By: Staff Writer
August 22, 2023
The Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas said the country is looking forward to hosting the Caribbean Investment Forum this year.
Chester Cooper, also minister for tourism, investments and aviation, said at the launch event held on Monday that: “It is always a pleasure and a privilege when opportunities such as this gathering arise, as they allow for the ongoing exchange of ideas across the region, as we seek to improve our collective lives and build worlds of future possibilities for ourselves.”
The Caribbean Investment Forum, organised by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA), will be held in Nassau Bahamas at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort on October 23-25. The event will bring investors from around the world and match them with companies and investment boards from the Caribbean. The highly successful event is one of matchmaking and facilitation.
Mr Cooper also said: “Let me say at the outset that if we will have A Bold New Caribbean, we need initiatives like the Caribbean Investment Forum. We need disruptive and commercially viable solutions. Whilst CARICOM must set the over-arching policy, we do not have the luxury of continuing to pontificate for decades about issues that confront us.”
Calling for the need for “more connectivity,” as one of the core issues needed to be addressed at the CIF, Mr Cooper said: “for passengers and cargo – commercially viable solutions with a business-to-business focus is needed. No pressure, but CIF cannot cause the evolution we need if it becomes another Caribbean talking shop.”
He also said: “The Caribbean Export Development Agency, and by extension, this Economic Forum has a simply stated objective – ‘to accelerate the closure of the Caribbean’s investment gaps and ultimately transform the region’s economy by providing jobs and opportunities for its people.’
“So, we know what it is that we are setting out to do. It is the ‘how’, that we must now work toward. Meticulous planning has gone into how we may close these investment gaps, and work is underway, specifically with that goal in mind. When we reconvene here in a few months’ time, we will be manifesting ‘A Bold New Caribbean’.
The Caribbean Investment Forum is being put on by the Ministry of Tourism Investments & Aviation in collaboration with the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), the European Union and the CARICOM Secretariat.
This year’s forum is expected to attract a diverse audience of over 800 business professionals and is endorsed by the Bahamas Investment Authority. It is expected to highlight four key investment sectors: Agriculture Technology, renewable energy, digital business (e-commerce, innovation, and FinTech), and logistics and transport.
Designed as an interactive and focused environment, CIF 2023 enables participants to engage in concrete discussions, review investment dossiers, and assess proposals presented by industry experts. As the foremost investment attraction event for the Caribbean region, the Forum will be a central hub for forging partnerships, exchanging knowledge and fostering business growth.