The presence of CARICOM designers in Dominicana Moda 2012 is part of the long-term engagement of Caribbean Export to develop capacity and increase the visibility of the region’s fashion industry,” said Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Caribbean Export’s executive director.
Showcasing designers included Trinidadian designer Meiling, who has worked closely on a number of successful projects with Emmy Award-winning costume designer Peter Minsall; Jamaican designer Arlene Martin, whose designs have been worn by Jamaican supermodel Jaunel McKenzie; up-and-coming Haitian designer Prisca Milliance; Antigua and Barbuda designer Jean-Marie Thomas; menswear designer Rykii de Jude from Barbados.
In addition to showcasing their collections, Caribbean Export facilitated their engagement with manufacturers and suppliers from the Dominican Republic, supporting intra-regional business opportunities during the event. (GE/PR)
