The Department of Commerce, International Trade, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs will be hosting the 2nd National Forum on Doing Business in Saint Lucia on March 16 at the new Financial Centre, Pointe Seraphine, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. under the theme, “Improving Efficiency in the Business Environment.”
“The main objectives of the forum are to take stock of our successes and challenges in reforming the business environment in Saint Lucia and identify the measures that will receive priority attention as we restructure the economy to become more competitive”, a release from the department said.
Some of the areas in which great emphasis will be given at the National Forum include:
1. E-Filing and E-Payment Project – This involves making online payments/e-payments and filing of taxes online.
2. Introduction of an electronic process to improve the efficiency of the Land Registry
3. Introduction of a Single Window Initiative to address the inefficiencies in the area of Trading Across.
Having ranked number 86 in 2016 in the World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business Report” the Department in collaboration with the Private Sector continues to work assiduously to improve the business environment to make it better to do business in Saint Lucia.
The release said: “Given the importance of reforming the business environment in Saint Lucia, Cabinet has appointed a three member Ministerial Sub-Committee comprising Mr. Bradley Felix, Minister in the Department of Commerce, International Trade, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs, Mr. Dominic Fedee, Minister with responsibility for Tourism and Mr. Guy Joseph, Minister responsibile for Economic Development to oversee the Doing Business Agenda in Saint Lucia. The sub-committee may choose to include other Ministries as and when necessary.