iNews Briefs, More and Community Events
Cayman Islands Community Events
MON JUNE 1
National Workforce Development Agency in East End
The National Workforce Development Agency will be at the East End Library on Monday (1 Jun) from 10 — 1pm.
TUE JUNE 2
Child month Board Games Evening
Child Month organisers invite families to enjoy the rescheduled Board Games evening on Tuesday 2 June, at Book Nook, in the Galleria Plaza on West Bay Road, 6.00- 8.00pm.
Prospect Community Group Meeting
The Prospect Community Group will be having a public meeting on Tuesday (2 Jun) at the Seafarers Hall off Victory Avenue at 7:00pm.
Moonlight and Movies Summer Series
The Moonlight and Movies Summer Series is Tuesday (2 Jun) at 7pm in Gardenia Court. The feature film will be Jurassic Park.
Toddler Tuesdays
Starting in June, Camana Bay introduces Toddler Tuesdays, with Story Time and Imagination Playground moving from Wednesdays to Tuesdays. Camana Bay Story Time will now begin at 11am at Regal Cinemas and Imagination Playground will remain in its current timeslot of 10am-7pm on The Crescent, but both activities will move to Tuesdays.
WED JUNE 3
National Workforce Development Agency in Bodden Town
The National Workforce Development Agency will be at the Bodden Town Library on Wednesday (3 Jun) from 2 — 5pm.
Quiz Night is next Wednesday have you booked your table yet?
CARE – Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts
Why not get a team together and join us for the first Wednesday of every month for Quiz night at PD’s! This Wed June 3 at 7:00pm
If you are unable to make it but would like to help spread the word about our Quiz, please download the PDF flyer to share on your office notice board.
CARE-Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts www.caymancare.ky 938 2273
The Cayman Islands Grand Court jury report date has been changed.
Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 April – 30 June 2015 session are now to report on Monday, 8 June 2015 at 9:45 a.m. Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up to date information.
ECLAC study on foreign direct investment puts focus on Caribbean
From Curacao Chronicle
SANTIAGO, Chile — The Caribbean receives higher amounts of foreign direct investment (FDI) when compared to other developing economies, according to a newly published report from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Entitled “Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean”, the flagship report was launched by ECLAC executive secretary, Alicia Bárcena, on 27 May at the organization’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile.
For the first time, the flagship report dedicates an entire chapter to FDI in the Caribbean, thus placing increased emphasis on the importance of FDI for the region. FDI inflows into the Caribbean amounted to approximately five percent of GDP in 2014, compared to three percent for Latin America, and less in other developing regions.
In the Caribbean, FDI is important both as a source of funds for development and as a source of foreign exchange. Nevertheless, questions remain about the extent to which these flows contribute to growth and development in the Caribbean.
Given the increasing propensity of many large Caribbean transnationals to make significant cross-border investments, the report looks at outward FDI from Caribbean countries to regional and extra-regional economies.
The publication discusses recent developments in key sectors, which either attract the most FDI inflows or possess potential for increased FDI. Examples include tourism, natural resources, manufacturing, business process outsourcing, financial services, and offshore education. Potential benefits and drawbacks of FDI are examined.
The report provides an analysis of the modalities commonly utilized by Latin American and Caribbean countries to attract and leverage FDI. It also looks at the extent to which these methods attract FDI, which contributes to economic growth and sustainable development.
For more: http://curacaochronicle.com/region/eclac-study-on-foreign-direct-investment-puts-focus-on-caribbean/
Citizens of five more Caribbean countries get visa-free travel to Schengen area
From CARIBBEAN360
CASTRIES, St Lucia, Thursday May 28, 2015 – Nationals of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago no longer need a visa to travel to most European countries.
The visa-free travel to 26 countries of the Schengen area comes with the signing of a short-stay visa waiver agreement with the European Union (EU) on the margins of the EU-African Caribbean and Pacific Ministerial meeting in Brussels.
The agreement benefits a total of 19 nations in the Caribbean, Pacific, and the Middle East.
It allows travel to Schengen area countries for a stay of up to 90 days within any six-month period, without requiring a visa, as long as the purpose of the visit is not to carry out a paid activity.
The Schengen area comprises 22 European countries in the European Union and four non-EU member states that make up the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) that have abolished control at their common borders to encourage free movement of goods, information, money and people, plus four non-EU member states.
