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The First General Meeting of the Chamber since the Annual General Meeting of November 2024 was held on June 12th, 2024, at the CoCo Creole Hotel Conference Room, the Pavilion. While the attendance was decent, the substance of the Meeting was outstanding to say the least.
This General Meetings provided, a clear and concise Update on the work of the Chamber Secretariat and the Board of Directors over the previous nine months. 2nd Vice President, Louis Victor stood in for President Ross Gardner and delivered the President's Report. Special attention was drawn to the success of the Chamber's Membership Growth Strategy that has delivered positive results over the last 18 months. The 2nd Vice President also shared the Chamber's continuing concern over the serious challenges being faced by the members in transacting business at the Sea Ports.
The "Knowledge Sharing" section of the General Meeting was led by one of the Chamber's newest Members, Medical Associates (Tapion Hospital), The Tapion Team engaged Members on crucial issues related to workplace health. The Presenters willing shared their technical and medical expertise and sort to educate members on critical issues in Men and Women's Health. Dr. Nadia Samuel and Dr. Alloysius Benjamin delivered two powerful and clear presentations that were well received by all in attendance provoking many questions and clarifications.
The Meeting's intention of ensuring members remain on the Inside Edge on economic developments in the country, was delivered on through a rousing and riveting discourse by CEO of the St. Lucia Tourism Authority, Mr. Louis Lewis who eloquently painted a “A Current Portrait of Tourism in St. Lucia: Insights for the Business Community.”
The overview and data informed presentation invoked serious and provocative discussions that had to be curtailed due to time constraints.
The Chamber is extremely pleased with the substantive value of the General Meeting and intends to host events that will educate, inform, share knowledge and best practice, but also stimulate the interest and expose potential opportunities for continued business growth in St. Lucia. One should not downplay the value of the networking that occurs and occurred at this Meeting.
The Chamber wishes to thank ACCADO Inc. For sponsoring the wine bar at the General Meeting as well as Dreamy Florals for the provision of Bouquets of Flowers to all Presenters.
Unlocking Potential – How Unicomer Is Powering the Next Generation of MSMEs in St. Lucia
In a world obsessed with unicorns and billion-dollar valuations, it’s easy to overlook the engine that powers real economic resilience, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). On an island like St. Lucia, these businesses aren’t just contributors to GDP. They are community builders, innovation hubs, job creators, and in many cases, legacy-defining pursuits.
At Unicomer, we believe that supporting MSMEs is not charity, it’s strategy. And our approach, anchored by Courts, Courts Business Solutions, and Courts Ready Cash, reflects a long-term commitment to building a future where small businesses aren’t just surviving but thriving.
The Landscape – Big Challenges, Bigger Opportunities
Let’s be honest, MSMEs in St. Lucia and across the Caribbean face an uneven playing field. Access to affordable capital is constrained. Modern equipment is often out of reach. Business advisory services are fragmented. And regulatory red tape can stall even the most passionate entrepreneur. Despite this, MSMEs persist. And when given the right support, they rise.
According to the Caribbean Development Bank, MSMEs account for over 70% of employment in the region but receive less than 20% of credit financing, a gap Unicomer is actively bridging.
That’s why Unicomer has moved from being just a supplier of goods to becoming a strategic partner in MSME success. We don’t just sell furniture or electronics, we enable growth, improve working conditions, digitize operations, and inject financing where traditional lenders hesitate.
Read More: https://www.stluciachamber.org/chamber-media/resources
Sneaker Day June 25th 2025
Be Prepared for Hurricane Season!
Hurricane Season is upon us. Are you prepared? Have you taken the necessary precautions? Is your insurance up to date? Have you revisited your Hurricane Preparedness Plan? Is your staff familiar with it? Do they remember their role?
Now is a good time as ever to make sure your entire team is familiar and know what their roles are. Remember having a Business Continuity Plan is not sufficient, it needs to be reviewed regularly and even tested. Have you revisited your Business Continuity Plan? Do you have one? If you don't the Chamber suggests that your seriously consider developing one for your business.
