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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 Creative Industries Management Unit Consultations/
Workshops
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:
Session 1: Introduction
•
Strategic rationale behind the creation of the CCIMU
•
Overview of the CCIMU
•
Global Good Practice and Lessons
Learned
•
Draft Methodology
Session 2: Emergent Research
Findings
•
SWOT, Gap Analysis, Key Sector
Development Needs
•
Transversal Factors
•
Sector-specific Factors
Session 3: Options Analysis
•
Priority Development Areas for
the CCIMU
•
Coordination and Managing
Diversity
•
Sustainability Considerations
•
Risks
Session 4: Conclusion
•
Preferred Options for Business
Plan Development
•
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
ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS
AND PROMOTING INNOVATION