Foreign Affairs Minister Alva Baptiste.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alva Baptiste and Parliamentary Representative for Laborie has said he is confident that the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) government for which he serves will bring economic recovery to the island.

Commenting on the state of the economy, Baptiste said Saint Lucia is not as bad as it was five years ago, and there were certain things that the SLP government inherited, such as the fiscal deficit, which led to the current situation.

“Every year you have students leaving school entering the job market, and obviously in an economy where you have to first address the fiscal deficit and try to expand employment as far as practicable, you will have some challenges,” he said.

The minister said government is not an employment agency, but facilitates an environment for people to be employed, and it has done a number of things to address the unemployment issue.

“Unemployment was 13.6 percent in 2006 when we demitted office, and within the space of five years, it was back in the 20’s when we took it down in 1997,” he added.

Baptiste admits that there is a marginal increase in unemployment, despite the fact that every year thousands of people are entering the labour market.

“I believe the government of the SLP is dealing with the objective reality of economic reconstruction in a positive way. We are definitely cleaning the mess that we inherited, to ensure that the economy is on a positive footing and improve the investment climate.”

He said one of the most important areas that is important in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is maintaining and expanding the island’s physical infrastructure.

“Given our fiscal deficit in the economy, you do not have any surplus to invest in capital expenditure, which in itself is extremely important to enhance the environment,” he explained.

Baptiste said that is where his ministry comes in, to lobby support from others countries to get financing for projects that will ensure Saint Lucia’s physical infrastructure remains intact, and that assistance is other key areas are provided.

He recalled that after the 2014 Christmas Eve trough, the country attracted in excess of $10 million to assist in its reorganising plan from countries around the world. Hurricane Tomas did not attract such large assistance, according to the minister.

CAPTIONS
LIME Marketing Executive, Sharlene Jn. Baptiste (far right) with participants in the SLHTA Apprenticeship program.

PRESS RELEASE - LIME is giving eight youths the opportunity to benefit from real-life work experience by becoming part of the LIME Family via the SLHTA Apprenticeship and Skills Training for Employment Initiative.

This initiative is designed to expose some 1,600 young people to training and employment opportunities in the hotel and tourism sector, as well as other industries.

The program is jointly funded by the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association and the Ministry of Finance. LIME is among the first companies to wholeheartedly embraced the initiative by taking eight young trainees on board.

Over the next eight weeks the youths will be exposed to various departments in the company, including human resources, marketing, sales and administration. They will receive mentorship and hands-on training in high-skilled occupations that are both challenging and relevant to employment in today’s economy.

LIME trainees in SLHTA Apprenticeship program.

Upon successful completion of their apprenticeship, the graduates will be awarded a certificate of completion by the SLHTA and LIME. They will also be listed on the SLHTA skills database to which employers will be given access to screen possible applicants for vacancies.

CEO of LIME St. Lucia, Geraldine Pitt, said, “This apprenticeship program could not have come at a better time and we applaud SLHTA for taking this initiative. This is yet another proud moment for LIME as it builds upon our long history of developing young minds through internship and apprenticeship. With the positive attitude expressed by the young participants and their eagerness to work and learn, there is no doubt that this will be a fruitful exchange as they have presented great ideas on how, as a company, we can improve on our quality of service and our product offering to the youth.”

Miss Pitt further added: “All too often when our youth and young adults seek employment, employers require job experience yet few are willing to provide them with that first opportunity. That’s the beauty of this program; for many it’s a place to start and we are excited to be a part of their long journey into the world of work.”

Executive Vice President of the SLHTA, Mr. Noorani Azeez said, “We are delighted to have LIME on board as a partner. We are all too aware of the urgent need for greater streamlining of training programs that address employers’ concerns about the poor quality of applicants seeking employment, their lack of experience and misconceptions about the realities of work in the hospitality and other sectors. LIME and our other partners in the program know that they are not only helping young people achieve their dreams, they are also developing a world-class workforce for St. Lucia in the 21st century.”

LIME has given scores of secondary school students the opportunity to benefit from internships and real-work experience over the years. They include 16 students from the Entrepot Secondary School who participated in a three-day work-study program a few years ago, during which they were exposed to a number of jobs in retail, customer experience, finance, human resources, corporate sales, service support delivery and marketing. They all said they found it an immensely enjoyable experience, and some admitted it had taught them that education is not just about what happens in the classroom.

Employees standing outside the business premises.

Some 14 employees of Fire Grill located at Rodney Bay were issued termination letters today (June 26) for failing to show up for work for almost three days.

