Toolkit-E6D68A0EC88BB4EAC8169DD538C65DF5
April 2015
Coming Soon - Open Call For Papers!

Productivity, Technology & Innovation 

 

An open call for papers will soon be announced by Compete Caribbean asking interested researchers to use comprehensive, 13-country, Caribbean fir

m-level data-sets to produce original analysis on issues related to private sector development in the Caribbean.

 

These datasets focus on productivity available for the Caribbean that is internationally comparable.

Until 2011, the region did not have firm-level, internationally comparable data that could shed light on the variables that affected productivity. Compete Caribbean funded a Caribbean Enterprise and Indicator Survey that was conducted as part of the World Bank's 2010 Latin American and Caribbean Enterprise Surveys (LACES) to fill this gap.

 

In 2014, Compete Caribbean generated a new round of data by re-issuing the survey, updating the data on enterprises and including additional variables linked to productivity, technology and innovation (PROTEqIN) at the firm level. The LACES and the PROTEqIN surveys together constitute more than 4000 observations across 14 countries. 

Easy, Affordable and Accessible 
Fixed & Mobile Broadband Services

Have you ever wondered what allows your mobile  device to access the World Wide Web from any location globally? 

This process is called Spectrum Management which is defined as the efficient allocation of spectrum necessary to create affordable and easily accessible wireless broadband Internet services globally. 

In collaboration with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU),  Compete Caribbean recently co-sponsored a Spectrum Pricing Workshop. Spectrum prices are used as an important mechanism to ensure that spectrum resources available in a jurisdiction are used efficiently by consumers. The effective use of spectrum creates affordable prices for end-users of telecommunication service. Read More

NCPC Making Significant Progress in St. Lucia

 

Productivity levels throughout the Caribbean have declined in recent years; and while St. Lucia is no exception, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) in that territory, with the support of the Compete Caribbean Program, has made significant progress in raising awareness of the importance of competitiveness and productivity to economic well-being in St. Lucia.

 

Over the past year the NCPC completed several activities including targeting the business sector. In October 2014, the NCPC hosted the country's first Productivity Awareness Week with the theme "Enhancing Productivity is OUR Responsibility". The week included six private sector forums focused on tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, wholesale and retail, construction and financial services. The event was attended by over 350 people and boasted international speakers.

 

As an outcome of the Productivity Week, the NCPC has developed a competitiveness agenda which includes: A project to expand the skills base, a strategy to reducine the cost of doing business plus establishing a Competitiveness Productivity Fund.

Commercial Court Coming to St. Lucia

 

Through Caribbean Growth Forum (CGF) consultations, the Government of St. Lucia identified the establishment of a Commercial Division of the Court to efficiently and effectively address commercial litigation matters as a high priority reform to promote investment and encourage competitiveness.

 

Implementation of the division is being spearheaded by the the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), with the support of the Compete Caribbean Program. 

 

The division's aim is to reduce the burden on the court system, enhance the business environment as it relates to the enforcement of commercial contracts thus providing an efficient and cost effective mechanism to rule on commercial matters in Saint Lucia. The division is expected to deliver an expeditious and cost effective mode of resolving disputes that directly affect the commercial and financial sectors in Saint Lucia.

 

To date, progress has been made in the area of formulating the necessary legislative requirements for the operations of the division. The Procedural Rules for the Court have been finalized and submitted to the Chief Justice. The process to amend the Civil Code and the Code of Civil Procedure has started. This will require final approval by Cabinet and Parliament. 

 

The physical location of the division has been agreed upon and retrofitting of the space is to begin shortly. And finally, the recruitment of staff has begun, including the identification of a Judge. St. Lucia looks forward to launching the division soon!

Belize: Its Journey Towards 

Eight Belize shrimp farms have been awarded the coveted Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification. Compete Caribbean is proud to have funded the audit of the individual farms and their preparation for ASC certification.

 

The ASC is the most stringent standard in the global shrimp production arena, and it requires very specific environment and social practices.

 

The Belize Shrimp Grower's Association members achieved the certification against the global science-based ASC Shrimp standard as responsible and well-managed farms. 

 

Farms worked with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Mesoamerican Reef Program Officer for Aquaculture, Mauricio Mejia, to develop better management practices and reduce their environmental impacts. View their inspirational journey below. Read More


Private Sector Development in the Caribbean
A Regional Overview

Reforms to stimulate sustainable growth led by the private sector are more important than ever. Although the details vary from country to country, structural reform is needed in most Caribbean countries and economic diversification is essential for tourism dependent economies.

This report explores private sector development in the Caribbean region, and is largely based on the analysis in the Private Sector Assessment Reports (PSARs) of 14 Caribbean countries. 
Scoping Mission Leads to Development 
of Intellectual Property Commercialization Platform

Executive Director of Compete Caribbean, Sylvia Dohnert recently presented the Caribbean Regional Entrepreneurial Asset Commercialization Hub (REACH) to a group of stakeholders gathered for a workshop on Geographical Indications/Origin-Linked Products and Branding.


The workshop was organized by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), CARICOM's Office of Trade Negotiation (OTN) and Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) in collaboration with the REACH.

 

A Scoping Mission funded by Compete Caribbean indicated robust demand for a regional intellectual property and technology transfer facility. In response, a 
recently approved US$900,000 regional technical cooperation grant through the Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) Regional Public Goods Initiative for implementing REACH in the Caribbean has been submitted. Read More
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