 In all things we do on this earth God is at the center and therefore we should call upon him to bless today's proceedings and therefore I kindly ask that you stand so that blessings can flow upon us this morning. Almighty and merciful Creator as we gather here today to celebrate the culmination of hard work collaboration and achievement we pause in gratitude and humility to seek your blessings upon us on this auspicious occasion. We come together with hearts full of thanksgiving for the successes that have brought us to this moment. We acknowledge the efforts of all those who have contributed to the packaging for exports project and we express our gratitude for the guidance wisdom and resilience that have brought us to this joyous day. May your divine presence envelop this gathering filling our hearts with joy unity and a shared commitment to the prosperity of our local business sector and in national development. Thank you for bringing us here safely and we pray that these traveling mercies be extended upon our departure. In the almighty name of Jesus I ask for these blessings and more amen. You can please take your seats. To begin I'd like to recognize the presence of the Honorable Emma Hippolit, Minister of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Corporatives and Consumer Affairs, Chair of the National Export Council, Miss Yvonne Agad, Chief Executive Officer of Export St. Lucia, Miss Sunita Daniel, Miss Claudia Uribe, the International Trade Center's Chief for Latin America and the Caribbean, Miss Charmaine Louis Justin, Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Corporatives and Consumer Affairs, Members of the National Export Council, Staff of Export St. Lucia, Staff of the Ministry of Commerce, Recipients, Media, Invited Guests, a pleasant morning to all. Frequently we employ the term auspicious to characterize events like these. However, on this occasion I sense that this word precisely captures the essence of what is transpiring today. The impact is poised to significantly influence our domestic business sector and position our nation to make further inroads into the global trade market. At this point in time I would like to call upon the CEO of Export St. Lucia, Miss Sunita Daniel, to deliver the welcome remarks and provide a synopsis of the packaging for Export's project. Thank you Karim. Good morning everyone. I beg to adopt the protocol already established but I do want to say a very good morning to our Honorable Minister who I know is very very busy but would have loved to be here and is here with us and so we thank you Minister for making the time for Export St. Lucia. It is with immense pride and joy that I stand before you today to celebrate a significant milestone in the journey of our small exporters. The handing over of new packaging material made possible through our collaboration with the International Trade Center as part of the South South project marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to support and empower our local businesses. This initiative has had a profoundly positive impact on the participants' ventures and I'm thrilled to witness the transformative effects it has already had on their businesses. Improved packaging is not just about aesthetics, it is a strategic tool that can significantly contribute to increase the visibility, marketability and overall success in the export market. By investing in quality packaging our exporters have gained a competitive edge making their products stand out in crowded market places and capturing the attention of potential buyers. Enhanced packaging communicates professionalism, reliability and attention to detail instilling confidence in consumers and fostering brand loyalty. It is expected through collaborative efforts between our exporters, Export St. Lucia and the support of the Government of St. Lucia that participants will see a remarkable improvement in their market reach and sales performance, paving the way for sustainable growth and expansion. The journey is well documented through the electronic communication chain that made all of this possible. The verifiable indicators are the before and after packaging that you see displayed here today. From all indication our participants are very happy with the final results right participants? Yes they were involved in every step of the process and what's more will be outfitted with information on where to go next. All will have been for not if there were no continuity plan. We do have a continuity plan in place. All information on the suppliers, the costs, the logistics will be shared with the participants so that the transformation can continue. This project will deliver new packaging to 21 small businesses. So we are talking about renewed packaging, renewed labeling for 21 small businesses who are exporting or who through this current changes the new packaging will be able to access export markets they were not able to before. I am most heartened that we will be delivering also delivering today packaging to meet the needs of the businesses for the next year to two years. Imagine businesses not having to incur the cost of packaging for the next year or two years. These are significant significant savings. I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all stakeholders involved in making this project a reality. The collaborative efforts of the International Trade Center alongside our dedicated team at ExportSendLusia. I have a super team and I want to thank you for all the hard work on this project. Alongside our our members of our National Export Council for the guidance and initiative that you have shown on this project. Together we have demonstrated the power of partnerships and collective action in effecting positive change and empowering our small exporters to thrive in a competitive global