Tony Blair cast his vote of confidence for the tourism industry as a natural area of opportunity for the Caribbean to face the inevitable challenges in its economy. Speaking at the one-day event on November…
Tony Blair cast his vote of confidence for the tourism industry as a natural area of opportunity for the Caribbean to face the inevitable challenges in its economy. Speaking at the one-day event on November 2 entitled ‘Transforming the Caribbean economy – new avenues for investment’ and organized at his initiative, the British Prime Minister challenged the region to take its strengths and develop them as far as possible. “Tourism, of course, is already ahead of the game,” he said.
Prime Minister Blair recognized that following the loss of the European Union’s preferential treatment for Caribbean products, the transition to a new economy is fraught with challenges – but also opportunities. “The only way of dealing with it however is, to get the right partnerships with the international institutions, and we will help in that, but you also have to develop the Caribbean itself with a real vision for the whole of the Caribbean as to where its future lies and what it can do,” urged the British Prime Minister. “To do that often requires people to come together and see what the common possibilities are, which is the purpose of today`s event.”
Prime Minister Blair cited the partnership between the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) to underscore his point: “I am delighted that the UK support is helping the Caribbean Hotel Association to develop a Caribbean Tourist and Investment Fund. Drawing in new capital that is managed locally in the region will allow for far greater domestic expansion of the sector – and then obviously what is important as well is that the Caribbean needs to invest in its greatest asset, which are its people.”
For his part, Peter J. Odle, president of CHA, which worked with the Caribbean Council in London on the planning and delivery of the conference, sees the tenor of the meeting as further confirmation of the role of tourism in the path of economic development of the region. “Our efforts to cement Caribbean tourism and development on the EU agenda are bearing fruit. This is a good day for CHA; a great day for Caribbean Tourism,” he said. Odle was joined by CHA Chairwoman Berthia Parle, MBE, and First Vice President Allen Chastanet, all of whom were guest speakers at the conference in representation of the Caribbean hospitality industry.
The invitation-only conference was structured in a manner that enabled participants to debate the issues under consideration – specifically, the opportunities that exist in the Caribbean in services, agriculture and tourism. The conference closed with a review of the issues raised during the day to agree on future action.
The conference was aimed at senior decision-makers in the international business community and the wide range of intermediaries who inform investment decisions. It was chaired by Lord Triesman, the British Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsible for relations with the Caribbean. Among those present were the Rt Hon Tony Blair; the Rt Hon Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados; the President of Guyana, the Hon Bharrat Jagdeo; the Prime Minister of Belize, the Hon Said Musa, plus leading members of the financial community in London and the Caribbean, including the Chairman of Sagicor, Mr Arthur Bethell, along with key figures from the Caribbean private sector.
The conference was facilitated by the British Government and delivered by the Caribbean Council working with the Caribbean Hotel Association, the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce, and other public and private sector organizations from the Caribbean region. Cable & Wireless International was the principal business partner for the conference.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
