In a quest to establish a strategic partnership with all business organisations, the business education committee of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce will host a business essay competition and the Annual Corporate Spelling Bee.
The competition, which will be judged for the “First Annual Prestigious Business Essay Competition Award” will be on the topic of “The Benefits & Challenges of the FTAA… a business perspective.”
According to Michaela Theophilus, spokesperson for the committee the idea came out of information about the FTAA.
“The objective is to get our local business community actively involved in researching FTAA, and to give them the opportunity to address key issues that significantly impact their business, their socio-economic position and their future growth in the competitive global market.
She said it provides an incentive for small businesses to research information about the FTAA to understand clearly how will affect them.
“The Ministry of Trade and Industry has done a lot to educate and sensitise the public, but I feel that this is an opportunity for them to learn about the implications themselves. Then they will have a true perspective on how it may affect them and what they can do to be competitive when FTAA comes effective in 2005.”
The companies that wish to participate can do so as a group or by selecting an individual company representative.
Points that should be covered in the essays include:
* How can Bahamian companies achieve world-class products and services to match or surpass international standards;
* How can these companies prepare themselves to become more competitive in the global marketplace; and
* How can these companies survive or remain viable after 2005 when FTAA takes effect?
The deadline for essay submissions is April 25.
A report summary will be submitted to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, so that highlighted issues can be taken into consideration for future critical decisions relevant to the international policies of FTAA.
Also sponsored by the chamber is the spelling bee under the theme “Enriching the Learning Experience of Adults in the Workplace.”
The bee was a bid to develop workplace literacy within the chamber. The event was successful last year and it is hoped to attract at least 20 companies this year.
“It is believed that the business community possesses a great deal of untapped talent in this arena, and this is an opportunity for companies to identify their individual teams to represent them in this prestigious contest,” Dr. Theophilus said
The event will be headed by Nevillene Rolle of St. John’s College, who serves on the business education committee. It is hoped that the National Corporate Spelling Bee team from The Bahamas will be able to compete with the International Corporate Spelling Bees by 2005.
A Chamber of Commerce week commences with a church service and is followed by a courtesy call to the governor-general, business luncheons, and art competitions among high schools, and wraps up with the Annual Chamber Banquet May 11.
By Denise Major, The Nassau Guardian
