The document provides information about Plas Kassav Inc., a Saint Lucian manufacturer, exporter, and supplier of cassava products. Founded in 1998 by Joan Henry and her family, Plas Kassav has grown from a small enterprise to a company with 11 employees that exports its gluten-free cassava flour, bread, and other products to markets in Barbados, Bermuda, England, and St. Maarten. The company offers over 12 flavors of cassava bread and prides itself on using organic, locally sourced cassava to produce nutritional products for diabetics and those following gluten-free diets.

1. Workshop on Micro and Small-
Sized Enterprise Development
Saint Lucia Country Report
Roycelyn St. Hill Howell
Business Development Officer
Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment
and Consumer Affairs
4th Floor Heraldine Rock Building, Waterfront
Castries Saint Lucia

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3. The West Indian Arc of the Windward
Islands…..in the Caribbean
Saint Lucia is one of the Windward Islands a group of
islands located off the southeast coast of North America.
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4. Country divided into
10 districts
Coat of Arms
Saint Lucia
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THE WOB
DWIYET

5. Country Facts
 Area: total: 616.00 sq km (238 sq miles)
 Capital City: Castries
 National Day: December 13th
Independence Day: February 22nd
 Language
 English (official)
 Creole (Patois) evolved out of country’s colonial past being
seven times British and seven times French
 Population - Saint Lucia’s total population according to 2010
census including non-resident persons = 173,720, non-resident
persons = 7,194 and resident persons =166,526 {82,926 males
83,600 females}.
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6. Country Facts
 Life expectancy:
male: 72 years
female: 75 years
 Ethnic groups: black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East
Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1% (2010 census)
 Religion - Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day
Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%,
Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%,
other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2010 census)
 Government Type
 Parliamentary Democracy
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7. Country Facts
 Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds;
dry season January to April, rainy season May to August
 Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad
fertile valleys
 Attractions
 Drive-in Volcano
 Twin Peaks (Petit and Gros Piton)
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8. Economic Background
- In the 1960s,to 90s about 80% of
the island's income derived from
banana-crop exports to the United
Kingdom.
- The 1990’s the removal of market
protection and preferences by the
EU on the ACP countries led to a
reduction in agriculture’s
contribution from 13.8% in the
1980s to 4.5% in the 2000s
- Services began playing an
increasing role from 53.4% in the
1980s to over 64.2 percent in the
2000s.
- Today services particularly tourism
is the driver of economic activity
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9. Economic Figures
Economy
GDP – Composition by
Sector
GDP (Purchasing
power parity) US$1.789 Billion
(2010 est)
Exchange Rate
( to USD) $2.7169
Imports 1755.6 ($M)
Exports 194.4 ($M)
GDP Per capita
(PPP)
$6626.6
Unemployment
Rate
20.6% (2010 est)
GDP
Composition by
sector
Agriculture 7%
Industry 20%
Services 73%
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10. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
INVESTMENT
AND
CONSUMER AFFAIRS
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11. Vision
Mission
To be an agency that delivers internationally
certified quality services for Private Sector
Development in Saint Lucia.
the International
Increase Competitiveness of Saint Lucian
Businesses whilst improving the Domestic
Business Environment and Protecting
Consumer Interest.
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12.  Enterprise Development requires five basic
elements working together
 Human Capital
 Financial Capital
 Appropriate technology
 Market Access
 Government Facilitation
 The elements must be delivered by funded,
competent organizations
Where are We Today in Terms of
Enterprise Development ?
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13. Existing MSME Assistance Programs
NAME OF
ORGANISATION
SMALL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT UNIT
(SEDU)
ESTABLISHED 1994
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A Unit within the Ministry of Commerce, Business
Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs
that provides services for the development of the
micro and small business sector
PROGRAMME (S) Access to Finance, Market and Product
Development, Entrepreneurial Development,
Advocacy, Management Advisory Service
PURPOSE To function as a one stop shop for small business
development and the administration of the Micro
and Small-scale Enterprises Act (19 of 1998, rev
21 of 2006)
BENEFICIARIES Micro and Small business owners and potential
owners
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14. NAME OF ORGANISATION ROLE OF ORGANIZATION
Saint Lucia Chamber of
Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture
The oldest advocacy group for the private
sector in Saint Lucia (1884)
Saint Lucia Bureau of
Standards (SLBS)
Statutory Body established as the National
Standards Body through the enactment of the
Standards Act No. 14 & regulation of weights
and measures activities (1991)
Office of Private Sector
Relations / Trade Export
Promotion Agency
Work at the firm level to enhance
competitiveness Administration of the Special
Development Areas Act (1997); To provide
export advisory services and market
intelligence and analysis (2011)
St. Lucia Coalition of
Services Industries (SLCSI)
SLCSI is a national umbrella body that brings
together all service sector organizations in
Saint Lucia (2005)
Existing MSME Assistance Programs
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15. NAME OF ORGANISATION ROLE OF ORGANIZATION
National Research &
Development Foundation
NGO for Micro enterprise Lending and Training
(1983)
James Belgrave Fund
(BELFund)
A quasi-government not for profit incorporated
agency for Micro enterprise Lending and
Training, Up to $20,000 Int. Rate 10.5%,
(1999)
National Skills Development
Centre (NSDC)
Gov’t owned HR org to create access to quality
training programs leading to jobs and self-
employment (2001)
Caribbean Microfinance Ltd.
(MICROFIN)
Provides loans and business services to micro
and small entrepreneurs$1,000 (min) -
$150,000 (max); Int. Rate 13 % - 24% (2002)
Saint Lucia Development
Bank (SLDB)
Financing facility to assist in providing start-up
equity for young entrepreneurs, technical
assistance, business counseling etc. (re-
established in 2009)
Existing MSME Assistance Programs
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16.  Entrepreneurial Development training
 Small and Micro business $$$$ lending
 Skills Training
 Export Development
 Market and Product Development
 Mentorship
 Management Advisory Service (Counselling)
 Advocacy
 Business Planning
 Accounting services
Services Delivered Today
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17.  Credit Guarantee Scheme
 Access to appropriate technology
 Financing for Market and Product Development
 Greater use of ICT in terms of:
 business process improvement
 marketing
 research
 financial management
 operations management
 human resource management
 Strategic alliances
 Linkages with the education sector
Gaps in Service Delivery
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18. Policy
National Industrial Policy 2001
 Development of the Micro and Small Enterprise
Sector (1 of 6 priority areas of the Policy)
• Increased overall competitiveness
 Better access to finance, business &
technical information
 Up to date management techniques
 Improved level of vocational skills
 Export marketing assistance
Policy Framework
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19. Policy Framework
Strategies
 Private Sector
Development Strategy
 National Export
Development Strategy
 Medium Term
Development Strategy
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20. Policy Framework: Laws
 Income Tax Act
 Fiscal Incentives Act
 Micro and Small-scale
Enterprises Act
 Shopping Hours Act
 External Trade (Restricted
Imports) order
 Public Health Act
 Metrology Act
 Special Development
Areas Act
 Tourism Incentives Act
 Ministry of Agriculture-Acts
 Business Names
Ordinance
 Companies Act
 Standards Act
 Consumer Credit Act
 Caribbean Community
(Movement of Factors) Act
 Development Incentives
Act
 Liquor License Act
 Physical Planning and
Development Act
 Alien License Act
 VAT Act
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21. Policy and
Legislative
Framework
Human Resource
Infrastructure
Requirements
Small size and Small
Economy
(Vulnerability to
external shocks)
Globalization and
Influencing Global
Policy
Financing
Sustainability and
Environmental Issues
Regional
Coordination /
Cooperation
Natural Disasters
Major Advantages and Challenges
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22. St. Lucia Case Study

