In Focus

Integrity in Public Life Legislation

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You Are ReadingVol. 01 Issue. 03

March 1, 2013 Edition

Back to Business!Congratulations to the Freundel Stuart Administration for retaining the Government.

Once again Barbados has emerged from a National Election ready to get back to work. The fact that Barbados remains one of the few countries where ‘observers’ are not required speaks to the efficiency and transparency of our democratic system and the maturity of our people as a whole. Notwithstanding the challenges that lay ahead the SBA is keenly looking forward to several of the Government’s plans which are in perfect synchronicity with the focus of the SBA. These areas include, fostering entrepreneurship in primary and secondary schools, working on developing the renewable energy sector, the incentives to businesses to develop e-commerce, the upgrading on e-government to

facilitate payments, corporate staff training, and assisting ‘small businesses in meeting

international standards to facilitate growth in exports’. These are but a few of the critical areas which we feel will help to stimulate the SME sector and create that culture of

entrepreneurship that Barbados so desperately needs. The SBA encourages the new government to move swiftly to put these measures into place for the good of the economy and the future development of Barbados.

ORIENTATION OF NEW MEMBERS MAR 5, 2013 EXCEL TIPS & TRICKS

MAR 18- MAR 20WALK THE TALK COMMENCES

MON APR 1.DESIGN CARIBBEAN

JUNE 20-23, 2013

IMPORTANT DATES ARTISANS TRAINING & DEVELOPMENTATTEND DESIGN CARIBBEAN 2013

To be held at Grand Lucayan, Freeport, Bahama, Bahamas June 20-23, 2013.

Interested? Contact Ms. Cora LoweDesign Caribbean 2013

1ST Floor, Baobab Tower, Warrens, St. Michael, BB22026. Tel. +1(246) 436-057

BASICS IN WEBSITE MANAGEMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES .....................................MARCH 6 & 8, 2013

PINELANDS CREATIVE WORKSHOP/YOUNG AMERICANS BUSINESS TRUST BUSINESS INCUBATOR LAB ......................MARCH 11 - MARCH 152013

(BEC) MANAGING CONFLICT

.......................................... MARCH 12 2013

REACH THE SBAHEAD OFFICE

1 Pelican Industrial Park,

Bridgetown, Barbados

Phone: (246) 228-0162

Fax: (246) 228-0613

Email: theoffice@sba.org.bbWebsite: www.sba.org.bb

Be SME SMARTThe SBA, through its SME SMART programme, is gearing to push its Small Business Fridays once again and all SMEs, particularly those that have not yet signed onto the programme are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. This national programme, which is focused on galvanising the support of the general public to patronise SMEs during Small Business Fridays in their weekly purchases of good and services, was launched in 2012 and is designed to benefit small firms to increase revenue

growth, save jobs, enhance competitiveness and reduce the use of foreign exchange. The programme will be heavily promoted to the general public in the weeks ahead and all members are invited to participate. Further information on our activities will be cicrulated during the coming weeks.

SBA Outlook Newsletter March 1, 2013

Well Governed Barbados has long been regarded as a well-governed society. The 2012 report from Transparency International rated Barbados, as having the lowest perceived level of corruption in the Caribbean. The report, which gives countries higher scores for lower levels of perceived public sector corruption, also ranked Barbados at 15th in the world, an improvement from 16th in the prior year.

The recent debate in the Barbados’ Parliament on Anti-Corruption Legislation is a step in the right direction, there remains however three critical points of consideration in this debate.

Behavioural Change Public life

legislation must have its foundation in appropriate behavioural

change. Citizens will need to undergo

the necessary training and education to ensure that

the cultural changes are realised to support public life legislation. Workers in the public and private sectors should be acclimatized to understand and apply codes of conduct and to support conflict of interest declaration as a way of life.

Public Sector WorkersPublic life legislation needs to go beyond politicians to include public sector workers. Transparency International suggests in its 2012 release “Corruption destroys lives and communities, and undermines countries and institutions. It generates popular anger that threatens to further destabilise societies and exacerbate violent conflicts.” Public officials are expected to act in the public’s interest and to demonstrate ethical behaviour in carrying out their official duties. This ethical behaviour is critical for democracy, particularly in an environment of greater choice and discretion in decision-making. Therefore, persons who assist in the stewardship of resources, perform policy-making functions, and interact with citizens must act above board. Their ethical conduct helps to guard against the abuse of power and the derogation of due process, while at the same time assist in maintaining confidence in the many offices of government.

Integrity in Public Life Higher Level of Trust Public life legislation must go beyond politicians and public servants to include private sector executives.

