SEMINAR ON THE FASHION AND GARMENT INDUSTRY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN
Castries, Saint Lucia. July  01 to 02, 2015 . Bay Gardens Hotel.

AGENDA

Wednesday, 1 July 2015

Morning 

 

8:00 - 8:30 REGISTRATION

 
8:30 - 9:00

OPENING SESSION

Chairman: :  Mr. Sobers Esprit, Business Development Officer, OECS Competitive Business Unit (OECS/CBU)

 
9:00 - 9:15

BUSINESS SESSION:

REVIEW OF 2014 REGIONAL SEMINAR IN BARBADOS
Presenter: Mr. Antonio Leone Durante, Coordinator of the Regional Latin American and Caribbean Programme for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SELA-SMEs Programme). Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA). 

  • Ms. Sandra Phillips, Ambassador of Barbados in Venezuela
9:15 - 10:30

PANEL I: PROSPECTS FOR THE FASHION AND GARMENT INDUSTRY IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CARIBBEAN. PUBLIC POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT THE FASHION AND GARMENT INDUSTRY IN THE CARIBBEAN
Moderator: Mr. Rodinald Soomer, Head, Economic Development Policy Unit,  Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission.

Representatives of governmental focal points for SMEs in the Caribbean

  • Jamaica: Nora Blake, Technical Officer and Special Advisor. Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce.
  • Suriname: Marion Stekkel, Chair of the Women in Business Group. Suriname Business Forum.
  • Trinidad and Tobago: Glenda Joseph-Dennis, Member of Board of Directors. National Entrepreneurship Development Company Limited (NEDCO). Minister of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development.

 
10:30 – 10:45

Coffee Break

 
10:45 - 12:30

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 
12:30 – 2:30 LUNCH 

 

Afternoon

 

  
2:30 – 3:30

PANEL II: EXPERIENCES OF CLUSTERS AND VALUE CHAINS IN THE FASHION AND GARMENT INDUSTRY TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN. FACTORS TO STRENGTHEN CLUSTER FORMATION AND VALUE CHAINS:  THE GUADELOUPE EXPERIENCE

Moderator: Mrs. Jacqueline Emmanuel-Flood, Chief Executive Officer, Saint Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA). 

  • Teddy Isimat-Mirin, Strategies Caraibes of Guadeloupe

Intervention from:

 
3:30 – 4:00 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 
4:00 – 4:15 Coffee Break

 
4:15 – 4:45

PANEL III: “Positioning the Caribbean to win: Penetrating the International Fashion Market”

Moderator: Mae Wayne, The Star Publishing Company, St. Lucia 

 
4:45 – 5:15  QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 
5:30 Closing session for the day

 

Thursday, 2 July 2015

Morning

 

9:00-10:00

PANEL IV: OECS FASHION INDUSTRY VALIDATION EXERCISE

Moderator: Mr. Sobers Esprit, Business Development Officer – Creative Industries OECS Competitive Business Unit                       

REMARKS:

  • Ms. Virginia Paul, Head, Trade Policy Unit, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission 

Presentation of the main findings of the Assessment Report by Fashion Industry

Consultant:  Dr. Michele Reis, Trinidad & Tobago

 

Responses from OECS SMEs:           

  • Nadia Jabour – Design by Nadia – St. Lucia
  • Jessie-Ann Jessamy – Veronica´s Visions Design Studio - Grenada
  • Kristin Frazer – Trefle Clothing – Tortola, BVI  

 
10:00 – 10:30 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

 
10.30 – 11:00 Coffee Break

 
11:00 – 12:00

PANEL V: EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR FASHION INDUSTRY IN THE CARIBBEAN

Moderator: Ms. Taribba do Nascimento, Managing Director, Meme Bete, St. Lucia 

  • Ms. Carmen Penco, President, Carmen Penco School of Fashion Design, St. Lucia
  • Marlyn Jean Jacques, Managing Director, Caribbean Apparels, Dominica

 
12:00 – 12:30 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 
12:30 – 1:30 LUNCH

 

Afternoon

 

  
1:30- 2:00 PANEL VI: MANUFACTURING FOR GARMENT AND FASHION: THE CASE OF HAITI 

Moderator: Mr. Sobers Esprit, Business Development Officer – Creative Industries, OECS Competitive Business Unit. 

  • Ms. Charlotte Tanis, Owner of Your Size Tailoring Shop

 
2:00 – 2:30  QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 
2:30 – 3:00

PANEL VII: FINANCING OPTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FASHION AND GARMENT INDUSTRY IN THE CARIBBEAN

Moderator: : Fern Lewis, Director of Export Development and Promotion. Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). 

  • Ms. Hermina Danzie Vitalis, Country Manager, Axcel Finance, St. Lucia
  • Mr. Jaton Jn. Baptiste, Small Business Loans Officer, Axcel Finance, St. Lucia
  • Mr. Dav-Ernan Kowlessar, Management Consultant, Caribbean Association of Industry & Commerce (CAIC)

 
3:00 – 3:30  QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 
3.30 - 4:30 GENERAL DEBATE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS  
  • Mr. Antonio Leone Durante, Coordinator of the Regional Latin American and Caribbean Programme for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SELA-SMEs Programme). Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA).
  • Ms. Sandra Phillips, Ambassador of Barbados in Venezuela.
  • Mrs. Jacqueline Emmanuel-Flood, Chief Executive Officer, Saint Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA).
  • Ms Virginia Paul, Head of Trade Policy Unit. Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission.