Tobago Chamber launches interactive website

The Tobago Division of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce has launched a website aimed at connecting and helping businesses with their development.

Speaking during the launch on June 26 at its Milford Road, Scarborough office, chamber chairman Curtis Williams said the membership had called for more from the advocacy group.

“The idea was born when one of our members, Jason Arthur, came to me and said, 'What about if we do a website so that we can meet the members that cannot come to the meetings, etc?' I said, 'That’s a good idea.'”

Williams said the point of investing in such a website was to enable the business sector in Tobago to be poised for success.

“Coming out of the space of the budget, coming out of the space of the recent airport that is going to be opened next year early, we know that the members want to take advantage of some of the services down there. This website will aid you in educating you, in bringing your businesses up to scratch and how you can take full advantage of all the services that would be offered.”

He added: “We’re going ahead as compared to our site that’s just sitting there like a page as if nothing is happening. We’re seeing something happening in Tobago.”

Arthur, who worked on the website, explained some of the features, saying it would benefit all business owners whether they were members or not.

“Ultimately, that’s the point of the website. When you come to the website, you need to be able to understand what it is the chamber is doing for you. The website is a tool, the website is not an ending of itself.”

The interactive website also has a heavy focus on education, as he said it is an extension of the Tobago Business Advisory Services which the chamber launched last year. He said member-level advocacy is also a duty of the chamber.

“The Tobago Business Advisory Services Unit of the chamber does two things – it does education on one side in marketing, sales, delivery, operations and finance, and on the other side, we provide government-compliant services like help with annual returns, tax filings, if you want to register with the OPR.”

The website will allow access to webinars, mentoring, business profiles, job postings and AI, among other things. He said it should be fully up and running by the end of June.