Single Electronic Window introduced at Small Business Week Launch 2022
Members of the Small Business Association learned of a new programme forthcoming which has the potential to either work alongside or maybe even replace ASYCUDA when it comes to making trade easier. This was revealed over the weekend at Flow Business in Warrens when Permamemt Secretary Francia Jordan was speaking on behalf of minister Sandra Husbands who was called away at the last minute due to negotiations with AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) 2022 at Two Mile Hill.
She informed the guests how the Electronic Single Window was getting finalised to make Cross Border Trade within Barbados easier for all participants, The system would provide access between the trading community and 28 Government Departments for the approval of licenses, certificates and other documents – all under one platform, to reduce and prevent duplication.
Ms Jordan explained how the Single Window’s objective is to minimise clearance times on regularised commodities, after making sure all change and risk management strategies and its legislative framework are operating at peak capacity.
There was even a Pop Quiz where 3 gallons of Berger Paints were at stake and many competitors showed how fast they could Google the answer on their smartphones! Sad to say, no FLOW nor SBA staff could enter…
Also present was Carlyle Roberts, the B2B Manager of Flow Business who was clearly very seasoned in giving stylish presentations. He assured the audience how CW Communications via Flow Business would ensure the SBA and its clientele would benefit and transform from the burgeoning recovery after the last 24 months of fighting the global COVID pandemic.
Mr Roberts also shared how many experts are seeing the technologocal advances developed in the last two years is not unlike the Industrial Revolution, centuries ago, when automated systems were at their infancy…
1st Vice Chairman of the SBA Charles Carter delivered the welcome, in his address he cited the SBA survey from 2016, which was conducted with assistance from the UWI’s SALISES Institute, the poll indicated how 96% of business in Barbados are Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises or MSME’s. This means MSME;s continue to play a part on the country successfully recovering from March 2020 to the present and beyond.
The revelation of events for this year’s Small Business Week was in an audio presentation from Kirk Browne who recited the agenda for everyone present at this intimate circle.
This year’s Annual General Meeting of the Association will be entirely virtual via Zoom, although traditional aspects like the Church Service still retain a physical option for those prefer to observe their spiritual side in person.
