CONTACT Magazine (Vol.18 No.3 – December 2018)

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looking outwards The will to export For decades, T&T has dreamed about a big jump in nonenergy exports, enough to break dependence on oil and gas. Is that about to happen at last? CONTACT sat down with exporTT’s CEO Dietrich Guichard to find out WORDS By: Joel Henry photos courtesy: exportt courtesy exportt “ The current environment,” says Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, “requires a more aggressive approach to implementing government policy aimed at growing exports to lessen the country’s vulnerability and dependence on oil and gas.” The Minister was speaking in November 2017 at the National Export Facilitation Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago, otherwise known as exporTT. New signage was being unveiled at its Charlotte Street headquarters, which was being renamed “Export House.” A symbolic change, but symbols have meaning. And the change in signage reflects a new approach and outlook for exporTT. “Our approach is much more aggressive,” says Dietrich Guichard, Chief Executive Officer. “There are a lot of things that we are doing differently internally, and we are trying to engage our clients more intimately.” In this era of uncertain prices for Trinidad and Tobago’s energy exports, a foreign exchange crunch, and the critical need for diversification of the economy, the nation needs new sources of export revenue. The most recent figures out of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (for October 2016 to September 2017) show that TT$37 billion of the total TT$41 billion worth of exports were energy-related. That’s 88%. This needs to change. So what is exporTT doing to make it happen? Dietrich Guichard, CEO, exporTT 14 Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce www.chamber.org.tt/contact-magazine
“For the first time the macroeconomic situation is pushing business in a particular direction” What is exporTT and what does it do? Dietrich Guichard: ExporTT officially is the sole national export facilitation organisation for Trinidad and Tobago outside of the oil and gas and petrochemical sector. Our focus is the development and promotion of the export of goods and services, regionally and internationally. Trinidad and Tobago’s top non-energy exports, October 2016 – September 2017 “Facilitation” is a broad word. What does it entail? DG: Facilitation can be broken down into various areas. We have an export promotion division, a research division, a capacity building division (including standards implementation), and a training division. In general our activities are dedicated to growing exports and diversifying the economy in a very real and practical way. Can you give me an example of exporTT’s activities? DG: One programme we have in place is taking the top 120 exporters and working with them in their organisations. This includes diagnosing where they are in their financial, marketing, and human resource capability, and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Really we are diagnosing all aspects of their business operations, including the will to export. Many people say they want to export, but is it really true? Then we are developing robust export plans with them. If they wish to get into a market or markets we will provide the necessary information and contacts – importers, market prices, the contacts to get you there. If you do not have the wherewithal, we will work with you to build your firm’s capacity, including training, research, and even funding for machinery. How far along is this programme? DG: We will complete 30 companies at the end of this fiscal (September 2018). You mentioned the “will to export”. It seems there is a new energy and willingness to get things done. DG: When I took up the post of CEO at exporTT the Chairman said, somewhat tongue-in-cheek: “ExporTT is Trinidad and Tobago’s best kept secret”. So we made a conscious decision to change that. We have been much more aggressive in our marketing. And we have made a conscious decision to change the way we do things. We have moved our officers from being office-based most of the time to being out there in the market. It is Toilet tissue Cigarettes Cereals, precooked and otherwise Building cement (grey) Aromatic bitters Biscuits, unsweetened Sweet biscuits Other chocolate in blocks, slabs or bars Other sugar confectionery Prepared foods from cereals Beer Bottles for soft drinks, beers, wines, spirits Other detergents Aerated beverages TT$253 million TT$239 million TT$219 million TT$156 million TT$97 million TT$89 million TT$87 million TT$84 million TT$79 million TT$77 million TT$73 million TT$72 million TT$60 million TT$59 million www.chamber.org.tt/contact-magazine 15 Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce
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Page 9 and 10: A note from the editor Exports play
Page 11 and 12: Jaleel Beverages were followed by a
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Page 15: Residential Lots and Townhouses for
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Page 26 and 27: looking outwards Breaking into Euro
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Page 45 and 46: Trinidad Tissues: use the trade sup
Page 47 and 48: Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago
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Page 51 and 52: Contact Magazine Energy Statistics
Page 53: Contact Contact Issue Issue 2 cover

CONTACT Magazine (Vol.18 No.3 – December 2018)

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