Press Releases

(Port of Spain, October 25th 2011) The Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, on the invitation of the Association of Caribbean States, hosted a presentation on Cluster Development. 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; His Excellency Mario Arriola Woog, Ambassador of Mexico in Trinidad and Tobago; Carolina Caraballo, representative from the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Miguel Carrillo, Executive Director of Arthur Lok Jack Business School; Richard A. Ramsawak, Team Leader-Cluster Development Initiatives and Ariadna Perez, Director Trade of the ACS.

Ms. Perez delivered the opening address, highlighting the importance of this initiative to the development of trade in the region. Secretary General Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla also affirmed that the cluster development initiative will not only improve trade but also foster integration and collaboration among member states.

Professor Miguel Carrillo emphasized the importance of cluster development in the Caribbean region especially for smaller states. His perspective was that cluster development not only increases the competitiveness of nation-states but also acts as a form of protection for vulnerable ones.

Mr Richard Ramsawak delivered the main presentation on cluster development as it relates to the development of the Caribbean region and its competitiveness. He underscored the need for countries within the region to cooperate, particularly during the current debt crisis which has deeply impacted Europe and the United States of America; the two major world players.

At this juncture Mr Ramsawak proposed the 1st Regional Forum on Cluster Development which will take place on November 9th, 2011 at Hyatt Regency Trinidad. He explained the importance of this forum to sensitize both public and private sectors on how cluster development initiatives can provide new avenues for business development and growth and aid in the development of government policies and strategies for the growth and diversification of economies.

The meeting ended on an optimistic note as Secretary General Andrade Falla articulated that the ACS will act in its capacity as a vehicle to improve regional integration among member states.