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VINCI HIGHLIGHTS PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAPACITY, PLANNING,

SAFETY AND TRAINING AND LOCAL CONTENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE

PROJECTS

On July 11th 2013, EUROCHAMTT and VINCI Construction Grands Projets hosted a presentation about the VINCI design

and construction contracts on the interchange system, aimed at improving traffic flow along the East West Corridor at

Grand Bazaar Intersection. The system comprises a network of bridges and additional roads under construction and

not yet visible from the main Churchill Roosevelt and Uriah Butler highways. The project is one of the most critical

pieces of infrastructure for the country that is expected to affect in a positive way, the lives of many citizens and

productivity and cost of doing business in Trinidad and Tobago.

An Important consideration for this project was the project management capacity of the service provider, planning for

the limitations including the existence of the Nestle factory and Grand Bazaar and the ability to ensure that traffic

flows and the routes were uninterrupted during the construction phase. Apart from this factor, VINCI demonstrated

a large percentage of local content in its resourcing for the project including: 90% of the workforce and 75% of the

value of supplier contracts for equipment and materials. Responsible risk, safety and environmental management

policies are observed by staff and the project team and significant attention is placed on training. Training programmes

From top left to right:

1. Second interchange

at Uriah Butler and

Churchill Roosevelt

intersection designed

and constructed by

VINCI; 2. Image of

divisional structure of

VINCI group

internationally; 3.

Vinci regional and

local heads present

the project in Trinidad

and Tobago;

4. Safety engineer explains on the GPS map the entire interchange system being

constructed by VINCI; 5. representatives of the German Embassy, Caribbean Safety

Products, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Honorary Consul for Switzerland at the

presentation by VINCI and 6. Rgional VINCI Head, EUROCHAMTT President and Local VINCI

Head visit site.

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were conducted for the staff/project team, in safety, rigging, traffic control, technology development. These

programmes brought added value to their team members, particularly the local staff leading to greater labour

productivity levels on the job and in general added value to the project benefits.

CHOCOLATE TRAINING FOR CHEFS

EUROCHAMTT member, Lesley Ann Jurawan, DELFT COCOA PLANTATIONS (see

http://sta.uwi.edu/pelican/depts_cwa.asp) was awarded a Contract to organise training for the preparation of value

added cocoa products under a CDE funded programme to support the cocoa sector (CDE is funded by the EU:

www.cde.int). Among the 7 modules planned, Module 6 was targeted at Caribbean Chefs with the major objective

being to enable participants to enhance their current culinary repertoire by showcasing local chocolate and cocoa in

response to a growing trend in culinary tourism in the Caribbean region. Training was held at the Trinidad Hilton and

Conference Centre on August 7th and 8th and led by World Chocolate Ambassador, Chef Bart Van Cauwenberghe, also

the owner of De Zwarte Vos Chocolaterie in Belgium with over 20 years of culinary experience working with chocolate.

See www.dezwartevos.be and http://www.callebaut.com/ocen/chefs-grow/chefs-create/bart-van-cauwenberghe.

This Culinary Training was specifically designed to promote the use of local products by adapting high level European

standard training together with specialized recipe formulation for Culinary Professionals operating in the Caribbean.

Twelve (12) Chefs attended: from hotels Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Asa Wright

Nature Centre; restaurants: Chaud Cafe, La Tartaruga, Ciao Cafe and catering service: Coco Payol.

Chocolate

Sculpture

created by

the

participants

during

training

Participants at

the EU

funded/CDE

Chef Training

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Future Training and activities:

DELFT COCOA PLANTATIONS AND CHEF Van Cauwenberghe have established a long term partnership to continue

training in chocolate products and so this is yet another fine example of EU/ TT Partnership

Chocolate Discovery: Training

DELFT COCOA PLANTATIONS AND CHEF Van Cauwenberghe will provide more training to small groups of Chefs

including training to individual establishments. EUROCHAMTT is seeking sponsors who may be keen to support these

efforts.

Chocolate Discovery: Wine and Chocolate Evening

As part of Delft Cocoa Plantations' primary goal of promoting fine/flavour cocoa in Trinidad and Tobago/ aiding in the

effort to revitalize the cocoa industry through fine chocolate, Chocolate Ambassador Chef Van Cauwenberghe of

Belgium will be invited back to give a talk/guided tasting of various chocolate dishes paired with various wines

and spirits.

Other suggestions and expressions of interest from sponsors are welcomed.

UPDATE ON EUROCHAMTT WEBSITE

The EUROCHAMTT Website is currently being developed with the kind contribution of member company, The

Graphic Language Company Limited, whose founder and President Andrew Mackay, a long-time associate of the

Director, European Affairs is now located in Malta which is one of the smallest members of the EU. Here are some

important updates. Comments and feedback are welcomed.

Content management: we have an open source content management system and a membership management

tool under test while we collate the site's copy and images.

OpenX advertising management system: this is being evaluated to allow member companies' advertisements

to appear on the site. EUROCHAMTT would consider incorporating this as a potential revenue-generating

tool.

Newsletters: The basic configuration for connecting a MailChimp newsletter service with the website's CRM is

complete as are the bones of the basic layout.

Photos and file sharing: An "assets" section to allow access to images and files for sharing has been set up.

Member badge: a "EUROCHAMTT member" badge that members can show on their website has now been

designed.

Content: Some drafts statements have been created for the privacy policy, the terms & conditions of use,

EUROCHAMTT's history and the membership level descriptions. Content and volunteer support is most

welcomed from other members for the development of content in such areas as: History of the economic

relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and the E.U.; EUROCHAMTT’s view on the regulatory environment

as it relates to offshore businesses operating in TnT; Environment for promoting and supporting TnT

businesses to export and/or expand to other jurisdictions; Images without rights protection that reflect the

islands from the perspective of business, networking, the E.U. and feature any sectors, produce, relationships,

networking.