The employees said they have not been paid on time and decided to take some action by staying away from work on Wednesday (June 24) and Thursday (June 25).

However, when they showed up for work today they were presented with termination letters.

The 14 employees are not unionised.

An employee, who spoke with St. Lucia News Online (SNO) on condition of anonymity, said the issue stemmed from workers being paid their salaries in pieces.

The male employee alleged that this has been ongoing for the past several months and every time they requested to speak with the manger about the issue she is never available.

The company which is registered under the name – The Roast Inc – said in the termination letter that a memorandum in writing dated June 24 was issued to notify staff of a possible delay in salaries.

The letter also states that moments after the memorandum was issued, employees abandoned their posts and decided to close the premises, without informing management.

“Your misconduct has been to the detriment of The Roast and your working relationship causing a significant loss of income over the past two days,” the missive states.

Managing Director of Fire Grill Anya Alexander admits that the issue was mainly because of the late payment. However, she said this has never occurred before and the staff were properly informed.

Alexander said her employees abandoned their duties and as such they were provided with termination letters for that reason only.

She said the employees will be paid their salaries once they return company property on a date specified on the termination letters.

NIC building, Waterfront, Castries.

PRESS RELEASE - An Actuarial Review of the National Insurance Corporation is conducted every five years.

The objective of the review is to foster the good governance of the National Insurance Corporation by securing the long-term financial sustainability of the NIC and considering appropriate reform measures based on the findings and recommendations of the report.

As announced by the Prime Minister, in his 2015/2016 Budget Address, the National Insurance Corporation is pleased to inform of the following changes as of July 1st 2015:

1. Overall increase in all pensions by 3%: This increase will be applied to all new and existing pensioners.

2. Increase in the Funeral Grant from $ 1,750 to $ 2,500: This increase is applicable to all claims made after June 30, 2015. There will also be a prorated increase in the Funeral Grant payable to dependents.
3. Ability to receive pensions on and after the age of 65, even if still in employment.
Pensioners last received an increase of 4% in 2010.

GIS - The Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) is streamlining the training assistance available to existing enterprises, by collating relevant information to facilitate micro and small businesses’ access to training.

It is therefore inviting all business professionals and training institutions who offer certified or recognized courses or programs which support skills development to contact the Small Enterprise Development Unit on or before Wednesday July 01 to provide details of their programs.

Contact Roycelyn Howell at 468.4249, 285.4789 or email roycelyn.howell@govt.lc. For additional details: 

http://www.govt.lc/www/text/Press-Release—Training-Coordination.pdf

PRESS RELEASE - As part of its Gourmet Discovery Dining program, aimed at enhancing the overall quality and authenticity of the food and beverage experience at Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts throughout the Caribbean, Sandals Resorts International has extended old favorites and newly developed restaurant concepts to additional resorts.

The introduction of the Jerk Shack begins the Luxury Included® Resort Chain’s expansion, which offers a nod to the classic treat and experience of Jamaica and Caribbean flavours.

The Jerk Shack will be joined upon completion in November by two Asian offerings – Kimonos, the beloved Japanese-style Teppanyaki restaurant and Soy, specializing in made to order sushi; and Bombay Club, the brand’s first ever Indian restaurant which was first introduced at Sandals Barbados.

This will bring the total number of restaurants to 12 and as before, guests of all three Sandals Resorts in St. Lucia benefit from the addition of restaurants to Sandals Grande St. Lucian thanks to the company’s exclusive, “stay at one, play at three” policy.

PRESS RELEASE - Excitement among visitors and locals alike is building as the much anticipated opening of the Caribbean’s first inflatable open water sports park approaches on August 1, 2015.

Splash Island Water Park, St. Lucia will be located at the end of beautiful Reduit Beach in front of the award winning Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa.

The park was conceptualized in March 2015 by Bay Gardens Resorts Director, Julianna Ward-Destang who will be the park’s Managing Director and Operator. Recognizing the need for more fun activities in paradise for locals and visitors, the young entrepreneur has crafted an attraction with endless on-water activities to lure guests and keep them coming back for more including a trampoline, climbing wall, monkey bars, a swing, a slide, hurdles, double rocker, flip, and water volleyball.

Since the announcement of its opening back in April 2015, both Splash Island and its sister company Bay Gardens Resorts have been flooded with inquiries, comments and praise from present, past and prospective guests and local families and the business community at large. News of the park’s opening has been featured in local press as well as Caribjournal, The Boston Globe online, Travel Weekly and the Antigua Observer to name a few.

