2023 commenced with exporTT accompanying its strategic partner the Trinidad and Tobago’s Manufacturer’s Association (TTMA) on its planned Mission to Grenada. Partly funded under the Export Booster Initiative, this Mission also saw the physical presence of the Minister of Trade and Industry, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr. Randall Karim, exporTT’s General Manager Dhanraj Harrypersad and exporTT’s Client Services Officer Antoinette Spencer, along with a delegation of 35 participants.
Participating manufacturers benefitted from Business to Business (B2B) meetings to maximise and strengthen trade relations with their Grenadian counterparts. They also learned about doing business in the country from key agencies such as the Port Authority, Customs and the Bureau of Standards. There were also ample opportunities for participants to network with their would-be partners as well as each other to identify and realise synergies for exports like the consolidation or shipments or the offering of complimentary goods or services.
Speaking on behalf of Minister Gopee-Scoon at the seminar, Mr. Karim shared “We have identified that Grenada is an essential market for the following sectors; chemicals, printing and packaging, construction products and most importantly, food and beverage. From the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s perspective, this visit is timely as it aligns with our strategic efforts to increase the value of non-energy exports over the next three years.” “This visit would serve to reinforce the principles underlying the revised Treaty of Chagaramas which is aimed at promoting the regional production of goods and services, especially with a view to maximising foreign exchange on the basis of international competitiveness.”
Grenada and Trinidad & Tobago have long enjoyed trade relations with Trinidad and Tobago emerging as Grenada’s largest exporter. This is substantiated by data from the Central Statistical Office of Trinidad and Tobago that ranks Grenada as the fifth largest CARICOM export of Trinidad.
exporTT looks forward to supporting under the Export Booster Initiative further partnerships with the TTMA and other strategic partners in alignment with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s strategic initiative geared towards increasing the value of all non-energy exports over the next three years.