iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Cayman Islands Community Events
THU JUNE 4
Dart Realty Presentation
The Chief Operating Officer of Dart Realty will be hosting a public presentation on the Dart group of companies’ upcoming real estate development plans on Thursday (4 Jun) at 5:30 pm in Regal Cinemas at Camana Bay.
ICCI Reps In Local Libraries
Representatives from the International College of the Cayman Islands will be available at the West Bay Public Library on Thursday (4 Jun) from 3:00pm – 4:30pm and at the George Town Public Library on Thursday (5 Jun) from 3:00pm – 4:00pm to answer any questions you have about the university.
FRI JUNE 5
Estella Scott Roberts Foundation Gala
In support of the Estella Scott Roberts Foundation grant program, the foundation will be hosting its annual fundraising event at the George Town Yacht Club on Friday June 5th 2015 at 8:00pm under the theme ‘Soul Train’. Tickets can be purchased at Papermans in Mid Town plaza or any ESRF member.
Rundown heads to Cayman Brac
Rundown heads to Cayman Brac on Friday (5 Jun) at the Aston Rutty Center at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Three survive after plane crashes off Belize into Caribbean Sea
From CARIBBEAN360
IMAGE: Tropic-Air0001
BELMOPAN, Belize, Wednesday June 3, 2015 – All three occupants of a Tropic Air plane survived when the aircraft crashed into the Caribbean Sea yesterday evening.
Pilot Denfield Borland and his two passengers, Honduran national Eddie Bodden and American Arthur Rogers, were headed to Roatan, Honduras, after departing the Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City, when the CESSNA-182 single-engine plane experienced mechanical difficulties around 4:45 p.m, according to local media reports.
The aircraft went down between the Turneffe and Lighthouse Reef atolls.
The three men were subsequently taken to safety in a search and rescue operation, Elton Bennett of the Belize National Coast Guard told the media.
This is the second incident involving a plane from the fleet of the Belize airline in the last six months.
On December 4 last year, as a Tropic Air plane tried to land at the Belize City Municipal Airport it ran off the runway and landed a few feet away in shallow waters. Fortunately, the five passengers and pilot were not injured.
For more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/three-survive-after-plane-crashes-into-caribbean-sea#ixzz3c1i654sN
Cayman Football: Sport will survive on island despite Webb arrest says CIFA gen sec
From Digicel Sportmax
Cayman Island Football Association (CIFA) technical director Ernie Seymour does not believe it will be all negative consequences for football on the island following the arrest of CONCACAF vice-president and Cayman president Jeffrey Webb.
Webb was among seven officials arrested in Zurich, Switzerland last week and faces extradition to the United States on charges of money laundering, racketeering and corruption.
However, while many have feared a significant fallout for the island, Seymour is confident the game will continue to blossom.
“It is not affecting the kids,” Seymour said.
“The kids are still playing soccer. The (Maples Grassroots Programme) was here on Saturday morning. The kids were out having fun. The under-15s played the FA Cup final. They had fun. Kids don’t really pay too much mind to politics anyhow,” he added.
“If changes have to be made, change should always be for the better,” he said.
“Like I said, Ivan came and destroyed Cayman and it was not for the worse, it was for the better. Because we have a new Cayman now. Sometimes, maybe, these things happen for the better.”
Webb is alleged to have used several Caymanian banks in what a US indictment described as fraudulent operations for self-enrichment.
Caribbean destinations advised to embrace cultural tourism
By Gay Nagle Myers From Travel Weekly
NEW YORK — Today’s Caribbean travelers want to do more than sit in the sun and drink rum punch, according to Arnie Weissmann, editor in chief of Travel Weekly.
Weissmann addressed more than 100 agents at a travel agent seminar during the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s annual Caribbean Week event here.
He focused on the opportunities presented by the evolution of consumers’ desires for new and authentic experiences in the areas of Caribbean food, culture and nature.