23.  Name of CEO : Mrs. Joan Henry
 Year of Establishment : 1998
 Nature of Business : Manufacturer, Exporter &
Supplier
 Number of Employees : 11
 Market Covered : Barbados, Bermuda, England &
St. Maarten
 Company Turnover : USD 0.5 to 1 Million
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24. Anse La
Verdure
MAP OF
SAINT LUCIA
24
Plas Kassav Inc. is a
Canaries (Saint Lucia) based
Cassava Products Manufacturer,
Exporter and Supplier.

25.  The company was established by Joan Henry and her
children.
 Joan background in the cassava making started as a young
girl as part of her tradition from her Carib ancestors.
 Plas Kassav started as a relatively small enterprise but in
2006 the business was refurbished and expanded to what
exists today.
 It started with the processing of farina, a cereal base
product and also uses as a meal and two types of cassava
bread- the natural coconut and the cinnamon flavor, known to
Saint Lucian as the sweet type.
History
25

26. 26
Cassava: Raw and Processed
Cassava Root
Cassava
Farina

27. Now the family has developed a wide assortment of
gluten free tasty cassava by-products including:
 Cassava flour
 Cassava pone
 Cassava bread
 Cassava fries
 Cassareep
 Cassava Muffin and
 Cassava Pizza Base
Company Information
27
It offers over 12 flavours of Cassava Bread
(including Apple Raisin, Banana, Chocolate, Cherry Raisin,
Cinnamon, Coconut, Salt-fish).

28.  Cassava Flour is very fine flour, all natural
organic flour and free of preservatives.
 The Cassava Flour is very low on the glycemic
index, which is of importance to diabetics who
must limit their intake of sugar.
 For people who are following a wheat-
free/gluten-free diet, or have sensitivity to
wheat flour or gluten-based products, our
offered Cassava Flour is a great flour alternative.
Product Description
28

29.  Its current production facility includes a small
café and a tour demonstration for visitors
wishing to experience the process of cassava
making.
 The business is easily visible and accessible
to all commuters of the West coast road
particularly visitors to the tourist town of
Soufriere.
Infrastructure
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30.  Plas Kassav Inc. pays keen attention to
product consistency, innovation, and taste,
so our customers can get the best gluten
free products to replace their gluten diet.
 Its products are 100% cassava, all natural,
and free from additives, preservatives,
Wheat and Gluten.
Quality Promise
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31.  Contact Person: Mr. Rosario Wilson
 Address : Anse-La-Verdure, Canaries, Saint Lucia
 Phone : +758-459-4050
 Fax : +758-459-4767
 Mobile : +758-7234521
 Email Address : plaskassav@yahoo.com
 Alternate Email ID : zur_distribution@yahoo.com
 Web Page : http://www.exportersindia.com/plas-
kassav-inc/
 Affordable St. Lucia -- Plas Kassav | Caribbean
Travel + Life: www.youtube.com
Plas Kassav Inc. - Contact Details
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32. 32R Howell St. Lucia

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38. 38R Howell St. Lucia