What has been extremely impressive has been the performance of the water park’s Facebook page which had garnered over 1,000 fans within a mere 48 hours of launching in April without spending any funds on advertising. By mid June, Splash Island Water Park St. Lucia had crossed the 10,000 fan milestone! As a reward for their fans’ loyalty, the park’s Managing Director, Julianna Ward-Destang decided to reward 4 lucky fans with a variety of prizes which included free water park passes, free dinner for two Bay Gardens Beach Resort, free breakfast for two at Bay Gardens Hotel and free spa treatments.

The water park’s Facebook page is currently at 13,000+ fans and the giveaways continue with a variety of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day giveaways having already taken place. An ambitious corporate draw which will take place in September, is offering one lucky group who books a conference at any Bay Gardens Resorts property between now and August 31 exclusive 2 hour use of the water park for up to 75 people is currently ongoing.
Top performers in the island’s 2015 Common Entrance exam, for which results will be released in early July, also have a lot to look forward to but Mrs. Ward-Destang is keeping the details of the prize a secret for the time being!

As the anticipation builds, plans for the opening of the Splash Island are progressing smoothly. The water park itself (8 pallets and over 5,500 pounds of pure unbridled fun as described by the park’s founder, Julianna Ward-Destang) arrived safely in St. Lucia in June. An installation team from the manufacturer (Wibit Sports in Germany) is due to arrive in July for installation and training. Most of the 14 staff required for the water park have been hired including 7 lifeguards all certified by the St. Lucia Lifesaving Society. The park will be manned by a minimum of 3 lifeguards at any one time and all park patrons (who must be at least 6 years of age) will be required to wear a life vest.
There are some exciting times ahead for St. Lucia’s Reduit Beach as an entire nation counts down the days until August 1, 2015 when the Caribbean’s newest and exciting attraction in years finally opens its doors!

For more information, updates and chances to win free tickets to Splash Island visit www.stluciawaterpark.com and www.facebook.com/stluciawaterpark.

***

About Bay Gardens Resorts
Bay Gardens Resorts is a group of award winning, locally owned hotels located in Rodney Bay Village, St. Lucia’s entertainment capital. All three of Bay Gardens Resorts properties – Bay Gardens Inn, Bay Gardens Hotel and Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa – are within walking distance of over 40 restaurants, entertainment, duty-free shopping malls, and the recently opened Treasure Bay Casino. All properties offer superior accommodations, traditional Caribbean cuisine, and the finest in service and hospitality.

About Splash Island Water Park St. Lucia
Located on the the Northwest coast of St. Lucia, on the popular Reduit Beach, Splash Island is the Caribbean’s first open-water sports park. Opening in August 2015, Splash Island will be located in front of the multi-award-winning Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa located in Rodney Bay Village, Gros Islet, St. Lucia.

Ambassador Luis Manuel López Moreno

PRESS RELEASE - The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture will be hosting July’s Executive Luncheon at the Golden Palm Events Center- Rodney Bay on July 29.

The speaker is Ambassador Luis Manuel Lopez Moreno of the Mexican Embassy.

Ambassador Moreno is keen to improve the relationship between St. Lucia and Mexico.

Earlier this year the Mexican Government made a substantial financial contribution to the completion of the St. Jude’s Hospital, in addition to that the Government of Mexico is now offering a number of scholarships to St. Lucian students to study in Mexico.

Ambassador Moreno in his presentation will seek to give St. Lucian businessmen and policy makers a better perspective and appreciation of the huge potential partner in trade and development Mexico is.

Mexico has also taken keen interest in working more closely and engaging the Caribbean and as such in September 2015 a Caribbean Mexico Business Forum will be held which will seek to bring these two regions closer together to explore the natural connectivity which is provided by the Caribbean Sea, to explore how trade, investment and business between our regions can be developed.

The St. Lucia Chamber invites the entire Business Community to participate in a meaningful informative discourse over lunch at Golden Palm Events Center-Rodney Bay on July 29th 2015 from 12:30 p.m.

PRESS RELEASE - CIBC FirstCaribbean is putting more cash into the pockets of credit card holders over the next six months, by waiving interest on existing credit cards balances when customers switch their balances from another credit card to a CIBC FirstCaribbean Visa card.

People who are not currently holders of a CIBC FirstCaribbean Visa credit card can transfer their balances to CIBC FirstCaribbean and save big! Even the bank’s current customers who hold cards with the competition (credit or store card) can switch their balances to aCIBC FirstCaribbean Visa card and take advantage of the offer.