Particularly in publicly traded companies where a higher level of trust and transparency is needed to protect the interest of citizens. It is essential that these private sector executives exhibit, and are seen to exhibit, the highest ethical standards in carrying out their duties. The recent discourse on ethics and integrity has therefore underscored the need

for a more serious approach to issues of governance and transparency. The facts suggest that this must go beyond the politician to include those in leadership in our public and private sectors.(Edited from the Barbados Business Authority February 18, 2013)

“Legislation should go beyond politicians to include senior private sector executives and senior public servants”

Corruption destroys lives and

communities, and undermines

countries and institutions!

Sign Up For Walk the Talk

By now most companies would have signed on to Walk the Talk. The joint initiative of the BCCI, SBA and BEC was officially introduced to the public on Valentines Day and now all businesses are being urged to get on board. As sick leave from noncommunicable diseases eats into the bottom lines of both public and private sector entities, (by one estimate as much as $55,000 per month in one organisation), SBA CEO Lynette Holder urged SMEs to consider the benefits to improved

productivity if they could get their employees to be more health conscious. Ms. Holder noted that with the median age of entrepreneurs being 45, there is much to be gain health wise and wealth wise from taking part in such programmes.

Companies that have not yet signed on can still do so by calling the SBA secretariat at 228-0162 to register their employees and order pedometers to be used to track the number of daily steps. .

From left: David Neilands, Committe Chair, SBA CEO Lynette Holder, Lisa Gale, BCCI and Tony Walcott of the BEC

SBA Outlook Newsletter March 1, 2013

Barbados’ Unsophisticated e-Commerce I continue to be concerned at the slow development and the absence of incentives for the establishment of a strong e-commerce system in Barbados. My concern rests in the fact that while commercial banks have been painfully slow at setting up facilities for customers to complete personal transactions online, very little progress seems to have been made with the provision of an e-commerce platform to

allow businesses, particularly SMEs, to capitalise on consumer markets within Barbados and outside of the country. SophisticatedThe Global

Competitiveness Index 2012–2013 ranks Barbados’s level of sophistication at number 38 out of 144 countries and its Business Sophistication is ranked at 36. Yet surprisingly while our Financial Market Development and Technology Readiness are ranked higher (33 and 30 respectively) very little has changed since 2007 when the Minister of Commerce,

Consumer Affairs & Business Development expressed displeasure at the difficulty of small businesses in “accessing the e-commerce services banks say they provide”. Anti e-commerce? Yes there are concerns for security, and foreign exchange, but I would have believed that by now the financial institutions would have developed the infrastructure to enable local businesses to trade their goods and services on the internet. Barbadians are already e-commerce savvy, yet our SMEs have to seek third-party solutions to conduct e-commerce. Are our banks therefore anti e-commerce with respect to SMEs and thus creating the lag?.

The Small Business Association (SBA) is the island’s non-governmental, non-profit representative body for micro, small and medium enterprises. The SBA seeks to expand business opportunities for its members, provide educational and developmental services and lobby to ensure an enabling environment

for the growth and sustainability of the SME sector. For more information on the work of the Small Business Association, please visit our website: http://www.sba.org.bb

LAST WORD FROM THE CEO

Canadians Exploring Trade Partnerships Fourteen (14) Canadian companies recently got a chance to show their goods at a Trade Show organised by the Canadian High Commission through the Trade Commission.

Included in the group were some firms who previously did business in Barbados while the majority were for the first time trying to penetrate the Barbadian Market. While recognising the high import duties and the stiff competition, they all remained positive that they would be able to pentrate the Barbadian and regional markets.

Trade Commisioner and Business Development Officer Doreen Weekes

said that the High Commission was pleased with the response and were also optimistic about the possibility for partnerships.

SIAL Toronto, the #1 Canadian exhibition showcasing North American agrifood businesses, which in 2011 welcomed 12, 415 professional visitors and 697 exhibitors, would be held between April 30-May 02, 2013. She encouraged local businesses to sign up. (http://www.sialcanada.com)

New SBA member JustLooking246.com (founded in 201) is an internet based company which is setup to help consumers find exactly what they want to buy in Barbados JustLooking246.com provides local merchants an online presence to showcase their wide range of items for Barbadians to easily discover. Customers now have no need to remember different websites or run around clueless during those times when time is limited. In addition, the website service is enabled to work on any modern internet enabled device. This means that customers on the hunt for products and services while on the move can use their mobile devices to get the information.

Barbadian Businesses meeting with Canadian Business Representatives at the Hilton Hotel last week.

(l) Andrea Taylor, SBA Business Operations Manager making a point to Doreen Weekes, Canadian Trade Commissioner

SBA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT