bidc | unleashing ideasinspiring enterprise...6 barbados; weighty designation- opportunity or threat...

4 BarBados Business Catalyst • JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014

C O N T E N T S

BIDC Employees Get up and Go

14

The BARBADOS BUSINESS CATALYST is published quarterly by the Research, Information and Design Services Division of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation. It offers information and advice on trade and commercial issues to the business community. Information contained herein may be reproduced if accredited to the BIDC. Items of interest to local manufacturers, exporters, entrepreneurs and potential investors are welcome.

EDITOR: Jane Brome | [email protected]

EDITORIAL TEAM: Fern Lewis | [email protected] Pedro Hutchinson | [email protected] Sylvia Taitt | [email protected]

DESIGN & LAYOUT: G&A Communications Inc. 1st Floor, Suite 201, The Atrium, Sky Mall Rd. Haggatt Hall, St. Michael, BB11059 Barbados, W.I. T: (246) 437.2214 | F: (246) 228.5204 E: [email protected]

PRINTED BY: COT Holdings Ltd., #16 Newton Industrial Estate, Christ Church. T: (246) 420.8550 | F: (246) 420.8555 | E: [email protected]: Some of the views expressed in this publication are the views of the writers and not necessarily those of the BIDC. © 2015 BIDC.

5 Editor’s Desk Trade Shows, Expos & Conferences

6 Barbados; Weighty Designation- Opportunity or threat

8 Ethics and Employee Well-being

11 Justifying Workplace Wellness in a Recession

13 BIDC Employees Get up and Go

14 Facts & Stats

16 Healthy Tasty Lunch Options

18 Designing a Corporate Wellness Programme

20 Caribbean Wellness Week

21 Creating Better Workplaces- There’s an App for That

22 Fire Safety in the Workplace- the BICO Fire

24 Durban International Film Festival Outcomes 2014

25 News to note

26 Ecoscope

27 Tradescope

28 When in ….Guatemala

30 Manufacts

22Fire Safety in the Workplace- the BICO Fire

Caribbean Wellness Week20

ECOscope26 24

Durban International Film Festival

BarBados Business Catalyst • JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014 5

In a recession, news stories u s u a l l y focus on the millions out of work, and for good

reason. But there’s another angle that we’ve been considering lately. What happens to the people who survive a round of layoffs? How do they cope? What happens if employers try to squeeze more work out of fewer people? The last thing businesses want as they try to restructure and survive is stressed-out talent.

There is a connection between the well-being of the workforce and the

bottom line. Company balance sheets remain healthy, if companies remain committed to keeping their employees well--in every sense of the word.

In this edition we explore the subject of corporate wellness. Some of the topics we’ve covered include facts and statistics on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), stress related illnesses and health and wellness in Barbados and the Caribbean. We’ve included also topics which can aid in designing corporate wellness programmes and justifying workplace wellness expenditures in a recession. Coverage extends to the unlikely coupling of ethics and employee well-being. There is some evidence which suggests that people who achieve good

standards of well-being at work are likely to be more creative, more loyal, more productive, and provide better customer satisfaction than individuals with poor standards of well-being at work. Read more about it in this edition.

We’ve even included healthy, tasty recipe options for lunch and highlighted convenient options like apps which can be used in creating better workplaces. So there’s alot to read about and hopefully at the end of it a lot to think about. We hope you enjoy this issue and as usual look forward to your feedback.

T R a d E S h O w S , E x P O S a N d C O N f E R E N C E S

E D I T O R ’ S D E S K

Jane L. Brome | Editor

BarBados ChoColate Festival 2015If you love chocolate, you will love Barbados Chocolate Festival. Enjoy two days of pure chocolate

decadence. Sample amazing chocolates, indulge in culinary demonstrations, attend hands on chocolate experiences, and learn about the origin of chocolate from bean to the chocolate bar. There will be musical entertainment, special events and more. Artisan and craft chocolate makers and producers in Barbados and worldwide will have an opportunity to showcase their quality products, attend lectures and professional workshops. The event takes place at the Savannah Beach Hotel, Garrison Historic Area, Hastings, St. Michael, Contact: http://www BarbadosChocolateFestival.com Tel: (246) 240-3801

Mar7 - 8

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BiBa lunCheon seMinarThe Barbados International Business Association (BIBA) invites you to join us for our first luncheon seminar for 2015. This marks our first seminar collaboration with The Barbados Banking Association and we are excited to start off the year with an in-depth panel discussion focused on developments in the banking sector and their implications for the rest of the business community and the wider Barbados. Commercial banking is an important support

service for the international and domestic business sectors in Barbados. However, the global financial crisis has fundamentally changed the way that banks operate. Increased regulatory oversight, security threats, and responding to fluctuating economic fortunes are some of the pressures being brought to bear on the banking environment. How the banks respond to these pressures has implications for commercial and private clients, and for Barbados as it seeks to further define its niche as an international business and financial services centre. Come hear from an experienced line-up of members of the banking profession how their banks are responding to this ever-changing, ever-challenging environment in 2015 and beyond.Contact: http://biba.bb/

issa seMinarThe Barbados Chapter of Information Systems Security Association, Inc. (ISSA) will be hosting an exciting and very relevant training seminar at the Courtyard Marriott from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The topic is “Business Continuity Planning in Supplier Management”. The featured Speaker will be Mr. Colin Ive, MBA, MBCI, from the United Kingdom. He is also Principal Consultant with CoDRIM Ltd. Mr. Ive a very knowledgeable speaker spent nine (9) years as

the Chief Risk & Continuity Manager with global responsibility at Nokia. He was a contributing author to the 2004 version of the BCI Good Practice Guide for Business Continuity Planning and the 2012 Business Continuity for Dummies Book. In 2012 he won the prestigious UK ‘Business Continuity Personality of the Year Award’. The seminar is being offered not only to ISSA members but to the business community at large.Contact: [email protected] Tel 246 267-5955.

Jan

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Much ado has been made of the “unflattering” designation attributed to the ladies of Barbados as a result of the findings published in the Economist Pocket World of Figures 2014, where Barbados placed top of the global list of the ten countries with the largest share of overweight women in their respective populations.

There are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world, according to the World Health Organization. That number is projected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years.

While much can be debated about the methodology used to collect the data, the selection of the sample, sampling error and several other statistical variables, attention needs to be paid to the reality that, in indicators compiled by distinct organisations, Barbados ranks highly in the category of overweight population. In 2013, of the 191 UN member states and territories surveyed by The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, Barbados was ranked as 14 on the list of the world’s fattest nations, ahead of The United States, Mexico and Egypt.

BARBADOS’ WEIGHTY DESIGNATION

By Pedro Hutchinson, Research Officer, BidC

- OPPORTUNITY OR ThREaT?

whEN LIfE GIVES LEMONS


If as a nation we accept the reality as it is, the question arises, “Is this an opportunity or a threat?” No doubt, the majority of persons will list the health challenges that arise from being overweight and the economic cost of health care as key threats.

However, let us pay attention to another reality. This is a ready market for Barbadian producers if they are willing to actively pursue it.

Notwithstanding that the consumers in this market have a BMI greater than or equal to 25 which is less than “ideal”, they have to live now. Each day, they consume goods and services and, in many instances, struggle to do so because of the emphasis placed on the lighter demographic. If Barbados focusses targeted attention on this growing market (no pun intended), it could prove a consistent avenue for specialty products and services. Obvious opportunities present in the healthy food and beverages sectors, the health and wellness niche, weight loss and weight loss counselling services, the sporting, fitness and gaming segments as well as fashion and furniture.