Those countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden, as well as EFTA’s Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein.
Long time Cayman Islands talk show host fired
Hurley’s Entertainment Managing Director Randy Merren has confirmed long time host of his radio station Rooster’s “Cayman Crosswalk” morning show, has been terminated.
The reason given is that Merren wanted the show to grow and become even more relevant.
The host, Austen Harris, was in Court last week charged with a domestic incident that involved violence but escaped conviction and punishment by pleading guilty saying he had been very drunk at the time. Since the incident he had given up drinking and shown remorse.
His replacement is former PPM (Progressives) West Bay political candidate Woody DaCosta.
See also today’s iNews story “Hurley’s Entertainment in the Cayman Islands announces Cayman Crosstalk changes”
Australia planning Caribbean bounce-fest
By Reuters From Tribune The Express
MELBOURNE: Caribbean pitches may no longer have the zing to excite express pacemen but Australia will still look to soften up West Indies with a barrage of bouncers in the upcoming Test series, said bowling coach Craig McDermott.
Australia play the first of two Tests at Windsor Park in Dominica next week and have included uncapped leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed in the squad along with front-line off-spinner Nathan Lyon in anticipation of flat, slow pitches.
However, McDermott said Australia’s pacemen could still have an impact after learning some harsh lessons from the slow pitches in the Middle East where they laboured in a 2-0 series defeat by Pakistan last year.
“We’ve just got to make sure we get enough balls in the right areas and be relentless and patient and stick two up their nose an over,” McDermott told Cricket Australia’s website.
He added that he had been talking to pacer Josh Hazlewood and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh in particular about using the crease and creating angles. “They’re both tall blokes so they’re going to get some bounce. We’re allowed to bowl two bouncers an over so let’s use them.”
Australia’s seamers were hammered by Pakistan in both tests in the UAE, with Peter Siddle conceding 217 runs for two wickets and left-armer Mitchell Starc averaging 71 for his two scalps.
But McDermott expected more help from the pitches at Windsor Park and Sabina Park in Jamaica, venue for the second Test.
“I think the ball will swing naturally here more than what it did in the UAE when we had to try to smash it up,” he said. “The seams are a lot wider and a lot bigger here.”
For more: http://tribune.com.pk/story/893379/australia-planning-caribbean-bounce-fest/
The Cayman Islands just set a record for tourist arrivals
From Embrace Dominica
45,467 in March and 115,640 in Q1 of 2015! These are the stayover tourism stats for the Cayman Islands.
Caribbean Journal reported on May 27th that the Cayman Islands set the record for stayover visitors with these stats. The full article is shown below.
The Cayman Islands just set a record for tourist arrivals.
The territory received 45,467 stayover visitors in March, the largest number of stayover visitors arriving to the island one month in its history.
Overall, the Cayman Islands welcomed 115,640 stayover visitors in the first quarter of 2015, according to data released by the Department of Tourism this week.
That represented a 5.7 percent increase in arrivals compared to the same period in 2014, making it one of the best quarters for tourism arrivals in the territory’s history.
“This speaks to the efforts made by the Ministry and Department of Tourism in collaboration with our tourism partners to distinguish ourselves in ways that are welcoming and satisfying to our visitors,” said Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell.
The March total represented a 2.88 percent increase over the same month in 2014.
“It is another great, positive beginning to the year, and we couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2015,” said Director of Tourism Rosa Harris. “We are optimistic of the tourism performance which is measured by the growth in air arrivals. The Northeast region of the US continues to be our largest key market for visitation and our efforts to see wins from this market will continue throughout the year. We have excellent airline partners that service the Northeast and we feel there is more room for growth from this area.”
For more: http://embracedominica.com/travel/cayman-islands-record-tourist-arrivals/
EU’s Visa waiver agreements with some Caribbean, Pacific States
From RTT News
The European Union will sign a reciprocal short-stay visa waiver agreements with 7 countries: Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa and Vanuatu.
The Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos and Zanda Kalnina-Lukaševica, Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs of Latvia will sign, on behalf of the European Union.
A similar agreement was signed with Timor-Leste on May 26, 2015. The agreements will be provisionally applied as from today until their final ratification. Therefore, citizens of those countries will be able to travel as of now without a visa to the EU for stays of up to 90 days (within any 180-day period). The same applies to EU citizens traveling to those countries.
