Guyanese journalist urges regional govts to market countries in China

United States-based Guyanese journalist, Felicia Persaud is encouraging Caribbean governments to do more to market the diverse investment stories of the region to the right people since the region is relevant despite proclamations by naysayers.
Persaud, who is the founder of Invest Caribbean Now (ICN) and chief marketing officer (CMO) of Hard Beat Communications, was addressing delegates at the opening of an ICN forum in New York.
She stated that the Caribbean region remains relevant since 11 nations have been listed in the top 100 “ease of doing business” survey when there were only seven for Latin America and eight for Africa.
Fastest growing economies
“We are relevant when eight nations in the Caribbean are ranked in the top 100 fastest growing economies globally compared to 10 for Latin America as of 2012 … a difference of two… and we are relevant when the world’s richest man invests in the Caribbean.”
At the end of the forum, Caribbean governments were invited to participate in a trip to China aimed at promoting investment and business development opportunities during the latter part of this year.
The invitation was extended by Chinese-American Business Development Centre Managing Director Li Li and echoed by China’s Consulate General in New York Xiaoguang Liu and American-Chinese Commerce Development Association representative Johnny Liu at the recent Avalon Invest Caribbean Now Forum in New York City.
The invitation came on the heels of the first visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Trinidad on May 31 and his pledge of more than US$ 3 billion in loans to 10 Caribbean nations.
“The Chinese private sectors are seeking opportunities in the Caribbean such as hospitality, real estate, healthcare and education industry because they are easy to operate, are transparent and create jobs,” Li said.
Easy market access
She noted that the advantageous location of the Caribbean in the centre of the Americas provides the advantage of easy access to markets in the North, South and Central America and serves as a bridge to the markets in Europe.
Citing statistics that said up to 100 million Chinese will be travelling abroad by 2015, Li said the time was ripe for the Caribbean to tap into this key demographic, especially since the Chinese consumer is industrious and has spending power and “the Caribbean has garnered critical acclaim as a Mecca for tourism with significant investments in that and related sectors”.
Li also pointed to figures that showed the Chinese outbound travel market will be US$ 590 billion by 2020.
Economic partnership
Meanwhile, Caribbean Affairs Office of the Western Hemisphere Division in the U. S. State Department representative Anthony Eterno, presenting his country’s view on investing in the Caribbean, emphasised that the Obama-led administration remains committed to an economic partnership with the region that stimulates growth.
Over 12 dozen Caribbean delegates attended the forum including Turks and Caicos Islands Prime Minister Dr Rufus Ewing; St Lucia Tourism Industry and Commerce Minister Ricky Skerritt; St Lucia Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries Minister Lorne Theophilus; Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Mark Brantley; Nevis Tourism Minister John Maginley; St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism, Sports and Culture Minister Cecil McKie; Bahamas Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe; and Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Chairman and United States Virgin Islands Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty.
The “ICN 2013 Corporate Leadership Award” was presented to Royal Caribbean International.
Invest Caribbean Now is organised annually by The Caribbean Tourism Organisation and digital media solutions company, Hard Beat Communications, during Caribbean Week in New York.
The event is the brainchild of Persaud and is now in its third year.