Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI)
Symposium on Doing Business in the US and the Caribbean a success The Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) and the US Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) convened a major Symposium on Friday, October 31, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, New York. The theme was "Developing Greater Synergies between the Caribbean and the United States and Identifying Practical Business Solutions during this World Economic Crisis."
The purpose of the Symposium was to present business opportunities which are available in the Caribbean and the US for entrepreneurs on both sides of the Atlantic; examine how entrepreneurs can do business in the US and the Caribbean by becoming even more aware of the policies, rules, procedures and other aspects of each other's laws, regulations and systems, and to facilitate business connections between and among entrepreneurs in the US and in the Caribbean.
The participants included high level officials from the US Corporate Sector and the United Nations, senior representatives from the Caribbean Private Sector, members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps of the Association of Caribbean States, Elected Officials from New York City, New York State and the Federal Government, leaders from Small and Medium-sized Businesses, CACCI members and other distinguished invitees.
The Honorary Co-Hosts were: Honorable Yvette D. Clarke, Congresswoman, 11th Congressional District, New York, who delivered the Keynote Address, and the Honorable Marty Markowitz, President of the Borough of Brooklyn who brought welcoming remarks and briefed participants on the state of small businesses in the borough.
Special Guest Speakers were: Hon. William Thompson, Comptroller of the City of NY; Mr. Ronald Langston, National Director, US Department of Commerce, (MBDA); Heyward Davenport, NY District Director, US Department of Commerce, MBDA and Dr. Edison O. Jackson, President, Medgar Evers College, CUNY.
Dr. Roy Hastick, CACCI President and Founder, expressed his enthusiasm and his gratitude with the outcome of this Annual Symposium, the high caliber of speakers and the magnificent level of interest as evidenced by the excellent turnout of guests and participants from the Caribbean and the United States who attended. "As we move closer towards the establishment of the Caribbean Trade Center, it is very important that we continue to highlight the historical, beneficial linkages between the US and the Caribbean, and re-emphasize the strategic US-Caribbean partnership." During this severe and critical world economic crisis, the Symposium also served as a means of finding practical business solutions, particularly for small businesses which are experiencing hardships at this time. "I am extremely grateful to Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, New York's 11th Congressional District, Mr. Ronald Langston, National Director, United States Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and Mr. Heyward Davenport, United States Department of Commerce, MBDA Regional Director who were instrumental in collaborating with CACCI and were tremendously supportive in the development of this undertaking," Hastick said.
Among the Symposium presenters and panelists were senior officials from the Office of the US Trade Representative, the US Export-Import Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy Unit, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). They were: Mr. Ivor Carryl, Head of CSME Unit, Caribbean Community (CARICOM): The CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME): Doing Business within a Regional Integration Framework; Dr. Len Ishmael, Director General, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Caribbean - A Practical and Realistic Approach; Dr. Desmond Thomas, Senior Economist, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): A Perspective for Facilitating and Supporting Trade and Investment in the Greater Caribbean: Problems and Prospects; Mr. William Laraque, Business Development Officer, Northeast and Mid Atlantic Regional Office, US Export Import Bank: The Role, Policy and Procedures of the US Exim Bank in Assisting in the Growth and Development of the Caribbean and US Private Sectors; Ms. Pamela Adrian, Associate Director, Admissions, Antigua Medical University: Health, Investment and Employment Initiatives in the Caribbean and Mr. David Armstrong, FRMA, Executive President, Capital World Wide Ventures: Imperatives and Non- Imperatives for International Business in a Globalized Economy.
Symposium moderators were: Hon. Yvonne Graham, Deputy Borough President, Borough of Brooklyn and Mr. George Hulse, Vice President, Health First and Vice Chair, CACCI Board of Directors. Mr. Halim Majeed, Director, CACCI's International Programs and Ms. Imani Bennett, Business Development Specialist, US Department of Commerce (MBDA) were Conference Organizers.
Honorary Chairpersons were Derek E. Broomes, Chairman of the Board, CACCI; NYS Assemblyman Nick Perry, 58th Assembly District, Brooklyn, NY; NYS Assemblyman Karim Camara, 43rd Assembly District, Brooklyn, NY and NYS Senator Eric Adams, 20th Senatorial District, Brooklyn, NY and NYC Councilmember Mathieu Eugene, 40th Councilmanic District; CACCI Board members Dr. Henry Frank, Former Consul General, Republic of Haiti, Lowell Hawthorne, President/CEO, Golden Krust Bakery and Grill, Balfour Peart, International Business Consultant and Edmund Sadio, Owner/Broker, Century 21 Achievers, Chairman, CACCI Membership; Brenda Scott, Director, Community Affairs, Macy's Department Stores; Dr. Waldaba Stewart, Economic Specialist, Southern Diaspora Research Development Center and Dr. Karl Rodney, Publisher, New York Carib News.
Also in attendance were members of the Caribbean Diplomatic Corp who served as resource persons for the Symposium. They were Dr. Harold Robinson, Trinidad and Tobago; Hon. Mc Chesney Emanuel, Antigua and Barbuda; Hon. Lennox Price, Barbados; and Hon. Carl Smith, The Bahamas. In addition, were Ms. Yvonne Gellineau-Simon, Grenada Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Carl Hum, President, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Rick Russo, Vice-President, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Denise Ward, Assistant Dean, Queensborough Community College, CUNY, Mr. Arthur Lugisse, President, Capital World Wide Ventures, Mr. Fritz Mc Lymont, National Minority Business Council (NMBC) and Ms. Susana Bastarrica from the United Nations.
During and after the event, participants were able to connect with each other with a view to developing their businesses in the US and to promote their business interests in the Caribbean. As a follow-up, Capital World Wide Ventures met with a number of participants in NYC to solidify their business relationships. At the same time, IITT held a meeting with Mr. Ivor Carryl of the CSME Unit in Barbados and presented him with several business propositions for the Caribbean. IITT, among other business entities, will also be traveling to the Caribbean shortly to meet with the Director-General of the OECS in order to explore several business ventures. Discussions were also held with Yvonne Gellineau-Simon, President of the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce to explore exporting possibilities and future partnerships in several areas. In addition, fruitful discussions were also held with Dr. Ien Ismael, Director General, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS.
It is expected that CACCI will soon be signing Memoranda of Agreement with both CARICOM and the OECS and will co-host an International Business Meeting in Barbados in 2009 under the auspices of the CSME.
Conference participants expressed pleasure at CACCI's initiative to convene the Symposium and are expected to interact on a more pro-active basis with CACCI to further their business interests.
The Symposium was recorded and videotaped by Caribbean Documentary TV and began airing over BCAT TV 69. International Business Conference Journals and other business resource materials were presented to participants and a continental breakfast was served.
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