Business Continuity is not just about hurricanes preparedness; it is about you doing all you can to ensure that in the event of some type of business disruption or interruption, disaster, natural or manmade, you have a clear, well thought out plan as to how you will recommence your operations, in the shortest possible time. Insurance is a mitigating measure yet thinking through and putting in place actions and approaches that make your business more resilient to all types of likely or possible disruptions is extremely useful. The Chamber reminds you to Complete Our Business Continuity Plan/Disaster Recovery Plan Check List to help. Also, remember the Chamber is offering a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Workshop that will help your firm develop a draft Business Continuity Plan. The Facilitator, Mr. Andrew George is also offering for a small additional fee for site visits to your main place of business to which your BCP refers to validate and review with you the appropriateness of the BCP. He is also able to work with you to get your Company's BCP Certified by NEMO, this certification, may help in you getting more attractive Insurance rates from your insurance provider.
Click here to access checklist.
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BPS T 14 Survey
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Commerce & Cocktails
Successful in the South
BCP Workshop
Building Resilience in the St. Lucia Business Community
St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Successfully Hosts Business Continuity Planning Workshop to Strengthen MSMEs
The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, successfully completed of its four-day Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Workshop, hosted under the Elevate Program, from June 2nd to 5th, 2025, at the Chamber’s Conference Room, Orange Park Commercial Centre, Bois D’Orange.
The workshop, specifically designed for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), aimed to equip business owners and managers with the knowledge and tools necessary to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a broad range of operational disruptions. In a dynamic risk environment where small businesses often operate with limited financial buffers, the importance of robust and actionable business continuity plans cannot be overstated.
Facilitated by Mr. Andrew George, a Business Continuity Professional and Risk Resilient Consultant with extensive expertise in disaster risk assessment and continuity planning, the sessions focused on helping participants develop tailored BCPs through comprehensive risk identification, vulnerability assessment, and mitigation strategy design.
Mr. George’s practical, hands-on approach enabled participants to work through realistic risk scenarios and develop actionable continuity plans suited to their specific business models. The highly interactive sessions fostered engagement, critical thinking, and peer learning among attendees.
For information on upcoming programs, please contact the St.Lucia Chamber of Commerce at info@stluciachamber.org or via telephone at (758) 452-3165.
Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Receives Strong Reviews
(Requests for Another Session)
The Chamber of Commerce with the assistance and leadership of Members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of St. Lucia delivered another highly rated Workshop "Finance for Non-Financial Managers." On Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th June, 2025, twelve highly interested and focused attendees participated fully in this most impactful training and development program.
Designed for senior professionals without formal training in finance and or accounting, the program is geared at making these professionals more comfortable and Ofari with finance principles and capable of managing this function as a manager.
Attendees provided high commendations to the facilitators for transmitting what was once thought to be complicated concepts to easily understandable and practical tools. The participants left feeling better prepared to manage finances as they could now appreciate the importance and relevance financial and accounting requirements in the day-to-day function as a manager.
The Workshop covered areas including, understanding and interpreting financial reports, using key ratios, assessing risk and return on investment, in addition to key factors that would enhance communicating with banking and finance officers.
The Workshop Facilitators were Ms. Joanne Cooper, Ms. Sue-Ann Charlery-Payne, and Mrs. Melissa Simon—all members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Eastern Caribbean, with years of excellent experience.
In response to the positive feedback and requests for continued learning, the Chamber is examining the possibility of hosting another session in the near future. Members interested in participating in another Session on Finance for Non-Financial Managers are encouraged to contact the St Lucia Chamber of Commerce to register their interest.
Engaging HR Connect Session
General Meeting
The First General Meeting of the Chamber since the Annual General Meeting of November 2024 was held on June 12th, 2024, at the CoCo Creole Hotel Conference Room, the Pavilion. While the attendance was decent, the substance of the Meeting was outstanding to say the least.
This General Meetings provided, a clear and concise Update on the work of the Chamber Secretariat and the Board of Directors over the previous nine months. 2nd Vice President, Louis Victor stood in for President Ross Gardner and delivered the President's Report. Special attention was drawn to the success of the Chamber's Membership Growth Strategy that has delivered positive results over the last 18 months. The 2nd Vice President also shared the Chamber's continuing concern over the serious challenges being faced by the members in transacting business at the Sea Ports.
The "Knowledge Sharing" section of the General Meeting was led by one of the Chamber's newest Members, Medical Associates (Tapion Hospital), The Tapion Team engaged Members on crucial issues related to workplace health. The Presenters willing shared their technical and medical expertise and sort to educate members on critical issues in Men and Women's Health. Dr. Nadia Samuel and Dr. Alloysius Benjamin delivered two powerful and clear presentations that were well received by all in attendance provoking many questions and clarifications.