Back in the day, the goal for most visitors was to stay in as nice a resort as they could afford, and in aggregate, the islands had properties that could accommodate people at any price point, according to Weissmann.
“People were satisfied with local color rather than authenticity — a limbo show often seemed to do the trick,” Weissmann said.
Differentiating what each island brings to the table beyond sun and sand is vital.
“The travel industry at every level must at least offer the opportunity for authentic experiences to travelers,” he said.
He cited the emergence of Cuba as an example of a destination whose culture is different, exotic and mysterious.
Half of the agents in the room indicated they had clients who want to go to Cuba.
“They want the experience of going where others haven’t gone before,” one agent said.
“It’s not been accessible. People are curious about the culture and history there,” another agent said.
Weissmann pointed out that these are the same aspects that other Caribbean islands offer and asked his audience for examples of experiential travel they could offer up in talks with their clients.
Cooking classes in Martinique, Jamaica’s Meet the People program, voluntourism opportunities in local schools, church services, fish fries in Turks & Caicos and Barbados, a tour of a chocolate factory in Grenada, full moon parties in the British Virgin Islands, mud baths in St. Lucia, jazz festivals, Carnival celebrations were cited by agents as well as island tourism representatives in the room.
“Each island has a lot that is unique and sellable. When the Caribbean is marketed, not a lot of emphasis is put on the distinctiveness of individual islands,” Weissmann said.
He suggested that regional destination marketing “has to drill down to point out the unique aspects each island offers to visitors and how it complements its neighbors in the region.”
IMAGE: Attending the trade show and agent seminar during the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s annual Caribbean Week event in New York were, from left: Lorine Charles-St. Jules, St. Lucia Tourist Board; Donna Carlin, Stepping Out Travel Services, Brick, N.J.; Diana Hechler, D. Tours Travel, Larchmont, N.Y.; and Suzon MacAulay, Stepping Out Travel Services, Monmouth Beach, N.J. Photo Credit: Gay Nagle Myers
Liebaer’s contract renewed as Cayman Islands Deputy FOI
Jan Liebaers, the acting Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Commissioner (FOI), has had his government contract renewed for another two years. He has held the post as Deputy FOI for 5 years.
Prior to this, Liebaers held several positions relating to FOI, archives and records management in Europe, Canada and the Cayman Islands. From 1997 to 2007 Mr. Liebaers was Head of Archives and Records Management and Deputy Director in the Cayman Islands National Archive, where he created the Records Policy Unit and spearheaded the development and implementation of new public records legislation, the National Archive and Public Records Law, 2007.
Liebaers holds a Master of Arts degree (MA) in history from York University, and a Master of Laws degree (LLM) in Information rights from Northumbria University, specializing in FOI and Data Protection. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the Academy of Certified Archivists, the Association of Records Managers and Administrators, and the Canadian Association of Professional Access and Privacy Administrators.
Liebaers was appointed the Acting Information Commissioner on 1 January 2014.
England’s Ipswich U15 football team fly to Cayman Islands on Cayman Airways
From Cayman Aiways
The Ipswich male U15 football team arrived on Grand Cayman May 5th via a connecting Cayman Airways’ nonstop flight from Miami, Florida. The team will be competing in the second annual Cayman Airways Invitational Youth Cup tournament taking place May 5-10, 2015.
“This is an amazing opportunity, once in a lifetime – to travel to the Cayman Islands and play football for Ipswich Town,” said Noah Collard, Ipswich Town FC, Under 14s. “We are all really excited to ‘take it international’ and test our team against players from around the world.”
The Cayman Airways Invitational Youth Cup is an international Under-15 tournament with the aim of bringing football (soccer) teams from around the world to the Cayman Islands. Cayman Airways is the title sponsor and Official Airline sponsor, providing complimentary airfare to Cayman for the visiting teams.
