Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 01, 2019 (SKNIS): The manufacturers division of the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce is celebrating Manufacturers Awareness Week 2019 under the theme “Manufacturing –Connecting the world” from September 29th to October 4th 2019.
The week was officially launched on September 30 by Minister of International Trade and Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Honourable Lindsay Grant, at Ebenezer Edmeade Street, C. A Paul Southwell Industrial Site.
The objective of the week of activities is to showcase and create an awareness of the manufacturing sector in St. Kitts and Nevis, said Minister Grant. He added that the manufacturing sector of the federation continues to be an important and significant contributor to the country’s economic development. In fact it contributes some six percent to its GDP.
“It is very important for us to recognize and to celebrate such especially given the resilience and a reliance placed by this sector amidst an extremely complex and challenging global environment,” he said. “It is in light of this that the manufacturing division of the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce is celebrating a week of activities aptly dubbed ‘Manufacturing-Connecting the World’.”
Minister Grant noted that the government recognizes the importance of the manufacturing sector and the significant role it plays in the continued economic development of the federation.
“We know that over the past several years the income from manufacturing exports has been very significant,” he said. “In fact, our federation is still the leader in exports in the OECS Region. This has been for a decade or so.”
He added that St. Kitts and Nevis’ combined total exports are in excess of the combined total of the other OECS countries. “We must be proud of that,” he said.
The minister said that it is important to note that the manufacturing sector employs in excess of 2000 persons. That is over eight percent of the nation’s workforce. Additionally, it employs 96 percent females.
During the week, several schools in Saint Kitts and Nevis will be visited to expand the knowledge and educate not only the students, but the teachers about the manufacturing sector.
The week of activities will culminate with an exhibition on Bank Street of local manufacturers and small businesses within the federation and a motorcade on October 04.
