Working Paper Series: Special Edition of 2016 to 2018 Interns

In Saint Lucia the creative industries has largely been informal and underdeveloped despite this being a great potential foreign earner. A great opportunity would have been lost under the Economic Partnership Agreement (2009), which main purpose was to make it easier for people and businesses between the EU and CARICOM to invest in and trade with each other. Under chapter 3 speaking to cross border services and chapter 4 the temporary presence of natural persons for business purpose (articles 80 and 81) there is provision explicitly for persons within the creative sectors namely advertising services, fashion model services, architectural services and entertainment services other than audiovisual services. Additionally, given the ease and speed of technology, technology’s ability to access the most remote geographical markets and the demand for Caribbean entertainment in particular, the creative sectors potential for growth is huge. The potential to contribute to employment, particularly youth employment can be significant. Experiences from Europe, show that the creative sectors typically employ individuals aged 15–29 years more than any other sector. Women are also more likely to participate in this industry compared to the traditional industries. Moreover, creation is driven by individuals or small businesses, giving rise to less dependency on central government employment. 7.0 Conclusion and Policy Recommendations In conclusion, it is evident that Saint Lucia’s economy is undergoing a structural change with women, youth and the low –skilled bearing the brunt of this change. As a result, there is a demand for more skilled workers than is currently available. The education system has not adapted to this change in reality and is doing a poor job at equipping students for the labour market. It is further evident that direct government interventions in the labour market are costly and unable to sustainably create the sheer number of quality jobs to positively impact the situation. Government’s role therefore is to facilitate the environment for the private sector to lead growth in key development sectors. This environment includes a skilled and modern labour force, an encouraging regulatory space for small businesses and a free flow of capital. Based on the foregoing analysis the following are policy recommendations:

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