Economic Development Planning

Economic Development Planning (EDP) is necessary in the context of open small economies of the Caribbean region. VSL Economic Development Planning (EDP) is necessary in the context of open small economies of the Caribbean region. VSL Consultants bring to the task the invaluable experience gained from active participation in development planning exercises for Grenada, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM. Our collaborative approach ensures that the dreams and aspirations of citizens are captured and reflected in the Plan.

Industry and Competitive Analysis

How is your industry changing? What are the drivers of change, and what factors give the competitive edge? When is the right time to enter or to leave an industry? These are all difficult questions for both Governments and firms. These and other questions are answered by our industry analysis and competitive intelligence service. While energy, tourism and cultural industries remain our areas of focus, we work with an excellent team of associates with expertise across other industries.

Community Economic Development

Community-centred economic development or Local Economic Development is gaining traction as a solution to the economic woes of rural and urban depressed communities. VSL applies our customised five-point Stakeholder Based Planning model (ARSER) to guide the formulation and implementation of Community Economic Development (CED) plans. Our services range from planning to execution of CED plans and includes monitoring and evaluation and coordinating training programs to fill identified skills gaps.

Participatory Budgeting
Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process by which citizens determine the choice of public projects to be undertaken by local Government bodies in their municipality. PB becomes highly effective when paired with Community Economic Development (CED). It is a growing phenomenon across the world, and has had great success, particularly in Brazil where it was originally developed in Porto Alegre. In 2020, there were seventy-two (72) countries across the globe with varying degrees of participation in PB. Participatory Budgeting provides an excellent new and transformative initiative that brings citizens into the process of having a direct say in their affairs.