10
Supporting BSO Projects and
Programme Activities
For more than a decade, Caribbean Export has actively supported
BSOs in the implementation of their own activities, which
are consistent with the Agency’s development programme
objectives. These activities include business linkages events,
trainingandcertification, andexport development andpromotion
initiatives.
Business Linkages
The establishment of business linkages among regional SMEs is
a significant way in which firms can boost their competitiveness
and become integrated into the global supply chain. This is
mainly because they can attain the necessary assets, which they
are often not able to provide on their own, such as access to
international markets, finance, technology, management skills
and specialised knowledge.
Caribbean Export recognises the value of these interactions,
and has continually provided financial support to BSOs for the
delivery of business linkage programmes to not only raise the
visibility of their local SMEs, but also enhance partnerships and
business opportunities among buyers and exhibitors. Examples
of these events include the Trade Missions to Jamaican and the
Dominican Republic, Small Business Week in Barbados, and
Services Week in Trinidad and Tobago.
Jamaica-Dominican Republic Trade Missions
In September 2013, Caribbean Export facilitated JAMPRO in
organising a mission to the Dominican Republic for 15 Jamaican
exporters. The initiative sought to explore opportunities for
increased trade between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic
through public-private sector dialogue, the execution of
Business to Business (B2B) meetings; and the establishment of
relationships between the key BSOs on the mission, including
JAMPRO and Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) with
their counterparts the Chamber of Commerce and Production of
Santo Domingo (CCPSD), the Dominican Association of Industries




