Inside this issue: CCAA s 37th Annual Conference: Advancing a Shared Agenda

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1 December 2013 An update on the activities and programs of CARIBBEAN CENTRAL AMERICAN ACTION CCAA s 37th Annual Conference: Advancing a Shared Agenda Our Sincere Thanks to our Corporate Sponsors CCAA s 2013 Conference marked the first time that our signature event came to the nation s capital. In doing so, the issues of the Caribbean and Central America landed on the doorstep of the US policy-makers, international institutions, and business interests that make DC their home. The Conference theme was: (L-R): Mr. Busto, Mr. Galt, Ambassador Parsan, Secretary General Vergara, Ambassador Ramdin. Advancing a Shared Agenda, and the speakers responded accordingly. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John Feeley s remarks referenced the Small Business Network of the Americas which will link the region s Small Business Development Centers; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, Enrique Castillo discussed the collaboration between Costa Rica and the Caribbean in the areas of energy, climate change, security and trade; the Minister of Tourism of the Bahamas, Obediah Wilchcombe, spoke to the importance of the region working together to focus more national and international attention on the tourism industry particularly at the policy level. Panelists throughout the day kept to the theme, including a special panel discussion led by Ambassador Ramdin of the OAS (see photo, left). The day s discussions ended with a keynote from Minister of Industry of Barbados, Donville Inniss, who called for more robust efforts by the public sector to create the enabling environment that would support regional economic cooperation and integration. A more complete report on these discussions, as well as available speeches are being uploaded to the Conference page ( upon receipt. GOLD SPONSOR SILVER SPONSORS Announcing the Launch of Caribbean Central American Action s Regional Advisory Network Following the 37 th Annual Conference, CCAA has decided to use the momentum coming out of the event to launch a Regional Inside this issue: Note to our Readers 2 2 (Cont d) Some Notes on Tastes of the Conference Other items Advisory Network for organizations in Central America and the Caribbean that are interested in being a part of CCAA. The network will be for any governmental or nongovernmental organization or association (Chamber of Commerce, Trade Promotion Agency, Industry Association, etc.) that is geared towards trade, investment, and economic development, with programs in, or addressing, the Caribbean Basin. The primary goal will be to have a network of entities that can inform CCAA s programing with some emphasis on the Annual Conference but also to help push the call for greater integration at the economic level through a collaborative network. This will be an ad hoc group at the outset the first step will be to gauge interest. If the response is strong, we will begin a process of consultation and dialogue to see how best to harness this effort. The group will not include companies other than those that are members of CCAA, and there will be no fee associated with participating. If you are interested in hearing more about this RAN, please contact Sally Yearwood (sybaker@c-caa.org) or BRONZE SPONSORS

2 Page 2 A note to our readers At the outset of the planning for the 2013 Conference on the Caribbean and Central America, we at CCAA had a discussion about the Conference theme. The theme is always a dodgy issue one of the most important values in the theme is that it should clearly link to the panels and presentations, which is no easy task when you are organizing a conference like ours which runs the gamut from business sectors, to policy discussions, and from single country priorities to global challenges. Some of you might remember that the first information on the 2013 Conference contained the tagline The Foundations for Regional Economic Security. And this worked to an extent; we were, after all, discussing economic development from a business and policy standpoint and this title certainly did no harm. Then, halfway through the planning process, we had a meeting in DC with representatives from Embassies of the Caribbean and Central America. And we were informed in a very nice way that this tagline held no meaning as to what the Conference should be about. And it was at that meeting that we scuttled the Economic Security tagline and came up with the title: Advancing a Shared Agenda. It was interesting to see how this theme resonated not only in the presentations, but also in the conversations that took place on the Hill, at the OAS, and at the U.S. Chamber. It became clear that there is a philosophical commitment to the concept of a shared agenda, but that the ability to implement this in a practical manner is still somewhat elusive. This is not to suggest that there aren't efforts underway to do so one need look no further than the work being done by both of our collaborating partners at the OAS and the US Chamber of Commerce to know that there are resources that are being creatively dedicated to drawing together a regional agenda for economic development. The question for CCAA became about where we could fit in. This is how the Regional Advisory Network idea came to being (see page 1). For almost four decades, CCAA has been gathering an extraordinary cross-section of public and private sector entities from across the region and around the world to discuss business and policy at our Annual Conference. The larger challenge has been to keep the dialogue going between conferences. We hope that in creating the RAN there will be an ongoing forum through which entities will be able to communicate and exchange ideas on our programming. This will be ad hoc to begin with, but our hope is that in 2014 momentum will grow and this group will not displace ongoing efforts, but will instead complement and be a resource for them. I cannot close this column without publicly offering my sincere thanks to the Organization of American States and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for their support and collaboration in the planning and staging of the 37 th Annual Conference. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy, the World Bank, and the Port of Baltimore played host to substantive discussions on two issues of tremendous importance to the region energy security and transportation. These events brought distinct value to the program. Thank you to all of you for your support we look forward to working with you in the future. I sincerely hope that those of you who were with us for the Conference will not only join us at the 38 th Annual Conference on the Caribbean and Central America but that you will engage with us throughout the year. For information on membership please contact me at sybaker@c-caa.org. Use the same if you have any questions or would like to discuss our work, or alternatively connect with me on LinkedIn or on Twitter (@SAY_CCAA) All the best of the season to you and yours. Have a very peaceful and happy New Year, and I look forward to working with you in Minister Obediah Wilchcombe US Department of Energy Session: The Technology of Tomorrow The U.S. Department of Energy hosted the first event of the 2013 Conference. Gary Ward, Director of American Affairs, and his colleagues from around the Department held an interactive presentation on some of the new technology being developed with a focus on the technology that could contribute to the Caribbean Basin s future energy security, The excellent presentations are available from CCAA. Launch of Services of the Caribbean (SOCA) On November 21, under the Co- Chairs from the Trinidad & Tobago Coalition of Services Industries and the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica, a coalition of private sector organizations launched a multi-year program to develop, design, and implement a policy and business advocacy campaign to promote the enhancement of CBI-CBERA with an expansion into the services sector. For more information, contact ntewarie@ttcsi.org. Breakfast Discussions on Cuba and the TPP Two timely and informative discussions took place over breakfast on November 22. The 1 st, Cuba in the Americas was sponsored by the Alabama State Port Authority and looked at the growing transportation infrastructure in Cuba. The 2 nd, The Trans-Pacific Partnership gathered private and public sector representatives to debate the TPP, and the potential implications of this agreement on trade and investment in the Caribbean Basin region. Ambassador Sapiro Patrick Kilbride, Anca Dumitrescu, Chad Meyerson and Kevin Tynes

