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Saint Lucia seeks greater business collaboration with French overseas territories

Contact:  Kerwin Xavier

Wednesday 25 May 2011 – The prospect of Saint Lucia becoming a major trading hub between Martinique, Europe, and the rest of the French Overseas Dependent Territories is closer to reality.  Recently a visiting delegation from Martinique held discussions with several business and governmental officials in an effort to increase cross-border trade.  

“MEDEF, the French Employers Federation, is like a super chamber of commerce.  Now that every body's economy is in a crisis they have been looking outwards into the Caribbean,” says Consul Général of the French Overseas Departments Keats Compton.  “Traditionally they have always looked to France so this is an opportunity for us in Saint Lucia. We have a natural advantage over all the other English  speaking  territories in that culturally we have a lot in common; we have the opportunity of becoming a gateway into and out of the Caribbean not just for Martinique, but for France and by extension the European Union.” 

Senior Investment Officer at the National Development Corporation (NDC), Francillia Solomon attended the MEDEF discussions. She says French counterparts are interested in shipping, manufacturing, tourism, and services.

“We at the NDC see this opportunity as a means of  Saint Lucian businessmen not only trading with Martinique, but also Guadeloupe and the other French dependencies and of course Europe as a greater extension.

“By the very nature of this meeting, we are happy to have the delegates here in Saint Lucia. We are also happy to expose our businessmen. Of course our final goal is to have the business relationships established and fully functional.”

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