Two of the Caribbean’s best known heads of government, a world-famous entertainment icon and civil rights advocate, writers with global followings, a former Mayor of New York City, the person who led Jamaica longer than anyone else in the nation’s history and several key corporate executives and entrepreneurs.
They are among the prominent public figures who are to address the 17th annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conference that’s being held at the luxurious Ritz Carlton beginning on Thursday evening and ending on Sunday.
Sponsored by the New York Carib News, the four-day meeting will focus attention on international trade and investment; the role of the Caribbean Diaspora in economic and social development in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean; the trillion dollar purchasing power of Blacks in America; and the literary successes of African-Americans and writers from across the Caribbean.
Jamaica’s current Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller, her counterpart in St. Lucia, Dr. Kenny Anthony, Harry Belafonte, the actor, singer and close friend of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., David Dinkins, the lone Black public figure to serve as New York City’s Mayor, and P.J. Patterson, Jamaica’s leader for more than a dozen years are all scheduled to speak at different sessions and they deal with the challenges Caribbean countries and the United States are facing and must confront in the second decade of the 21st century and beyond.
“The value of this conference is in its appeal to a wide cross section of the Black intelligencia and to men and women who have a handle on how systems work and on what are the tools of opportunity we should be using to spur economic and social development,” said Belafonte, an award-winning performer on the stage, movie screen and television, whose face and voice are known in almost every corner of the globe. “I have attended several sessions of the informative and successful conference in different Caribbean countries in recent years because I believe in its mission of building economic, cultural and other bridges between the United States and the Caribbean. It provides people with an excellent opportunity to come together and use their intellectual power and imaginative ways of thinking to build an institutional base for us to reach out to change the way we do business.”
Belafonte, the author of “My Song,” a best-selling memoire of his life and career that received critical literary acclaim when it was published last year is to be honored at the conference with a special tribute on Saturday evening when Ms. Simpson Miller is scheduled to deliver a feature address. Susan Taylor, Essence Magazine Editor-in-chief for almost 20 years, and Mayor Dinkins are also to be honored at the gala dinner/reception.
“From the beginning the mission of the conference has been to encourage trade and investment across the Caribbean, boost economic and social bonds between the Caribbean and the United States and to recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and institutions which have made a fundamental difference in people’s lives and in the fortunes of several countries,” said Karl Rodney, Publisher of Carib News. “We consider it an honor to be able to say thanks to Belafonte, Mayor Dinkins and Susan Taylor who have given so much of their talent and wisdom to so many.”
More than a dozen sessions and presentations are to focus the attention of more than 200 participants from the United States, Jamaica and the Caribbean on such issues as cultivating connections, creating opportunities; acceleration of trade and information across borders; promoting greater intra-Diaspora trade and investment; science technology engineering and mathematics; Haiti; literature and culture; doing business with U.S. companies; women of power and influence; health; the business of fashion; the value of the African-American market; and spirituality in business.
After the opening session, for instance, a panel comprising Prof. Charles Ogletree, Harvard University professor of law and author of “Presumption of Guilt;” Terry McMillan, who wrote “waiting to Exhale;” a “Date Late and a Dollar Short: and long list of other bestselling novels; Lorna Goodison, author of “By Love Possessed & Harvey River;” Michael Roberts, whose book “Action has no Season” has been widely read; and Daymond John, author of the “Brand Within: the Power of Branding from Birth to the Boardroom” are to exchange ideas during a thought leader’s forum chaired by Marva Allen of the Hue Man Books.
Dr. Anthony, whose St. Lucia Labor Party won his country’s latest general elections, returning him to the prime minister’s office, and P.J. Patterson, will speak on “cultivating connections and creating opportunities.” Ed Goldberg, a senior executive of Macy’s and Paula Madison of the Africa channel will also be panelists during the session.
Everything from the rebuilding of Haiti; the importance of good health; ways of succeeding in business in the U.S., Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean; the impact and influence of Jamaican Chinese in business; and opportunities for Caribbean fashion designers and entrepreneurs will also be considered by the diverse groups of participants.
“We have been warmly welcomed in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados, the United States Virgin Islands, Grenada, the Bahamas, St. Kitts-Nevis and Panama and they in turn have seen business growth through partnerships that were forged during the conference,” said the Carib News publisher. “Interestingly, our third conference was held in St. Lucia and our host was Dr. Anthony. It was one of our most successful meetings.”
