Over the past four days, local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), along with exporters, have been taking part in a digital bootcamp hosted by Export Saint Lucia in partnership with the Caribbean Export Development Agency.
The bootcamp aimed to equip Saint Lucian businesses with the tools they need to compete in a digital economy and reach new markets at home and abroad.
Over 40 businesses joined the programme, representing sectors such as manufacturing, health and wellness, accommodation, and services.
At the programme’s opening, Kelvin Jn Baptiste, Technical Officer at Export Saint Lucia, said the region can no longer treat digital transformation as an afterthought.
“For too long, digital inclusion hasn’t been the priority it needs to be. While our public sectors have made strides in E-government, our private sector, specifically MSMEs, has faced steep uphill battles. We are equipping 40 MSMEs with precise tools to bridge this gap,” Jn Baptiste said.
During the four-day bootcamp, participants learned about digital transformation, cloud tools, artificial intelligence, data analytics, e-commerce, and cybersecurity. These topics were chosen to help businesses work more efficiently and stay competitive.
A key feature of the programme is that the top 20 participating businesses will receive a tailored digital transformation roadmap. This will give them practical steps for integrating digital tools and strategies into their operations.
Jonathan Seecharan, Innovation and Digital Business Officer at Caribbean Export, encouraged participants to take full advantage of the opportunities offered.
“There are tools that will be placed in your hands but you must be the ones to bridge that gap. It is no doubt that right here in the room, we have the talent, creativity and the resilience to compete with anyone on the global stage,” Seecharan said.
Organisers say programmes like the bootcamp are meant to help local businesses keep up as technology changes the global marketplace.
