An incredible lineup of Saint Lucian and Taiwanese businesses showcased their products over the weekend at the 19th Annual Saint Lucia-Taiwan Trade Show, celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development under the theme “From Local to Global: Innovate Today, Sustain Tomorrow”.
Held from November 6–8 at the Pavilion in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia’s premier business showcase brought together over 60 Saint Lucian businesses and 27 Taiwanese enterprises under one roof.
This year’s theme challenged local entrepreneurs to look beyond domestic borders and strategically position themselves for regional and international market expansion.
Reflecting on how much the event has grown, Jonathan Allain, Director of Commerce and Industry in the Department of Commerce, said that “The trade show started very small [and moved] to a place where we basically have almost 100 persons being able to exhibit.”
“Our main theme is around hemp and we’re working in partnership with the Regulatory Substance Authority (RSA) who is responsible for bringing the cannabis legislation to fruition and to see how Saint Lucia could take advantage of cannabis,” he told THE VOICE in an interview.
Additionally, he stated, “We wanted to show that in terms of cannabis, it’s not just about smoking, but there are other avenues to make money. We got some persons in fashion– persons who do sandals, earrings, clothing and hats, and we gave them the fabric and they created some nice pieces that a lot of persons have been complimentary about.”
The RSA said it was an opportunity to demonstrate how a properly regulated industrial hemp sector could create new possibilities for local businesses, support product innovation and contribute to economic diversification.
“Initiatives like these help the public see the practical opportunities that responsible regulation can support,” the RSA said yesterday.
In addition to the hemp showcase, the trade show also featured a live cook-off, karaoke and digital marketing awards ceremony.
Speaking on the benefits of the trade show, Allain noted that “We’ve had persons in the past who are now selling their products at Massy so they do get that return on investment beyond the trade show itself.”
From fashion, home and garden, gourmet food to technology and more, the displays at this year’s event were endless!