Barbados has a population of less than 300,000 persons and not all of these are overweight. But there is still more than 1.5 billion other overweight persons in the world who could be tapped as a market.

Catering to this market and its respective niches however demands innovation. As Natalie Weathers, assistant professor in the fashion

“There is some conviction nevertheless that the organization has a role to play in helping to promote the well-being of their staff. It brings to mind that saying “Prevention is better than a cure”.

industry management department at Philadelphia University, cautioned, producers should “avoid predictable, mundane design in terms of fabric and print, in the same way you'd avoid the predictable and mundane with a jet-set target-market group."

Consumers will demand unique and creative products irrespective of their weight class.

Local producers will also need to compete on quality, not quantity. Efforts should be expended to determine demographic

and psychographic profiles through thorough and holistic market research of the specific segments of the market. This will allow for the development of a segment-specific marketing strategy.

The proverbial phrase is true. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"

The natural response to the findings of the international agencies is be discouraged and offended. However, there is much reason for Barbadians to have optimism and develop a can-do attitude in the face of this unflattering designation. Let’s shake the dust off this supposed “threat” and embrace the opportunities that it brings!


“Well-being plays a central role in creating flourishing societies. Focusing on well-being at work presents a valuable opportunity to benefit societies by helping working individuals to feel happy, competent, and satisfied in their roles. The evidence also shows that people who achieve good standards of well-being at work are likely to be more creative, more loyal, more productive, and provide better customer satisfaction than individuals with poor standards of well-being at work.”The New Economics Foundation, “Well-being at Work”

A happy worker is a productive worker! A productive worker makes for a more profitable organization. Therefore a happy worker makes for a more profitable organisation. If accepted, this syllogism highlights what should be a simple fact… if an organization is focused on success; it should ensure that its workers are happy. This syllogism also offers for consideration a new direction for organizational management, i.e. the idea

of securing individual, organisational and national prosperity through employee wellbeing.

While several factors impact wellbeing, the areas of business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have emerged in the last decade with a fervor that has fuelled a call for more in depth research and exploration.

What is the relationship, if any, between these two concepts? What does individual well-being have to do with the organization? Furthermore what do business ethics have to do with employee well-being?

Is nurturing employee happiness and well-being too subjective a concept; so contradictory to the facts and figures used to examine an organization’s bottom line that it’s left by the wayside? After all, should an organization even take on such a responsibility? Well-being is the state of being healthy, happy or prosperous. It’s a state many spend a lifetime fighting for through education, social activity, spiritual activity etc. Considering that the average individual

Ethics and Employee Well-Being: an unlikely pair?

By Karen Collins, Training Officer, national Productivity Council.

wORKPLaCE wELLNESS


spends a large amount of their adult life in the workplace, shouldn’t the organisation play a more active role in nurturing employee well-being? We are mindful that now, more than ever; things are not the way we would like them to be! The global financial crisis and ensuing recession have hit us deeply thus adversely affecting our standard of living. This starts to take a toll physically, mentally, emotionally and in all areas of our lives. While many contest the idea that it’s not a concern for the organization, improving well-being in the workplace is a holistic way of helping employees to better utilise the resources available to them, by upholding an organizational structure which facilitates employee success and pride in their tasks. It’s about doing all to ensure that employees carry out their tasks to the best of their abilities to ensure a positive experience at work.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) believes that the organization must facilitate the creation of an environment which promotes contentment among employees thereby permitting them to thrive and realize their full potential for use to their own advantage and that of their organization.

In fact, a recent report on wellbeing stated that companies which embraced the notion of keeping workers happy with a focus on overall employee wellbeing are regarded as being in a state of “enlightenment”. Such companies are found to be in the vast minority. The New Economics

Foundation (NEF) in a 2014 literature review entitled “Well-being at Work” notes that only a few companies are consistently concerned with cultivating a culture of well-being throughout the organization, where the employee is considered as important as its customers. There is some conviction nevertheless that the organization has a role to play in helping to promote the well-being of their staff. It brings to mind that saying “Prevention is better than a cure”. The truth is that there seems to be a very limited understanding of well-being and happiness at work since we often think only of health and wellness. We have certainly seen a great increase in corporate wellness programs: fun walks and runs, rewards for persons taking the most steps over a period of time, and gyms at the workplace, to name a few. That these programs were enthusiastically embraced by staff in the different organizations is testament to the fact that there is a role for the workplace in emphasizing healthier work methods and lifestyle choices. Of course this is a symbiotic relationship where the employee’s physical and psychological

well-being is improved and there should as well be an improvement in their productivity, commitment and attendance which impact the overall productivity and profitability for the organization. The CIPD affirms that the responsibility of promoting and nurturing well-being should be shared by both the employer and the employee. The organization can play its part by constructing and implementing programs to foster the environment where special attention is paid to factors which impact well-being such as management style, open communication, facilitation of work- life balance, employee empowerment, and fair compensation. The employee on the other hand is also responsible for their well-being by striving to maintain a healthy body through diet, exercise and leisure, developing an attitude derived from self-respect, emotional stability, having a curious, creative, active mind and developing supportive and nurturing relations .

That’s a lot of hard work!While it is acknowledged that we are charting unknown territory, there is a growing consensus that much of the challenge of nurturing well-being at

” There is some conviction nevertheless that the organization has a role to play in helping to promote the well-being of their staff. It brings to mind that saying “Prevention is better than a cure”.



work still rests on the shoulders of the organisation. It goes well beyond health and safety legislation and corporate wellness programs. Employee wellbeing is multidimensional. Once it has been accepted that the organization has a greater role to play in ensuring employee well being, it is important to understand what conditions are necessary to make this happen. In their 2014 report, “What’s happening with well-being at work?” the CIPD outlines five dimensions of well-being: Physical, Emotional, Personal Development, Work/ Organization and Values. These significantly impact an employee’s overall well-being at work and each one is further subdivided into categories pertinent to that specific dimension. Special attention is paid here to the “Values” dimension, which is divided into the following areas: Ethical Standards, Diversity, Psychological Contract and Spiritual Expression.

Let’s take a look at Ethical Standards and how they impact well-being at work. The focus on business ethics, ethical culture and ethical climate in organisations has been motivated by the rise in scandals in organisations around the world, especially in the USA. This area of scrutiny has gained life due to the increasing awareness that unethical behavior affects an organisation’s bottom line. An ethically guided organization tends to have some measure of competitiveness over one which is run unethically. Further justification for the place of ethics in business would be the impact that it has on employee outcomes such as job satisfaction and therefore wellbeing.

A sound definition of business ethics is put forward by Roussow (1994) who explains that this area basically concerns itself with the determination of what is good and right in business activities. It is a commitment to pursue business activities which positively contribute to the wellbeing of all those impacted by an organisation’s business activities. Ethics is more than a marketing tool. In fact, there is a call for business ethics to be a part of every aspect of an organization and the

sound way to do this would be to infuse ethics into the overall strategy of the organization i.e. for it to be an integral part of the plans, processes and culture of the organization. In organisations, business ethics take the form of ethics committees, codes of ethics, ethics training and ethical leadership. However, creating an ethical culture in the workplace goes beyond overreliance on rules and regulations. While formal systems of compliance are necessary, there also needs to be a culture which promotes a commitment to ethical conduct.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays a vital role in creating an ethical culture in the organisation. Yet again, there seems to be some limited understanding of what this entails. It would seem that CSR is understood in terms of an organization’s obligation to the environment, and to the customer. In reality, CSR concerns four major stakeholders: the society, the customers, the government and the employee. In Barbados we certainly commend the organisations who have stepped forward to protect our beaches, adopt a section of the highway, those who have adopted schools and sponsored cricket competitions, even those which have come forward to save some of our cultural events that were threatened by the current financial crisis.

