Leading Manufacturer Praises Government

Contact: John Emmanuel

Friday, October 26, 2001 -  The head of a leading Saint Lucian manufacturing concern has heaped praise on government, namely the Ministry of Commerce, for steadfastly supporting the sector as a whole and for specifically assisting the growth of his particular enterprise since 1997.

Keith Smith, managing director of Harris Paints St. Lucia and a representative of  the  St. Lucia Manufacturers Association (SMA), expressed his appreciation as a government delegation headed by Minister of Commerce, International Financial Services and Consumer Affairs, Hon. Philip J. Pierre and including Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Senator Hon.Julian Hunte, toured several manufacturing plants in the north and south of the island earlier this week.

Smith said: “We must say thanks to the Ministry of Commerce for the invaluable work they have been doing for us. From 1997,  (former Commerce Minister) Dr. (Walter)  Francois has done just what you Mr. Minister is doing today. He went around and had a good feel for what was happening and he began to make changes and I must confess that Harris Paints St. Lucia is one of the products of the vision that the government had from 1997.”

The tour, which also included private sector representatives, was aimed at giving the government delegation a first hand view of how the manufacturing sector was performing in light of challenges it has been experiencing resulting from the global move towards trade liberalization.

“What government wants to ensure is that manufacturing does not die,” Minister Pierre assured. “We believe that there is a future for manufacturing and we want to push the cause of manufacturers more than we have before.”

He added: “We really believe that there is a future for us in manufacturing despite the World Trade Organization (WTO) and all the problems of international trade. Government is committed to the to development of all parts of the manufacturing sector not only small concerns but large ones as well.”

Manufacturers were assured of continuing technical assistance from government  and that government will continue to make a strong case in international trade negotiations for small developing countries like Saint Lucia, and their enterprises,  to be given special consideration.

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