2011年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___St_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines_Country_Profile_2010_15页_809kb

Summary of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Country Profile (2010)

Core Content

This document presents the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Country Profile from the World Bank Group's Enterprise Surveys conducted in 2010. It provides an overview of the business environment, focusing on various factors that influence firm productivity and performance. The data is benchmarked against the Latin America & Caribbean region and the Upper Middle Income group.

Key Business Environment Indicators

Corruption

• Graft Index (Proportion of firms asked to pay informal payments): 4.1 (Overall), 5.8 (Small), 0.0 (Medium), 0.0 (Large), compared to regional average of 6.6 and income group average of 7.9.
• Gifts to tax inspectors: 5.9% of firms, with small firms at 7.9%.
• Gifts to secure government contracts: 0% in all firm sizes, compared to 11.8% (regional) and 17.7% (income group).
• Gifts to obtain a construction permit: 3.6% (Overall), 9.2% (Small), compared to 13.0% (regional) and 14.5% (income group).
• Gifts to obtain an import license: 4.3% (Overall), 6.7% (Small), compared to 6.5% (regional) and 9.9% (income group).
• Gifts to obtain an operating license: 10.1% (Overall), 15.4% (Small), compared to 9.6% (regional) and 7.7% (income group).

Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

• Days to obtain import license: 3.5 (Overall), 2.8 (Small), 5.0 (Medium), 3.0 (Large), compared to regional average of 27.2 and income group average of 24.2.
• Days to obtain construction-related permit: 155.3 (Overall), 24.2 (Small), 243.4 (Medium), 93.2 (Large), compared to regional average of 93.9 and income group average of 80.8.
• Days to obtain operating license: 7.3 (Overall), 5.3 (Small), 3.4 (Medium), 44.2 (Large), compared to regional average of 52.3 and income group average of 42.9.
• Senior management time spent dealing with government regulations: 4.7% (Overall), 4.7% (Small), 4.5% (Medium), 8.6% (Large), compared to regional average of 14.4% and income group average of 12.1%.
• Average number of visits with tax officials: 1.0 (Overall), 0.9 (Small), 1.1 (Medium), 2.5 (Large), compared to regional average of 1.6 and income group average of 1.9.
• Ownership structure:
  • Open Shareholding Company: 0.0% (Overall), 0.0% (Small), 0.0% (Medium), 0.0% (Large).
  • Closed Shareholding Company: 29.0% (Overall), 25.5% (Small), 36.6% (Medium), 100.0% (Large).
  • Sole Proprietorship: 57.7% (Overall), 64.9% (Small), 32.8% (Medium), 0.0% (Large).
  • Partnership: 6.4% (Overall), 3.1% (Small), 21.8% (Medium), 0.0% (Large).
  • Limited Partnership: 5.2% (Overall), 5.3% (Small), 5.1% (Medium), 0.0% (Large).
  • Other: 0.7% (Overall), 0.4% (Small), 1.9% (Medium), 0.0% (Large).

Average Firm

• Age of firms (years): 19.4 (Overall), 17.6 (Small), 25.7 (Medium), 30.8 (Large), compared to regional average of 20.9 and income group average of 17.5.
• Female participation in ownership: 76.0% (Overall), 76.9% (Small), 69.3% (Medium), 100.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 42.7% and income group average of 37.0%.
• Female participation in top management: 38.6% (Overall), 41.3% (Small), 25.7% (Medium), 52.9% (Large), compared to regional average of 20.8% and income group average of 19.5%.
• Ownership by private sectors:
  • Private Domestic: 89.1% (Overall), 90.7% (Small), 82.4% (Medium), 86.4% (Large), compared to regional average of 89.1% and income group average of 87.7%.
  • Private Foreign: 9.9% (Overall), 8.3% (Small), 16.8% (Medium), 10.9% (Large), compared to regional average of 8.8% and income group average of 9.8%.
  • Government/State: 0.2% (Overall), 0.1% (Small), 0.5% (Medium), 2.7% (Large), compared to regional average of 0.1% and income group average of 0.7%.
  • Other: 0.8% (Overall), 0.9% (Small), 0.2% (Medium), 0.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 2.0% and income group average of 1.8%.