The exemption from the visa requirement for nationals of those countries was proposed by the Commission in 2012. The visa waiver does not apply to the United Kingdom and Ireland which are not part of the Schengen area.
For more: http://www.rttnews.com/2504984/eu-s-visa-waiver-agreements-with-some-caribbean-pacific-states.aspx
Duke of Edinburgh awards Cayman Islands’ students
6 Cayman Islands students became gold award medallists at the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
They were presented with their medals at a ceremony hosted by Governor Helen Kilpatrick last Wednesday (27).
The programme embraced years 2013 and 2014 and a total of 6 gold, 25 silver and 20 bronze medals were presented.
Special Report: Big Law is failing women
From The American Lawyer
Why aren’t there more women at the top of the nation’s biggest firms? Consider that at the current growth rate of women equity partners, gender parity will be reached in the year 2181. Our investigation includes firm-by-firm data plus a look at innovative firms that are addressing problems in novel ways.
A Few Good Women
The number of female equity partners at Am Law 200 firms has been stagnant for a decade. Is it time for quotas?
Firm Rankings: Percentage of Women Equity Partners
See how your firm compares concerning women equity partners, changes over time in the equity rank and the percentage of total women partners.
Eight Firms Where Women Thrive
Your firm might benefit from these strategies for better retention, promotion and mentoring of women.
Why Firms Need Three Women at the Top (Not Just One)
The so-called Rule of Three says that culture doesn’t change with only one or two women on powerful committees.
Securing the Pipeline
The OnRamp Fellowship helps bring women lawyers back into Big Law after a time away.
For more: http://www.americanlawyer.com/id=1202727354967/Special-Report-Big-Law-Is-Failing-Women#ixzz3bXuZDcSm
This vitamin could save your cat’s life
From Newsmax
Sick cats appear to have a better chance of survival if they have higher levels of vitamin D, a new study reveals.
The findings suggest that cats could help scientists learn more about the link between vitamin D and people’s health, according to the researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
However, the study was only designed to find an association between vitamin D levels and a feline’s odds of surviving a life-threatening illness. It couldn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Results of the study were published online recently in the journal PLOS One.
The researchers checked blood samples from almost 100 pet cats hospitalized with life-threatening conditions. Those with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood were more likely to be alive 30 days after hospital admission than those with the lowest levels, the study found.
Veterinarians might be able to check cats’ vitamin D levels to predict which ones are most likely to survive an illness, the researchers suggested.
“At the moment, it is difficult for veterinarians to offer accurate prognostic information to the owners of sick cats. Our study demonstrates that measuring a key vitamin D metabolite in the blood predicts disease outcome with a much greater degree of accuracy than many other widely used measures of disease severity,”
Richard Mellanby, head of small animal medicine at the university’s School of Veterinary Studies, said in a university news release.
The researchers added that further study is needed to learn more about whether vitamin D reduces cats’ risk of disease and whether adding vitamin D to a hospitalized cat’s diet might affect their chances of survival.
Previous studies have linked low vitamin D levels to a number of health problems in people, including infections, cancer and multiple sclerosis.
Exposure to sunshine triggers vitamin D production in people. Vitamin D is also found in foods such as oily fish, cheese and egg yolks. Vitamin D supplements are another option for people who have too little of the sunshine vitamin.
Cats, however, only obtain vitamin D from food, the study authors noted.
“It is important to remember that too much vitamin D can be poisonous to cats. Most cat foods contain a standard amount of vitamin D and there is no need for owners to add supplements,” he added.
Medical and spiritual aid sought as Caribbean children play Charlie Charlie Challenge
From CARIBBEAN360
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Friday May 29, 2015 – Children have been hospitalized, pastors called in to schools, and at least one Ministry of Education in the Caribbean has launched an investigation into reports of strange behaviour by students who played the popular Charlie Charlie Challenge.
The game, which has been described as a rudimentary form of the Ouija board, has been trending on social media where players have posted pictures and videos of themselves performing the challenge. It involves balancing pencils in a cross on a piece of paper with the words “yes” and “no” written on the paper, and summoning a visit from a demon by the name of Charlie, who then answers the players’ questions by moving the pencils in the direction of the words.
