A regional MSME conference: Bridging the digital divide

Our reality is that as Caribbean economies move beyond 2021, many of the challenges currently being overcome will still be there waiting. However, these challenges also present opportunity, since they are the catalyst that will continue to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) adopt and adapt to new business models.

This is the philosophy that underpins the 2021 conference conceptualised by the TT Chamber’s Nova Committee, which advocates for MSMEs, and entrepreneurs. This year’s conference follows through from last year’s four-part series, and will offer a roadmap for this critical sector in the recovery process.

In light of the current realities, Nova concluded that the roadmap needed to guide this conference would be one geared to Bridging the Digital Divide. The two-day virtual conference is being presented by the TT Chamber in collaboration with the Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (Caricham) over July 22-23, 2021.

Caricham is a network of 21 chambers of commerce from across the Caribbean region, which have come together to collaborate, share best practices, and build partnerships to improve regional trade and cooperation and provide greater value to all its members.

This year, we are privileged to welcome the Prime Minister of Barbados with lead responsibility for the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), Mia Mottley who will deliver the keynote address on the opening day.

Through Caricham, we also secured the participation of nine exemplary business leaders from across the region, who will present over the two days. In light of the importance of digitalisation to the development of the region’s economies, the Inter-American Development Bank also partnered with us for this conference.

MSMEs and entrepreneurs, by definition, use their creativity, innovative capability, passion and resilience to uncover the business models needed to thrive and grow. We believe that whatever the new normal, MSMEs will continue to be the backbone of Caribbean economies. The sector, however, faces particular challenges – some traditional, such as access to funding – and others which are newly arisen in these pandemic times.

The impetus for the regional outreach lay in the fact that MSMEs throughout the Caribbean are facing the same global, as well as unique Caribbean challenges. Thus, a major opportunity presented itself to draw on the expertise of counterpart organisations across the region, with their own storehouses of knowledge. The chamber is fortunate to have a strong network and in this context we reached out to Caricham and its members, who proved more than willing to assist with the RD effort to create a roadmap into the increasingly digital-first future. This in turn proved to be the genesis for a regional collaboration to present this virtual conference.

Having identified the major issues affecting local and regional MSMEs, the structure of the two-day conference was designed to guide participants into a post-covid19 recovery mode, including presentations from regional experts, roundtable discussions, practical solution tracks focused on specific subject areas, exhibitions, mentoring and networking. Exhibitor spaces are still available in the virtual exhibition hall. Any corporate entity, professional, NGO or individual can register to attend at https://bit.ly/BtDDConference.

Sponsor partners include: platinum: IDB (Inter-American Develop Bank); Nedco (National Entrepreneurship Development Company); gold: bmobile; silver: Flow Business; bronze: NGC (The National Gas Company of TT); and sponsor exhibitors: Media InSite; PBS Technologies.

The event is being offered at a special low rate of US$50 to encourage the widest possible participation among MSMEs throughout the Caribbean. The investment is worth it.

(Content submitted by the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce)