Implementation of the 10th EDF Regional Provate Sector Programme

ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS AND PROMOTING INNOVATION

The gathering was convened to not only assess the progress to date on the way forward as agreed at the 3rd Caribbean Conference on International Financial Services, but to also engage with interlocutors and stakeholders in Washington D.C., in the furtherance of the Agency’s mandate to facilitate the development of the sector. Amongst the key outputs was the agreement that a delegated team of Task Force participants should develop a project proposal, which may be used to solicit funding for the establishment and operation of the Secretariat. In October 2015, Caribbean Export along with the Caribbean-Central American Action hosted a workshop on Caribbean Banking and the Caribbean International Financial Services Sector. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together leaders from the banking, government, and regulatory sectors, to take a critical look at the uncertain future of all aspects of the regional financial services industry. The goal was to identify a way forward, to forge solutions individually and collectively, and to shine a light on some of the inherent inconsistencies in blacklisting and designations, which are taking a disproportionate toll on the small and vulnerable economies of the region. Following the meeting, a report was drafted for submission to the Global Forum of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), later that month. The report outlined the concerns of the region as it relates to the viability of the financial services sector amidst global regulations, and addressed the way forward as outlined by Caribbean countries and a list of recommendations to the Global Forum. Caribbean Export with support from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) hosted the first of two consultative workshops on the Caribbean Creative Industries Management Unit (CCIMU) during the period April - June 2016. The first was in the form of an Options Analysis Workshop in Jamaica on April 12, 2016. The initiative saw the participation of 40 regional practitioners within the creative sector, as well industry stakeholders including members of business support organisations, the University community, and regulatory bodies among others. The workshop, which was undertaken with the view of securing buy-in and recommendations from the relevant stakeholders for the proposed CCIMU, and to validate the business model that will be utilised by the Unit, consisted of four sessions, covering the following topic areas: Caribbean Creative Industries Management Unit Consultations/ Workshops

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Global Good Practice and Lessons Learned

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Draft Methodology

Session 2: Emergent Research Findings • SWOT, Gap Analysis, Key Sector Development Needs • Transversal Factors • Sector-specific Factors Priority Development Areas for the CCIMU Coordination and Managing Diversity Sustainability Considerations • Session 3: Options Analysis •

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Risks

Session 4: Conclusion •

Preferred Options for Business Plan Development

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Discussion of Next Steps

The second consultation was executed as a Business Plan Presentation in Trinidad and Tobago on June 9, 2016. The initiative saw the participation of 50 regional practitioners, representing 11 CARICOM countries, and was done to seek validation from regional representatives in the creative sector regarding the development of a business plan andoperational structure for the proposed CCIMU. During the presentation, thedraftBusinessPlanfor the CCIMU was presented with a view to identifying any gaps and receiving feedback about appropriateness and practicality from stakeholders. Recommendations received from this

Session 1: Introduction • Strategic rationale behind the creation of the CCIMU • Overview of the CCIMU

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