The Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs recognizes the important role commercial information plays in enhancing business and trade nationally, regionally and internationally.

In this respect, the Ministry houses a Commercial Information Centre which serves as a one stop information centre providing quality information on Commerce, Industry, Business and Trade which can serve the needs of students, researchers, entrepreneurs and other commercial information users.

The Center is opened from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Functions of this section

• Provide clients with quality information;
• Provide linkages with Public Sector agencies  to have up-to-date information;
• Provide a referral service to respond to queries and requests for information;
• Maintain close collaboration with overseas missions and trade commissions;
• Provide the public with information on areas dealing with Commerce, Industry and Consumer Affairs;
• Obtain information from the various departments of the Ministry for storage in the relevant databases;
• Update databases on existing manufacturers and new investors;
• Establish and maintain linkages with national, regional and extra regional agencies in obtaining information for wider use;
• Maintain suggestion boxes for all users of the Information Centre to provide a better services to its users.

Services

Reference Service by Appointment for Students -
An appointment system from Mondays to Friday's and between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm for students.

Referral Service - requests that cannot be satisfied by our Library are referred to the appropriate information sources.

Accessing the INTERNET - this service is free to the Center's users.

Printing Services - We do not offer this service.

Photocopying - We do not offer this service.

Scanning - This service is offered on a limited basis.

Inter Library Loan Services - Lending service among libraries within our Network

Internet & Electronic Services
Information provided using these media include: -

• Statistics
• Trade Agreements
• Market Information
• Company Profiles
• Lists of International Importers
• Product Information

Research Assistance
Relevant CD-ROMs or websites are selected with the assistance of the staff of the Center. To this end, our external clients have been provided with two multi-media computers for their use. Clients are also allowed to use available software programmes such as those in the Microsoft Office Suite.

Library Collection

The collection is classified according to the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) system (the system that is used for trade information). Information is classified in five categories:

Reference - relating to atlases; bibliographies; dictionaries; directories;

Functions - e.g. tourism, trade, investment, quality, trade promotion, management, small business etc.

Countries - e.g. Jamaica, Cuba, Canada, Africa, Korea, Japan etc.

Products - e.g. horticulture, coffee, spices, clothing industry, energy and ethnic products

Services - Trade in Services, Business Services, Food Service Industry, Communication Services, Financial Services and Transport Services, etc.

Please send all queries to cic@govt.lc