The Meeting's intention of ensuring members remain on the Inside Edge on economic developments in the country, was delivered on through a rousing and riveting discourse by CEO of the St. Lucia Tourism Authority, Mr. Louis Lewis who eloquently painted a “A Current Portrait of Tourism in St. Lucia: Insights for the Business Community.”
The overview and data informed presentation invoked serious and provocative discussions that had to be curtailed due to time constraints.
The Chamber is extremely pleased with the substantive value of the General Meeting and intends to host events that will educate, inform, share knowledge and best practice, but also stimulate the interest and expose potential opportunities for continued business growth in St. Lucia. One should not downplay the value of the networking that occurs and occurred at this Meeting.
The Chamber wishes to thank ACCADO Inc. For sponsoring the wine bar at the General Meeting as well as Dreamy Florals for the provision of Bouquets of Flowers to all Presenters.
Look Out for the 2025 St. Lucia Business Award
The St. Lucia Chamber has invited requests for proposals (RFPs) for the production of the St. Lucia Business Awards. One RFP is for PR, Video and Audio Services while the other is for Event Production Services.
Many would recall that in 2008 under the Presidency of the deceased Christian Husbands the Chamber put out a similar request for proposals for the production of a "revised format" for the Awards which had formerly been done as part of the President's Dinner and Awards.
This bold move ushered in the ten years of a most highly rated St. Lucia Business Awards. The Chamber has not hosted the event for some five years now (due to the COVID-19 Pandemic) sees this as an opportunity to breathe fresh and new ideas into the event, once again, by inviting proposals from a number of firms.
Members, who for a number of years have wished to have an opportunity to submit proposals for the execution of the event are happy and anxious to submit their proposals.
Members are asked to pay close attention as the next month will see a flurry of active as we put plans into high gear.
St. Lucia Places COVID-19 NB.1.8.1 Variant Under Monitoring and Emphasizes on Workplace Regulatory Guidelines
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs has issued a public notice regarding the newly categorized SARS-CoV-2 variant NB.1.8.1, which was classified as a "variant under monitoring" by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on May 23rd , 2025.
According to data from the World Health Organization, COVID-19 cases linked to this variant tripled between April 14th and May 11th, 2025. While NB.1.8.1 appears to exhibit higher transmissibility and has led to increased hospitalizations in some regions, there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe illness than other variants.
The Ministry states that the global and regional public health risk from NB.1.8.1 remains low. Vaccines continue to be effective at reducing symptoms and severity of the virus.
In response, the Ministry has shared updated workplace respiratory guidelines to help mitigate spread. These include increased hygiene measures, use of personal protective equipment, improved ventilation, social distancing practices, flexible work policies, and mental health support for employees.
Employers are urged to monitor staff health, report increases in respiratory illness, and enforce the provided protocols. Further investigations into NB.1.8.1 are ongoing.
For more information, contact the Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit at 468-5325 or 468-5323 .
Waiver of Customs Service Charge on Select Food and Baby Juice Items
In a significant policy move aimed at improving affordability and stabilizing the cost of essential goods, the Government of St. Lucia has announced a temporary waiver of the Customs Service Charge on select imported food items and baby fruit juices effective June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026.
The waiver applies mainly to price-controlled items, but also includes some non-price-controlled sizes of products like oil, margarine, and baby juices that fall under the same Customs HS codes.
The list of eligible items will be reviewed by August 2025 to ensure it reflects current market needs. The Ministry will also monitor retail prices to ensure the benefits are passed on to consumers.
For more information, contact Mrs. Wendy Frederick, Director of Consumer Affairs, at (758) 468-4224 or 486-3604.
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Elevate: Small Business Support Program
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Chamber's Website Placement
Renewals & New Applicants
New Applicants:
We are excited to offer you an exclusive opportunity to showcase your company’s logo, social media handles, and contact details prominently on the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce website and in our widely circulated Annual Report. This is a unique chance to amplify your brand visibility while aligning with the credibility and outreach of the Chamber.
Renewals:
The current arrangement for your company’s logo placement on the Chamber’s website, along with links to your email, telephone number, and social media assets, have expired as of February 1, 2025.
For your convenience, we encourage you to visit our website at www.stluciachamber.org and review your company’s listing. This is an excellent opportunity to confirm or update your existing information.
Kindly Note: The placement for 2025 will remain valid until December 31, 2025, ensuring extended value for your investment.
Thank you once again for your continued support and partnership. Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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