Senator the Honourable Satyakama Maharaj, Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism, delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) 2026, outlining the Government’s agenda to position Trinidad and Tobago as a globally competitive, diversified and sustainable economy. He urged private sector enterprises to embrace innovation, expand into new markets and work collaboratively with the State to accelerate long term economic growth.
Minister Maharaj commended the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) for its enduring contribution to national development and for championing the belief that local industry can compete with the very best internationally.
Speaking to an audience of local, regional and international business leaders, manufacturers, investors and trade representatives, Senator Maharaj highlighted the Government’s intensified focus on developing the non energy sector through strategic investment in manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, technology, professional services, logistics and the creative industries.
“Manufacturing creates value across the entire economy. It generates skilled jobs, drives innovation, earns foreign exchange and strengthens businesses throughout the supply chain. When manufacturing grows, much of the economy grows with it,” he said.
He reaffirmed Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to strengthening commercial relationships with CARICOM, Latin America, MERCOSUR, Ghana and the wider West African region, describing Ghana as a strategic gateway to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a market of more than 420 million consumers.
The Minister also noted ongoing efforts to establish direct air services between Trinidad and Tobago and Accra, Ghana recognising that improved connectivity will facilitate trade, investment, tourism and deeper commercial ties between the Caribbean and Africa.
“Our vision is to position Trinidad and Tobago as the natural commercial gateway between the Caribbean, Africa and the emerging markets of the East, creating new opportunities for trade, investment and tourism,” he stated.
He further outlined several reforms underway at the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism aimed at improving the ease of doing business, including strengthening the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards, modernising digital trade platforms, enhancing trade facilitation, expanding market access and providing greater support to exporters seeking to compete globally.
Senator Maharaj closed his address with a call to national confidence and collective ambition: “Let us prove, to ourselves and to the world, that the country we love can become everything we know it is capable of becoming. Because I believe with all my heart that the greatest country on earth has not yet written its greatest chapter.”
TIC 2026 brings together businesses, investors, manufacturers and industry leaders to promote trade, investment and regional collaboration while showcasing Trinidad and Tobago’s products, services and export potential. This year’s convention is the biggest TIC ever and features 400 exhibition booths, over 23,000 expected attendees, buyers from 34 countries and exhibitors spanning the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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