GUYANA— The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) elected Margaret Monplaisir, the current CEO of St. Lucia Distillers, as the first woman to lead the organization in its 50-year history. This also marks the first time that WIRSPA will be led by a member of the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The election took place during WIRSPA’s meeting in Guyana on June 21, the first since the start of the Covid pandemic.
Margaret Monplaisir is a 38-year veteran of the rum industry and has been a member of the WIRSPA Board of Directors for several years. She pledges to maintain the high standards of governance and cohesiveness which have underpinned the successful growth of the organization and of Caribbean brands. “We have many challenges to face, both in our supply chains and in the international market, but our products speak for themselves, and we see a bright future for Caribbean rum,” says Monplaisir.
Caribbean rum brands are keen to explore new markets as the global rum market continues to grow, particularly the premium sector. One of the highlights of this year’s WIRSPA meeting was an exchange with Ambassador Wayne McCook, Assistant Secretary General for Single Market and Trade for the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM), in which producers called on CARICOM to facilitate openings in new markets for premium rum exports.
Also elected at the meeting was Clement “Jimmy” Lawrence, head of the Jamaica rum producers, to serve as Vice Chair. Monplaisir and Lawrence, along with Samaroo, will join the representatives of Barbados and the Dominican Republic on WIRSPA’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, with the support of WIRSPA’s secretariat, will drive the association’s activities toward ensuring continued success for the Caribbean rum industry.
Another key agenda item for producers was the effort to strengthen action to reduce excessive alcohol use by consumers. “We have already made great progress over the past few years to improve labeling, and most of our products now carry advice against drinking under the legal age, drinking while pregnant, and drinking while driving, as well as information on servings and calories,” said Monplaisir. “We also agreed to ramp up our efforts to implement practical measures to reduce access by underage persons to alcohol and to support government efforts around reducing drinking and driving. We have the resources and the commitment to make a difference and we intend to do so.”
Producers also discussed ongoing challenges to the industry – especially in the supply chain, with specific reference to the sourcing of raw materials like molasses and glass bottles. In addition, producers are also responding to climate change, looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint, a developing area that is also becoming a concern for consumers.
About WIRSPA
The West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is one of the oldest private sector trade associations in the Caribbean. It represents rum producers in Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Haiti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago. Their role is to promote the development of Caribbean rum as a premium category and to represent the interests of member associations and in turn their member companies. This work includes trade facilitation, advocacy and assisting members in improving methods of production through training and development and through the work of our technical committee, which meets to discuss issues of common interest.
For More Information:
https://www.stluciadistillers.com/our-rums