Customers, including current CIBC FirstCaribbean customers, who switch their card balance during the period July 1 to September 30, 2015 will enjoy:

•             A six (6)-month holiday from paying interest on the transferred balance (they will pay interest as normal on new purchases made after the switch)

•             No fee charged to make the balance transfer;

•             No joining fee – i.e. the first year’s annual fee on their new card is waived;

•             There’s also a payment holiday for the first month after the balance transfer – in other words, customers pay nothing for the first month!

•             And as if that was not enough, customers will receive a welcome bonus of 5,000 Rewards points. They can redeem those points through the bank’s superior Rewards programme which offers them more rewards choices, more security and more savings.

How much can a customer save?

To demonstrate the power of this offer, here are some examples of just how much a customer taking up this offer can save in this six-month period. Depending on their current card interest rate, customers can save hundreds of dollars over the six months of the offer.

CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Associate Director, Card Services, Jennifer Fuller, noted that the offer comes at a great time for persons looking to travel for the summer: “The timing of this offer was key.From here on, we know people are travelling for the summer, looking to outfit their kids for school after that; then we get into the busy holiday period.

“So this is the perfect time for us to put money back into the pockets of customers who choose a CIBC FirstCaribbean credit card. We’re excited to partner with Visa, the leading global payments network, to make available this market-leading offer.”

Anyone wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should visit their nearest CIBC FirstCaribbean branch or call the bank’s Customer Care and Sales Centre for more details.

Chief Executive Officer of CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank, Rik Parkhill, and Angel Bermudez, Minister of Finance of Aruba, cut the ribbon to declare the new Aruba office open for business.

PRESS RELEASE - Having received its license to operate in Aruba earlier this year, CIBC FirstCaribbean recently took another step towards establishing a full-time presence in the Dutch Caribbean country, with the opening of a Representative Office in Oranjestad.

The official opening of the office was attended by Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Rik Parkhill, Managing Director for the Dutch Caribbean Mr. Pim van der Burg, and several members of the bank’s staff in Curacao, from where the office will be managed.

The Representative Office is the first step which will be followed by the opening of a modern full service branch in 2016, offering a wide range of services to Retail, Platinum, Wealth Management and Corporate Banking clients.

CIBC FirstCaribbean already has a presence in the Dutch Caribbean market through offices in Curacao and St. Maarten. The bank has had an interest in the Aruba market for some time, and has participated in large Corporate Banking transactions in that country. Recognizing the potential of the Aruban market, therefore, CIBC FirstCaribbean decided that the time had come to take the next step by establishing a presence there.

Until the full scale branch is opened, CIBC FirstCaribbean employees from Curacao will travel to Aruba periodically for meetings with clients.

The official opening was attended by Angel Bermudez, Minister of Finance of Aruba, who welcomed the new banking presence to Aruba. To mark the occasion, as with all of its other territories, CIBC FirstCaribbean took the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to becoming involved in worthy causes in Aruba.

To this end, Mr. Parkhill and van der Burg used the occasion of the opening of the Aruba representative office to hand over a cheque in the amount of AWG 2500,- to the Casa Cuna Progreso Foundation. The foundation runs an orphanage which houses children up to the age of six-years-old.

The donation cheque was received by Mr. Carlos Albertus, Vice President of the Board and the Director, Mrs. Quilin Arends, pictured at right.

Mr. Carlos Albertus, Vice President of the Board Casa Cuna Progreso Foundation and the home’s Director, Mrs. Quilin Arends receive the sponsorship cheque from CEO Rik Parkhill, (second right, and Pim van der Burg, Managing Director, Dutch Caribbean (left).

GIS - At a sitting of the House of Assembly on Tuesday, parliament authorized the Minister for Finance to guarantee the financing of the South Roads Rehabilitation Project.

The South Roads Rehabilitation Project comprises of the Banse to La Haut Road and the Laborie village main road.

Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony outlined the terms of the guarantee.

“The interest is payable at five percent per annum based on the reducing balance,” he said. “The payment period shall be five years commencing on May 31, 2016 of three months of the issuance of the takeover certificate, whichever or whatever date as agreed to in writing by the government and Construction Industrial Equipment Limited. The payment amount shall be made by equal quarterly payments of every year of the payment period.”

Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony also made note of the requirements of the project.

“As per employer requirements, the scope of work includes drainage, road pavements and shoulders, where it is technically feasible and required; pedestrian sidewalks which is technically feasible, slope stabilization, in fact substantial slope stabilization, bus stops, lay-bys and bus shelters, road markings, signage and of course, road safety inputs.”