CSR is indeed important to profitability, competitiveness, reputation and customer loyalty. Moreover, CSR is seen as a branch of organizational ethics and since it is important to organizational well being, it could be suggested that, it therefore impacts employee well-being. The problem is that in all the notable CSR efforts of organisations, a valuable stakeholder seems to have been overlooked – the employee. There aren’t many examples, beyond the health and wellness programs mentioned earlier, of the relationship between CSR and employee outcomes. Such explorations are even lacking in the published literature on CSR.

However, preliminary and informal findings seem to suggest that

relationships have been found between CSR and employee commitment and CSR and employee satisfaction.

Companies are cautioned to pay attention to the way they do business and how it impacts employee well-being, since the quality and extent of the relationship between a business and its employees are a necessary foundation for improved productivity and profitability. An employee who perceives their organisation as uncaring, unfair or lacking transparency will neither be satisfied with nor committed to their organisation. If a company can’t successfully display a high level of responsibility towards its staff, can it successfully do so to its other stakeholders? Do CSR-related programs and policies respond to an employee’s need for fairness and justice in the organization? When one thinks of value added, CSR plays a vital role in creating value for the organization, value which can be seen outside of the organisation’s bottom line.

An attempt has been made to explore the notion that personal or employee well-being is closely related to organizational well-being and to furthermore show that an organization which acknowledges that it cannot be business as usual should therefore recognize the role they can play by providing the enabling structures, systems and processes and relationships to promote well being at work. A failure to do this could result in declining profitability and productivity, quality, market share and customer trust. Beyond improved employee and organizational improvement, and perhaps even more appealing, is the notion brought out in the citation that precedes this article. Nurturing employee well-being will nurture the prosperity of an entire society.


With the top three stressors being money, work and the economy, this heightened stress and anxiety about personal and national finances takes a serious toll on a person’s mental and physical health.

It’s been labelled recession depression.

Characterized by sleepless nights, short tempers, increased irritability and chronic worry, recession depression can lead to increased absenteeism, poor employee health and decreased productivity at the workplace.

A recent US study estimates that up to 80% of financially distressed workers spend time at work worrying about personal finances and dealing with financial issues instead of working. Financially distracted employees on-the-job, cost employers significantly in lost productivity.

Not only are employees more stressed and less productive due to recession depression, but their health starts to suffer as well. Financially stressed individuals tend to eat poorly, exercise less, sleep less soundly, turn to unhealthy coping behaviors such as excess drinking, substance abuse and gambling and may forgo necessary checkups because they want to save money. They are also at greater risk for a wide range of medical conditions such as poor cardiovascular health, reduced immune response and severe depression.

JUSTIFYING WorKPlaCe Wellness IN A RECESSION

dOLLaRS aNd SENSE


As employee health takes a nosedive, health costs begin to skyrocket. Out of seven risk factors associated with excess health care costs, depression and stress had the greatest correlation to higher costs.

But how do you justify a budget for corporate wellness expenditures?

surely Wellness isn’t a priority right now?

Employees who have survived layoffs make up a company’s most loyal and talented workers. An economic downturn is the time when these committed employees need to feel motivated and recognized the most due to the stress of the economic uncertainty and increase in workload. The fact that wellness incentive programmes carry a three to one return on investment means that not only can your company effectively reduce healthcare costs but that you can effectively motivate and recognize employees to reach their health and wellness goals.

how do we ensure the wellness message is received positively?

Successful wellness incentives are designed so employees can easily access communication and information on the wellness

program at both work and home. An Online wellness programs allow employees to learn about the goals they are eligible to achieve, what goals and awards they have already achieved and usually allow a person to look at their performance in comparison to their peers.

Wouldn’t staff just prefer extra cash at the end of the month?

Merchandise-based wellness programs motivate employees to earn wellness awards by accruing points that can be redeemed for gifts from variously priced collections. There are many reasons why tangible wellness awards are more effective than cash incentives namely, no taxes.

how do we justify the extra spend internally and externally?

Wellness incentive research clearly shows that properly implemented programs impact healthcare spending and premiums, lower costs due to sickness or leave of absence, workers’ compensation costs, disability-related costs and

costs due to absenteeism. Wellness programs also have intangible benefits such as increasing employee motivation, morale and teamwork.

is wellbeing the right place to be spending money?

Motivating and retaining your employees should take priority. Your remaining talent and knowledge base is an important part of the company’s long-term viability and competitiveness. By investing in this valuable asset, your organization will help to motivate employees to reach their wellness goals while reducing health care related costs.

Establishing a program is a win-win situation for employers and workers.

See more at: http://www.awardsnetwork.com/justify-workplace-wellness-expenditures-during-a-recession#sthash.97n94NsN.dpuf

12 BarBados Business Catalyst • aPRIL - JUNE 2014

“ not only are employees more stressed and less productive due to recession depression, but their health starts to suffer as well. “

BarBados Business Catalyst • aPRIL - JUNE 2014 13

The BIDC has over the past year therefore sought to implement an aggressive programme to foster improved levels of health and wellness among staff.

In addition to a health lecture on the topic “increasing Productivity through health and Wellness” employees were also encouraged to participate in a number of walks and runs during the year which were organised by various groups across the island, and were invited to attend a wellness fair held in association with the Ministry of Labour.

In addition, the Corporation introduced some short term events intended to make staff more active. These included:

health and Wellness programme with Knights health advantage ClubMembers were given an evaluation on five health indices (blood sugar and blood pressure tests, body mass index, etc.). These readings provided a benchmark against which participants were evaluated over the period of a year. The Corporation met half the cost for participants who all recorded improvements during the review.

Walk the talk programme Participants were encouraged to walk at least 10, 000 steps a day. Twenty five members of staff eagerly participated and the Corporation placed third among 21 participating companies nationally. The Corporation also organized its own in-house programme later in the year with awards presented to outstanding participants at our Independence activity.

Fitness infernoThis commenced with 12 participants and proved a successful venture. A second Fitness Inferno was therefore started. The Corporation met half the cost of the programme for participating employees.

BidC eMPloYees GET UP AND GOThe increasing incidence of Non-communicable Diseases and its negative impact on both employees and the effective functioning of organisations, continues to occupy the attention of Human Resources Department of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC).


FaCts & stats

1. In the Caribbean more than 50% of the adult population is overweight, with about 25% of adult women being obese.

2. In Barbados 74% of women and 55% of men were overweight. About 36% of women were obese (2007 data). In 2011 Barbados was ranked at number 12 among the top 20 fattest nations of the world.

3. The overall attendances for clinics recorded at the eight polyclinics at the end of December 2013, were approximately 425,800. Provisional data indicated that the three main reasons for attendance were: Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension and Asthma. (Source: Barbados economic and social report 2013).

4. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain among the five leading causes of death in Barbados since 2004(Source: Ministry of Health). These disorders are on the increase although in many cases, up to 80% are preventable. It is estimated that one in four adults currently have a chronic disease and this is expected to rise to one in three by the year 2030.

