BUSINESS MONDAY: Public and private sectors challenged to work together
Keith Miller, Publisher of Business Barbados, has stated that he would love to see the public and private sectors do more together, along with anyone involved in international business, to create a collective message and send it out in a very efficient and targeted manner to a desired audience.
Miller, who persevered during harsh times economically all over the world to publish Business Barbados 2021, explained that when you have the right story to tell on available platforms, you reach the right people and it could be very productive for Barbados. During the panel discussion in the ‘Barbados to the World’ Business Barbados 2021 Media Conference recently, he referenced that Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley had used various media platforms to promote the 12-Month Welcome Stamp program and the initiative had been very successful so far.
“One of the best things about Barbados is that you can establish and manage a successful international business and enjoy your life at the same time. These investors come here and live and they find out that Barbados is a happy and a healthy place to live and a wonderful place to raise their family,” said Miller.
Derrick Cummins, President Barbados International Business Association (BIBA), was in agreement, saying that business in Barbados works and the island has the ability to get things done. He noted that the 12-Month Welcome Stamp initiative had been conceptualized and within a few weeks was rolled out, including a website and related legislation.
Cummins challenged the public and private sectors to work together to harness that same energy which rolled out the welcome stamp program and apply it to other sectors.
“If we can move that from conception to reality in such a short space of time, why are we not putting that same energy on the other segments of the platform that we need to be efficient and effective to grow the International Business sector?” he queried.
The president added that such a stance would not just add value to the International Business sector, but also it would aid agriculture, schooling, housing, manufacturing, car rentals and many others.
Professor Avinash Persaud, Special Envoy to the Prime Minister of Barbados on Investment and Financial Services, who was also present for the discussion, said that there was a need for the realization that much more could be done and embrace the phrase ‘captains of our fate’. He stated that much pro-gress had been made to improve doing business in Barbados, but more needed to be done.
“We are all part of the International Business sector. We are a small place and we have to be global in our outlook and global in our standards. Every Barbadian must think of the world as their marketplace, as a place for their ideas, their creativity and we need to have the technology to help them and the ability to do business as well as training,” he said.
Persaud insisted that what was required for the Government and Barbados, in general, is to master what they could control, which are adequate training, the availability of affordable broadband, doing business better and having a great taxation. (AS)