landscape. This collaboration exemplifies our shared commitment of fostering growth, innovation and prosperity in the export sector. I am confident that it will continue to yield fruitful results for many many more years to come. As we celebrate this achievement today I would like to reaffirm ExportSendLusia's commitment to the continued growth and improvement of our exporters. We remain dedicated to providing ongoing support, resources and opportunities to empower our small businesses to thrive in the global marketplace. We want to take this opportunity to also thank our honorable prime minister and our honorable minister for providing all of the resources required for ExportSendLusia to do our work. Many people don't know that our exporters, our clients, our manufacturers don't pay a cent for any service that comes from ExportSendLusia. This is all supported by the subvention of the government of SendLusia. Together let us continue to build a brighter future for SendLusia's export sector, driving innovation, prosperity and success. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a happy independence. Thank you. Thank you CEO. As Ms. Daniel alluded to, the expertise of the International Trade Center was integral in this project to improve the packaging and labeling of several producers and without their insights today would not have been possible. So right now I would like to call on Ms. Claudia Yuribé from ITC to give some remarks. She'll be joining us virtually so. Thank you very much and good morning to you everyone in SendLusia. I'm referring to you from the International Trade Center in Geneva and I would like to thank ExportSendLusia for inviting ITC to this very important event. Good morning Mr. Minister and also Ms. Anita Daniels and all the participants of this event. To meet our interventions with the MSMEs target by this project in SendLusia both ExportSendLusia with his dedicated team and International Trade Center found in a common ground obstacles for the MSMEs in relation of the needs to establish a robust packaging system. In our assessment we identified lots of needs. For instance, a need to increase packaging designed accordingly to the international standards markets and important markets. Then we identified a need to access to timely quality packaging materials. Also a need to get appropriate machinery and equipment for an efficient and standardized packaging process. A need of qualifying knowledge packaging system selection for the companies and also a need of better understanding and compliance of the regulatory requirements in the important markets. Facing these challenges both ExportSendLusia dedicated team and ITC have been undertaking a series of impactful activities through the export packaging projects such as first packaging clinics and individual support to small businesses in SendLusia by offering guidance in the acquisition of packaging materials that fit to each company's specific requirements. Secondly, face-to-face coaching sections directly are addressed to 21 companies with the aim to update its own packaging system. Its activities involved an evaluation for proposing and involving each company packaging. This in-person coaching program also helping companies to choose packaging system to organize technical cheats and identify suppliers. Then we also work in the graphic design and procurement assistant by creating new branding, new labeling, new logos, and new imaging for the product's producing solution. This project also provides guidance on procurement of packaging companies, ensuring a holistic approach to packaging development. I thank ExportSendLusia to the 21st companies that participated in this program and you, Mr. Minister, for the support provided to ITC and the opportunity to cooperate with you in this important achievement. Many thanks. Good morning. Thank you, Ms. Yurebe. I believe that only our clients and manufacturers are the ones who can truly emphasize the profound impact these new packaging technologies will have on their businesses and to this end I would like to invite Ms. Chandel Alexander, owner of Abbey's Exotic Blends, to just share her perspective on the significance of this initiative. Ms. Alexander? Good morning, everyone. I would like to adopt the protocols already been established and I don't know how well I can do at this speech today because I'm so excited. Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, I stand before you today with profound gratitude and an immense appreciation on behalf of my company and my staff. We extend our sincere thanks to the ITC and ExportSendLusia for their invaluable support in assisting us in our packaging endeavor. Their unwavering commitment to fostering our growth in innovation and the business landscape has been a driving force behind our success. This collaborative effort will not only elevate our product presentation, but also strengthen our foundation in our business. We are deeply moved by the representation and dedication displayed by both entities throughout this transformative process. The positive impact of their innovation has brought us through. We recognize that it goes beyond a mere partnership. It is a testament to the power of collaboration between the private sector and ExportSendLusia. Together we have achieved this milestone and we look forward to continued collaboration in shaping and thriving and in innovative business landscape. Once again, thank you to the ITC and ExportSendLusia. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Alexander, but I don't believe that one testimonial is enough. So at this point in time, I would like to invite Mr. Matthew Anderson, owner of Enchanted Kettle, to say a few words. Good morning to everyone and give thanks to the most for us being here today, allowing us to have that opportunity. My name is Matthew Anderson, the owner of the Enchanted Kettle Tea Company. We have been working on beverages for the past eight and a half years when we started in 2016. When we started in 2016, our packaging, we had to build it by hand, was handmade, and we truly handmade. We made over 6,000 packages by hand, a tedious task indeed, but there was no other way, so we had to get it done. Today, as we are now, the supermarket is difficult to get in if your packaging does not ring a bell, as these packages truly ring a bell here today. That journey with ExportSendLusia, when I first got in, I thought, okay, you know, ExportSendLusia is a great team. We spoke about packaging, nothing was seen, but I must say the weight was truly worth it, definitely. That weight was not in vain. Awesome team, beautiful team. I can't name everybody, but they know themselves. They stuck with us every step of the way. Back and forth, they made sure that it was seamless, and I did not expect the outcome. So again, for that journey, ExportSendLusia being at the core of this exercise moving forward, I believe that that's a testimony of where we can go. The work has already been done by the small businesses, but without the dress code of the packaging, then we will not be seen in the way we need to be seen, the light we need to be seen in. So to keep it short, I want to say special thanks to the ITC, the International Trade Commission. They were again very instrumental in making sure that things went down well. We had a good seamless virtual exercise back and forth, and I hope that's going to be the first in a lot more of that exercise to come. Special thanks to the minister, honorable minister, for funding and providing what necessary tools to make this possible. And I want to say again, to make it short, job well done. Job well done to you. Thank you, Mr. Alexander. Mr. Anderson, I apologize. Over the past two years, the government of St. Lucia, whether through the Ministry of Commerce, ExportSendLusia, or the Youth Economy Agency, has made significant investments towards the development of micro, small and medium enterprises. So to properly articulate the government's commitment, I would like to call on the honorable Emma Hippolet, Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, and Consumer Affairs to the podium to give some remarks. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I want to recognize Ms. Justin, who's the DPS Commerce, Ms. Yvonne Agad, Chairperson of ExportSendLusia, Ms. Sunita Daniel, CEO of ExportSendLusia, Ms. Claudia Uribe of ITC, our manufacturers here today, staff of the ExportSendLusia, staff of Ministry of Commerce, invited guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I stand before you today with great pride and enthusiasm as we gather to celebrate a significant achievement of the government of St. Lucia through ExportSendLusia and our esteemed exporters. Our government, our people, our agencies, our donors, and our businesses thrive only because of unity. It is through unity and collaboration, being our brother's helper and keeper, that we have had the most significant successes as a nation. As we move steadily towards our 45th anniversary of independence, I am honored to share with you the remarkable success of the Packaging for Exports project, a venture that has not only enhanced the packaging of our local businesses in St. Lucia, but has also positioned us on the global stage with renewed vigor. This transformative initiative was made possible through a partnership with the International Trade Center, the ITC, and it has been a journey marked by innovation, resilience, and a shared vision for the prosperity of our nations, micro, small, and medium enterprises. The Packaging for Exports project aims to elevate the visual appeal of our local products, ensuring they meet and succeed international export standards. And ladies and gentlemen, the reality is before us. Let us give our exporters Exports St. Lucia and ITC a round of applause. As I look around I remember I'm looking at the tamarin balls in the plastic bag and now could be on the stage, could be on the shelves of any supermarket and especially the health stores because of the nature of all the products that we have there, especially I'm looking at our teas for regular dolls, I'm looking at and I'm trying to see, trying to visualize being associated with some of these products from day one to now. I'm looking at Abbey's and how now they can, I think Matthew put it right, they are now well-dressed, ready for the occasion. Yeah, I'm delighted to say that we have not only met but surpassed those expectations. As you all know the global market is a dynamic and competitive arena. In order for our local businesses to thrive and flourish on this stage, it is imperative that we continuously strive for excellence in all aspects. The first impression matters and it is often the packaging that catches the eye of potential customers and consumers and partners. As a government we have embraced the need for a strong brand and there's Brand St. Lucia which combines the efforts, marketing and vision of our leading agencies was created. So too must we encourage an agenda in our SMEs, the need for strong, vibrant brands and to continually embrace international standards and there you have our sister agency of the St. Lucia Bureau of Standards working together with Exports St. Lucia and the Ministry to ensure that we have holistic products. The journey has been challenging but our entrepreneurs have shown tremendous resilience and adaptability. As you would have heard from the CEO the process was heavily influenced by the exporters themselves as they were engaged throughout the process ensuring that their vision were interwoven into what you see here today. They have embraced new design concepts, modern materials