The Barbados Today online newspaper quoted acting chief eduction officer Karen Best as saying an investigation would be carried out “to find out what is really going on” after police and several pastors from the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (PAWI) group were summoned to several schools where children were acting strangely.
PAWI head Bishop Gerry Seale said “demonic activity has been manifested” at schools in Barbados as a result of children playing the game, as well as in other Caribbean countries.
“I spoke to a youth pastor in Guyana who has had to deal with 16 students so far needing deliverance from demonic activity as a result of this game,” Barbados Today quoted him as saying.
St Lucia News Online reported that the Ministry of Education there had banned the game.
It said there had been strange occurrences in schools in that Caribbean island. In one instances, students reported seeing desks floating.
According to media reports in Antigua and Barbuda, students at one secondary school where the game was being played were rushed to hospital after fainting.
In recent days, religious leaders across the region and in other parts of the world have warned people against playing the game, saying it opens players to demonic possession.
See also iNews Cayman related story published today “Jamaica’s Education Ministry fueling superstition”
High school seniors donate class trip money to principal with cancer
By Brian Koerber From Mashable
The senior class of Profile Junior-Senior High School in Bethlehem, New Hampshire will not be going on a class trip this year. Instead, they have decided to donate the cost of the trip to their principal, Courtney Vashaw, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, local news organization WMUR reports.
A group of students decided to surprise Vashaw, who was brought to tears upon hearing the news.
“We decided to not go on our class trip this year, and donate all of our funds to your cause,” senior Ian Baker said, as Vashaw attempted to refuse the gift.
“It is very hard for me to accept help,” Vashaw told her students, “and I have no idea what to say.”
Just a week earlier, Vashaw informed her students that she had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of soft tissue cancer.
The class was originally scheduled to visit Rydin’ Hi Ranch in Lake George, New York on Sunday, where they would spend four days. Instead, the class will donate nearly $8,000 for her medical expenses.
“She’s just very caring, very selfless,” Baker told WMUR, “and we wanted to be selfless, too.”
Upon hearing Vashaw’s diagnosis, the entire class took a vote. They unanimously decided to give the funds to their principal.
“They’re a pretty remarkable, fun, astonishing group of people,” Vashaw said.
The class plans to continue their fundraising efforts, and will be taking a shorter, local class trip instead.
Airberlin further expands its services to the Caribbean
From Curacao Chronicle
DUSSELDORF – Who doesn’t dream of holidaying under palm trees? airberlin makes this possible, departing 30 times a week from Berlin, Dusseldorf and Munich for white sandy beaches. And what’s really special is that airberlin is the only airline to fly non-stop from Germany to Curacao. New for this coming winter is its Saturday flight from Dusseldorf to complement its Tuesday service.
“Including Curacao in our route network in 2011 was definitely the right decision. Passengers from North Rhine-Westphalia, in particular, book these flights. And thanks to our connecting flights, Curacao is also extremely accessible for our passengers from all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and is now the trendy new destination in the Caribbean. And our neighbours from the Netherlands love flying with airberlin to their favorite island”, said airberlin’s Chief Executive Officer, Stefan Pichler.
airberlin also continues to offer a stable programme on its other Caribbean routes, despite the highly competitive market situation. “Next winter, we’ll be offering almost 10,000 seats per week on flights to the Caribbean. Tourism has helped us grow. We provide a service like no other airline and our passengers know that”, said Pichler.
Cuba is currently extremely popular with many travellers. airberlin operates a total of five weekly flights from Berlin, Dusseldorf and Munich to Varadero. And its flights to the Dominican Republic are firmly established: there are seven flights a week from Dusseldorf and Munich to Punta Cana, and three to Puerto Plata. And those who like it hot can fly to Mexico, as airberlin operates three weekly flights to Cancun.
Whilst those who don’t just want to relax, but are also seeking great entertainment can fly to Miami. It’s no problem with airberlin, which takes off daily from Dusseldorf to Miami! Things are somewhat quieter in Fort Myers – to where airberlin operates three weekly flights.
For more: http://curacaochronicle.com/aviation/airberlin-further-expands-its-services-to-the-caribbean/
The US wants to open customs preclearance at this Caribbean airport
From Caribbean Journal
The United States intends to enter talks to expand air preclearance operations to Punta Cana Airport in the Dominican Republic, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced Friday.
