The UK’s HM Trade Commissioner to Latin America and the Caribbean, Joanna Crellin, visited Barbados from June 22 to 23 as a part of a regional tour, which included Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Trade Commissioner’s schedule in Barbados included meetings with Foreign Trade Minister Sandra Husbands, as well as representatives from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
Crellin’s discussions focussed primarily on enhancing trade relationships between the UK and Barbados and the wider region as the UK plans its departure from the EU.
Discussions also covered how the UK’s business support organisation, the Department for International Trade (DIT), could encourage and deepen UK-Caribbean commercial partnerships.
Among initiatives discussed were plans to increase promotion of the UK’s export credit agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF), which enables Barbadian and other regional commercial entities to purchase UK goods or services through a credit line.
Crellin said, “The Barbados commercial sector has been very receptive to partnering with UK commercial entities. Over the years British and Barbadian firms have successfully collaborated to establish productive partnerships. In addition, Barbadian multinationals like Banks, Malibu Rum and WIBISCO have made successful inroads in exporting their goods to prominent retailers in the UK market. I believe similar contacts and partnerships will further increase and flourish in the future.” (PR)