5. By age forty, 40% of Barbadians have been diagnosed with hypertension and 17% have diabetes.

6. Of the 190,000 Barbadians aged 20 years and older, 90,000 are overweight, 38,000 suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure, 19,000 are diabetic, and one person suffers a stroke every day. (Source: Chronic Disease Research Centre)

7. Obesity is a leading risk factor for NCDs.

8. In the Caribbean, NCD deaths are 5 times of deaths from other diseases.

9. NCD deaths are 10 times of deaths from HIV/AIDS.

?????ChECK UP



10. NCDs account for 65% burden of diseases.

11. A 2014 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, published in the British science journal, The Lancet Oncology, has revealed that Barbados and Puerto Rico have the highest cancer burden attributable to weight related issues. According to the WHO report, 12.7% of women in Barbados, 12% in the Czech Republic and 11.6% in Puerto Rico are most affected by this issue. The study, also shows that one quarter of all cancers attributable to overweight and obesity worldwide— 118,000 cases — could have been prevented if populations had simply maintained their average body-mass index of 30 years ago. The number of cancers linked to obesity and overweight is expected to rise globally along with economic development.

12. Physical inactivity is the main cause for approximately: • 21–25% of breast and colon cancers • 27% of diabetes • 30% of ischemic heart disease. 13. Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for

death worldwide. Approximately 3.2 million people die each year due to physical inactivity.

Physical inactivity is a key risk factor for

non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes.

14. Globally, one in three adults is not active enough. Policies to address physical inactivity are operational in 56% of WHO Member States. WHO Member States have agreed to reduce physical inactivity by 10% by 2025.

15. Physical activity has significant health benefits and contributes to prevent NCDs. The term “physical activity” should not be confused with “exercise”, which is a subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and aims to improve or maintain one or more components of physical fitness. Both, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity brings health benefits. The intensity of different forms of physical activity varies between people. In order to be beneficial for cardiorespiratory health, all activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration. WHO recommends: for children and adolescents: 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity activity per day; for adults (18+): 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

16. The role of health promotion has been heightened in view of the rising level of NCDs, which remain the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Barbados.

In 2013, a draft strategic plan to guide the work of the

National NCD Commission was completed utilizing expertise from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. It is anticipated that the plan will be fully operational in 2014. The National NCD Commission in an effort to strengthen the national response in the fight against NCDs engaged the Sub-Committee on Social Policy of Cabinet and the meeting of Permanent Secretaries and Similar Grade with respect to harnessing an all-of-government response to the epidemic.

The Health Promotion Unit in the Ministry of Health, functions as the Secretariat for the National NCD Commission of Barbados, as well as the National Task Force on Physical Activity and Exercise. The Commission has been

mandated to develop and implement policies and programmes to address

the rising level of NCDs, while the Task Force focuses on innovative ways to encourage Barbadians to be

more physically active. Population based guidelines on physical activity

were produced by the National Task Force on Physical Activity and Exercise launched on Caribbean Wellness Day

2013 and disseminated to the public. (Source: Barbados economic and social report 2013).


Arroz con pollo, or chicken cooked with rice, is a common dish in Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean. We use quick-cooking brown rice here to help you get this on the table in just 40 minutes. Serve with a mixed green salad tossed with cilantro-lime vinaigrette

Makes: 4 servings, 2 pieces & 3/4 cup rice eachactive time: 40 minutes total time: 40 minutes

ingredients2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (about 8 pieces), skin removed, trimmed 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided2 tablespoons canola oil1 large onion, chopped4 cloves garlic, minced1/2 cup tomato sauce1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth1 cup instant brown rice1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

PreparationSprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add half the

chicken pieces, skinned-side down. Cook until browned on one side, 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken; transfer to the plate.

Add onion, garlic and tomato sauce to the pot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Stir in rice, return the chicken to the pot, cover and simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, 8 minutes. Stir in vegetables, cover and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve the chicken over the rice.

nutritionPer serving: 378 calories; 16 g fat (3 g sat., 7 g mono); 87 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 31 g protein; 3 g fiber; 735 mg sodium; 506 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (70% daily value), Zinc (24% dv), Magnesium & Vitamin C (17% dv)Carbohydrate Servings: 2Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 lean meat, 1 fat

nutrition Profile: Diabetes appropriate Healthy weight Heart healthyLow cholesterol Low saturated fat Low calorie Gluten free

total time: 30 minsPrep time: 15 minsCook time: 15 mins

ingredients:serves: 4-6Yield: 7.0 cups

soup1 tablespoon oil (I used sunflower oil) 1/2-3/4 cup chopped onion (1-2 onions) 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 tablespoon curry paste (levelled tbsp, preferably Madras, Korma or another Indian or Caribbean curry paste you like) 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (levelled tbsp) 4 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes (not yams) 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped 3 1/2 cups chicken stock or 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock 2 tablespoons rum (optional but recommended, I use white rum) salt

recommended topping4 -6 tablespoons sour cream (any fat content) sweet paprika

PreparationIn a soup pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add curry paste and onions and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat if necessary. Add garlic clove and ginger

and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and pepper. Mix. Add stock. Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Puree the ingredients in batches in a blender or puree the whole amount directly in the pot with a hand blender (if pot is high enough). Check if you like the consistency of the soup. Add more stock or water if desired and adjust the seasonings (check if salt is needed). You can add more curry paste if desired, but most pastes need to be cooked first before adding to a dish. Add rum if using. Serve in individual bowls and top each with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkle of sweet paprika.

nutrition Serving Size: 1 (279 g)Servings Per Recipe: 4

Wonderful Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value

Calories 283.8

Calories from Fat 78 27%

Total Fat 8.7 g 13%

Saturated Fat 2.5 g 12%

Cholesterol 12.5 mg 4%

Sodium 386.2 mg 16%

Total Carbohydrate 39.6 g 13%

Dietary Fiber 5.5 g 22%

Sugars 11.4 g 45%

Protein 8.4 g 16%

Sweet Potato Casseroleingredients:Servings: 103 cups mashed sweet potatoes 1/2 cup sugar 2 beaten eggs 1/4 cup margarine, melted 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

topping1 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup flour 1 cup chopped pecans 1/3 cup margarine, melted

PreparationIn large mixing bowl, mix sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, margarine, milk and vanilla.Pour into 9 inch square greased baking dish.Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over potatoes.Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.Can be doubled and baked in 9x13 dish.

nutritionServing Size: 1 (122 g)Servings Per Recipe: 10


Calories 365.5


Total Fat 19.8 g 30%



Sodium 172.5 mg 7%

Total Carbohydrate 45.1g 15%


Sugars 33.5 g 134%

Protein 3.8 g 7%

HealthyTastyLUNCH OPTIONS


Arroz con Pollo


total time: 35 minsPrep time: 35 mins

ingredients:serves: 10Yield: 10 cups

2 medium bananas, diced 2 medium apples, diced 1 lemon, juice of 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained, juice reserved 2 cups sliced strawberries 2 cups grapes 1/4 cup pecans, chopped 1 (1 1/2 ounce) box sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix or 1 (1 1/2 ounce) box vegetarian sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix 1/2 cup water

directions:Combine bananas, apples and lemon juice in large mixing bowl.Toss until evenly coated.Add pineapple, strawberries, grapes and pecans.In small mixing bowl, combine pudding mix, water and pineapple juice with a wire whisk until smooth.Add pudding mixture to fruit.Mix gently until thoroughly coated.Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Creamy Fruit Salad


Calories 118.8


Total Fat 2.3 g 3%



Sodium 2.5 mg 0%



Sugars 18.5 g 74%

Protein 1.3 g 2%

Grilled Ginger Salmontotal time: 25 minsPrep time: 5 minsCook time: 20 mins

ingredients:Servings: 41 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup orange juice 1/4 cup honey 1 green onion, chopped 1 1/2 lbs salmon fillets

PreparationIn bowl, mix the first 5 ingredients.Place onions in small bowl and chill until ready to use.Grill salmon over medium coals for 10 minutes, turn and grill the other side for 10 minutes.Brush with ginger sauce throughout grilling.Place salmon on platter and sprinkle with onions.