The South Roads Rehabilitation Project will cost approximately $31 million dollars.

GIS - Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, at Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Assembly, said government is committed to settling outstanding liabilities for purchase of private lands acquired for development.

Parliament authorized the Minister for Finance to borrow just over $13 million to honor outstanding payments to owners of lands in the south.

Dr. Anthony said government is completing a process for the payment of remaining liabilities.

“First the government had to issue bonds to purchase the Black Bay lands. That amount then was about $11 to $12 million. Then we had to settle with the Jamaican Government for the lands that was acquired again for Roebuck but this time on the Canelles side. That was a substantial set of money. Bonds were issued. Today we are trying to complete the process by attempting to settle with the Francis family for the lands that were acquired for Roebuck.”

Dr. Anthony said it is critical that government meets its payments for several reasons.

“I believe that the House should support this resolution for the good of the state because if we leave it, outstanding interest payments accumulate. Secondly its unfair especially if we are acquiring the properties of our own nationals that we leave them in abeyance. They’re being deprived of their lands, they can’t do anything so we have to find [a way] to ensure that we pay them.”

Payments will be made to Marie Ann Cecelia Francis and the estate of Oliver Caliste Nicholas Francis.

Government is raising funds for this payment by issuing savings bonds.

PRESS RELEASE - The message was clear at the Caribbean Governance Training Institute’s second annual Directors’ Conference on Monday and Tuesday, July 6-7 in Saint Lucia: Organisations which choose to ignore today’s reality and fail to strengthen the effectiveness of board governance are likely doomed to fail.

And who can argue with that rationale? In these corporate scandal-filled days since spectacular failures of big banks and PR blunders of big oil became regular headline news, the level to which its board is effective can make or break any organisation, and the buck stops only at the top.

Where the governance of a company is concerned, there can be no more crucial training and development than that of its Board, as Dr. Chris Bart, Chairman and Executive Partner of the Saint Lucia-based Caribbean Governance Training Institute (CGTI) continues to reiterate to participants of the two-day series of seminars.

“At CGTI we believe in building better businesses by building better boards,” says Dr. Bart. “It’s not easy being a good corporate director these days. There are three essential qualifications that all directors must meet if they are to properly do their job: Competence, Curiosity and Courage.”

Dr. Bart and members of the CGTI faculty bring to the table a broad expanse of expertise and education in the seemingly vast and complex world of corporate governance, a world which has seen cataclysmic changes over the past twenty years. No longer can an organisation rely on a complacent cadre of hand-picked yes men in high places to deliver profits and dividends to shareholders, as the scrutiny of social media goes viral and a proliferating press is just looking for the next newsworthy scandal.

Keeping the company nose clean in public is just one of the barrage of collective skills required by an effective board; asking the right questions to verify, confirm and prove that all is well financially is another, as is making the tough decisions to safeguard the interests of stakeholders and ultimately the reputation of the company. At the CGTI Director’s Conference it was made very clear that a new day has dawned for Caribbean organisations if they are to compete for investment and grow the region’s economy.

“This is the second annual conference on hot topics and scary trends in corporate governance, and it really is our attempt to continually update Caribbean organisations on the latest answers and current trends that ultimately will affect them here in the region,” said Dr. Bart on Tuesday. “The world of governance is constantly changing, and our knowledge of what constitutes effective corporate governance is continually evolving, so this conference is an attempt to help board members to do their job which is monumental.”

When the subject is corporate governance, there’s an old adage which is a propos: If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. It appears that Caribbean organisations are getting the message, and CGTI has trained more than 100 of the region’s active board members from a wide range of businesses including banks, tourism and financial services. Dr. Bart warns that the more relaxed reporting requirements and media scrutiny in the region should not mislead Caribbean boards; the next scandal is around the corner and if you’re not looking for it, the results could be disastrous.

“As long as Caribbean corporations do not need investment to grow, and they can generate their own capital and profitability, it’s easy for owners and boards to stick their heads in the sand and say they don’t need good, effective governance. But the moment you step outside and look for international investors to fund that growth, you have to face the level of scrutiny required by modern companies to safeguard against risk and protect their assets. They expect the Board of Governors to be the ultimate risk management system. If they fail in that role, the organisation fails.”

The second annual Corporate Governance Conference was attended by directors from the Financial Services Regulatory Commission in St. Kitts, Demerara Mutual Life Assurance in Guyana, credit unions in Grenada and banks in Antigua, Dominica and St Vincent.

