SLISBA IS VERY MUCH ALIVE AND WELL!
October 13, 2011Â
Harris At Large!Â
SLISBA IS VERY MUCH ALIVE AND WELL!Â
Ms. Flavia Cherry was elected unopposed as President of the St. Lucia Industrial and Small Business Association (SLISBA) for a second two year term at the 21st Annual General Meeting. The AGM was held on Sunday, 9th October, 2011 at the Coconut Bay Resort Conference Centre in Vieux Fort. Participation in the meeting was limited only to financial members of the Association.Â
“One of the highlights of the AGM was the honouring of two of SLISBA’s members in the persons of Messrs. Tedburt Theobalds and Keith Millar. Mr. Theobalds is a founding member and Past President of the organisation. He has also served in a number of other positions including that of Vice President, Director and Secretary/Treasurer over the years. He has served in a number of senior positions in both the public and private sectors and is currently a Director of St. Lucia’s only indigenous bank.
 Mr. Tedburt Theobalds was presented with an Award of Appreciation for his outstanding and dedicated contribution towards the Association. Mr. Theobalds is the Managing Consultant /Project Surveyor with Theobalds & Associates, Appraisers, Surveyors, Mediators, Landscape and Environmental Specialists.
Mr. Keith Millar, Managing Consultant, Wave Communications was also presented an Award of Appreciation for his outstanding and dedicated contribution towards the Association. He is one of the newly appointed Directors on the SLISBA’s Board of Management. He too has worked for a number of years in both the private and public sectors and has served on a number of boards over the years.
 Ms. Cherry in her report to the membership drew attention to a number of projects that were undertaken in the past two years under her leadership and pointed to ongoing negotiations with funding agencies to support the work of SLISBA. She noted that   dialogue is continuing to impress upon Government the importance of the role of SLISBA in developing Entrepreneurial Skills and assisting in general to create an environment in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Sector that will create much needed jobs.
I felt very privileged to have attended the AGM and participated in the discussions. I was very impressed with the report submitted by the Board Members and I am assured that SLISBA is alive and well. I wish Ms. Cherry and her newly appointed Directors every success as they strive to ensure continuity of the Association.
I continue to make the case for SLISBA that Government’s support for the Association is vital to ensure it executes its mandate effectively. SLISBA’s responsibility is more than advocacy; it is about expanding the entrepreneurial class in the St. Lucian society.
I am very sorry that due to unforeseen circumstance I was unable to attend the AGM of the National Consumers Association. I am very interested in this Association. I was a member of the initial committee which sought to establish the Association. I continue to follow the developments of the Association as the Secretariat provides me with updates. I believe that this Association has its work cut out for the executives and members. Too much advantage is being taken on helpless consumers. There are serious issues to be dealt with and the leadership must stand up for the members and consumers as a whole. I am certain that many persons have experienced unfair treatment by providers of goods and services in the public and private sector. There is need for a public campaign to sensitise consumers about their basic rights and the importance of reading the fine prints.
 The Florida Mission to St. Lucia promoted by Ms. Nicole Greenidge of the One on One Group, October 11-13, 2011 was a great success. The venue of the 3 day event was the Bay Gardens Beach Resort in Rodney Bay. The visiting delegation comprised of persons involved in Real Estate, Custom Brokerage, Electronic Sales, University Education, Trading and Investment Brokerage, Trade Promotion, etc. It was an opportunity for Representatives of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Secretariat and Public Sector Corporations such as St. Lucia Air and Sea Port Authority (SLASPA), St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) and National Development Corporation (NDC) trading as Invest Saint Lucia to share information with the Executives on the general investment climate in St. Lucia. Legal guidance on investing in St. Lucia was also provided by a leading Attorney who specializes in Conveyancing, Companies Registration and Successions.
A mini exhibition was held as part of the event with Realtors, Fashion Designers, Producers of Costume Jewelry, Pottery, Herbal Medicine and Foundation Garments participated.
 Based on the seriousness expressed by the members of the Florida delegation, some tangible results could be expected in the future.
 Remember always to Keep the Faith, God is in Charge, Dream Big and expect Daily Miracles!
 Edward Harris
Biblicist, Freelance Journalist, Author, Realtor, Business & PR Consultant
Email: eaharrisdestiny@gmail.com
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