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Tradewatch
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The Official E-Newsletter of the Caribbean Export Development Agency • Vol. 8 No. 3 July 2014
EXPORT PROMOTION
Haitian Women Exhibit in Exclusive Trade Show
The creative industries have been pegged as a
potential niche sector for growth and, as such, Caribbean
Export invests heavily in initiatives, which support the
development of the sector. The Agency demonstrated
this commitment at Femmes en Démocratie in Port-au-
Prince, Haiti. The Femmes Créations & Productions, which
ran from May 3-4, 2014, was the nine staging of the
event which is organized by Haitian non-governmental
organization, Femmes en Démocratie. The trade showwas
conceptualized to showcase the endeavours of female
entrepreneurs in small, artisanal businesses, as well as
to allow for engagement with potential wholesalers
and retailers. Caribbean Export made a proactive effort
to facilitate this engagement through the sponsorship
of professional buyers from the Jamaica and the US to
attend the show.
Femmes Créations & Productionsplayed host to
some 80 exhibitors, whose products ranged from hand-
crafted cosmetics to intricate beadwork tapestries. The
cornucopia of offerings was a true expression of the
creativity and resourcefulness of the Haitian people. The
fare was well received by those who attended, particularly
the buyers from Sandals, Jamaica, Gail Bell, Greater
Good Wholesale in Miami, Debi Goldman and Greater
Good Retail, Michelle Schechtman. Ms Bell commented
that she always looks forward to visiting Haiti as she
can find authentic and innovative Caribbean goods for
the Sandals chain, which are not only appealing and
affordable but are manufactured locally as opposed to
the majority of merchandise, which is sourced from Asia.
The trade show afforded female entrepreneurs, who
may not otherwise have had the opportunity, to interact
with buyers, such as those sponsored by Caribbean Export.
This interaction is crucial to forgoing inter-territorial
relationships which take advantage of the duty free
tariffs among CARICOM Member States. In addition, this
would foster greater commercial collaboration between
the English speaking CARIFORUM States and OCTs,
which is one of Caribbean Export’s principle mandates
under the 10th EDF. A strong Caribbean network can
be the foundation for a regional export strategy which
would then galvanize creative enterprises to take on
extra-regional export markets. Events such as Femmes
Création & Production help to break down previously
prohibitive barriers between countries in a similar fashion
to the ongoing Bi-national Programme between Haiti
and the Dominican Republic, which Caribbean Export’s
Sub-regional Office champions through a number of
initiatives.
(TW)
TEXT
A sample of the products on display during the Femmes Créations &
Productionsin Port-au-Prince, Haiti