BELTRAIDE @ 20 in 2020!
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, BELTRAIDE, is now twenty years old. The agency opened its doors back in the year 2000 to create a competitive business environment that promotes an investment-friendly climate; as well as to provide support to micro, small and medium enterprises. To mark this milestone, the agency held a virtual session to share its achievements and recognize its partners. As a part of its celebration, BELTRAIDE launched its latest edition of its flagship publication InvestBelize which is only available in digital format. Here’s a look at how that went:
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. On Monday, the agency hosted a virtual event to share its achievements since its inception in 2000.
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton, Minister of State, Investment, Trade & Commerce
“When this organization was first instituted twenty years ago, it was envisioned to become the investment promotion and facilitation agency of the Government of Belize. Today, fostering investment confidence is still a major goal of the young and very talented professionals who lead the charge. However, we have expanded our services to support the development of entrepreneurship; small business growth and innovation; training and export facilitation. Since its inception, hundreds of developers and local businesses and entrepreneurs have accessed our support services and have enabled millions of dollars in investments in new industries that have translated to thousands of jobs for our citizens.”
To commemorate its twenty-year milestone, BELTRAIDE also launched the seventh volume of its magazine InvestBelize. This digital edition ‘Beltraide at 20 in 2020’ shares the success stories of entrepreneurs – big and small.
Leroy Almendarez
Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE
“Given its wide reader, nationally and internationally it serves as an effective platform for promoting business opportunity in Belize. As we unveil volume seven today, we look forward to continue stimulating local investment and entrepreneurship, as well as attracting the interest of investors, capitalists and other business professionals from around the world by showcasing Belize as a viable and competitive hub for investment and trade.”
Tracy Panton
“The stories in this magazine are those of resilience and determination and the importance of partnership for business success. It is devoted to finding solutions; the best benefits for clients from small companies like Indira Spices which is owned by young entrepreneur Geovanni Dominguez who started this business while in high school to our larger more recognized companies like Western Diaries who has been around since 1967. I hope that these stories of perseverance encourage every single Belizean on the importance of buying and supporting our Belizean goods and services.”
Forging ahead, BELTRAIDE seeks to improve its services and strengthen its relationships it navigates the uncertain economic climate caused by COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Leroy Almendarez
“BELTRAIDE is currently engaged with key stakeholders across the private and public sector in developing the national investment policy and strategy or commonly known as NIPS. An important goal of this initiative is to streamline the investment process and remove unnecessary bottlenecks and bureaucracies across the various agencies that investors may need to engage with. Feedback from the private sector is that often times this process can be disjointed and bureaucratic and being responsive to the needs of its clientele, BELTRAIDE is working towards a more efficient environment that minimizes delays.”
Tracy Panton
“We accept that the year 2020 has been, on record, our most challenging one yet, not only for us but the country and the world as we knew it. The pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis on a global scale. It has not only endangered and threatened human lives but it has crippled the global economy. Despite the sudden shift to the “new normal” it is BELTRAIDE’s firm commitment to continuously work to execute its mandate as effectively and efficiently as we can.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