For tournament details and more, visit www.caymanyouthcup.ky or www.caymanairways.com/KXYouthCup2015
SOURCE: https://www.caymanairways.com/KXCupEngland
US officials travel to Bahamas for US-Caribbean high-level citizen security dialogue
From Caribbean News Now
NASSAU, Bahamas — Several senior US officials will participate in the United States-Caribbean high-level citizen security dialogue (HLCSD) in Nassau, Bahamas, from June 3-5. The HLCSD strengthens the United States’ citizen security partnership with the Caribbean, defines current and emerging threats to citizens and their communities, and results in collaborative responses to address them.
The meeting occurs as the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) marks its fifth anniversary, and government officials from Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean will attend.
During the working sessions, assistant secretary for western hemisphere affairs, Roberta Jacobson will lead a discussion on the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and future opportunities for collaboration. Assistant secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs (INL), William Brownfield will lead a discussion on countering narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean, and acting assistant administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, Beth Hogan of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will lead a discussion on challenges impacting Caribbean youth.
During her visit to The Bahamas, Jacobson will also hold bilateral meetings with Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie and Foreign Minister Frederick Mitchell. She will engage with senior government officials and leaders from the private, education, and civil society sectors.
While in Nassau, Brownfield will visit the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Marine Support Unit, participating in a harbor tour on an INL-funded interceptor vessel donated by the United States through CBSI. The vessel is the second of four planned CBSI vessel procurements, increasing the RBPF’s operational interdiction capacity as part of Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.
The CBSI is one pillar of the US security strategy focused on citizen safety throughout the hemisphere. CBSI brings all members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Dominican Republic together to collaborate with the United States on efforts to reduce illicit trafficking, increase public safety and security, and address underlying causes of crime and insecurity throughout the Caribbean.
Cayman Islands: S. E. A. (Science. Environment. Nature.) Camp
From Chatterbox
It’s that time of year again! Where did the year go?
This tried and tested, educational camp is for children aged 6 years and upwards and helps children to learn about what is in and around our beautiful ocean.
Last year, hermit crab racing and exploring rock pools were great hits and all the children loved snorkelling, even if they had never tried it before.
To book a space or to discuss further details, please call Amanda on 916 5799 or email her at [email protected]
See attached flyer for more details
Dennis Hastert’s arraignment rescheduled for next week
By Zoe Tillman and Katelyn Polantz, The National Law Journal
The federal district judge in Chicago overseeing the prosecution of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert on Tuesday pushed back Hastert’s arraignment to next week.
Hastert was originally scheduled to make his first court appearance on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On Tuesday morning, U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin’s chambers put out a notice that the hearing was rescheduled for June 9 at 2 p.m.
The notice did not include an explanation for the scheduling change.
Hastert was charged with withdrawing hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash in small increments in order to avoid federal reporting requirements. Hastert used that cash to attempt to cover up “prior misconduct” against an unidentified individual from his past, according to the indictment filed on May 28. Media reports quoted law enforcement sources as saying that the earlier misconduct was sexual in nature.
Prosecutors also charged Hastert with one count of lying to FBI agents about his bank activity.
WHO IS HASTERT’S LAWYER?
It’s still a mystery, five days after his indictment, who will represent the former House speaker and law firm employee.
No lawyer has entered an appearance in court on Hastert’s behalf. The U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago, when asked if Hastert had a lawyer, said there was “no attorney of record.” The NLJ has reached out to more than a dozen white-collar defense lawyers at large firms in Washington and Chicago, all of whom said they were not representing the former speaker and did not know who was.
See related iNews Cayman story “Feds: Ex-House Speaker Dennis Hastert agreed to pay $3.5M in Hush Money” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/feds-ex-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-agreed-to-pay-3-5m-in-hush-money/
Italian Ministerial Decree removes the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and 19 other jurisdictions from Italy’s ‘Blacklist’
By Anthony Travers and Deborah Drummond From Travers Thorp Alberga
On 1 April 2015 the Italian Minister of Economy and Finance issued a ministerial decree removing the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and 19 other jurisdictions from Italy’s ‘blacklist’ on the nondeductibility of costs and expenses, established in January 2002.