Calories 118.8


Total Fat 2.3 g 3%



Sodium 2.5 mg 0%



Sugars 18.5 g 74%

Protein 1.3 g 2%

total time: 43 minsPrep time: 15 minsCook time: 28 mins

ingredients:Serves: 6-8Yield: 2.0

1/2 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup sugar 6 tablespoons rice flour 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca flour 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup soymilk 4 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 large egg

PreparationPreheat oven to 375°F; grease either muffin pan or small loaf pan, and dust with rice flour. Combine dry ingredients. Slowly mix in milk, melted butter, vanilla, and already beaten egg. Fill pans 3/4 full and bake muffins if small 20 to 25 min or mini loaf for about 28 to 33 minutes.


Calories 235


Total Fat 9.3 g 14%



Sodium 408.4 mg 17%



Sugars 17.6 g 70%

Protein 3.2 g 6%

Gluten Free Sweet Corn Bread Muffins

Paradise Mango Lemonadetotal time: 15 minsPrep time: 10 minsCook time: 5 mins

ingredients:Yield: 2 quarts2 cups chopped mangoes, pureed (fresh or frozen) 5 cups cold water 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 1 1/2 cups sugar (dissolved in 1/2 boiling water in saucepan, over low heat)

PreparationMix pulp with the 5 cups water and dissolved sugar.Add the lime juice.Serve with cracked ice.

Nutritional Facts for Paradise Mango LemonadeServing Size: 1 (1936 g)Servings Per Recipe: 1


Calories 703.1


Total Fat 0.4 g 0%



Sodium 16.3 mg 0%



Sugars 175.3 g 701%

Protein 1.1 g





Just as better management of a corporation's finances will lead to bigger profits, better management of employees’ social, physical and mental health will lead to increased productivity and reduced costs to a company.

Designing a Corporate W e l l n e s s Programme

Implementing a Wellness Programme could be the first step in the right direction.

Corporate Wellness Programmes improve health management through increased personal responsibility, and through the participation of individual employees in setting and meeting personal and corporate objectives. Many corporations have built gyms, introduced stress-management seminars, and otherwise committed themselves to promoting better health. Wellness programmes are designed to get employees into the gyms and seminars through individualized goals with heightened personal commitment.

Personal responsibility for health is promoted by providing each individual with a Personal Wellness profile showing areas where action is needed, what action should be taken and what results can be expected. For example, if an individual's blood pressure is high, specific dietary changes are recommended, exercise guidelines are provided, and a target blood pressure is set. Participation is encouraged by examining group characteristics and setting group goals that

require individual effort.

General Goals of a Corporate Wellness Programme• Improve health status• Reduce health care costs• Reduce work days lost• Improve employee relations• Improve health data• Attract healthier, more productive employees• Prevent the loss of key personnel• Promote a caring corporate culture that

rewards healthy living and motivates employees to improve their health.

ThIS IS hOw TO dO IT



A Corporate Wellness Programme generally includes: an assessment of physical fitness as well as social and mental health and well-being; education for increased awareness of and improvement of the aforementioned and personalised programmes for reducing the risk of illness, increasing productivity and morale, decreasing health-related costs through greater awareness and personal responsibility, evaluation and feedback.

elements of a Corporate Wellness Programme

sensitisation One of the first activities is getting employees on board with a corporate wellness programme. That means sensitizing employees to the concept of wellness. As part of this outreach, the company’s wellness trajectory is discussed. The objectives of the corporate wellness programme are clarified. The importance of personal responsibility is emphasized.

Personal Wellness ProfilesAs part of the programme, wellness assessments are conducted and the basic information gathered is noted fr the creation of Personal Wellness Profiles. These profiles are motivating, informational and educational. In and of themselves they induce change and increase personal responsibility. They are not judgmental but rather set baselines for change. The goal is participation in wellness programmes rather than meeting set criteria. The profiles may include: a lifestyle evaluation questionnaire, blood tests, fitness assessment, and the preparation of individual reports.

Corporate Wellness CommitteeA Corporate Wellness Committee should be appointed to take responsibility for the following:• Formulation of a Corporate Policy

on Employee Health.• Arrangements for the completion

of wellness questionnaires, blood tests and fitness assessments.

• Research, design and implementation of incentive

programmes,monitoring, evaluation and feedback.

• Organisation of educational seminars, wellness events, group support and other communications and activities that will maintain employee interest and participation.

• Oversight of special interest sub-committees - fitness, weight loss, chronic disease, etc.

incentive programmeFinancial and/or other rewards should be given for participating in wellness activities, achieving measurable personal wellness goals, promoting corporate health promotion objectives, etc.Points could also be accumulated and can be converted to cash and/or material health-related rewards. Recognition in corporate publications and public relations exercises would also go a long way in motivating employees to continue.

Corporate objectivesMeasurable, time-specific, attainable objectives should be set for the company. Examples could be to: Reduce absenteeism by 20% within one year; Reduce number of employees smoking by 20% within six months; Reduce measurable health care costs by 30% within one year.

Wellness Participation objectivesAny wellness programme should enlist top management support, commitment and personal participation. And just

as corporate objectives for wellness are set, similar objectives should be established for participation. These could see the company aiming for example to: create Personal Wellness Profiles on as many employees as possible in the first instance; get 75% of employees involved in wellness programme activities within six months; get 50% of employees exercising at least 3 times per week within one year; Health tracking of 100% of high-risk employees; Health tracking of 50% of all employees within one year.

strategic analysisHaving set out wellness objectives, the aim is then to determine what risks the employees are faced with in their health, habits and lifestyles, and to establish what are their concerns, activities and inclinations where their health is concerned. This Information will guide corporate health policy formulation as well as actions to be taken at a corporate level to achieve higher levels of employee health and productivity.

education Programmes and interventionsEducation and intervention are key elements of any wellness programme. This may extend to one-to-one guidance, small-group guidance, targeting of high-risk employees to ensure cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit, special-interest groups, courses, classes and follow-up programmes on nutrition, stress management, diabetes/BP control, weight loss, coronary risk reduction, smoking cessation, fitness/aerobics, back strengthening/injury prevention. It could also extend to Medical referral for: High cholesterol, High blood pressure, High blood sugar, Signs and symptoms of disease.

lifelong Wellness ProgrammeAll this of course could lead to a lifelong wellness drive with a long-term programme of periodic medical check-ups, lifestyle evaluation, blood tests and fitness assessments; improved personal wellness profiles with progress reports.

“ Many corporations have built gyms, introduced stress-management seminars, and otherwise committed themselves to promoting better health”.


Caribbean

The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Office for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean (OECC) brought Caribbean countries together with Caribbean Wellness Day and Wellness Week of the Americas 2014 activities observed from September 13-19, 2014.

The purpose of Wellness Week is to mobilize multiple stakeholders, including local authorities, the private sector, civil society organizations, and the general public, to emphasize the importance of enabling environments in making healthy choices the easy choices. While paying attention to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Wellness Week has been successful in enabling local environments and promoting opportunities for healthy living in settings where people grow, play, learn, work and live.

PAHO launched Wellness Week in 2011 in an effort to translate commitments from the UN Political Declaration on NCDs in the Americas. This initiative built upon Caribbean Wellness Day, also celebrated in September by the English-

speaking Caribbean countries since 2009.During Wellness Week, the countries of the Americas join in a week of celebrations showcasing their best practices in promoting health and wellbeing by engaging all sectors in addressing the determinants of health, focusing on vulnerable populations and improving access to health services to promote health with equity.

