UWI Five Islands Campus to host Regional Forum on Supply Chain Management and Logistics for post-COVID-19

Global trade is in flux, and Caribbean companies are facing huge risks. The big question is: How will they plan for future disruptions, and adapt to more agile systems?

To answer this, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Five Islands Campus, in Antigua and Barbuda, will be hosting “Supply Chain Management and Logistics in a Post-COVID-19 Caribbean” on Monday, February 22, 2021, from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. (Eastern Caribbean time). This event is the latest in the Campus’ monthly Public Advocacy Series, which supports its mission to assist the OECS region in becoming more globally competitive. It’s a free event and interested persons can register at www.fiveislands.uwi.edu/publicadvocacyseries.

Featuring Ambassador G. Anthony Hylton, who will discuss strategies for restructuring supply chain systems, this instalment of the series promises stimulating discussions around leveraging new technologies, mapping suppliers, and regionalizing manufacturing and transport to reduce the region’s overreliance on distant trade partners.

Professor Densil A. Williams, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Five Islands Campus commented on the relevance of the discussion saying, “A logistics centered economy is the major growth pole that will drive the transformation of small developing economies in the Caribbean post the pandemic.”

Already, COVID-19 has shown that a single source of supply creates vulnerability in a company’s supply chain. Decreased demand, as well as the shutdown of factories in China and across Asia, into Europe and the United States, has hurt the entire global supply chain of goods and raw materials for manufacturing inputs.

Companies must, therefore, reassess their supply-chain designs to withstand unforeseen disruptions, and adapt to the restructuring of global trade in a post-pandemic world. They must also establish an agile, resilient and flexible global supply chain strategy, and leverage new opportunities to avoid becoming permanent victims of disruption.

“Businesses must become more proactive,” says Dr Curtis Charles, Campus Director of Academic Affairs. “This is why, in addition to education and research, The UWI has focused on the third pillar of innovation to help drive regional growth.

Ambassador Hylton is highly knowledgeable, due to his background in trade and foreign affairs. The business community, as well as students of commerce, will benefit from joining this discussion.”

The Five Islands Campus looks forward to the OECS and wider Caribbean business community joining this critical conversation aimed at strengthening regional resilience. Interested persons are encouraged to register early online.