Press Releases

(Port of Spain, November 1st 2011) The Association of Caribbean States together with the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business hosted a press conference to bring awareness to the 1st Regional Forum on Cluster Development which will be held on November 9th and 10th, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad. In attendance were the Secretary General of the ACS, Luis Fernando Andrade Falla; Her Excellency Guisela Godinez Sazo, Ambassador of Guatemala in Trinidad and Tobago, Mr Arthur Lok Jack and Professor Miguel Carrillo, Executive Director of Arthur Lok Jack Business School.

Secretary General Andrade Falla delivered the opening remarks indicating the forum’s importance in facilitating cooperation among member states.

Professor Carrillo followed by underscoring the need for the Cluster Development initiative. He mentioned that there is a need for entrepreneurs to find opportunities in light of the current growth crisis and that the forum provides maps on how clusters are composed and proposes growth pockets within the various sectors in the economy. He cited the cluster development program in Guatemala in the agriculture industry.

Mr Lok Jack proceeded to give a brief history of Trinidad and Tobago’s linkages with other countries in the English speaking Caribbean but emphasized the need to work with emerging markets in the vicinity namely Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Mr Lok Jack emphasized that the private sector has a crucial role to play but must be convinced of the profitability of Cluster Development.

Among the key speakers confirmed for the forum are the Honourable Stephen Cadiz, Minister of Trade and Industry of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Winston Dookeran, Minister of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr Luis Velasquez, Minister of Economy of Guatemala and Mrs. Fanny de Estrada, Association of Nontraditional Exporters of Guatemala.

The meeting concluded with Secretary General Andrade Falla reiterating the support of the ACS to the efforts of Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business on the 1st Regional Forum on Cluster Development.