Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA) has announced that the Right Honourable Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, will deliver a keynote address during the “37th Annual Conference on the Caribbean and Central America,” which will be held in Washington, D.C., November 20 – 22, 2013.
The Prime Minister will speak at the Conference’s Plenary Lunch on Thursday, November 21, at the Organisation of American States.
Prime Minister Christie’s address will come at a time when the economy of The Bahamas is undergoing an important transition, the CCAA said in a press release. The tourism industry is on the upswing, there have been important steps taken in the diversification of the energy sector, and investments in telecommunications technology are being made today that will have an impact on education and competitiveness in the future.
CCAA noted that the Government of The Bahamas, under the leadership of Prime Minister Christie, is emphasising investment in these critical sectors — a strategy that is paying dividends as international businesses take a renewed look at the opportunities in that country.
Prime Minister Christie was sworn into office on May 8, 2012, and holds the office of Prime Minister as well as the Minister of Finance, the release said, adding that he previously served as Prime Minister from 2002-2007.
The 37th Annual Conference on the Caribbean and Central America is being co-hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Organisation of American States, and will combine a dynamic, interactive agenda with an unparalleled opportunity to meet with some of the key business, financial, and policy leaders who are working in or with the Caribbean Basin,†the release said.
According to its website, CCAA has been promoting private sector-led economic development in the Caribbean Basin for over three decades.
The organisation serves its goal of facilitating trade and investment by fostering constructive dialogue between the private and public sectors to improve the policy and regulatory environments for business at the local, regional, and international levels, the website states.
The organisation conducts policy-oriented programmes, with special focus on regional issues such as energy security, customs, maritime port security, tourism, financial services, and disaster mitigation. Other programmes include agriculture, apparel, intellectual property rights, telecommunications, and information technology.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, CCAA is governed by an international Board of Trustees and funded primarily by contributions from companies with a direct or indirect stake in the regional prosperity. It is a non-profit, non-governmental charitable organisation.
