Bridgetown, Barbados – June 12, 2015) The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will join government ministers, officials and development partners in exploring better ways of promoting and harnessing growth, during the Third Regional Caribbean Growth Forum (CGF). The event takes place on June 16-17, 2015 in St. Lucia at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort and will focus on innovative ways of enhancing competitiveness, supporting growth and creating jobs in the region.
Dr. Justin Ram, CDB’s Director of Economics, will participate in a session on Entrepreneurship and Innovation on Wednesday June 17, looking at the links between innovation, growth and new market opportunities for Caribbean economies.
“If the region is to seriously address the issues of productivity and competitiveness, we must begin to deepen our human resources, and focus on how to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship among our citizens. This event will allow for discussions on enabling our environments for growth, and ensuring that we foster the right ecosystems for success,” said Dr. Ram.
Prior to the official start of the Forum, a high-level discussion on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) will take place on Monday June 15.
Brian Samuel, Public-Private Partnership Coordinator at CDB, will present on, “The Risks and Rewards of PPPs,” examining how governments can navigate the complexities of PPPs and improve the chance of successful outcomes. This will be followed by a panel discussion, “Sharing PPP Experiences in the Caribbean,” and an overview of services available through CDB.
“As the private and public sector collaborate to implement reforms that promote growth in the Caribbean, PPPs are emerging as an important part of the conversation. This workshop is an opportunity to share knowledge on some of the key issues associated with PPPs, including how to build governments’ technical capacity in managing PPP projects, and how to better leverage private sector financing and knowledge,” said Mr. Samuel.
Last month, CDB announced the establishment of a US$1.2 million Regional PPP Support Facility, which provides practical and advisory assistance to regional governments in developing and implementing PPPs. In 2014 CDB published the study “Public Private Partnerships in the Caribbean: Building on Early Lessons.”