The Saint Lucia Tourist Board Director Louis Lewis also participated. Speakers at the event which was entitled “Aspiring towards a culture of effectiveness and accountability in the Board Room included Chartered Directors Steve Prowse and John P. Ryan, retired partner in corporate PR David Weiner and Dr Chris Bart, founding member of The Directors’ College in Toronto, Canada.

Left to right: Country Manager, Ladesa James-Williams, Jus Us Kids’ Barry George and Business Support Officer Tia Henry.

PRESS RELEASE - Carnival festivities are well underway and CIBC FirstCaribbean has stepped up in its support ofJust Us Kids Carnival Band. The band’s portrayal will be enhanced this year by the stilt walking section, CIBC FirstCaribbean Stilt Walkers.

The section features talented youth who have honed their skills and are all geared to entertain the crowds at the upcoming Junior Parade of the Bands.

Country Manager, Ladesa James-Williams noted that, “This donation to Just us Kids supports two keen passions for CIBC FirstCaribbean in the form of culture and youth development. We are pleased to support the stilt walking art form and look forward to parading with the participants on the road.”

In that regard, CIBC FirstCaribbean is happy to support any programme that facilitates artistic development and knowledge transfer, and that inspires and motivates young people to take up the torch of tradition and carry it high.

Just Us Kids’Barry George, was on hand to receive the contribution and commitment of support from CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Country Manager, Ladesa James-Williams, and Business Support Officer, Tia Henry.

He noted, “Just Us Kids Jr. Carnival band is pleased to collaborate with CIBC FirstCaribbean for our 2015 portrayal of the theme Commercial Break.CIBC FirstCaribbean’s sponsorship to the stilt walkers has given the members who hail from Laborie an opportunity to participate in Junior Carnival, and also opportunity to participate in other activities leading up to the junior parade of the bands. This collaboration is very important to the band, in particular the members of the stilt walking section and by extension the community of Laborie.”

The Junior Parade of the Bands is slated for Sunday July 12th 2015.

PRESS RELEASE - Want to be financially independent and take control of your well-being? Isn’t it time you turned the page to a smarter, better you? Then get ready as First Citizens and Neutrogena present “Diary of a Smart Woman”––the women’s seminar for forward thinking ladies!

Set a date for Saturday July 25th at the Saint James Club Morgan Bay to kick off your heels and rejuvenate as you get insight into the intricate success diaries of special presenters: Businesswoman Dr. Charmaine Gardner, Certified Accountant Malaika Theobalds, Attorney-at-Law Trudy Glasgow, Psychiatrist Dr. Eve Felicien, First Citizens deputy CEO Sharon Christopher and Regional Manager Carole Eleuthere-Jn Marie.

This one day only event provides an opportunity for women to gain the skills, self-assurance and develop the networks necessary to more effectively build their careers, businesses and better manage their finances, health and nurture their spirit.

Attendees will be provided with expert insights on financial planning and options available in the financial market as well as equip them with a greater understanding of how these markets work. The attendees will also be educated and advised on other topics which are also essential parts of being a successful.

They include: Turning the Page to a Smarter, Better You , Memoirs of a Determined Woman, Self-destruction: Unlocking the Unspoken Code, Work Smarter & Harder: Strategies for Professional Success, Smart Legal Steps to Safeguard You & Your Investments and Street Smarts: A Personal Safety Guide for Woman.”

To sign up for this exclusive event contact 450-2662 or email seminars@firstcitizensslu.com for details. Sponsors include The Wave, Paradise Water, Aveeno, DermaLogics Medical Spa, Saint James Club Morgan Bay, JP Chenet, Sea Island Cotton Shop, Sayana Yoga & Courts.

CEO and Employees

PRESS RELEASE - CIBC FirstCaribbean CEO, RikParkhillrecently paid a visit to St. Lucia during his annual country visits to CIBC FirstCaribbean territories within the region.

The visit served to acquaint the CEO with the bank’s local achievements and operations and to personally engage staff in terms of the strategic vision for the bank.

An important outcome of the visit for the CEO was gaining a deeper perspective and insight into the challenges faced by employees in St. Lucia and the opportunities available for the bank on the island.

Exchanges between the CEO and employees took the form of town hall meetings at the branches of CIBC FirstCaribbean where a number of topics were discussed. “It is not every day that employees get to engage in face to face discussions with the CEO and our staff made the best use of the opportunity by providing excellent feedback and recommendations on how we can further enhance the client experience and add value to all our client interactions.

The CEO was very impressed by the level of discussion and some of the suggestions put forward will be implemented shortly”, noted Country Manager, Ladesa James-Williams.

Other highlights of the visit included discussions with key corporate clients, focusing on identifying the needs of clients and improvements that can be made to ensure service excellence.

During his visit, CEO Parkhill also cited the value placed on customer relationship management and the investment CIBC FirstCaribbean continues to make in that regard.

LIME Ambassador Superman HD with winner at launch of Big Money promotion on Derek Walcott Square.

PRESS RELEASE - Who wouldn’t welcome the chance to win $1,000 or more every day, especially if it could help to make day-to-day living a little easier?

That’s precisely what LIME is giving away in its newly re-launched BIG Money promotion – $1,000 in cash daily, every week.

Every customer who tops up $15 or more (plus VAT) at any LIME top-up location including online, or activates a 250MB or 500MB weekly data plan or a monthly data plan, qualifies for a chance to win $500 cash. Activating a data plan is easy. Simply dial *146*250# or *146*500# for a weekly plan and *146*1000# or *146*2000# for a 1GB or 2GB monthly plan.

Two random draws are held daily to select two winners, each of whom will receive $500 cash. Customers who continue to top up $15 or more, or activate weekly data plans, get multiple chances at winning $500 or $1000 daily, every week of the promotion. More than $70, 000 in cash is up for grabs and over 120 customers are expected to win!

Along with the daily $1,000 cash prizes, there are lots of other giveaways to be won, including carnival costumes, tickets for calypso shows, gift vouchers and more, every day. The lucky winners will be announced every afternoon on RCI between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

“BIG Money is the most exciting offer around, and it gives our customers something truly exciting to look forward to,” said LIME Marketing & Communications Executive, Sharlene Jn. Baptiste. “Customers qualify to win with every draw and they increase their chances of winning each time they top up or activate a prepaid weekly or monthly data plan. This means there’s a real possibility that a customer who wins today could win again the following day and qualify for more chances to win each day in the promotion. One customer can literally win thousands of dollars during the course of the campaign!” said Ms Jn. Baptiste.

She added: “The bottom line is we have made winning easier than ever for our customers. It’s a further demonstration that we are living up to our promise to give back to our customers by giving them more value for their money and creating ways to help them save,” she added.

Hundreds thronged the Derek Walcott Square Thursday last for the launch of Big Money, proving that the promotion continues to be hugely popular, not just with LIME customers. LIME specials were available all throughout the event.

Several leading local artistes performed at the event, including this year’s junior calypso monarchs, Qpid and Fundamental Dancers and, Jamaican Dancehall star, Alkaline made a guest appearance.

Teddyson John’s U4RIA, Toxik carnival Band and a team from the Wave’s Outrageous in Black joined in the fun and thrilled the crowd with their scintillating performances. They are all sponsored by LIME for this year’s carnival celebration. Along with LIME deals and specials, patrons got discounts on tickets to U4RIA, Amnesia and other LIME-sponsored carnival events, and on carnival costumes.

Reigning National Primary School Calypso Monarch, Denisha ‘Teeny D’ Danzie in action.

PRESS RELEASE - Carnival celebrations in St. Lucia just wouldn’t be the same with the presence of LIME. Mas lovers around the island always look forward with eager anticipation to the company’s involvement in the festivities.

LIME is already preparing to hit the road this year. The nation’s leading telecommunications provider has announced a massive sponsorship package for the 2015 cultural extravaganza. The company is providing financial, telecommunications and promotional support to three carnival bands – Toxik, Legends and Outkast Revellers of Vieux Fort.

LIME is also the main sponsor of the Wave’s Outrageous Sexy in Black, and Power Soca stars U4RIA featuring Teddyson John in concert. Both events promise to be among the biggest and most exciting of the season, all powered by LIME.

The St. Lucia Association of Registered Tents (START) have also benefitted from LIME support in a big way. LIME is the title sponsor of START, an amalgamation of all the calypso and soca tents on the island. The Association had a tough time trying to secure sponsorships this year. Thanks to the financial support it received from LIME and a number of other sponsors, START was able to overcome the challenges and launch this year’s competition successfully.

LIME also sponsored the Ave Maria Girls’ Primary School 3rd Annual Ave Clash and the the national schools calypso competition, thereby buttressing its status as one of the biggest corporate sponsors of St. Lucian talent and culture.

“Like every other company in St. Lucia, we have had to reduce costs, however despite that we have continued to support our longstanding partners and the events that we think provide the greatest enjoyment to the people of St. Lucia. By supporting carnival we are helping to keep alive a tradition that is dear to the hearts of St. Lucians,” said LIME Marketing & Communications Executive, Sharlene Jn. Baptiste.

