Brinley Gold products on display

President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Franklin Brand said the sector is a significant contributor of consistent foreign exchange earnings, most of which is realised largely by production among United States-owned manufacturing outfits.

“Our manufacturing sector continues to confront competition from South America and Asia where labour rates and energy costs are much lower and raw materials are easily accessed at the local level,” said Brand in his Report at the Chamber’s 25th Annual Private Sector Banquet.

Mr. Brand said that the Chamber continues to lobby for a solid, transparent system of incentives for manufacturers - be they local or foreign – given their importance to domestic economy.

Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas looks at work being done at Kajola-Kristada on the C.A. Paul Southwell Industrial Site

“It is very easy to take for granted the socio-economic stability that the manufacturing sector provides,” added Brand.

Given St. Kitts and Nevis’ perennial problem of having a negative trade balance with the United States, Europe, and even our Caribbean neighbour, Trinidad and Tobago, it stands to reason that manufacturing should be encouraged and given a solid support system, said Brand.

He said it was obvious to the Chamber that such a support system would promote greater exports, as well as growth in locally manufactured goods that would have a net effect of improving the trade balance.

The Chamber President recommended that any fiscal incentive package being offered to the manufacturing sector be cognizant of the special needs of small and micro producers who are the most ill-prepared for regional and international competition insofar as standards, packaging, testing and marketing are concerned.

“This reality is especially true for our tiny but promising agro-processing sector,” said Brand, disclosing that in an effort to assist Government with the design of a new manufacturing regime, the Chamber has contracted the services of Mr. Melvin Edwards to help its Manufacturers’ Division in formulating an industry position paper to be presented to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Commerce by the end of July.