CSI finalizes details, gets ready for takeoff
By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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Director CSI, Alfred Harley
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ALMOST two months following its November 18 official launch, the St. Kitts-Nevis Coalition of Services Industries (CSI) is gearing up to become fully functional, being guided by the organization’s list of objectives for 2009.
During a recent interview with SKNVibes, President of the CSI Alfred Harley said commencing this month, the Coalition intends to have a massive membership drive to get more businesses and service providers registered. He indicated that based on the number of members attending preparatory meetings, the CSI anticipates high recruitment levels in the early part of this year.
“We are currently in the final phase of preparing the project and our main focus is registering service providers to allow them to receive a number of benefits. Where there is not a specific provision for new entities within our primary framework, we will have provisional conditions for registering them so that we can be an all-inclusive organization.
“The organization serves to establish trade relationships within the economy and the region at large. In the case where local providers are considering expanding their services, we will offer assistance to ensure that the transition in offering their products elsewhere is seamless. The Coalition focuses greatly on the certification of service providers to ensure that they may be able to move throughout the CARICOM region without restrictions. ~~Adz:Right~~
“Also, our intention is to benefit from all existing industries of trade and commerce. While we may seek to remain independent, we will seek support from the St. Kitts-Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CIC). We intend to give them our working plan for 2009 to get some guidance and gain from their expertise. We must maintain our own identity as we deal solely with the trade of services while the CIC deals with the trade of goods. However, a combination of both organizations is very important for the survival of the local business sector.”
Harley explained that the CSI is an initiative originally coming from CARICOM to foster better trade relationships within the region, and is not a direct product of the government. He however noted that it is supported by government especially in the area of technical support.
Harley added that the main objectives of the CSI are to prepare stakeholders for challenges and opposition of the services regime of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME); to promote export particularly in the areas that would set the region at an advantage; to be a partner with the public and private sectors and; to soften the impact of competition on businesses in the region, the smaller ones in particular.
The CSI President further stated that the organization is still trying to decide upon a home for the Coalition and select key members to hold administrative positions to ensure that projects are undertaken as planned.
Harley said by the end of January, the Coalition should finalize its budget and all financial plans for the year in order to identify areas of urgency and to generate necessary financing for some of the initial projects.
