Talk on ‘Benchmarking competitiveness’ today

Dr Ganesh Wignaraja will deliver a free public lecture entitled “Benchmarking Competitiveness — Lessons of Experience,” today at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. During this presentation, Dr Wignaraja will touch on such issues as investment promotion and Small/Medium Enterprises (SME) development. Dr Wignaraja is currently Head of Competitiveness Strategy and SME Development at Maxwell Stamp and Associates in London. His talk will focus on  work geared towards promoting awareness of the special vulnerable position of small states in the global economy. The Commonwealth Secretariat has commissioned a study on Small States’ Competitiveness and has selected Malaysia and Trinidad and Tobago as case studies.

Three representatives of the Secretariat are scheduled to visit Trinidad and Tobago during September 15-19 to gather information relevant to the study in preparation for a proposed Executive Forum on National Export Strategy carded to take place in Trinidad early next year. The Executive Forum on National Export Strategy, which is being planned in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO) is scheduled to take place in January 2004. The aim of the Forum is to reinforce the process of National Export Strategy Management, through acquainting decision-makers in the public sector as well as leading representatives in the business community with “best practice” in export strategy management in light of emerging challenges to the country’s international competitiveness.