Collaboration ‘key’ to boosting exports

Small businesses are being urged to work together to enhance their brands and export potential as part of a national drive to expand economic opportunities.

Kevin Hunte, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Business Development, delivered this message at the graduation ceremony for the Barbados Bottling Company Ltd and Coca-Cola Company Growing Together Small Business Training Programme, held at the Hilton Barbados on Thursday.

Hunte emphasised the importance of collaboration: “Very often, persons of my hue and colour, don’t often work well with each other and celebrate one another’s successes. Very often we operate sometimes with a crab-in-the-barrel mentality, and we want to see how best we can get one up on the other.

He continued: “Naturally you are in business, so you are in business to make money, you are in business to compete, but at the same time we are part of a country that is so small, that it is dependent on the contribution of each and every citizen and each and every business.”

The programme, a curriculum-based initiative facilitated in partnership with the National Transformation Initiative (NTI), was designed for owners and operators of retail businesses, vendors, and food and beverage establishments to help them grow in the retail industry.

Hunte stressed that whilst the focus during the programme was primarily on individual business growth, the true value lay in the connections made between graduates.

He urged: “I want to encourage you that as you have gone through this class together, as you are graduating together, continue to pursue growing together, because when you grow together, the country grows together.”

The permanent secretary also highlighted the government’s desire to see businesses expand internationally, encouraging entrepreneurs to pursue export opportunities.

“We have to take pudding and souse far and wide, for example. We have to ensure that the Barbadian product is tied into the Barbadian brand and it goes global,” he said.

In light of Barbados’ high rate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Hunte called on entrepreneurs, particularly those in the food and beverage industry, to incorporate healthier options into their businesses.

He challenged them: “See what foods and beverages you can produce that would help make this country a healthier one. If we can become the pioneers in the region for something that is great in terms of our food production and our food generation that is on the healthy side, I think that we would be making a wonderful contribution to our current and future generation.”

Hunte urged businesses to look beyond simply minimising production costs and maximising profits, and instead focus on creating healthier products that could position Barbados as a regional leader in food and beverages.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb