Posts Tagged ‘China’

COP28 President-Designate concludes high level visit to China with common understanding for step change to help achieve transformational climate progress at COP28

COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, concluded a two-day trip to China, where he held a series of bilateral meetings, including with Ding Xuexiang, First Vice Premier of China; Zhao Chenxin, Vice Chairman of the NDRC; HE Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment; Xie Zhenhua, Special Envoy for Climate Change; and Dr. Zhang Jianhua, Director of the National Energy Administration.

UAE and China to build on strength of strategic relationship to maximize practical, pragmatic climate progress ahead of COP28 to keep 1.5 alive.

Given the size of China’s economy – which will soon be the world’s largest – the country’s potential to promote climate progress is immense.

Over the past five years alone, China has added more than 40% of the world’s new solar and wind power capacity and has set a very ambitious target of deploying 1,200 gigawatts of renewable capacity by or before the end of this decade.

Through a shared commitment to climate action and sustainable economic development, the UAE will work with China to accelerate energy transition ahead of COP28.

UAE and China will align efforts to drive a just and equitable energy transition for the Global South and the world, through South South cooperation, investment and technology transfer.

COP28 President-Designate also met with clean tech entrepreneurs and addressed students at prestigious Tsinghua University Institute for Carbon Neutrality.

Partnerships at government, private sector, academic and civil society levels will be key to making COP28 a COP of Action, and a COP of solidarity, unity and impact .

ABU DHABI, UAE, April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, has concluded a two-day trip to China, where he held a series of bilateral meetings, including with Ding Xuexiang, First Vice Premier of China; Zhao Chenxin, Vice Chairman of the NDRC; HE Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment; Xie Zhenhua, Special Envoy for Climate Change; and Dr. Zhang Jianhua, Director of the National Energy Administration. Dr. Al Jaber also met and addressed students at the prestigious Tsinghua University Institute for Carbon Neutrality, where he highlighted China’s leadership in renewable energy development and highlighted its unique capacity to enhance South-South cooperation on climate action.

COP28 President-Designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber and China’s Minister of Ecology & Environment, Huang Runqiu, met in Beijing to discuss climate priorities and strengthen cooperation on mitigation, a just energy transition and adaptation across food, water & health.

Building on the strength of the UAE China strategic partnership, discussions focused on partnerships around practical, concrete efforts in the run up to COP28 for a step change to help achieve transformational climate progress. Given the size of China’s economy, and its leadership position in advancing clean technologies, the country’s potential to promote sustainable low carbon economic growth is immense.

“Given the size of China’s economy and the scale of its development of renewable energy and decarbonization technology, China provides a good model for sustainable economic growth and the global energy transition. Over the past five years alone, China has been responsible for adding more than 40% of the world’s new solar and wind power capacity and has set a very ambitious target of deploying 1,200 gigawatts of renewable capacity by the end of this decade.”

Dr. Al Jaber highlighted that both the UAE and China were committed to diversifying their energy mix and pursuing pragmatic solutions to the climate crisis. He added: “The partnership between the UAE and China will be a key asset to the COP28 Presidency as we seek innovative solutions to boost industrial decarbonization, expand access to clean technologies, and ensure a just energy transition.”

Dr. Al Jaber met with clean tech entrepreneurs in a private sector roundtable and also addressed an audience at the Tsinghua University Institute for Carbon Neutrality, which covers energy, sustainability and climate-related disciplines. With the world needing to reduce global emissions by 43 percent by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement target of limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, countries will need a range of technology solutions to meet their decarbonization goals, the COP28 President-Designate stated.

“We cannot accomplish our climate objectives without significant adoption and development of technology for decarbonization. We need to explore every available option. It is not renewables or hydrogen or nuclear or carbon capture or only using the least carbon intensive oil and gas. It is all of the above, plus new technologies yet to be invented, commercialized and deployed,” he stated.

“As a global leader and valued partner to emerging market economies, China is already making significant contributions to enhance South-South climate action. China’s support will be critical for us to deliver pragmatic, practical action on the road to COP28 and beyond.”

In his meeting with Chinese business and industrial leaders, Dr Al Jaber continued to advocate for investment in industrial decarbonization. He said: “Steel, cement, and aluminium, like energy or manufacturing, are the industries that run the world. We simply cannot stop using them. But we do have to find a way to make them more sustainable. We must reduce emissions, not progress. We have to work with industry leaders to bring them on board as partners, and to source the solutions together.”

Dr. Al Jaber also hailed the strength of the partnership between the UAE and China as a model of cooperation toward sustainable, low carbon growth and prosperity: “Partnerships will be key to making COP28 a COP of Action, and a COP of solidarity, unity and impact. We need China, as we need all countries and Parties, at the table to meet the Paris goal of keeping global temperatures from rising 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. We need a major course correction and a massive effort to reignite progress. And I look forward to working with China to deliver a successful COP28,” he stated.

Notes to Editors

COP28 UAE:

  • COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30-December 12, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.
  • As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake – a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals.
  • The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a “leave no one behind” approach to inclusive climate action.

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UnionPay Acceptance Enabled in the Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — UnionPay International (UPI) today announced its partnership with Cardnet, the largest acquirer in the Dominican Republic, to enable UnionPay acceptance at all Cardnet merchants. This is the first time that UnionPay card services are made available in the country. The UnionPay acceptance network has thus extended to 181 countries and regions, covering more than 37 million merchants outside the Chinese mainland.

In recent years, UPI has stepped up its effort in extending and enhancing its overseas acceptance network, and the offline card usage environment has continued to be optimized. In the first half of this year, more than 1.7 million merchants outside the Chinese mainland enabled UnionPay acceptance, significantly improving the user experience in Europe, North America, and other places, and the number of online UnionPay merchants increased to 22 million. Mobile payment services have been developing rapidly, with 13 million merchants in 95 countries and regions outside the Chinese mainland supporting UnionPay QR or mobile QuickPass. The latest survey by Juniper Research, a British consulting firm, shows that UPI has become one of the global leaders in QR payment.

The Dominican Republic is one of the largest economies in the Caribbean region. The partnership with Cardnet enables about 30,000 POS terminals to take UnionPay cards, boosting the local acceptance coverage to nearly 50% in a short period of time with a focus on optimizing cardholder experience in hotels, airports, retailers and F&B merchants. The collaboration will satisfy the demand of business travelers to the country for essential purchases and facilitate the people-to-people exchanges between China and the Dominican Republic.

With its strengths in the network, UPI is striving to serve more international cardholders and support China’s mutual exchanges with the rest of the world. Over 190 million UnionPay cards have been issued in more than 70 countries and regions around the world, of which 30 countries and regions have also rolled out 140 UnionPay-powered e-wallets, providing local residents with quality mobile payment services based on UnionPay cards.

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Beijing Executives Urge Closer Promotion of Brand Caribbean In China

Dr. Ma Lin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government, second from right and Mr. Cao, Pengcheng, Vice Chairman of the  Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development were among the panellists on the “Bejing-Caribbean Tourism And Investment Opportunity” panel at Invest Caribbean Now 2014. (Sharon Bennett/ICN image)

Dr. Ma Lin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government, second from right and Mr. Cao, Pengcheng, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development were among the panellists on the “Bejing-Caribbean Tourism And Investment Opportunity” panel at Invest Caribbean Now 2014. (Sharon Bennett/ICN image)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. June 10, 2014: The prospects are good for Beijing and the Caribbean region to enhance cooperation in developing tourism and boosting their respective economic and social progress.

That’s the view from Dr. Ma Lin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government, who brought welcoming remarks to delegates at Invest Caribbean Now 2014 and who was also part of the “Bejing-Caribbean Tourism And Investment Opportunity” panel at the summit on June 4th in New York City.

Dr. Lin called for a deeper understanding of Beijing and the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), so that they can “enhance exchanges and cooperation and promote common development.”

He noted that the rapid growth of outbound tourism from China has made it a rising industry. In 2013, the number of outbound tourists reached 93.4 million, spending 117.6 billion U.S. dollars overseas in total. It is expected that by 2020, the number of China’s outbound tourists will increase by over 200 million, offering huge potential.

“Therefore, there are good prospects for China and the Caribbean region, especially Beijing and the Caribbean region to enhance cooperation in developing tourism and boosting their respective economic and social progress.” Dr. Lin addressed the over 200 delegates gathered, who included several Caribbean ministers of governments as well as top US and Caribbean companies like Merrill Lynch, the World Bank Group, Goldman Sachs, OPIC,  Bright Capital, Aegis Capital, Medici Group, Adiuvo Partners LLP, The Lugano Group, The Woody Wilson Fine Clothing of Beverly Hills, Global Med Choices, American World Clinic; MPowered, Aspenall Energies,  Sandals Resorts International, DHL Caribbean, HBO Latin America, One Caribbean Television, First Citizens TT, InvesTT, interCaribbean Airways, Bright Capital and Sir Richard Branson’s, Carbon War Room.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cao, Pengcheng, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, urged Caribbean ministers of tourism and leaders to join the WTCF as a first step in order to enhance their brand promotion to Beijing and Chinese tourists.

He agreed with Dr. Lin that due to inconvenient transportation and lack of information exchanges, most citizens from Beijing are unaware of tourism in the Caribbean region, and only a small proportion of China’s outbound tourists visit the Caribbean region.

But he said that through closer collaboration and membership within the WTCF and promotion at the annual expo in Beijing in September, the Caribbean tourism destinations can help boost promotion for their tourism sectors and attract more tourists from Beijing and China.

At present, the Caribbean region accounts for only a small proportion of Chinese overseas visits, and no Caribbean cities or organizations have joined the WTCF.

The panel included Mr. Richard Nixon of  NATCOM International and past Chargé d’ Affaires at Embassy of Grenada to China, who urged the Caribbean region to do a better job of packaging its projects for promotion in China, and Li Li, managing director of the Chinese American Business Development Center, who reiterated that the first step towards any real tourism promotion in Beijing and China must be through membership in the WTCF which will enhance promotion on a global level.

The panel was moderated by Arthur Piccolo, chairman of the New Sports Group.

Invest Caribbean Now was founded in 2011 by Hard Beat Communications CMO, Felicia J. Persaud. The 2014 ICN summit was presented under the theme, “Advancing Wealth.”

ICN 2014 also hosted several panel discussions including ‘Global Trends & The Caribbean;’ ‘Introducing The New Trend In Tourism – Medical Tourism;’ ‘Introducing A New Trend In The Caribbean  – Clean Energy’, and the “Caribbean Diaspora as a source of investment.”

The first half of the event included remarks by Claire McLeveighn who brought greetings on behalf of New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo; an opening address by ICN founder and chairman, Felicia J. Persaud; a keynote address by Harvard graduate Dr. Isaac J. Newton, of Paramount Communications Consultancy; an investment announcement on the Caribbean Market Village of  St. Lucia and a focus on ‘Advancing Wealth In The Caribbean With Technology,’ from Trinidad-born, LA resident, Anthony Wellington Phills, branding specialist of Disney’s ‘Million Dollar Arm’ and founder of Caribbean Commerce Magazine/Media, Calypso Cloud and Blinglet Inc.

See photos from the event here.

SOURCE: Invest Caribbean Now

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kathy Bronson

Communications Coordinator

Invest Caribbean Now

[email protected]

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Multiple Emmy Award-Winning News Anchor For Invest Caribbean Now 2014

Emmy award-winning TV anchor, Ernie Anastos.

Emmy award-winning TV anchor Ernie Anastos.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. April 7, 2014: New York Hall of Fame Broadcaster and winner of more than 30 Emmy awards and nominations, Ernie Anastos, is set to emcee the biggest investment summit on the Caribbean outside the region, Invest Caribbean Now (ICN) 2014.

Anastos, the distinguished and popular anchor for the FOX flagship station WNYW-TV in New York, will serve as host of the fourth summit that is being presented under the patronage of Hollywood Actor Malik Yoba and set for June 4th, 2014 from 11:30 a.m. at the prestigious Harvard Club in New York City.

This year’s summit will feature numerous global professional investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders including a delegation from China; the Industrial Commerce Bank of China, American CryoStem Corporation, Lugano Group, Damoola, Merrill Lynch, Nomura, Aegis Capital, Island Global Yachting, Blocadi Capital, K&L Gates, True Value Building & Hardware Ltd & Emerald Vista and representatives from Sir Richard Branson’s the Carbon War Room will also be in attendance.

Also attending will be Caribbean government ministers and dignitaries from across the region; chairman of the billion-dollar, privately-owned Jamaican-based empire that today includes 24 Caribbean properties, Appliance Traders Ltd. and The Observer media company, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart; Sergio Millian, President of the Russian American Chamber of Commerce; Colin Childress, CEO/Founder, Global MedChoices, Turks & Caicos; Paul Angelchik, M.D., Founder and CEO, American World Clinic – Barbados; Anthony A. L. Adjasse of the Allied African Nations Chamber Of Commerce; Jamaica’s Ambassador to the UN, Courtney Rattray and several CARICOM consuls general to New York; Hollywood fashion designer, Woody Wilson; Qahir Dhanani, private sector development specialist of the World Bank Group; Leigh Moran, manager, International Diaspora Engagement Alliance” or “IdEA,” a partnership of the US State Department and USAID; Brian Lilly, founder of One Caribbean Television and CEO of Lilly Broadcasting; Caribbean scholar Dr. Isaac Newton; Anthony Phills, founder of the Caribbean Commerce Magazine/Media and Blinglet Inc. and Irwine Clare of the Jamaica Diaspora, North East among others.

Anastos is the first and only New York TV anchor to receive the coveted “Lifetime Emmy Award,” the highest honor given for his outstanding and personal accomplishments in the television industry.

“We are extremely thrilled to welcome Ernie Anastos to Invest Caribbean Now 2014,” said ICN founder and Hard Beat Communications CMO Felicia Persaud. “Ernie is a New York television icon and his immediate acceptance of our invitation to serve as this year’s emcee adds to the global dimension of this year’s summit.”

One Caribbean Television weatherman, Joey Stevens, and his famous side-kick, Bob, will wrap up the event by hosting the ICN Awards Reception, set for 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Limited early bird tickets and table of 10 are available by booking here or atinvestcaribbeannow.com/earlybird.

Panel program sponsorship and advertising opportunities for this event are available by contacting [email protected] or [email protected] or by logging on to ICN’s summit page atInvestcaribbeannow.com.

An exclusive Diamond Dinner has been added to this year’s summit for only 20 people who will include Malik Yoba, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and Woody Wilson among other top Chinese, Caribbean and Russian delegates. Tickets are available on an invitation only basis by contacting Joe Bernstein at [email protected].

ICN PARTNERS

Presenters for ICN 2014 include: Hard Beat Communications, The Caribbean Tourism Organization, One Caribbean Television, The Woody Wilson Collection of Beverly Hills, The PR Newswire, the Caribbean Commerce Magazine, Blinglets, The Caribbean Council for Economic Development, the Chinese Business Development Center, Woody Wilson Fine Clothing, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, the Jamaica Observer, CaribSeek and WINN-FM.

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SOURCE: Invest Caribbean Now

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kathy Bronson

Communications Coordinator

Invest Caribbean Now

[email protected]

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Business Development Trip To China Urged At Avalon Invest Caribbean Now 2013

 ICN founder Felicia Persaud, 4th from right, with Mike Ronan, vice president of government relations for the Caribbean, Latin America & Asia at RCCL, 4th from l.; Miguel Reyna, director, Port Business Development and Asset Management, 3rd from r;  Kara Coleman, news anchor of One Caribbean Television and ICN 2013 emcee, 2nd from left and the China and the Caribbean panellists including Li Li at L; Consul in charge of economic & commercial affairs of the Consulate General of China in New York, Xiaoguang Liu; 3rd from r. and Johnny Liu of the American Chinese Commerce Development Association at right. (Hayden Roger Celestin image)

Among the corporate, governmental and economic heavyweights participating in the 2013 Invest Caribbean Now Forum were (l. to r.) Li Li, managing director of the Chinese American Business Development Center; Kara Coleman, news anchor of One Caribbean Television and ICN 2013 emcee; Peter Zhang, president of the Sino-American Friendship Society; Mike Ronan, vice president of government relations for the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines; ICN founder Felicia Persaud; Miguel Reyna, director, Port Business Development and Asset Management; Johnny Liu of the American Chinese Commerce Development Association; and Xiaoguang Liu, consul in charge of economic and commercial affairs of the Consulate of China in New York. (Hayden Roger Celestin image)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. June 6, 2013: Caribbean governments were on Wednesday, June 5th, urged to participate in a business development and investment promotions trip to China this Fall as the curtains came down on the Avalon Invest Caribbean Now Forum in New York City.

The invitation was extended by Li Li, managing Director of the Chinese American Business Development Center and seconded by the Consul in charge of economic & commercial affairs of the Consulate General of China in New York, Xiaoguang Liu; and Johnny Liu of the American Chinese Commerce Development Association.  The three were part of a panel on ‘China and the Caribbean’ at ICN 2013, which came on the heels of Chinese President’s Xi Jinping first visit to the Caribbean island of Trinidad on May 31st and his pledge of more than $3 billion in loans to 10 Caribbean nations and Costa Rica on June 2nd.

“The Chinese private sectors are seeking opportunities in the Caribbean such as hospitality, real estate, healthcare and education industry because they are easy to operate, are transparent and create jobs,”  Li told the packed room at the Radisson Martinique Hotel Wednesday.

She said the Caribbean, located in the center of the Americas, provides the advantage of easy access to markets in the North, South and Central America and serves as a bridge to the markets in Europe.

Citing statistics that said up to 100 million Chinese will be traveling abroad by 2015, Li said the time was right for the Caribbean to target this key demographic, especially since the Chinese consumer works hard and has spending power and “the Caribbean has garnered critical acclaim as a Mecca for tourism with significant investments in that and related sectors.”

Li also pointed to figures that showed the Chinese outbound travel market will be $590 billion by 2020.

The panel was presented by the Sino-American Friendship Association, (SAFA) and supported by The Chinese American Business Development Center, (CABDC) and the American Chinese Commerce Development Association, (ACCDA).Arthur Piccolo of the New Sports Group moderated the forum.

Meanwhile, Anthony Eterno, of the Caribbean Affairs Office of the Western Hemisphere Division in the US State Department, in his speech on the “US’ views on Investing In The Caribbean,” insisted that the U.S. Obama administration remains committed to an economic partnership with the region that stimulates growth.

And in opening remarks, ICN Founder and CMO of Hard Beat Communications, Felicia Persaud, urged Caribbean governments to  do more to “tell and sell” the diverse Caribbean investment story to the right people because the region “is relevant” despite what the naysayers may claim.

“We are relevant when 11 Caribbean nations are in the top 100 when it comes to ease of doing business but only seven for Latin America and eight for Africa,” said Persaud. “We are relevant when eight nations in the Caribbean are ranked in the top 100 fastest growing economies globally compared to 10 for Latin America as of 2012 … a difference of two … and we are relevant when the world’s richest man invests Caribbean.”

Over twelve dozen delegates attended the Avalon Invest Caribbean Now Forum at the Radisson Martinique Hotel in mid-town, Manhattan, including Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands, Dr. Rufus Ewing and his Minister of Finance C. Washington Misick; Minister of Tourism & International Transport, International Trade, Industry, Commerce & Consumer Affairs St. Kitts, Ricky Skerritt; Minister for Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries, St. Lucia, Lorne Theophilus; Minister of Tourism Nevis, Mark Brantley; Minister of Tourism of Antigua & Barbuda, John Maginley; Minister of Tourism, Sports & Culture, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Cecil McKie; Assemblyman Tracy Davidson-Celestine, Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary, Division of Tourism and Transportation, Tobago; Nicolaas Sneek, Commissioner, St. Eustacius; Minister of Tourism of The Bahamas, Obie Wilchcombe and Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, and Commissioner of the United States Virgin Islands, Beverly Nicholson Doty.

Speakers and presenters included Miguel Reyna, director, Port Business Development and Asset Management, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.; Heather Flossiac of Belle Vue Properties of St. Lucia; E. Jay Saunders, CEO of Digicel TCI; Brian Lilly, founder of One Caribbean Television and Ganesh Ramanathan, creative director at Hard Beat Communications; Dr. Grace Lappin of Avalon Partners, Inc. And Arthur Piccolo of the Bowling Green Association.

The “ICN 2013 Corporate Leadership Award” was presented to Royal Caribbean International,

In brief remarks, Adam Goldstein, President and CEO of RCCL, said “The Caribbean has been the heart and soul of who we are and where we go for over 40 years, and we are honored to receive the 2013 ‘Invest Caribbean Now Corporate Leadership Award” as our goal is to continue to work closely with the Caribbean so that their ability to retain and attract cruise ships remains as strong and robust as ever and we look forward to being a leader and working to help recognize the region’s value.”

Mike Ronan, vice president of government relations for the Caribbean, Latin America & Asia at RCCL, represented Golstein at the event and accepted the prestigious award that is given to one individual or corporation each year for their above par investments in the region.

Invest Caribbean Now is organized annually by The Caribbean Tourism Organization and digital media solutions company, Hard Beat Communications, during Caribbean Week in New York. The event is the brain child of Persaud and is now in its third year.

Kara Coleman, news anchor of One Caribbean Television emceed the forum which was sponsored by Avalon Partners; The Turks & Caicos Islands Investment Agency; Royal Caribbean Cruise, Ltd; One Caribbean Television, The Chinese American Business Development Center, the American Chinese Commerce Development Association and No-Jet-Lag.

2013 media partners included the PR Newswire, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, WINN FM of St. Kitts, South Florida Caribbean, Caribseek, Antigua Tribune, Bahamas Spectator, Barbados Gazette, British Caribbean News, Caribbean ET Roundup, Caribbean Financials, Cuba Chronicle, Dominica Gazette, Dominican Republic Post, Dutch Caribbean News, French Caribbean News, Grenada Chronicle, Guyana Inquirer, Haiti Gazette, Jamaica Inquirer, Puerto Rico Tribune, St. Kitts Gazette, St. Lucia Chronicle, St. Vincent Tribune, Trinidad Tribune, the Bajan Reporter, The Bahamas Weekly and Bahamas Local.

For more including additional photos and videos of the speeches and presentations stay tuned for continuous updates on to InvestCaribbeanNow.com.

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China, India, Brazil! Is The Caribbean Next?

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CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 3, 2012: Find out this June when the second Invest Caribbean Now power forum returns to New York City.

 “The first Invest Caribbean Forum in June 2011 was a pivotal moment in developing interest in a new era of entrepreneurship and investing in the Caribbean. This year’s forum promises to be even more significant in advancing U.S. and worldwide interest in emerging opportunities throughout the Caribbean,” said Felicia Persaud, the convener of Invest Caribbean 2012 for the Caribbean Tourism Organization, in announcing this year’s forum.