and sustainable practices demonstrating the commitment to competing with key players in the regional and international markets. We understand the need for nurturing and how nurturing encourages growth. We also understand the significant cost implications that come with growth. With this project the manufacturers have been interested with up to two years of packaging material to fortify and increase their domestic market share and spur them on to exporting and I dare say some of those manufacturers also benefited from our MSME loan grant facility. There again this is the government of St. Lucia putting the people of St. Lucia first. That's a commitment that we've made and we continue to make it. The government of St. Lucia keeping its promise of putting the people of St. Lucia first. They will also be equipped and that is our entrepreneurs, our manufacturers will also be equipped with all the necessary information to continue the purchase of new material hereafter and even consider repackaging some of the other products and again I heard from the CEO that we had 21 manufacturers benefiting from this project. As we celebrate this milestone let us not forget the larger goal at hand. The empowerment and prosperity of our MSMEs and somebody I think was the Chairperson for this session also mentioned our youth economy. Also their poise to benefit from the project of a similar nature. This project is a stepping stone towards a brighter future for our local enterprises. It is an investment in the economic growth of our nation creating opportunities for employment, innovation and sustainable development. The government of St. Lucia through the Ministry of Commerce and supporting agencies like Exports St. Lucia remain committed to fostering an environment which allows small businesses to ascend to new heights for St. Lucia's exports to grow. There must be a thriving domestic market and that is what we as a government continuously strive to create and maintain and within the Ministry of Commerce we have the Love St. Lucia project. I want to take this opportunity to also ask all of St. Lucia please when you get into the supermarket look for what is made here because that is we as a government have done our part through these projects and other projects but you have to support what is made here that is how you allow your support in terms of buying what is local you support your manufacturers you cause them to grow and you also contribute to the growth of the economy. You have a role to play as consumers and I really want to exhort you today to put this into your pledge for 2024 to support local as much as possible. In closing let us remember that Exports St. Lucia's mission is not merely about packaging products it is about packaging excellence and authenticity at home and abroad. As we unveil our beautifully wrapped exports to the world let each package symbolize not just a product but a piece of our unique identity. It testament to the exceptional craftsmanship and authenticity that defines St. Lucia's ingenuity. Together let us carry this legacy forward ensuring that our product not only meet global standards but also carry the unmistakable mark of St. Lucia's excellence. Thank you may God continue to guide us on our journey and may our exports continue to shine brightly on the world stage. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Thank you Madam Minister. Now it's time for the most exciting part of the ceremony. I know Abby was already expressing her excitement as well as Mr. Matthew. So right now I would like to call on the CEO of Exports St. Lucia Ms. Daniel to facilitate the handover of the new packaging. Thank you everyone honorable minister can you join us on stage as well as the chair of the National Export Council. So this is just to hand over some of the packaging like we said our manufacturers will be receiving all of the packaging after a little later this afternoon after this ceremony. So we'd like to first call on the enchanted kettle and I just wanted to show you a little bit of what the product looks like now and what it was like before. So no the brown. So we have the before and we have the after. So minister if you could just hand over to the enchanted kettle there now renew the packaging. One of the things I would want us to do when we have the camera on us is to say something about the products in this beautiful package. Right so we have sweet bay, sinful sweet bay, lemongrass and delicious mint. Very well. That's right. So we have the scanned at the sides. You will have your scans your what it's what's in here the benefits of the product and all of that. So this is our new packaging. You can scan here to find out a little more about the enchanted kettle. So our next manufacturer is roses confectionary roses. So turmeric balls you all remember turmeric balls in plastic bags. We don't do that anymore in St. Lucia. This is what we do now. So this is our turmeric balls we'll be accessing like minister said any health store in the world it can go. So we also have our barcodes and all the information as to what is there and our taste of St. Lucia branding. So we now call on Abby's exotic blends. That's someone who screamed when she saw her packaging. And we all remember our chips in these plastic bags. We don't do that anymore. We're now on these world-class bags. Remember some of our competitors who we shall not name here they're in the same kinds of bags. And so these are the bags you'll now be seeing Abby's in the supermarket shelves and around the dark seamos. Unfortunately the manufacturer had a little incident this morning and couldn't make it. But I really wanted to point out what it what was happening. When we went out to the international markets we always found a lot of export potential for dark seamos. However the bottles were so heavy it was very expensive to ship dark seamos out and the shipping costs will weigh too much for the manufacturer. We have the new bottles which are very much lighter a lot lighter and the branding and labeling has also changed. So we should be able to see dark seamos being exported currently because of the new packaging. So I just wanted to point it out to you. Um regos regos naturals. Okay regos one of our nice nice clients. And so you would have seen I'm sure you've seen them at the Marcy stores before in these sachets. And we had the the expiry dates written in pen. No we don't do that anymore. So what we have is regos teas and spices. This is the new packaging. This is the new box. Um you also have the scans and all the information directions as to how to boil your tea. Um the nutritional facts are all on this packaging. So minister regos the clothes line Lisa. Can you join us? Our always fashionable Lisa. And so Lisa's product um Lisa when she manufactures manufactures her products she would have them in here in those so it's the zip code right and Lisa wanted to find a way to add a personal note to our for her clients so that they could get a little thank you note a little more information about her product when you buy these awesome and I see Lisa is doing a little marketing here. So you have the independence earrings already out for those of you who want to purchase some. So this is what we will be putting them in currently our thank you rain forest foods very very special to export St. Lucia. Let's give them a round of applause. I don't think I have seen as much resilience in women before as our clients of rain forest foods come up come up and they are actually from minister's constituency. So we have new labels for rain forest foods. The nutrition facts are very clearly written at the back just improved packaging. So congratulations rain forest foods. So we want to thank you all we have a few more to deliver we'll do that afterwards minister and we will be inviting you very shortly to hand over the rest of the packaging material to the other manufacturers at a later date. So thank you very much and I hand over to Karim. Thank you. Thank you. So as as Robert Brault rightly puts it enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. So to express that and more I would like to call on one of our beneficiaries here today Ms. Janita Rigobit from regos natural teas and spice to deliver the vote of thanks. So miss can you come to the podium please. Good morning ladies and gentlemen please allow me to accept the protocol which has been established. Today I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride as I stand before you not just as a local business owner but as a beneficiary of the transformative packaging for export project. It is an honor to express my heartfelt thanks on behalf of all the local entrepreneurs who are to benefit from this initiative. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the central government for consistently prioritizing the advancement of micro small and medium in shipping through initiative like the one we are celebrating today. I am confidently say that these innovative packaging solutions will empower us to compete on equal footing with other manufacturers in both regional and international markets. We extend our special thanks to the International Trade Center for bringing their export knowledge to the table crafting packaging design perfectly tailored for our products while preserving the unique identity of our business. We are grateful for your response responsiveness to our feedback ensuring the delivery of high desirable products. I had felt appreciation goes out to miss Sunita Daniel with her dedicated team for the guidance throughout this process ensuring that our vision was fulfilled reflected in the present packaging. Your patient and responsiveness to our numerous queries and calls have gone unnoticed. I express my sincere gratitude for your ongoing effort to ensure that our product have readily accessible avenue in export markets. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do. Once again thank you one and all. Today I'm so excited and kind of shaky because unbelievable because when I just started I get the advantage I'll say when I just started with that product that packaging I remember I think I should mention the supermarket no supermarket chain when I used to supply sometimes when I go on the supermarket shelf and I see residue at the back of the package and I say oh my god I'm feeling so ashamed so some people tell me but that's fine that's residue that's fine but I personally wasn't feeling comfortable with it at all I remember one year I pass in three different outlets and rip off all the teeth on the shelf especially with the cinnamon because most times cinnamon normally drop out a lot of residue and I go and take new packages and I rip I put it back on the shelf but at the end of that it's a cost because when you take out the labels you cannot reuse it it's stretching and today oh my god I don't even know what to say we cannot express it cannot cannot it cannot express it so I'm so thankful and grateful additionally I remember export sandwich with that new this and Rigo's natural export St. Lucia did that one for me and trust me it was a lot of back and forth but it pays off it pays off it pays off it pays off so once again thank you CEO the government of St. Lucia ITC thank you thank you miss Rigo but for perfectly encapsulating I think the gratitude all your colleagues and manufacturers feel after seeing their new packages so we have come to the end of today's ceremony I thank you all for making the time to be with us today excellence and authentic authenticity at home and abroad is truly at the heart of all we do at export St. Lucia so once again thank you and safe travels