In 2001, the CARICOM secretariat recommended that a services coalition be established in each member state.  It was foreseen that this agency would serve as a focal point for the services sector and function primarily as a lobbying institution in order to provide CARICOM, governments and negotiators with general and sectoral positions as it related to trade in services.  The proposed coalition would be a member of the Technical Working Group in Services, an organ of the Caribbean Community.

The CARICOM push for an agency responsible for the services sector was occurring alongside declining agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
Rising costs and the erosion of preferential market access were making these sectors less relevant than ever to the Barbadian economy.  At the same time, in the wake of the World Trade Centre disaster in September 2001, the volatility of the tourism sector was glaring and the challenge of improving economic security by diversifying away from the tourism industry became paramount.

Further, Barbados regionally and otherwise, enjoys a competitive advantage in its human resources.  The country prides itself on its reputation of being a provider of high-quality services, as tertiary
education is provided at very little or no cost.    However, jobs in the
tourism sector, the primary employer, are generally low skilled.
Therefore, there is opportunity to both generate foreign exchange through the export of services and a need to increase value added positions in the services sector in order to create more productive, better paying jobs and increase the return to education.

All of these factors served as catalysts in the Government of Barbados’
decision to support the CARICOM initiative to set up a coalition of service industries in Barbados.  However, given the reasons noted above, the coalition assumed a larger scope than serving strictly as a lobbying agency.


BCSI Timeline


March 2002   

The Barbados Professional Services Export Committee was formed  at the request of Lynette Eastmond, Director of the International Business Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 

 
July 2002   

During a meeting of representatives of the Export Committee in July 2002, Timothy Odle, Deputy Program Manager of the CARICOM secretariat encouraged the Committee to evolve into a Coalition of Service Industries. 


October 2002    

The Barbados Coalition of Service Industries held its first Annual General Meeting.

November 2002    

The Barbados Coalition of Service Industries was officially launched.


2003-2004   

The Government of Barbados financially supported the BCSI at BDS$250,000 and has continued to support the organization since.

January 2004   

The Secretariat was established.