3 Page 3 Panamax-Ready - Field Trip to the Port of Baltimore This year, CCAA s Field Trip visited the Port of Baltimore to give Conference participants a first-hand look at the investment in physical and security infrastructure that has taken place to make this port one of only 2 Panamax-ready ports on the east coast. Delegates were joined by port management for a tour of the port during which questions focusing primarily on the financial aspects of investing in, and running, a facility of this scale. With the completion of the Panama Canal expansion just around the corner this event was well-attended and well-received, and built upon discussions from the previous 2 CCAA Conferences in New Orleans. Electricity Issues in the Caribbean The World Bank is currently developing a Caribbean Electricity Strategy in the context of the examining the burden that electricity inefficiency and insufficiency places on the region s fiscal sustainability, prosperity and growth. Presented by Mac Cosgrove- Davies, attendees included representatives from governments, organizations, and the private sector, including Minister Inniss of Barbados, a number of CCAA trustees, a energy sector specialists from the US Government and the region. The presentation, which includes current data and analysis, is available from CCAA and on the Conference website. Eagle of the Americas presentation CCAA was honored to have had the President and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, Thomas J. Donohue, and the President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Luis Alberto Moreno, present at the closing lunch on November 22. The occasion was the presentation of the AACCLA s Eagle of the Americas award to Mr. Moreno in recognition of his contributions to the business climate in the Western Hemisphere. The award, established in 1993, honors individuals in the public or private sector who work to advance AACCLA s mission of increasing trade and investment between the United States and Latin America. Minister Donville Inniss, Barbados Minister Enrique Castillo, Costa Rica Some notes on the tastes of the Conference... On Wednesday, November 20, the reception on Capitol Hill was co-sponsored by Ron Botran. This was the second year that CCAA has been honored to feature Ron Botran and it was the second year that our participants learned why this rum became an instant favorite. For information about their rums, visit (you must be of legal drinking age in your country of residence to enter the site!) On Thursday, November 21, the evening reception at the Organization of American States was sponsored by the Barbados Manufacturers Association. Featuring the Rums of Barbados, along with Barbados-inspired food catered by Tropical Fusion, the evening was a true taste of the Caribbean and appreciated by all! For information on BMA, visit Throughout the Conference we got consistent praise for the quality of the coffee. This was no accident...mayaland Coffee is an exclusive artisan coffee from Guatemala. It is a roasting company and coffee brand dedicated to the sourcing and roasting of Guatemala s finest coffees at origin. To learn more about the values and processes of Mayaland Coffee, visit Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty, US Virgin Islands Tom Donohue presents Luis Alberto Moreno with the Eagle of the Americas Award Our sincere thanks to the Featured Sponsors and Media Partners of the 37 th Annual Conference on the Caribbean & Central America FEATURED SPONSORS: MEDIA PARTNERS:

4 CCAA is a 501 (c)(3) organization registered in the District of Columbia. Caribbean Central American Action 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC Phone: info@c-caa.org Follow CCAA on: Staff: Sally Yearwood Executive Director Gwendolyn Siegel Deputy Executive Director Nathan Tuebner Senior Program Director Jack Herron Program Director Erica Henderson Program Director UPCOMING EVENTS: January 12-14, 2014 Caribbean Travel Marketplace Montego Bay Convention Center, Jamaica February 5, 2014 AACCLA's "Outlook on the Americas" Luncheon The Omni Los Angeles Hotel, Los Angeles, California March 3-4, 2014: Carnival Multiple locations FROM ALL OF US AT CCAA STAY TUNED FOR INFORMATION ON THE 38TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON THE CARIBBEAN AND CENTRAL AMERICA MIAMI, FL CCAA CURRENTS Connect with us CCAA Tweets. CCAA Facebooks; and CCAA has a good old-fashioned mailing list. Thanks to Program Director Jack Herron who tweeted live from the Conference, a standard has been set that we hope to match in To join our mailing list, go to and sign up. To follow CCAA, find us on Facebook or Twitter, or simply use your smartphone to scan the tags below and follow CCAA s updates. If you do not yet have one, you can download a QR Reader in your App store. Our sincere thanks to the Collaborating Organizations of the 37 th Annual Conference on the Caribbean and Central America The Caribbean- Central America Profile 2014is now available. This profile is the book of reference for anyone doing business in or with the Caribbean and Central America. As the most comprehensive publication regarding the region, the Caribbean- Central America Profile 2014 Edition is designed to promote public and private investment in the Caribbean Basin and is an essential planning tool for those with regional interests. The Caribbean-Central America Profile 2014 Edition provides corporate leaders and strategic planners around the globe with trusted political and socio-economic information. The Profile is produced and published by JTZ Publishing Ltd. ( The 2014 edition will be available for purchase on CCAA s website, or please send enquiries to gsiegel@c-caa.org.

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