As a result, expenses and costs incurred by Italian businesses in transactions with Cayman, the BVI and other jurisdictions not on the blacklist will be deductible under the Italian Tax Code, promoting ease and certainty for Italian individuals and companies engaging in business with counterparts based in Cayman and the BVI.
The decree implements Art. 1(678) of Italy’s 2015 Stability Law, which removed the blacklist criterion relating to taxation levels, leaving adequacy of tax information exchange as the sole criterion, with the aim of promoting cross-border economic activity of Italian businesses. The 21 jurisdictions which have been removed are considered by the Italian authorities to have an adequate level of tax information exchange with Italy. 46 other jurisdictions remain on the blacklist.
The Cayman Islands and Italy signed a bilateral tax information exchange agreement in December 2012 and since 2005 Cayman has provided Italy with savings income information under a bilateral agreement implementing the EU Savings Directive. Cayman and the BVI are (via the United Kingdom) also signatories to the OECD multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, which Italy has also adopted.
SOURCE: Travers Thorp Alberga http://www.traversthorpalberga.com/
Caribbean Island reinvesting in coral reef health
By Emily From Marine Science Today
A brand new coral garden was recently established in Curaçao by the Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF).
CRF partnered with Curaçao’s Ocean Encounters Diving and Caribbean Research & Management of Biodiversity (CARMABI) to launch the Curaçao Reef Restoration Program, aimed at preserving the island’s reefs and biodiversity. The project will improve shallow water coral populations, which will help mitigate the effects of climate change in the area.
“The Curaçao Reef Restoration Program encourages our community in Curaçao to restore our shallow water reef system, while educating our youth about the importance of protecting and preserving our natural ecosystem,” Jeremiah Peek, Managing Director of Ocean Encounters Diving explained in a news release. “Programs like this help solidify a natural sustainability for future generations.”
The restoration process involves installing “trees” made of PVC pipes. Once the trees are secured to the sea floor, divers attach little pieces of coral called “corals of opportunity,” meaning the pieces were already broken and not removed from living corals. According to CRF, each tree can hold up to 100 pieces. The new nursery is then left to its own devices and just a few months, a new reef will have started to form.
Curaçao’s first nursery was established late last month. Watch the video below to see how it happened.
“This was an extraordinary team effort, with experts from our region coming together to help launch a program to restore the shallow water reef system for our community,” Peek said. “It’s an amazing feeling to give these corals another opportunity to grow, as 100% of the fragments we collected were already broken, lying on the seafloor.”
IMAGE: Adding coral pieces. Screen capture from YouTube video by Ocean Encounters and Turtle & Ray Productions.
For more & video: http://marinesciencetoday.com/2015/06/03/caribbean-island-reinvesting-in-coral-reef-health/#ixzz3c0jPD9Si
Davidoff announces new art initiative residency for Caribbean artists in Basel
By Michelle Tay From Blouinartinfo
The Davidoff Art Initiative announced June 1 it has added an annual residency for Caribbean artists and curators at Atelier Mondial in Basel as part of its global Art Residency program.
The residencies will host one artist at a time, from October to December each year, starting in 2015, and will be held in collaboration with the Institute of Art at the FHNW Academy of Art and Design. The effort strengthens the Initiative’s three-year-old commitment to support contemporary art and artists in the Caribbean, in particular the Dominican Republic, where much of the production of Davidoff’s cigars is located.
“It is my firm belief that the Caribbean region has some of the most exciting voices in the contemporary art world today,” said Chuz Martinez, Head of the Institute of Art at the FHNW Academy of Art and Design in Basel, in a statement. “Yet these artists and curators are often overlooked. They demand our urgent attention. The new residency collaboration will be an important vehicle to developing a deeper and much needed cultural bridge between our respective regions.”
Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, CEO of Davidoff, which has been an Associate Partner of Art Basel for four years, added: “We are all the more delighted that our Swiss residency partner is right here in Basel, where both our company and our lead cultural partner, Art Basel, are headquartered. The new residency will bring the Davidoff Art Initiative back home to us, allowing our Davidoff colleagues to interact closely with the visiting Caribbean artists.”
At this year’s Art Basel from June 18 – 21, Davidoff will unveil its newly designed VIP hospitality lounge in the Collectors Lounge, where it will showcase the fruits of the Initiative’s labor, including photographs by Polibio Díaz, a Dominican artist who participated in the Davidoff Art Residency program at the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP) in Brooklyn, New York, in the fall of 2014.
The company will also present the second edition of its humidor collection “Cave de Paille,” which was created in collaboration with Paris-based artist Lison de Caunes and crafted with traditional straw marquetry.
IMAGE: Atelier Mondial in Basel (Courtesy Atelier Mondial)
Harkand completes first campaign for BG in Caribbean
From WorldOil
ABERDEEN, Scotland — Global operator in the subsea inspection, repair and maintenance sector (IRM), Harkand, has successfully completed its first campaign in the Caribbean for BG Trinidad and Tobago.
The 75-day ROV subsea support services project was concluded at the start of March by the team on board Harkand’s multi-purpose vessel the Go Electra in the waters off Trinidad and Tobago.
The workscope included carrying out ultrasonic technology scans, free span pipeline rectification work, subsea control module change outs, and the supply and installation of anode pods and clamps at various locations throughout the North Coast Marine Area (NCMA) and East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) of Trinidad and Tobago.
Harkand Europe Managing Director David Kerr said: “We enjoy a very good relationship with BG and we are pleased to have carried out this scope of work to meet their requirements in Trinidad and Tobago, especially at this challenging time of year which is out with the usual IRM weather season in the region.
“The success of this campaign was down to the collaboration on board the Go Electra with our personnel working closely with BG Trinidad and Tobago to ensure the work was delivered safely and effectively. It is a testament to this collaborative working relationship that only five days’ weather related downtime was experienced out of the 75-day campaign.
“Our initial mobilization was efficient with all personnel and equipment clearing customs without delay. We are also delighted to have utilized local content on this project which included ROV pilot technicians, stewards and riggers.”
Harkand provides offshore vessels, ROVs, diving, survey services, project management and engineering to the oil and gas and renewables industries. Headquartered in London with operations bases in Aberdeen, Houston, Mexico and Ghana, Harkand aims to be the leading subsea IRM and light construction contractor globally.
For more: http://www.worldoil.com/news/2015/6/02/harkand-completes-first-campaign-for-bg-in-caribbean
This former CEO will receive a Caribbean Tourism Organization award
From eTN Global Industry News
NEW YORK, NY, 2 June, 2015 – A past chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) board of directors is among four people to be recognized by the CTO allied membership for their contributions to Caribbean tourism.
The former CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Rosecita Jeffers, who served as chairman of the CTO board of directors from 2010 to 2012, will receive the Jerry Award at the annual Allied Awards Luncheon on Friday 5 June.
The Jerry Award is given each year to an outstanding contributor of resources to the Caribbean community.
“You have certainly excelled in this department over the years. Many thanks for your generous contribution of time and dedication toward the sustainable development of the Caribbean through tourism,” Jacqueline Johnson, the allied board member coordinating the Caribbean Week New York allied members programme, told Ms. Jeffers.
“This is recognition that my many years of service to the region’s number one industry have not gone unnoticed. I am a strong believer that it is only through our collective efforts and the wise use of our scarce natural and financial resources that we can create a more sustainable tourism industry that will help lift our people out of poverty and provide the means for creating a more prosperous and equitable society,” said Ms. Jeffers.
Marie Blanchard-Green, an administrator with experience in the aviation, transportation, tourism, conference centre and hotel industries, and who, for many years, has assisted the CTO New York office with the execution of Caribbean Week events, will receive the prestigious Allied Award.