Following are some examples of activities carried out during this year’s celebrations of Wellness Week:• Anguilla – Healthy Snack and

Exercise Day for Schools and Workplaces, Friday, September 12

• Antigua and Barbuda - Minister of Health’s address to the Nation, launch of media campaign on NCDs

risk factors – Saturday, September 13

• Barbados - “Wear Your Sneakers to Work Day” Get Moving Challenge - Thursday, September 17

• British Virgin Islands - Launch of 10,000 Steps Each Day Workforce Challenge, Friday September 12

• Dominica - Health Walk and Screening Clinic (Blood Pressure/sugar), Thursday, September 18

• St Lucia - Health Fair, Saturday, September 13

• St. Vincent and the Grenadines – Fitness Walk and Health Fair, Saturday, September 13

PAHO/WHO’s Wellness Week initiative focuses on enabling opportunities for healthy living, and preventing non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions.

GET MOVING

Wellness Week

PahO staff learned how to make delicious healthy smoothies during wellness week.


there’s an aPP For that!

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has launched a series of apps designed to create better workplaces.

The Checkpoints app series is a new digital tool for improving occupational safety and health in the workplace.

According to the ILO, users can explore illustrated descriptions of each checkpoint and create interactive checklists tailored to their workplace. Each app also includes best practice recommendations for taking action and implementing effective improvements.

The series, available on the ILO website, http://www.ilo.org include

apps on stress management, ergonomics and ergonomics in agriculture and re designed for both iOS and Android platforms. The Stress Prevention App offers 50 easy-to-implement checkpoints for identifying sources of stress in the workplace and mitigating their harmful effects.

The Ergonomics Apps lists 132 realistic and flexible solutions to ergonomic problems, applicable across a whole range of workplace situations.

The Ergonomics in Agriculture App meanwhile offers 100 practical actions to improve safety and health and increase productivity, tailored for rural and agricultural settings.

CreatinG Better WorKPlaCes -

“Each app also includes best practice recommendations for taking action and implementing effective improvements”.



On August 18, 2009, the Barbados Ice Cream Company (BICO) was almost completely destroyed by fire after over a century in operation. This disaster changed not only the lives of its employees but the overall direction of the company as well.

BICO’s Chief Financial Officer, Shafik Faizool, gave the Barbados Government Information Service a first-hand account of how the company was affected by the fire.

He remembers that the day started almost like any other: “We were having the annual inspection of our boilers but otherwise it was a normal day. I got up, went to work and just after sunset, I went home.”

Around 7:30 p.m., while sitting at home, Mr. Faizool received a call from one of his co-workers to say there was a fire at BICO. Despite this unsettling news, he admitted that he did not take it very seriously:

“Honestly, I didn’t think it was really anything big, but I called my boss who said he was already on his way there. After I hung up the phone, I decided to go and see what was going on.”

Fire saFetY in the WorKPlaCe- the BiCo Fire By Jamal Hall, BGIS

Unable to believe that a place he had just left a few hours ago was now being razed by fire, the Chief Financial Officer recalled that he remained cautiously optimistic, even as he saw “smoke billowing up into the air” while driving along Spring Garden. However, his latent fears were confirmed when he turned on to Harbour Road.

“The fire was burning high from the roof of the factory building with a lot of thick, black smoke and even though we were a way off, we could still feel the heat of the fire. To tell you the truth, it was really frightening. The police and fire officers had barricaded the area, so we were kept more on the southern side of the road.”

At the time, BICO was celebrating 108 years of service and employed about 123 persons, some of whom had worked with the company for over 30 years. Those workers were forced to stand and watch the fire helplessly.

“When I looked at the faces of the guys, many of them were in tears because they just didn’t know what was going to happen. This was their livelihood. In fact, we all would have greatly lost if BICO had completely burned down. A number of people also started gathering outside; well-wishers, persons from our insurance company, clients who came out of concern and you could see they were all emotionally affected.”

OCCUPaTIONaL SafETY



Unsure of how far the fire would spread, the BICO workers got to work salvaging what they could from the Administrative Building, under the guidance of the fire officers. While the Fire Service was doing their best to control the blaze, they were severely hampered by low water pressure.

BICO also had tanks of ammonia that were used to cool the machines in the production area, so the Fire Chief was hesitant to send in his officers, at the risk of them being exposed to this ammonia. Thus, the fire continued to burn through the night and for the next few days, only stopping when it reached the cold storage section.

BICO has fire inspections on a regular basis and several fire extinguishers are positioned throughout the company. So, the question on everyone’s mind was what started this fire. Luckily, the company also had a network of closed circuit cameras which revealed what had happened.

The Chief Financial Officer was shocked when he saw the footage: “As I said before, our boilers were being inspected and we used a particular company that has been doing it for a number of years,” he began.

According to Mr. Faizool, after everyone left, these workers were still “doing some grinding and welding on the stainless steel boiler”. He identified that as part of the protocol, they were supposed to have a fire watch for twenty minutes just to ensure everything was safe before leaving, but they did not do that.

A small fire started and Mr. Faizool lamented that when this fire was discovered by one of the welders, instead of running to the fire extinguishers or notifying the guard, they all ran outside. Shortly after, the fire spread to the packaging and raw material storage area and eventually raged out of control.

It has been five years since the fire at BICO, and the company has had to make many difficult adjustments to overcome the challenges caused.

Management had originally estimated to be back in operation within nine months, but by the time they received the insurance payment, the expenses incurred to keep the business going prevented this. “A lot of people assume that because a company is insured that they don’t have to worry about anything, but the reality is far from that,” Mr Faizool said.

But, in spite of these challenges and how things have been going with the economy, he stated that BICO has been able to hold its own after the fire: “Fortunately, we got some product out of Canada so we never stopped our supply; however our business model changed from manufacturing to distribution. We also got some concessions from Government to help us through this period. Also, our employees have a more united spirit as they know from first-hand experience that we are in this together and we are all affected by disaster.”

Also listening attentively to Shafik Faizool’s recount of the fire at BICO

was Station Officer in the Barbados Fire Service, Henderson Patrick, who then confirmed that continuous training of staff is a key element in fire safety.

“It doesn’t matter if you have the right amount of fire protection equipment and alarm systems, if people do not respond accordingly when these things are required, you will still experience major loss of assets and even lives.

The BICO fire is an excellent example of how one company’s lack of training can affect another. This is why all businesses should always ensure that their staff is trained in how to use the equipment and know how to react when the alarm goes off.”

Mr. Patrick also explains how businesses can contact the Barbados Fire Service to attain this training for members of staff: “We facilitate fire safety training to any business who contacts us by either going to their location to do both theoretical and practical extinguisher training, or if that cannot be accommodated at the business’ location, we would have the training at either the Airport or Arch Hall Fire Stations.”

The damage caused by the fire at BICO could have been avoided if the persons which discovered this fire were adequately trained. Do not let a lack of preparation cause you to lose your business to a fire.

To request training in fire safety measures or to have an approved fire inspection, contact the Barbados fire Service’s fire Prevention Unit at 246 435-4646 or 246 436-5139, or its Training Unit at 246 435-4251.



A delegation of Barbadian film entrepreneurs returned home from the 35th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) in South Africa, with bright prospects for penetrating new and untapped market segments in that region.

Led by Senior Business Development Officer of the Barbados Investment & Development orporation (BIDC), Mr. Modou Diagne, the group comprised the Director of the short movie “Auntie”, Lisa Harewood; the Director of “Chrissy”, Marcia Weekes; the Producer of “Two Smart”, Shakirah Bourne; the Assistant Director and Producer of the movie “Keeping Up with the Joneses”, Chantelle Evelyn, and the President of the Barbados Film and Video Association, Lynnette Eastmond.

