The Caribbean Export Development Agency and Republic Bank Limited have entered a partnership to support regional private sector firms to build capacity.  Today at the Republic Bank Limited headquarters in Port of Spain, the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to officially mark the partnership which puts in place a referral system to ensure businesses receive the assistance needed to develop, grow and create jobs.

“Partnering with Republic Bank is a great step in the right direction for us at Caribbean Export.  We are here to support businesses and so is Republic Bank.  Our new referral system will enable the Banks client officers across the region to work with our technical officers to provide access to our suite of services that will enhance the businesses export competitiveness” shared Damie Sinanan, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export.

The Caribbean Export-Republic Bank Referral System will enable firms to get one-on-one support as it relates to leveraging the range of services offered by Caribbean Export.  This includes exclusive access to some of the Agency’s most highly demanded programmes such as ProNET, and Services Go Global as well as specialised technical programmes in intellectual property and energy management, amongst others. The Agency and Republic Bank has also agreed to host three training programmes free of charge to firms. They will focus on Export Marketing, Cost and Financial Management in times of COVID 19 and Services Go Global.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, President and CEO of RFHL, Nigel Baptiste, said, “A partnership like this is needed now more than ever as our inherently vulnerable Caribbean economies remain on the path to recovery after the crippling impact of COVID-19 and aim to stay the course to sustainable development and long-term economic growth in a ‘post-pandemic’ world.”

Caribbean Export has a strong track record of providing services to businesses across the region and this conduit through Republic Bank supports their mission to achieve economic transformation in the Caribbean via private sector development.