“I am truly overwhelmed and grateful to the allied members of the Caribbean Tourism Organization for nominating me to be the recipient of 2015’s Allied Award, “ was her reaction.
The long-standing event planners, Barbara Raskin and Cliff Martell, will be presented with the Special Recognition Award for “your untiring efforts at elevating the image of the CTO through positive and complimentary words, wisdom and creativity”.
“I am beyond thrilled and at being given this prestigious honour and recognition from the Caribbean Tourism Organization,” said Martell. “ So many years ago, when I first started working with CTO, I met a wonderful group of people who trusted and gave me the creative license to interpret the beauty and the diversity of the Caribbean. I will always be humbled and grateful for being given the opportunity to interpret the vibrancy, the sounds, the warmth, the genuineness and the personality that only the Caribbean offers.”
The Allied Awards Luncheon will be preceded by the Caribbean Marketing Conference, which has as its theme, Caribbean Tourism – Playing to Win.
For more: http://www.eturbonews.com/59734/former-ceo-will-receive-caribbean-tourism-organization-award
How Caribbean youth are turning digital content into business
From CARICOM Today
When you talk with Caribbean youth about the possibilities and hope that working online offers, you have to give them real-life examples to hang their dreams on and help them to understand that it can be done and that others are doing it. So in my previous article on digital literacy, DuttyBerry and Wally British, two youths (a male and a female) who are earning money from their digital content were highlighted. In this article I will feature a few more youths.
Digital Literacy – More than Selfies!
I used the term ‘digital literacy’ throughout that earlier presentation and you would have picked up that it involves learning to use digital tools, such as our cell phones, tablets and other computers as well as the Internet. These are called communication technologies and are vital for 21st Century living.
But, beyond just learning how to use these tools, we need to understand how to use them effectively to better our lives. A big part of digital literacy is to use these various technologies to create content or information and to share what we create with others via various means, including, but not limited to social networks. It’s not just about posting selfies!
For more: http://today.caricom.org/2015/06/02/how-caribbean-youth-are-turning-digital-content-into-business/
Bermuda banking sector changes underway
From Reactions
Bermuda’s government is looking to restructure its banking industry as it seeks to make the jurisdiction even more attractive to the international re/insurance industry and also help improve the island’s unemployment rates.
Bermuda’s government is looking to restructure its banking industry as it seeks to make the jurisdiction even more attractive to the international re/insurance industry and also help improve the island’s unemployment rates.
Not having a major central bank on the island can make conducting major business problematic, especially when Bermuda’s re/insurance industry holds somewhere in the region of $500bn to $750bn of assets.
As Bermuda’s Minister of Finance, The Honourable Everard Bob Richards, explained, 99% of those re/insurance assets are managed by banks. But because Bermuda’s banking industry is small, almost all of those assets are managed away from the island.
“The large reinsurance companies can’t do much business with a Bermuda bank because they’re just too small to handle those kinds of assets,” Richards told Reactions. However, Bermuda wants this situation to change.
Caribbean Airlines relocates ticket offices in Kingston
From Jamaica Observer
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Caribbean Airlines has relocated its ticket offices at the hangar at Norman Manley International Airport and Trafalgar Road in a bid to strengthen its customer service.
The two offices will be consolidated into a single office building on Hope Road in Liguanea, Kingston.
“This is a perfect time for us to relocate. The new offices will enable us to serve our guests more effectively and efficiently by bringing our people together under one roof,” Clive Forbes, the Caribbean Airlines Jamaica General Manager, said.
He also stated that the airline is upbeat about summer bookings.
“Our customers are seeing the value of travelling with Caribbean Airlines. The summer schedule will soon become effective with increased frequency and we continue to offer one of the most generous baggage policies in the skies today,” Forbes said.
He added: “With Caribbean Airlines, the first bag always flies free and our Business class customers benefit from 3 complimentary bags.”
For more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Caribbean-Airlines-relocates-ticket-offices-in-Kingston
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).
