The Ministry (MTI), Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) and RBTT Bank Limited have joined forces to sponsor the event, which is the flagship inward trade mission of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers' Association (TTMA

).

TIC 2008 takes place from April 30 to May 3, 2008. It is the Caribbean's biggest business-to-business event, and includes a multi-sectoral 292-booth tradeshow, structured networking opportunities and a topical business education programme. A wide cross-section of companies from around the world will showcase goods and services to thousands of local, regional and international buyers – including specially organised trade missions and buyer delegations.

TIC is celebrating its ninth anniversary, and, says Minister Rowley, “has grown to become a critical nexus for business, trade and investment, providing opportunities for manufacturers and buyers, investors and financiers, suppliers, service providers, regulatory agencies, consultants and media operators to network, share ideas, and develop business partnerships. This productive, dynamic interaction is critical for our regional business sectors as we compete on the global stage.”

Spanning the sectors
TIC's evolution in a very real way, reflects the growth, vibrancy and diversification of the economies of T&T and the Caribbean. What began as a small show, with about 30 exhibits devoted to manufacturing has grown into a massive display of regional business capabilities, spanning all sectors. For overseas exhibitors, buyers and investors, TIC offers a unique introduction to the warmth and culture of the peoples of the Caribbean and insights into the way business is done in the region. Central and South America are also major participants in the Convention, a direct result of the deepening of south-south ties.

TIC takes place in the Caribbean's most dynamic (and fastest growing) market. Energy has powered Trinidad and Tobago to success as Caribbean's largest and strongest economy (GDP Growth 2006: 12 percent). Today, it is one of the world's leading energy producers, the world's fifth largest producer of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and the largest provider to North America (T&T also supplies the US with 56 percent of its ammonia and 77 percent of its methanol imports). Now, propelled by this wealth of energy and leveraging its natural, geographic and human resources, T&T has embarked on an ambitious programme of diversification, partnering with businesses across the globe.

Trinidad and Tobago's open and increasingly diversified economy offers an investment and business friendly environment, characterised by a stable political system, strong legislative and regulatory framework and progressive investment policies encouraging fair competition. The prospects for investors are boundless and they'll all be on show at TIC's new Investment Portal.

The bottom line: $350m-plus in trade in just nine years makes TIC a force to be reckoned with. From small transactions, to orders for containers of goods, to massive construction deals – just about every type of deal is done on the TIC Tradeshow floor.

Significant contact
Mrs Katherine Kumar, Managing Director of RBTT Bank Limited, says TIC “has brought tremendous benefits to our clients and our bank in the domestic market — with unprecedented value added in regional and extra-regional markets,” noting that that “it was through the Trade and Investment Convention that RBTT was able to make that significant contact which led to a vibrant merchant banking and corporate banking business in Costa Rica… Joining the Convention will pay dividends. A chance visit to your booth or a chance conversation can lead to new horizons for your business, as RBTT discovered with our Costa Rican connections.”

TSTT's Chief Executive Officer, Mr Roberto Peon adds: “Trinidad and Tobago may be a relatively small landmass at the tip of south America but TSTT has worked hard to ensure that the country is plugged into to every major hub around the world and vice versa. The TTMA has also worked extremely hard to plug Trinidad and Tobago into the rest of the world and the Trade and Investment Convention is an excellent example of how communications enables the creation of a global village. The TTMA has continued to successfully network to bring together a diverse group of buyers and sellers from the Caribbean, North America, Central America, South America, Europe, and Asia.”