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UPDATE ON EUROCHAMTT MEMBER DIRECTORY

EUROCHAMTT is currently negotiating an Agreement with another member for the development of the

Membership Directory and Social Media. The idea is that the member will create the artwork and layout

while EUROCHAMTT will be responsible for gathering information from its members for the first edition.

Thereafter, members will be responsible for individual revisions and updates to individual pages.

COURTESY MEETING WITH ECONOMIC COUNSELLOR, FRENCH MISSION RESIDENT

IN CARACAS

The French Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago, arranged a courtesy meeting for EUROCHAMTT with Mr Jean Dollé,

Economic Counsellor resident in Caracas, when he visited Trinidad from 23 to 26 July to update the country report for

Trinidad & Tobago. In administrative terms, the Trade Office in POS is under the jurisdiction of the Trade Office in

Caracas as well as the Regional Trade Office in Panama. The EUROCHAMTT President was able to exchange

information with Mr. Dollé, and with Trade Attaché for the French Embassy, Mr. Winston Aqui, who is resident in

Trinidad and Tobago, on EUROCHAMTT activities. Mr. Dollé described some of the activities in Caracas and especially

the monthly lunches/economic debates organised by the Franco-Venezuelan Chamber. He also raised the idea of

possible collaboration with the Franco-Venezuelan Chamber in Caracas and Ubifrance, www.ubifrance.fr . UBIFRANCE

is the French Agency for international business development, an industrial and commercial public establishment under

the supervision of the Minister of Economy and Finance, the Minister of Foreign Trade and the Treasury Department.

UBIFRANCE has its own network of 1,400 multicultural employees worldwide dedicated to supporting SMEs and

exports.

EUROCHAMTT is keen to connect with other European Chambers and would be happy to meet with those Chamber

representatives visiting Trinidad and Tobago.

EUROCHAMTT VISITS HIGH COMMISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND

TOBAGO IN LONDON AND EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND

TOBAGO TO BRUSSELS BELGIUM

In an effort to broaden the network, EUROCHAMTT President paid courtesy visits to two Trinidad and Tobago

missions while on vacation in Europe: The Embassy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Brussels Belgium with

responsibility for Benelux and France and the High Commission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in London

From left to right:

Mr. Winston Aqui,

French Embassy in

POS; Marie Louise

Norton-Murray,

EUROCHAMTT, Mrs

Gladys Dollé, Mr.

Jean Dollé , French

Embassy Caracas

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which represents the UK, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway and Sweden. The opportunity was presented to

introduce the EUROCHAMTT formally to these two Trinidad and Tobago missions abroad and share with them our

purpose and activities and more importantly, become familiar with their activities and how EUROCHAMTT and its

members may be able to collaborate for increased trade and investment and partnership between the EU and

Trinidad and Tobago.

Brussels: in addition to the exchange of information on activities, Brussels provided an opportunity for a formal

introduction and meeting with the TBT Programme, an opportunity to learn of the 11th EDF discussions and

suggestions for networking with other EU Chambers with Caribbean interest.

London: EUROCHAMTT Members are strongly advised to view the website which contains a wealth of information

and opportunities: http://www.tthighcommission.co.uk. The High Commission has also provided research on the

major Trade shows in Europe which we will add to the dropbox and also summaries links to tenders of interest to

European companies as well as investment opportunities in Trinidad and Tobago. The High Commission will be

visiting Germany and 4 Scandinavian countries for trade and investment promotion in September and October

respectively.

Special thanks to the following persons for contributions for this issue: Sophia Spence, Kainos Concepts

Lesley-Ann Jurawan, Delft Cocoa Plantations Ltd.

Members are invited to send news and articles of interest for the next newsletter to the editorial committee

by 30 August:

Joannah Bharose: joannahbharose@gmail.com

Marie Louise Norton-Murray: marielouise.norton-murray@eurochamtt.org

Aisha de Four: info@eurochamtt.org

Ian Smart: ian.smart@eurochamtt.org

Andrew Mackay: andrew@graphiclanguage.ca

EUROCHAMTT is creating networks of people and skills

for the increase in investment and trade between

Europe and Trinidad and Tobago

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2013

JUNE o 10-11 June – the 3rd annual Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF), an initiative of the

Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment (MTII), presented by INVESTTT

o 12-15 June – Trade and Investment Conference

o June (date to be confirmed ) – EUROCHAMTT lobbying committee first meeting

JULY o 11 July – Presentation by VINCI Construction Grands Projets on four critical

infrastructure projects in Trinidad and Tobago to improve traffic flow along the East-

West Corridor, mainly dealing with Grand Bazaar Interchange

AUGUST

o Friday 23, August – Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment ECB Project Proposal

Evaluation - Sensitisation Workshop, at Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards

Conference Facility, 8.30 am to 12.30 pm

SEPTEMBER o September (to be confirmed) –: Networking event in Tobago rescheduled. This day

event will feature two tours showcasing the environmental consciousness and

emphasis on high quality food on the island. The first tour will take us to the

Footprints Nature Reserve in Culloden Bay while the second will be to the Orange Hill

Nature Ranch – Goat Dairy and Organic Farm.

OCTOBER o Tuesday 8 October evening - EUROCHAMTT quarterly meeting at the Hyatt Regency

Hotel.

Purpose: special presentation by Franco-Venezuelan Chamber, introduction of new members, strategic plan , update by marketing and lobbying committees, project updates, networking

o 24-26 October Tobago Good Foods Project workshops (to be confirmed)

NOVEMBER o Networking event

DECEMBER o 5 December (to be confirmed) – Christmas Networking Event