The airport is one of 10 foreign airports around the world in which the US is interested in establishing preclearance operations.
Preclearance means each traveler undergoes immigration, customs and agriculture inspection by US Customs and Border Protection before boarding a direct flight to the US; upon arrival in the US, the passenger is treated as if arriving from a domestic flight.
“A significant homeland security priority of mine is building more preclearance capacity at airports overseas,” Johnson said. “We have this now in 15 airports. I am pleased that we are seeking negotiations with ten new airports in nine countries. I want to take every opportunity we have to push our homeland security out beyond our borders so that we are not defending the homeland from the one-yard line.
Preclearance is a win-win for the traveling public. It provides aviation and homeland security, and it reduces wait times upon arrival at the busiest US airports.”
Customs and Border Protection said the announcement came after a “nearly a year-long process that began with soliciting expressions of interest from foreign airports.”
“More than two dozen foreign airports expressed an interest in opening Preclearance facilities,” the DHS said.
If realized, the Punta Cana preclearance programme would become the third in the region, joining existing preclearance at airports in Nassau and Aruba.
“CBP’s preclearance operations are an important step in the US government’s effort to prevent terrorism from coming to our borders,” said CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. “Where we can identify foreign airports willing to partner with us, additional preclearance agreements will further protect the safety and security of our citizens while also streamlining legitimate travel and commerce.”
The Punta Cana airport recently completed a brand-new airport terminal project.
Canadian military personnel take part in U.S.-led exercise in Caribbean
By David Pugliese, From Ottawa Citizen
The Canadian Forces will participate in Exercise TRADEWINDS 15 starting May 31. This U.S.-led multinational exercise takes place in the Caribbean from May 31 to June 24, and involves several agencies responsible for maritime interdiction and ground security, according to the news release from the Department of National Defence.
The Canadian Forces is deploying both maritime and land assets in a training and support role to this year’s exercise. The drills will involve ships, aircraft and personnel from 19 nations, as well as participation by key regional groups such as the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, the Regional Security System and the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security, according to DND.
More details from the news release:
Led by U.S. Southern Command, Exercise TRADEWINDS is an annual exercise focused on countering transnational organized crime, and practicing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in order to promote regional security cooperation.
Canadian personnel will also participate in an observer/trainer role to assist regional organizations in the evaluation of current plans as well as provide practical advice on how to put those plans into action. They will also assist in the assessment of this year’s exercise and aid in the development of future exercises.
Canada’s maritime contribution to Exercise TRADEWINDS 15 will consist of one Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Glace Bay, with a crew of 40, as well as a diver training team from Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) (FDU(A)). HMCS Glace Bay will focus on areas such as firefighting, suspect vessel tracking and boarding procedures, and weapons usage. The team from FDU(A) will lead training in areas including night dive operations, hull search techniques and evidence site contamination prevention.
The Canadian Army will provide a contingent of 34 personnel, primarily from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Gagetown, New Brunswick. In partnership with the U.S. Armed Forces, the Canadian Army helped develop, and will co-lead, training in how to set up and run a firing range, urban operations, and command and control mentorship within a joint operational headquarters. Additionally, 12 CAF members will participate in jungle warfare training led by the Belize Defence Force.
Visa Waiver Agreements signed with Caribbean countries
On Thursday 28 May 2015 at 13H30 CET, the Council of the European Union signed Visa Waiver Agreements with the following Caribbean countries:
Dominica
Grenada
Saint Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
The agreements are reciprocal and enter into effect immediately.
Australia’s prime minister doesn’t get why kids should learn to code
By Ariel Bogle From Mashable
Question Time in Australia’s Federal Parliament is hardly a place for elevated discussion — after all, this is when spurious references to Judas, Dr. Goebbels and the Nazis fly about like confetti.
Still, it would be better if Prime Minister Tony Abbott did not use the parliamentary session as an opportunity to make light of a serious problem: The future of skilled, tech-savvy labour in Australia.
On Wednesday, Bill Shorten, the leader of the Labor Party and Australia’s opposition, asked the prime minister whether he would commit to supporting Labor’s push to have coding taught in every primary school in Australia. This is an important step, he said, “to ensure our children have the skills for the jobs of the future economy.” Shorten posted the video on his Facebook page.