Finance

• Internal finance for investment: 55.8% (Overall), 51.8% (Small), 66.0% (Medium), 77.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 61.8% and income group average of 59.5%.
• Bank finance for investment: 28.8% (Overall), 32.4% (Small), 18.7% (Medium), 16.2% (Large), compared to regional average of 19.6% and income group average of 24.0%.
• Trade credit financing for investment: 5.6% (Overall), 5.6% (Small), 6.0% (Medium), 2.3% (Large), compared to regional average of 8.7% and income group average of 6.3%.
• Equity, sale of stock for investment: 5.8% (Overall), 6.4% (Small), 4.6% (Medium), 0.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 4.5% and income group average of 5.5%.
• Other financing for investment: 4.0% (Overall), 3.8% (Small), 4.8% (Medium), 4.5% (Large), compared to regional average of 5.6% and income group average of 4.7%.
• External working capital financing: 34.4% (Overall), 33.8% (Small), 38.8% (Medium), 18.8% (Large), compared to regional average of 39.4% and income group average of 37.3%.
• Collateral needed for a loan (% of loan amount): 211.1% (Overall), 218.9% (Small), 171.8% (Medium), 289.3% (Large), compared to regional average of 200.8% and income group average of 160.8%.
• Firms with bank loans/line of credit: 56.5% (Overall), 58.7% (Small), 49.3% (Medium), 33.6% (Large), compared to regional average of 49.3% and income group average of 47.5%.
• Firms with checking or savings account: 98.6% (Overall), 99.6% (Small), 93.9% (Medium), 100.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 91.6% and income group average of 92.3%.

Infrastructure

• Number of power outages per month: 2.1 (Overall), 2.1 (Small), 1.9 (Medium), 3.4 (Large), compared to regional average of 3.9 and income group average of 4.0.
• Value lost due to power outages (% of sales): 0.8 (Overall), 0.9 (Small), 0.6 (Medium), 0.0 (Large), compared to regional average of 3.3 and income group average of 2.7.
• Number of water shortages per month: 2.5 (Overall), 1.0 (Small), 4.0 (Medium), N/A (Large), compared to regional average of 4.2 and income group average of 3.7.
• Average duration of water shortage (hours): 0.9 (Overall), 0.5 (Small), 1.4 (Medium), N/A (Large), compared to regional average of 9.2 and income group average of 8.7.
• Delay in obtaining electrical connection: 9.2 (Overall), 9.5 (Small), 9.5 (Medium), 4.9 (Large), compared to regional average of 22.7 and income group average of 36.0.
• Delay in obtaining water connection: 99.9 (Overall), 4.3 (Small), 231.1 (Medium), 4.0 (Large), compared to regional average of 28.1 and income group average of 33.8.
• Delay in obtaining mainline telephone connection: 7.3 (Overall), 7.3 (Small), 7.9 (Medium), 5.3 (Large), compared to regional average of 16.4 and income group average of 17.5.

Trade

• Percentage of exporter firms: 23.9% (Overall), 21.1% (Small), 29.4% (Medium), 85.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 17.3% and income group average of 20.0%.
• Percentage of firms using foreign material inputs/supplies: 81.7% (Overall), 77.0% (Small), 87.6% (Medium), 100.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 73.9% and income group average of 67.8%.
• Average time to clear direct exports through customs (days): 4.2 (Overall), 3.2 (Small), 5.3 (Medium), 7.3 (Large), compared to regional average of 9.8 and income group average of 6.9.
• Average time to clear imports from customs (days): 7.6 (Overall), 8.8 (Small), 6.9 (Medium), 3.2 (Large), compared to regional average of 13.8 and income group average of 9.2.
• Losses during direct export due to theft (%): 1.1 (Overall), 0.4 (Small), 2.8 (Medium), 0.0 (Large), compared to regional average of 0.4% and income group average of 0.4%.
• Losses during direct export due to breakage or spoilage (%): 1.3 (Overall), 0.6 (Small), 3.3 (Medium), 0.0 (Large), compared to regional average of 0.6% and income group average of 0.7%.

