Toolkit-E6D68A0EC88BB4EAC8169DD538C65DF5
November 2015
Bahamas and National Geographic Get Together!









Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in The Bahamas now have access to over 50 million potential customers, thanks to an innovative web site that maximises the country's geo-tourism potential. 

Through its Ministry of Tourism (MOT), the Bahamas Government in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Compete Caribbean and the National Geographic Society (NGS) created a co-branded MapGuide and interactive website (Visit Here) of The Bahamas Family of Islands, offering information that identifies natural, cultural and historic attractions that define the islands and its people.
 
The aim of the web site is to boost the Family of Islands' tourism potential by acting as a driver of overall SME development. The website is the first of its kind in the region.
Voices From Bahamas...
Maria Florencia Attademo-Hirt, IDB Country Representative
Maria Florencia Attademo-Hirt
IDB Country Representative
Natalie Sellier, National Geographic Representative
Natalie Sellier
National Geographic Representative


The Dominican Republic Breaking Into United States Markets 

Workshop panel listens intently to Ms. Naut
A recently launched market study identifying business opportunities for Dominican Republic small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the the United States was the focus of a workshop held in Santo Domingo on November 17.

This workshop was part of a Compete Caribbean project in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry that aims to increase exports from Dominican Republic SMEs to the East Coast of the United States. The workshop was led by Ms. Katrina Naut, Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and was attended by various stakeholders from the private and public sectors. 

The study covered the cities with the highest diasporic populations originating from the Dominican Republic, such as: New Jersey (Paterson and Jersey City), New York (Bronx and Manhattan) and Massachusetts (Lawrence and Boston). It also identified specific agricultural and indigenous products that have a high demand and appeal to the Dominican diaspora. 

As this project continues, it is expected that key business climate issues that affect Dominican SMEs in their exporting endeavors will be identified. Additionally, Compete Caribbean will continue its work with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to provide direct technical assistance to Dominican SMEs that are in a developmental stage to prepare them for export to the East Coast of the United States and to benefit from the findings of the study.
Providing Clean and Affordable Water to Haiti

Trikes deliver water to 
communities and re-sellers
DloHaiti Inc.
is a for-profit venture providing safe drinking water to consumers in under-served countries such as Haiti. The firm seeks to improve its model by decentralizing production, putting it closer to consumers. By doing so, DloHaiti can lower the cost of water, improve water quality, and deliver services that improve convenience and access. 

Its target markets are under-served communities in peri-urban and rural areas where customers currently pay high prices for drinking water.  DloHaiti aims to produce and distribute affordable, clean drinking water that is above the World Health Organization's (WHO) standards for drinking water quality. Traded under the brand name 'Ovive', water will be sold per gallon from kiosks in 3-5 gallon jugs or as a fill-your-own-bottle system. Read More
RIAC Provides Platform for Sharing of Results

Sylvia Dohnert joined her peers from St. Lucia from left the Honorable Minister of Commerce Emma Hyppolite and Executive Director of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, Fiona Hinkson
The Americas Competitiveness Forum is the only annual event in the Americas that brings together more than 1000 representatives from governments, the private sector, academia and international organizations to find joint solutions to common challenges and help foster greater economic competitiveness in the region.

Compete Caribbean was represented by its Executive Director, Sylvia Dohnert who explained the results achieved by the Program so far. She revealed: "Five years after its commencement, the Program has met or surpassed its output targets. Our results go beyond outputs and are reflected on outcomes in employment, doing business indicators, competitiveness and growth, new business models for private sector growth and knowledge generation, among others."
 
Dohnert added: "Compete Caribbean projects have contributed to increased employment across the region. For example, the strengthening of private sector development institutions in Belize and Jamaica has been associated with an increase of over 2170 new jobs collectively. This, as well as support provided to firms and clusters to implement innovative projects has put the Program well on target to generate over 5000 jobs across the region."
IDB Publishes Eastern Caribbean Energy Dossiers

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) recently published energy dossiers for Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Granada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Energy dossiers summarize the most important features of the energy sector of a country, including its energy consumption patterns, institutional framework and industrial organization. For Eastern Caribbean countries, this research had never been done in a comprehensive and comparable way for its countries.
 
Dossiers are part of research that supports the loan that the IDB and its partners are processing for Eastern Caribbean countries through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). 
View and download below.


infoDev/WINC Acceleration Program
for Women Entrepreneurs in the Caribbean 

Applications are now closed for the infoDev/WINC Acceleration Program 
for Women Entrepreneurs in the Caribbean, however, over an eight-month period starting in early 2016, this program will provide a comprehensive suite of support services to participating women entrepreneurs.

Support services include: Peer-learning, personal development, one-on-one mentoring/coaching, technical workshops and motivational sessions by successful entrepreneur role models.   

It will be delivered by certified facilitators in 12 Caribbean countries: Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago. Read More
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Click below to view a unique country-by-country assessment, interactive report and index that evaluates the abilities of 55 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to attract investment for clean energy projects and businesses.
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CALL FOR PAPERS
Elsevier call for papers for a special issue of Technological Forecasting and Social Change with the title: "Sowing the seeds of the future: Policies for Financing Tomorrow's Innovations."

Submissions should be prepared in accordance with TFSC's guidelines and submitted via Elsevier Editorial System (Submit Here) before April 30, 2016. Read More
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