Their participation in the July 17-27, 2014 event was made possible through funding from the Caribbean Export’s Direct Assistance Grant Scheme (DAGS) under the 10th Economic Development Fund (EDF).

ABOUT THE DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALThe Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is an annual film festival which takes place in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. It is one of the oldest (35th edition in 2014, created in 1979), and largest film festival in Southern Africa and presents over 200 screenings celebrating the

best in South African, African and international cinema. The festival also offers filmmaker workshops, industry seminars, discussion forums, and outreach activities, and much more including Talent Campus Durban in association with the Berlin Film Festival and a Durban FilmMart co-production market. DIFF contributes to skills transfer and industry development and draws on the knowledge, skills and insights of a range of industry experts and filmmakers from the Pan-African film industry. The largest of Southern Africa's film festivals, and the most important film festival in Africa, DIFF hosts a film competition component and also presents screenings in township areas where cinemas are non-existent. OBJECTIVES OF THE MISSIONThe primary goals of the BIDC in facilitating this delegation was to: Assess the market potential for Caribbean material in the African marketplace and gain insight into the African film industry and the operations of the DIFF Film Mart; Provide local film industry practitioners with an opportunity to network with global counterparts, audio visual executives and film industry specialists with a view to building strategic alliances which could result in distribution, shooting/recording, collaboration opportunities and film festival participations; and Enable joint ventures and linkages with African film makers seeking partners in the Caribbean and raise the profile of Barbados in the international

It is also hoped that the event would create promotional opportunities, increase visibility and gain international exposure for professional services in the audio-visual industry, and improve Barbados’ global market reach, while facilitating the earning of foreign exchange through digital and TV distribution deals at the event’s FilmMart for Barbadian audio-visual products and services.

RESULTS/OUTCOMESParticipants in the festival gained a good understanding of the digital distribution in Africa, specifically through interactions with some of the delegates present at the festival from the digital distribution platforms AfriNolly, Kollide TV and Buni TV. They were also able to forge relationships with influential personalities in the African film industry and establish relations for distribution through Film Festivals such as the London Film Festival, the Radio Film, Africa in Motion (AiM) Film Festival, The Zimbabwe International Film Festival and the Durban International Film Festival.

Barbadian films are currently being considered by the largest station in South Africa, South Africa Broadcasting) for acquisition.

A workshop is being organized to share the DIFF experience and the contacts and established with the wider Barbadian film and video industry stakeholders.

NEw MaRKET PENETRaTION

FILM FESTIVAL

durBan international

(from left to right) The dIff delegation Marcia weekes, Modou diagne, Chantelle Evelyn, Lynnette Eastmond and Shakirah Bourne.


As part of the Natural Fibres and Seeds Project coordinated in partnership with the Barbados investment and Development Corporation (BIDC), the Barbados Institute of Environmental Professional and the UNDP, a Tissue Culture Workshop was recently hosted at the Pelican Craft Centre.

This workshop was attended by participants from educational institutions, the 4-H foundation, artisans working with fibres,

the Soil Conservation Unit and the Cotton industry. The benefits/importance of in vitro plant tissue culture techniques lies in the ability to mass propagate identical replicas of plants without seeds and is a means of conservation in a controlled environment.

The workshop introduced participants to low cost tissue culture methods, which can be adapted in a home setting. The goal is to encourage the maintenance and growth of local fibre plants for new product development and for sustainable utilization of biodiversity.

NEwS TO NOTE

regional seminar on the apparel industry and economic development in the Caribbean: efficient Planning and allocation of resourcesThe Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) through the SELA-SMEs Programme, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in collaboration with the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation and the Embassy of Barbados in Caracas, Venezuela, hosted a regional two-day seminar entitled “The Apparel Industry and Economic Development in the Caribbean: Efficient Planning and Allocation of Resources” on August 14 and 15, 2014 at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

Ms. Avis Charles, fashion consultant of Avis Charles Associates, was the lead presenter. The seminar sought to: Provide the

fashion design sector of CARICOM countries with the elements to develop the fashion design industry in the Caribbean; Review African, Caribbean, Latin American and European experiences for the development of the apparel industry; Sensitize the private sector about the economic potential of the apparel industry with a view to stimulating greater investor support; and develop proposals to strengthen the strategies employed by the business, financial and academic sectors for access to international markets.

The target audience of the Seminar included training institutions specializing in fashion and fashion design, the manufacturing sector, business development agencies, financing/development institutions and umbrella private sector bodies.

tissue Culture Workshop

“Review African, Caribbean, Latin American and European experiences for the development of the apparel industry”.


ECOSCOPE

A new partnership between the Government of Barbados and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will help Barbados advance a number of its development priorities, including building a resource efficient green economy through inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

A joint-declaration on this was signed on September 4, 2014 by Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and UNIDO on the sidelines of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

“The Resource Efficient Low Carbon and Circular Industrial Partnership Platform for Catalyzing Eco-Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Barbados (RECIPPEE-Barbados) will assist in bringing low carbon and eco-based, including sustainable energy, and innovative industrial solutions to the sustainable development challenges impacting Barbados and other Caribbean SIDS,” said Pradeep Monga, Director of UNIDO’s Energy and Climate Change Branch, who took part in the ceremony.

He added, “UNIDO is ready to further support the Government of Barbados in implementing its Medium term growth and development strategy 2013-2020, which among other things, focuses on enhancing energy and environmental sustainability in the context of a green economy.”

Prime Minister Stuart noted, “Barbados is continuing its mission of becoming the most environmentally advanced green country in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

He added, “This new partnership, expected to be driven by the Ministry of? Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development will provide a new window of cooperation and partnership for pursuing our green ambition.”

The Prime Minister also said “it is Barbados’ hope that the partnership be utilized as an opportunity for scaling up engagement and technical assistance from UNIDO to other SIDS in the area of resource efficiency and low carbon industrial development”.

The new partnership will also help promote sustainable consumption and production, build capacity at

the local level in the context of the Rio+20 mandate, forge eco-innovation opportunities in the context of the EPA, and promote sustainable energy solutions to reduce production costs and enhance productivity and competitiveness of companies and small scale industries. It will also promote eco-based applied science, technology and innovation through strengthening existing and building new partnerships and networks with research and technology institutions, as well as promote niche opportunities for youth entrepreneurs.

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States was held in Samoa from September 1-4, 2014 under the theme “The sustainable development of Small Island Developing States through genuine and durable?partnerships”.

unido Barbados

“This new partnership, expected to be driven by the Ministry of? Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development will provide a new window of cooperation and partnership for pursuing our green ambition.”

Partnership to Build a resource-efficient low Carbon economy

Prime Minister freundel Stuart


TRadESCOPE

Hon. Donville Inniss, Minister of Industry, International Business and Small Business Development took part in the 8th China-Latin America and Caribbean Business Summit in Changsha, Hunan province, People’s Republic of China (PRC) on September 13 -13, 2014.

The Minister was leading a Caribbean delegation of government officials and private sector representatives, including Benson Straker, Chairman of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). The delegation was coordinated by Caribbean Export, the region’s leading export promotion agency.

The meeting, under the theme “Greater Cooperative Potential, Greater Interests Convergence”, focused amongst other things, on information technology, agriculture and infrastructure development. Minister Inniss was part of a panel of eminent persons, including Ministers from Latin America

and business executives from China and Brazil, which looked at new opportunities between China and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Minister emphasized the need to trade not only in products and commodities but also the need to develop strategies for trading in services, including financial services, tourism and cultural exchanges, all of which are of particular relevance to the Caribbean. He also chaired a session focused on the Caribbean.

