(September 9, 2014) In a visit this past summer to the Caribbean twin-island country of Trinidad & Tobago (T&T), Mississauga Board of Trade (MBOT) President Sheldon Leiba had the opportunity to participate in a number of important business meetings representing the business community of Canada's 6th largest city. These meetings included: Canadian High Commissioner to T&T, Mr. G�rard Latulippe; the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad & Tobago, whose mandate includes building international business relationships; and the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry & Commerce. 

 
Mr. Leiba also attended the Annual Trinidad & Tobago Trade and Investment Convention that featured over 200 businesses in the Caribbean exhibiting, including a number of Canadian businesses doing business in Trinidad. 

 
"Businesses are operating in an increasingly globalized environment, and Canadian businesses need to get better connected to international business opportunities," says Leiba, who is of Trinidad decent. "Canada and Trinidad & Tobago has a long-standing positive economic, political and social relationship, and thus my visit was to help open more doors." 

 
One of the key highlights of the trip was a breakfast event hosted by the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MBOT and the Chaguanas Chamber. "Chaguanas, as an emerging economic centre in Trinidad & Tobago, was a great community to connect with for partnership, and they have a very vibrant, active and progressive chamber of commerce, similar to Mississauga," says Leiba. The MOU is intended to develop more formal relations between the business associations, for sharing and exchanging best practices as well as facilitating connectivity of businesses and business opportunities. The Mississauga business leader's visit was featured in two national Trinidad & Tobago media publications.