A Bold New Caribbean

We are interested in exploring and harnessing new technologies. This will require appropriate skills training and education. We are up to the task and are unafraid.

We must now amplify these positions.

During the official launch of the Caribbean In- vestment Forum in August, I spoke of the need for better passenger and cargo connectivity, that is commercially viable with a business-to-busi- ness focus among countries in this region. This is something that we will need to become the owners of, allowing others to control such a cru- cial aspect of how we move and communicate is already too high a price. The CARICOM Secretariat Strategic Plan 2022 – 2030 speaks to working collectively in order to achieve certain critical community priorities. It speaks to strengthening the technical and or- ganizational leadership on major current issues such as climate change and climate finance: digitization and the primacy of information and communication technology; and in the financial sector, de-risking and the unequal application and ever-changing blacklisting rules. As we gather in The Bahamas from October 23 – 25, for the Caribbean Economic Forum, we must network and brainstorm with these critical issues being foremost in our minds. We must look to network and create synergies that will allow us to level up and become significant players on the global field. We are doing this now in many sectors.

CARIBBEAN INVESMENT FORUM

If we are to realize this ‘Bold New Caribbean’ there’s not a moment to be wasted. We all un- derstand the assignment. I am excited to see the outcomes of this latest forum. I am expecting that it will be a watershed conference, where practical sustainable solutions to our collective needs are realized. True to the spirit of CARICOM I look forward to being part of work that strives to be creative, collaborative, relevant and effec- tive as we work toward a viable, sustainable and prosperous Caribbean community for all. I am confident that it can be done.

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