2014 New Year Mix & Mingle
Opening Remarks
A pleasant good afternoon to all. I am Nirad Tewarie, the CEO of TTCSI. I would like to warmly welcome you to TTCSI’s annual Mix and Mingle where we get the opportunity to interact in an informal setting with our members and other stakeholders whom we would have no doubt been interacting with over the last year but in a more formal setting. I would like to thank all of you for taking time off your busy schedules to be here this evening. I would also like to thank you for your cooperation and support throughout 2013 as we worked together to secure the future we want.
In 2013 we faced many challenges but with our hard working staff, dedicated members and supportive stakeholders we were able to overcome many obstacles along the way. Specifically, we were able to strengthen the Secretariat and increase the organization’s stature and recognition both locally and regionally.
Increase in Stature and Recognition
Several initiatives in 2013 contributed to increased recognition locally, regionally and internationally for TTCSI:
- Services of the Caribbean (SOCA) Initiative
o Aims at enhancing the United States’ Caribbean Basin Initiative preference program with an expansion into the services sector
o Would result in improved access to the US market for local service providers
- GetEnergy Conference
o This year’s 9th global education and training event opened its doors to over 400 attendees from more than 40 countries on June 4th and 5th at the Business Design Centre in London
o TTCSI in partnership with the Energy Chamber facilitated the participation of five (5) local education and training companies:
§ Kenson School of Production Technology Ltd.
§ HHSL Safety Systems Limited
§ University of Trinidad & Tobago
§ University of the West Indies
§ The Energy Chamber
- Architects MRA
o TTCSI is playing a major role in driving the development of this MRA. Consultations have been held in T&T, Belize, St. Lucia (OECS), Barbados (sub-regional meeting)
- National Services Week 2013
o This event has experienced constant growth over the last 6 years
o The 2013 edition was the biggest ever
o 8 service providers were rewarded for outstanding service
o Services week sponsors:
§ One Caribbean Media
§ SBCS
§ Eidectic Limited & U Health Magazine
§ GIZ
§ Balroops Sound System Rentals
§ InvesTT
§ Illuminat
§ Tabletop Unlimited
§ First Citizens Bank
§ Caribbean Export Development Agency
§ T&T International Financial Centre
§ Guardian Group
§ Lifetime Solutions
§ Intercommercial Bank
§ ExporTT
§ UTT
- Magazine and Radio Show
o 5000 copies distributed
o 45 programs hosted
Strenghtening of TTCSI
- Completion of 3 year Strategic Plan
- Additional members of staff
- It gives me pride to announce that we have recently added our 50th member. In 2013 we added seven new members and lost none. This is clearly an indication of the goodwill TTCSI has built up over the years. With your help we plan to continue and expand our good work.
Some Proposed Activities for 2014
- TTCSI expanding its services (consulting etc)
- Street Arts Festival – The Street Arts Festival is designed to include the local community, to improve the quality of the sector, and to engage investors, and both the public and private sectors. It can facilitate cross marketing among cultural providers, and instill a sense of pride and identity in the local communities. While a venue and date are yet to be determined for our local Street Arts Festival, we anticipate that it will be in a location and a day where families and investors can be in the same space and share the same goal simultaneously. We propose that the Street Arts Festival will be an annual event and it can build regional and international cooperation, and cultural networks. It is an avenue for us to illustrate the characteristics and heritage of our country, such as visual arts, performances, music, and film.
- Sector Surveys
- GetEnergy 2014
- Formation of Education Export Committee (already done)
- Formation of Export Committees for Medical Tourism, Professional Services and Yachting
- Venture Capital Fund
- National Services Week 2014 (1st week of November)
- Workshops
o Collaboration with NIB – registration of self employed persons
o Business plan writing
- Projects
o NEEWS Project – Establishing a network for economic empowerment of wome of the global South
o IDB ICT project
Miscellaneous
- Annual General Meeting is scheduled for April 25th at the Trinidad Hilton
