NASSAU, BAHAMAS- A new government-backed portal targeting export-ready and near export-ready Bahamian businesses is being positioned as a central engine to unlock long-stalled export potential—while exposing the structural gaps that continue to hold local firms back.
Chairman of the Trade Commission, Senator Barry Griffin, says the upcoming website/portal will go beyond a simple information site. Instead, it is designed as a practical, hands-on platform connecting Bahamian businesses with the tools, funding, and market access pathways needed to move from local operators to global exporters.
“The Trade Commission will launch its website and portal. It’s going to take the form of an Office of the Prime Minister Opportunity Hub because one of the things on the website is a portal where opportunities are going to be available,” he explained.
At its core, the portal will feature export “to-do lists,” compliance toolkits, grant opportunities, trade missions, and direct access to international market information—resources Griffin says have historically been fragmented or out of reach for many small and mid-sized Bahamian firms.
“We’re inviting tonnes of export-ready and near export-ready Bahamian businesses to engage,” Griffin explained, noting that the initiative reflects a deliberate shift in national economic focus. “This is now a priority of the government. We want to back you, we want to support you, and we want to build that relationship with the private sector.”
While the portal represents progress, Griffin acknowledged that The Bahamas remains overwhelmingly import-dependent, with roughly 90 percent of goods brought in from abroad and about 80 percent of those imports sourced through the United States. That imbalance, he said, makes the country vulnerable to global disruptions and underscores the urgency of both trade diversification and export development.
“We import a lot, and we don’t export a lot,” Griffin acknowledged, framing the issue as both a challenge and an opportunity.
On the import side, the Trade Commission has been pushing aggressively to diversify supply chains—particularly in food and construction materials—by building direct relationships with suppliers in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. The logic is straightforward: cutting out U.S.-based intermediaries could reduce costs by as much as 20 percent on certain goods, including meat and produce.
However, Griffin emphasized that government policy can only go so far, adding that the real shift must come from private sector players—importers, wholesalers, and retailers—who ultimately control purchasing decisions. The government’s role, he said, is to “make it easier” by establishing trade relationships, facilitating missions, and removing friction points.
That same philosophy applies to exports, where the ambition is even more complex. The Bahamas, Griffin said, is pursuing a dual-track strategy: positioning itself as a transshipment hub for goods moving between Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the wider Americas, while simultaneously nurturing a domestic export sector built on fisheries, agriculture, and niche manufactured products.
Progress is being made, albeit incrementally. Griffin noted that in recent years, the Trade Commission has supported the entry of several Bahamian rum brands into UK and European markets and provided grant funding to help local food and cosmetics companies meet U.S. regulatory requirements, including FDA registration and compliance.
Yet despite these wins, the pipeline of export-ready businesses remains limited—and that is where the newly launched portal is expected to play a critical role.
Griffin identified two of the most significant barriers preventing Bahamian companies from scaling into export markets: weak digital presence and complex regulatory requirements.
“The first thing international partners look for is your digital footprint,” he said. “And for many of our small businesses, that’s a gap.”
According to Griffin, in today’s global marketplace, credibility is often established online before any transaction takes place. Businesses without functional websites, e-commerce capabilities, or even basic contact information risk being overlooked entirely. Griffin noted that something as simple as an accessible email address, active social media page, or product listing can determine whether a company is taken seriously by international buyers.
To help bridge that gap, Griffin noted that the government has introduced tools like PricePal, a digital platform that not only allows consumers to compare prices locally but also gives small businesses a low-cost entry point into the digital marketplace. Through such platforms, businesses can showcase products, list pricing, and establish an online presence without the high upfront costs typically associated with building standalone e-commerce systems.
Griffin noted that the more complex—and often more costly—challenge lies in meeting international standards for labelling, packaging, and compliance. Griffin described these requirements as both a “structural and financial barrier,” particularly for small businesses with limited resources.
Different markets impose different rules, often down to the smallest detail. Griffin noted that a food product that meets U.S. labelling standards may still fall short in the European Union. Packaging requirements for beverages, cosmetics, or chemical-based products can vary significantly depending on the destination country. Even within the United States, individual states may have their own regulatory nuances.
“These are not simple adjustments,” Griffin explained. “You may have a great product, but if you can’t afford the consultants or the processes to meet those standards, you can’t export.”
To address this, the Trade Commission has rolled out targeted grant programs aimed at reducing these barriers. Recent initiatives have covered costs associated with FDA registration, labeling compliance, and securing U.S.-based agents who can help navigate distribution channels and regulatory frameworks.
But Griffin made it clear that these interventions are just the beginning. Building a sustainable export sector requires long-term investment, coordination, and a cultural shift among Bahamian businesses toward thinking beyond the domestic market.
It also requires patience.
“Export takes time. It takes investment,” he said. “It’s not something that happens overnight,’ Griffin noted.