Crime and Informality

• % of firms believing the court system is fair: 57.2% (Overall), 53.9% (Small), 69.1% (Medium), 78.7% (Large), compared to regional average of 31.3% and income group average of 41.6%.
• Security costs (% of sales): 0.6% (Overall), 0.4% (Small), 1.4% (Medium), 0.8% (Large), compared to regional average of 1.5% and income group average of 1.2%.
• Losses due to theft, robbery, vandalism, and arson (% of sales): 1.3% (Overall), 1.3% (Small), 1.4% (Medium), 0.6% (Large), compared to regional average of 1.0% and income group average of 0.7%.
• % of firms formally registered at start: 72.6% (Overall), 73.1% (Small), 69.5% (Medium), 83.2% (Large), compared to regional average of 85.7% and income group average of 90.4%.

Innovation and Workforce

• % of firms with international quality certification: 20.9% (Overall), 17.6% (Small), 31.6% (Medium), 51.4% (Large), compared to regional average of 19.0% and income group average of 20.1%.
• % of firms with annual financial statement reviewed by external auditor: 75.3% (Overall), 70.2% (Small), 93.9% (Medium), 100.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 61.8% and income group average of 52.8%.
• % of firms using their own website: 32.3% (Overall), 24.9% (Small), 57.4% (Medium), 100.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 50.3% and income group average of 46.8%.
• % of firms using email for communication: 82.2% (Overall), 77.6% (Small), 100.0% (Medium), 100.0% (Large), compared to regional average of 85.1% and income group average of 79.4%.
• Average number of temporary workers: 2.2 (Overall), 1.0 (Small), 6.1 (Medium), 21.2 (Large), compared to regional average of 5.9% and income group average of 5.8%.
• Average number of permanent, full-time workers: 15.1 (Overall), 7.9 (Small), 41.0 (Medium), 107.7 (Large), compared to regional average of 49.1% and income group average of 50.4%.
• % of full-time female workers: 49.3% (Overall), 52.3% (Small), 37.7% (Medium), 20.2% (Large), compared to regional average of 37.5% and income group average of 36.1%.

Main Views

• A poor business environment in St. Vincent and the Grenadines presents significant challenges, particularly in areas like corruption, regulatory inefficiencies, and infrastructure deficiencies.
• Corruption is a notable issue, though less severe than in some regional and income group averages, with firms often facing informal payments and delays.
• Regulatory and licensing processes are time-consuming and costly, especially for construction-related permits.
• Infrastructure, particularly electricity and water supply, is a major concern, with frequent outages and delays affecting firm productivity.
• Trade involves substantial time and cost, with high reliance on foreign inputs and some losses due to theft and spoilage.
• Crime imposes costs on firms, with security expenditures and losses due to theft and vandalism being relatively high.
• Informality is present, with a significant percentage of firms not formally registered at start.
• Innovation and workforce data suggest a moderate level of adoption of modern practices and technologies, though large firms show higher rates in these areas.

Key Information

• The Enterprise Surveys are a comprehensive tool used to assess the business environment, focusing on factors like infrastructure, trade, regulations, corruption, crime, and financial access.
• The sample is stratified by industry, firm size, and region, allowing for detailed comparisons across different firm types and economic regions.
• The data is benchmarked against regional and income group averages, providing insights into how St. Vincent and the Grenadines compare in terms of business environment.
• The survey is useful for policymakers and researchers to understand the challenges faced by firms and to design effective reforms.

Conclusion

The Country Profile highlights the challenges facing the business environment in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, emphasizing the need for reforms in regulation, infrastructure, and corruption to improve firm productivity and economic growth. The data also underscores the importance of formal registration, financial accessibility, and gender representation in the private sector.