The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) have announced the 2nd hosting of the Caribbean’s Regional Investor of the Year Awards 2014 (RIYA 2014).

RIYA 2014 is a prestigious and unique annual award programme that seeks to recognize and salute the achievement of pan-Caribbean foreign and local investors. These investors have demonstrated exceptional business practices, economic achievements and investments across the Caribbean. The awards recognize the contribution of not only foreign but also local investors, to improving the region’s investment climate.

The inaugural awards in 2013 focused on the creation of jobs by regional investors during harsh economic times, in particular the recession of 2008-2012.

Last year’s overall RIYA2013 winner was ARS Humano, who was also the winner of the Local Investor of the Year category. The company is based in the Dominican Republic and is a leader in the health insurance business. Qualfon Guyana Inc., a provider of contact center, back-office, and business process outsourcing (BPO) services, copped the title for Foreign Investor of the Year and the Cayman Enterprise City, a company that offers jurisdictional and tax benefits in a Special Economic Zone in the Cayman Islands was awarded the Special Award for 2013.

Videos of these regional success stories can be found on the Agency’s YouTube page The Caribbean Export

This year the RIYA 2014 is turning its attention to the green economy and the region’s efforts at protecting its environment. RIYA 2014 will seek to promote investments in initiatives that employ environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices – initiatives that protect the region’s delicate ecosystem – its flora, fauna and human life.

Foreign and local investor applicants must demonstrate that they have made significant contributions through changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages to our ecosystem or to benefit from opportunities associated with the green economy.

This year’s Special Award category will bring the spotlight on Women Investors and their achievements in the region. Applicants in this category do not have to be investors in a green initiative per se, but must demonstrate the significant impact they have had on the region’s socio-economic development, because of their investment.

The RIYA 2014 will again feature 3 specific award categories and applicants must clearly identify the category (ies) in which they wish to be evaluated:

1. Foreign Investor of the Year Award: This award seeks to honour foreign investors (non-Caribbean nationals), who have invested in operations in the region that have generated a significant impact on the green economy.

2. Local Investor of the Year Award: This award seeks to honour local investors, of Caribbean birth who have invested in operations in the region that have generated a significant impact on the green economy.

3. Special Award: Special recognition will be given to women investors who have significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of the region through their investment.

An overall Regional Investor of the Year awardee will be selected from one of the category winners to be named the Regional Investor of the Year Awardee for 2014.

Application Forms and additional information on the RIYA 2014 can be found at: www.carib-export.com

and www.caipainvest.org and persons or firms are requested to submit applications to the Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) within their territory for pre-selection. Each IPA will be responsible for submitting at least 2 applicants per category to the RIYA Evaluation Committee for the selection of overall winners.

The deadline for submissions to IPAs is October 10, 2014.