BAJAN SUN MAGAZINE
Training is high on our agenda and, to this end, we
are constantly responding to member needs. From
seminars on Family Business Governance and
Continuity Planning to a recently hosted symposium
to discuss The Realities of Conducting Business
within the Manufacturing Community. In the latter
case, the panel were the manufacturers and the
audience the technocrats. We will be collaborating
with the IIC in October to offer a workshop that will
look to develop Project Management skills. Other
workshops planned include Dealing with Difficult
Employees and we will be repeating the workshops
on costing as this is an area where we continue to
see major weakness.
One of our primary roles at the BMA is lobbying and
this is usually directed at matters that plague our
members. These range from issues where we lobby
port agencies for cleaner processes to clear
containers in an effort to increase operational
efficiency; to inter-regional transportation where we
formed recent partnerships with two shipping
companies which will provide consolidation facilities
to help smaller manufactures meet their shipping
needs.
Exposure of local products is also a big challenge
and we have responded with a variety of initiatives.
We conduct in-store promotions and have a
dedicated merchandiser who works within the
supermarket arena to ensure that local products
receive maximum exposure. We provide inward
OCT 2014
missions which bring a number of regional and
international buyers to Barbados to be exposed to
local manufacturers and their products. And of
course the biggest local Expo BMEX creates a
platform for ultimate exposure. Hand in hand with
these efforts we also recently completed, and are in
the
process
of
circulating,
a
Barbadian
Manufacturer’s Directory so that the public can have
easy access to manufacturers. We also recently
released our 2014 Christmas Gift Guide… All of
these help us create an adequate amount of
exposure and brand building opportunities for the
sector
There is much happening, the sector is vibrant,
there is growth and developme