LIME customers have the opportunity to win lots of carnival giveaways for the season, including costumes, tickets to LIME-sponsored shows. Best of all, LIME mobile customers automatically qualify to win $1000 cash daily in the LIME BIG Money Promotion each time they top up $15 or more (plus VAT) at any LIME top-up location, including online, or activate a weekly or monthly data plan.

“With BIG Money we’ve made it easier and more affordable than ever for our customers to enjoy faster data speeds, share photos and videos at blazing speeds and win some serious money plus lots of other fabulous prizes every day! There is no limit to the number of times customers can win Big Money each time they top-up $15 or activate a weekly data plan,” said Ms Jn. Baptiste.

Pic 2. LIME Ambassador, Roxanne Didier with Toxik carnival band.

PRESS RELEASE - The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is currently undertaking a major reform initiative which encompasses a review of its processes, procedures and operational structure with the aim of providing taxpayers with more efficient and timely service.

The main objectives of IRD’s reform programme are to:
 enhance taxpayer service and compliance;
 re-organize the IRD along functional lines;
 strengthen strategic design, planning and monitoring functions;
 segment the taxpayer population by establishing a Large and Medium taxpayer section and Small and Micro taxpayer section to better serve the needs of each segment;
 integrate the administration of the VAT section into the operations of mainstream IRD ;

Effective Monday, July 13, 2015 the IRD will implement it’s first phase of the two year initiative with the establishment of the Large and Medium Taxpayer Section i.e all taxpayers with revenue of $400,000 and above.

This new Section will be located in the building on Manoel Street which currently houses the VAT Section and will comprise the following functional areas – Taxpayers Services, Audit, Collections & Enforcements and Late Non-Filers & Enforcements, and will be responsible for all tax types (excluding property tax).

All other taxpayers will be managed by the Small & Micro Taxpayer Section which will be housed at the IRD office (Heraldine Rock Building) on the Waterfront.

The reform program will create the foundation for:
 Additional opportunities and will permit the department to create new operational synergies;
 Enhanced professionalism and improved taxpayer service;
 Increased compliance and equity;
 Simpler processes for the taxpayer and the administration resulting in easier interaction with the taxpayer ;
 Better resource management. Overall administration costs will be reduced as duplicated processes are eliminated;
 Positive impact on our country and its fiscal strategy;

We will be contacting all identified large and medium taxpayers, during the months of July and August 2015, to provide further advice and guidance.

The modernization of any large entity is a challenge and will require time and patience as new processes and operation procedures are implemented. We solicit our stakeholders’ continued understanding and support as we move our tax administration towards a sustainable, well functioning operation in line with international best practices.

PRESS RELEASE - Saint Lucia has been identified as one of the countries outside the US, where companies will locate five to ten years from now.

That’s according to readers of Site Selection Magazine – an influential publication that highlights corporate real estate strategy and area economic development.

Location consultants and experts in foreign direct investment from around the world, were asked where they would consider locating their investment in the next ten years, and why. Aside from Belize, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti, Saint Lucia was rated as one of the choice locations in the Central/South America and Caribbean region.

Among the attributes identified for the feature ‘Locations of the Future’, survey respondents highlighted a large population with a burgeoning middle class; political and economic stability; an industrious, well-educated workforce; and quality infrastructure as some of the incentives to investing in one regional location over another.

According to Patty Rasmussen, Senior Editor of Site Selection, “The survey asked site selectors with expertise in a variety of industries to tell us where they believed new sector clusters would locate five to ten years down the road, and why they would likely emerge there.” She explained, “We asked the respondents to identify their top three areas of expertise. Next, we asked the respondents to identify – not rank – the locations within six regions they believed would be home to new clusters in those sectors in the next five to ten years, based on their knowledge of the sectors. We also asked them to briefly explain what made the location appealing.”

“In a tie with Eastern Europe,” she continued, “31.4% of respondents selected the Central/South America and the Caribbean and cited ‘an educated workforce, the economic expansion of the region aided by the anticipated increase in traffic due to the widening of the Panama Canal and a growing middle class as some of the reasons behind the decision to invest in the logistics, automotive and chemical clusters.” Learn more at http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2015/jul/fdi-outlook.cfm

Saint Lucia sought to further influence this perception through its advertorial on page 97 of the July 2015 edition of Site Selection. The island is being actively promoted as a destination of choice for foreign direct investment through the efforts of Invest Saint Lucia, the agency charged with promoting, stimulating and facilitating investment.