During the meeting, Mr. Straker also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the BIDC with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), China’s main agency aimed at developing international trading relations, to further trade cooperation between Barbados and China.

The delegation also met on September 15, 2014 with private and public sector representatives in the port city of Tianjin (120 kms from Beijing). The Tianjin authorities visited Barbados in 2013, during which time, they signed a

Memorandum of Understanding with the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On this occasion, the Caribbean delegation and Tianjin authorities discussed a proposal to establish a Caribbean Trade, Tourism and Investment Centre in Tianjin. The objective of the centre is to strengthen trade in Caribbean and Chinese goods and services.

The Minister also met with Dr. the Honourable Chelston Brathwaite, Ambassador of Barbados to the PRC in Beijing and discussed ongoing initiatives to strengthen cooperation between Barbados and China, including initiatives related to trade, international business and small business development.

Barbados has signed a Joint Communique to Establish Diplomatic Relations with the Government of the Republic of Kenya.

The signing ceremony was held at the Barbados High Commission in London on September 3, 2014. His Excellency Mr. Ephraim Ngare, High Commissioner of the Republic of Kenya signed on behalf of his country while His Excellency Mr. Donville Johnson signed on behalf of Barbados.

Mr. Donville Johnson, the then Acting High Commissioner for Barbados to the United Kingdom, noted that the signing signified the start of a new relationship as Barbados and Kenya embarked on building bridges and opening both countries to explore commonalities and differences, as they promote interaction between Governments and their people through cultural, economic and social activities.

Barbados hopes to establish an Honorary Consulate in Kenya in the near future.

High Commissioner Ngare also spoke to the importance of the signing of the Joint communique and further stated that he hopes that both countries will make every effort in the near future to: ensure a diplomatic presence in each other’s capital; and establish a Joint commission for cooperation touching on political, economic, trade, investments, cultural, scientific, tourism promotion and education issues.

Also present from the Kenyan High Commission were: Ambassador Jackline Yonga, Deputy High Commissioner and Mr. Lazarus Muganda, First Secretary. Barbados was also represented by: Euclid Goodman, Minister Counsellor; Ms. Francoise Hendy, Office of the Special Advisor; and Mrs. Kendra Gibbons, First Secretary.

BarBados aMonG CariBBean deleGates on

BarBados siGns Joint CoMMuniQue to estaBlish diPloMatiC relations With the rePuBliC oF KenYa

China visitMinister donville Inniss



GreetingsGuatemalans have a deserved reputation as some of the most civil, polite people in Latin america. Spanish is the official language. Over 40 percent of the population speaks one of 23 Indian dialects used in the country’s interior. English is understood in tourist places. It’s normal to introduce yourself with a polite greeting of “buenos días/tardes” (good morning/afternoon or evening). It’s actually very common for locals, even senior officials, to say “a sus órdenes” (literally “at your orders”) as they help you out. If you’re introduced to someone, a gentle handshake and a “con mucho gusto” (“pleased to meet you”) is appropriate. full names should be used when addressing acquaintances, particularly in business. address people you don't know in a formal manner (Señor, Señora, Usted). a handshake, although not a firm one, is the common form of greeting. Men may lightly kiss a woman on the cheek in greeting, but this is reserved for women

they know well. It is considered polite to stand when greeting someone.

Communication style Guatemalans tend to be comfortable at an arm’s length from one another. direct eye contact is an important way of showing interest in what the speaker is saying. Loud voices in public are looked down upon. Speaking softly is considered the polite thing to do. Guatemalans use and respond best to indirect communication style over direct. Two men or two women may stand very close together during conversation. when a man talks to a woman, the distance is generally greater. Many Guatemalans will look around instead of maintaining eye contact when they are speaking. This is not meant to be rude.

Gestures Guatemalans wave good-bye using a gesture that looks like someone fanning themselves: hand raised, palm toward

the body, and a wave of the fingers back and forth. To beckon someone, extend an arm and making a scratching motion with your fingers or sweep your whole arm toward your body. do not make a fist with your thumb between your middle and index finger. Putting your hands in your pockets while talking to someone is considered impolite. do not cross your arms – it will be taken as an indication that you are bored or uncomfortable.

Business Attiredress is conservative and casual wear is suitable except in the smartest dining rooms and clubs. for business, a lightweight suit is appropriate for men; women should wear a dress or skirt and blouse. Military clothing is illegal; it can neither be worn nor brought into the country.

Business cardsThere is no specific ritual surrounding the giving of business cards. Treat

the Cultural etiquette Critical for success

CULTURaL ETIQUETTE

when In.…Guatemala Modern business is global and demands that people travel to foreign countries and mix with foreign clients, colleagues and customers. Each one of those cultures will also have their own etiquette rules, many of them unwritten. when two or more different cultures mix, it is easy for small etiquette mistakes to be made that could have negative consequences. Not understanding the etiquette of another culture can and does lead to soured relationships lost deals and in the end poor business results.

The Barbados Business Catalyst explains the etiquette behind business dealings with Guatemala.


the card with respect and interest. It is advisable to have one side of your business card translated into Spanish. Present your business card with the Spanish side facing the recipient.

Business MeetingsIn Guatemala, local contacts are essential. Potential buyers do not react well to the direct `cold' approach. Plan to attend a trade show or join a trade mission to meet interested parties. You can also arrange for a chamber of commerce, trade association, government agency or bank to introduce you to Guatemalan companies. Your first written correspondence should be in Spanish, stating that if possible you would prefer to correspond in English from then on. Request an appointment about two weeks in advance. Expect to

meet in an office rather than in a restaurant or bar. Schedule only two meetings per day. Small talk is common before beginning business discussions.

Good conversation topics: Guatemalan geography, history, culture. Bad conversation topics: politics or “the violence” since 1978, racism, Mayan vs. Guatemalan issues, poverty, and politics. It is best to allow your host to begin the business discussion. Conversations about family, travels and hobbies are appropriate. when you mention your own family, it's best to present the image of a loving household. Guatemalans are close to their own families and often continue to live with their parents well into their 30s.

Punctualityarriving on time for a meeting is important, as Guatemalans tend to be quite punctual in business situations.

Negotiations Guatemalans value relationship building and harmony so it is important to avoid hard selling, pressure tactics and any sort of conflict or confrontation. Expect to invest a considerable amount of time developing a good rapport and a pleasant, relaxed relationship before discussing business. Establishing an atmosphere of trust is a precondition to a successful business relationship. You will probably need two or three visits to the country before you can expect to do serious business. decisions are usually from the top down and the decision making process can be lengthy.

GiftsGifts are usually not brought to a first meeting. If invited to a home, it is appropriate to bring flowers (avoid white ones), wine, spirits, or chocolates.

DiningIf you are invited to a restaurant, your host will pay. It is appropriate to offer to pay for your part of the meal, but your offer will be politely declined. Reciprocate your host's hospitality with an invitation of your own soon afterward. Business breakfasts or lunches are preferred to dinners. Guatemalans normally eat a light breakfast between 7– 9am and a substantial lunch from noon until 2pm. dinner usually starts after 7pm but dinner parties don't normally get underway until after 9pm. avoid using the side of your fork to cut anything and do not pick up food of any kind with your hands. women drink wine, spirits and liqueurs, while beer is considered a man's drink. although they are a very expressive people, Guatemalans do not like a lot of conversation during meals. wait until coffee is served before talking business, unless your counterpart introduces the topic.


MaNUfaCTS: INdUSTRY BY NUMBERS


Industry By NumbersMaNUfaCTS: INdUSTRY BY NUMBERS

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