Instead of taking the question with any gravity — because, um, making sure Australia’s children grow up to get good jobs in a decent economy is about 90% of his job — Abbott instead displayed utter ignorance.
“Let’s just understand exactly what the leader of the opposition has asked,” Abbott replied. “Do you want to send them all out to work at the age of 11? … Is that what he wants to do? I mean seriously? Seriously?”
Seriously?
If this isn’t enough to strike fear in the heart of every startup and entrepreneur looking to grow in Australia, not sure what is.
Disrupting Caribbean Banking Technology
By Bevil Wooding From Caribbean Journal
Customers across the Caribbean look longingly at innovations in the US and other markets, such as full-service online and mobile banking, marketplace lending facilities and merchant payment solutions. The open question is if, or when, similar facilities will become available locally.
The competitive landscape in the Caribbean does not provide optimal incentive for fast-paced, customer-centric, banking services innovations. Instead, dreams of Caribbean e-commerce initiatives and Internet-based entrepreneurism are often dashed at the doors of traditional financial institutions.
For many, the region’s financial services status quo seems at variance with calls for greater innovation and economic diversification in the wider economy. This is a major problem that must be addressed.
The challenge facing bank executives and policy makers is how to redefine banking models to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the digital age. Before that challenge can be addressed an important question must first be answered: Is there genuine interest in investing in technology to deliver a more efficient customer-focused banking experience, when there is so much profit to be had by maintaining the status quo?
For more: http://caribjournal.com/2015/05/26/disrupting-caribbean-banking-technology/#
Under Secretary Scuse to lead USDA Trade Mission to Central America-Caribbean June 1-5
From USDA
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2015 – Leaders from six state agriculture departments and 19 U.S. agribusinesses and organizations will accompany U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Michael T. Scuse on a mission to the Dominican Republic and Panama June 1 through June 5, to expand export opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products in the Central American-Caribbean region.
“Countries in this region, with their close geographic and economic ties to the United States, have always been important markets for U.S. agricultural exports,” said Scuse, who leads USDA’s Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services mission area. “With strong economic growth expected to continue, the region holds significant untapped market potential for U.S. exporters.”
“Since the United States implemented trade agreements with the Dominican Republic and Panama, trade has flourished,” Scuse said. “U.S. market share in this region averages more than 40 percent, the highest outside of Canada and Mexico.”
Scuse noted that the majority of participating companies are small- or medium-sized enterprises and many are owned by women, minorities and veterans.
The Dominican Republic is the largest market for U.S. agricultural exports in the Central America-Caribbean region, with sales reaching a record $1.3 billion in 2014. As one of the top tourist destinations in the Caribbean, the country has vibrant and expanding retail and hotel/restaurant/institutional sectors, further boosting demand for high-value U.S. food products.
Panama is the third-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports in the Central America-Caribbean region, with sales reaching a record $654 million in 2014. Panama has the fastest-growing economy in the Central America-Caribbean region. The Panama Canal expansion project, expected to be completed next year, will more than double the canal’s capacity and further boost economic growth.
Mission participants include representatives from the Arkansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Oregon, and Tennessee State departments of agriculture, as well as the following companies and organizations:
• Allied Potato, Inc.; Arvin, Calif.
• American Natural Food & Beverage Company, San Diego, Calif.
• Amstad Produce; Sherwood, Ore.
• Commercial Lynks; Alexandria, Va.
• Illyrian Import; Rochester, Mich.
• JM Grain; Garrison, N.D.
• Mariani Packing Company; Vacaville, Calif.
• MetaFoods; Atlanta, Ga.
• Mixes, Inc.; Hutchinson, Kan.
• Pristina Capital Partners; Midland Park, N.J.
• Tomex Foods; Glen Ellyn, Ill.
• TRC Group; Roseville, Calif.
• United Dairymen of Arizona; Tempe, Ariz.
• United Global Trading; Dallas, Texas
• USA Rice Federation; Arlington, Va.
• US Rice Producers; Houston, Texas
• Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA); Vancouver, Wash.
• Zafi Beverages & Agricultural Technologies, Inc.; Chicago, Ill.
USDA trade missions open doors and deliver results for U.S. exporters, giving them the opportunity to forge relationships with potential customers and foreign government officials, as well as to gather market intelligence that will help develop strategies to expand sales in key markets overseas.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).
