By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A Bahamian manufacturing organisation is seeking to become “top of the mind” again with policymakers, having this week launched a marketing campaign to revitalise the sector.
Representatives of the Bahamas Light Industries Development Council (BLIDC) yesterday told Tribune Business the organisation has launched its own website, and is developing a policy/position paper for government, to raise the profile of local manufacturing.
Bradley Watson, the BLIDC’s chairman, told Tribune Business: “I think that as an organisation we have been reactionary as opposed to proactive, and want to take a more proactive approach and want to be committed.
“Our objective is to maintain a consistent presence in terms of representing manufacturers, light industry and agro-processors.”
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, a brand manager at Caribbean Bottling Company, said the BLIDC was seeking to represent any company that produced, made or added value to products in the Bahamas. Cottage industries are also among those it is seeking to attract.
The BLIDC, which was formed in 1978 under its president, ex-minister and MP Leslie Miller, currently has 25 formal members. However, Jonathan Cartwright, of Cartwright’s Bedding, said many more firms were involved on an informal basis.
“While the BLIDC has been around for years, it was concerned with issues primarily related to tariffs,” Mr Watson said. “At the heart of the matter was tariff regulations.
“While that has an impact on our members, our approach is to establish the BLIDC as the organisation that is top of the mind when you think about manufacturing, agro business and any type of producer, light industry and cottage industry.”
He added: “Switcha started out from home, and now they’re a legitimate light manufacturer. Our objective is to make people out there who are producing stuff, or thinking of producing stuff, aware we are a support organisation for them.
“We have members that can provide them with feedback and guide them through the process. That’s one part. The other part is when the Government, or whichever agency, is thinking of doing anything that may impact us, we want them to have us as top of the mind and make reference to us. We certainly want to be top of mind.”
The BLIDC’s website, BLIDC.org, went live on Tuesday. The organisation plans to use Facebook and other social media to raise awareness, via 30-second video clips and, eventually, a TV ad campaign.
“We are initiating a marketing campaign to raise awareness of the BLIDC for policymakers, members and producers,” Ms Wells added. The Council is also seeking to revive the ‘Buy Bahamian’ campaign among consumers, and work on developing supply linkages between its members and the Government and larger private sector players.
The BLIDC’s members currently include the likes of Blanco Bleach, Aquapure, Caribbean Bottling, The Sign Man, Bahamas Waste, Scottsdale and The Sign Man.
Comments
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