Coming on the heels of an ultra successful event in 2011 that featured over 300 money managers, investors, hoteliers, ministers of governments and real estate developers, the Invest Caribbean Now power forum will return to New York City this June as part of Caribbean Week in New York.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization will again partner with digital media company, Hard Beat Communications, to present the second investment forum on June 6, 2012 in New York City.

The event earned rave reviews in its inaugural years in 2011 and secured significant media coverage for its impassioned appeal from Hard Beat CEO, Persaud, and presentations from Wendell Dave Dowrich, Vice President, Goldman Sachs; David Brillembourg, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Brilla Group and Martin Mohabeer, Managing Director, Spackman Group and CEO of Spackman Capital.

2012 is set to be more exciting as the event will feature private equity investors in the region, telling their “Why Caribbean” story to other investors and attendees. This year’s confirmed speakers are CEO and founder of the award winning firm, McKinney Rogers, Damian McKinney; President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo; and Chairman and Managing Director of Blue Equity, LLC., Jonathan S. Blue. 

In just ten years McKinney, a former British Royal Marine has built a global organization with offices on every sub-continent. Today, McKinney Rogers is a premiere global consultancy, specializing in business execution. The firm has delivered tangible and sustainable results for such respected global organizations as Walmart, Bacardi, Grohe and Diageo. McKinney was also the winner of the coveted Executive of the Year Award for 2011.

Solamon Energy Corp is a renewable energy developer providing Caribbean and Central American clients with cost effective and reliable RE power generation solutions. Jay and his team work recently announced plans to build the Caribbean’s largest solar power plant in Jamaica. It is expected that the program, estimated to cost 450 million dollars, will enhance and improve Jamaica’s energy infrastructure, as well as help attract additional investment in the ICT and green tech sectors.

Blue Equity is a private equity firm with a diverse and innovative portfolio of business enterprises, with concentrations in oil and gas, media, healthcare, defense, financial services, real estate, manufacturing, art commerce, and sports and entertainment. Jonathan and Blue currently are already investing in the Caribbean through Cool Petroleum Limited, the licensed user of Shell brands in Jamaica and Island Ice & Beverage Company Limited, which manufactures and distributes packaged ice in the Caribbean. Blue Equity LLC says it will be expanding the network of gas stations in Jamaica under the Cool Petroleum brand and also hinted at another acquisition later this year, saying it remains optimistic about Jamaica’s prospects as an investment destination. 

“The Caribbean Tourism Organization is proud to team up with Hard Beat to present this event for the second year, since in these tough economic times, investment in the Caribbean and Latin America is critical and the CTO believes strongly in continuing to boost the tourism sector of this vibrant region by presenting investment opportunities for its members,” said Sylma Brown Bramble, director of CTO-USA Inc.

Partners to date include the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (”ALTA“).

For partnership and exhibitor opportunities log on to the sponsorship section of http://investcaribbeannow.com/ or call 646-820-5694.

 

 

 

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Kobo Brings eReading to the Caribbean Through New Partnership With Nigel R Khan Bookseller Chain

Country’s Largest Chain to Offer Kobo Wireless eReader to Trinidad and Tobago eReading Community

 TORONTO, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Kobo, a global leader in eReading with more than 3.6 million users in over 100 countries worldwide, today announced that the company’s Wireless eReader has landed in the Caribbean through a new partnership with Nigel R Khan Bookseller.  The innovative bookseller – with nine locations in Trinidad and Tobago – is committed to bringing the latest technology to readers.  The introduction of the Kobo Wireless eReader provides the large chain with an open and enjoyable device to support local readers and the islands’ tourism trade.

 As the southernmost island in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago’s population of 1.3 million boasts a literacy rate of 92.8%, making it the perfect place for Kobo to reach avid readers and encourage them to start eReading with the device of their choice. Nigel R Khan Bookseller has proven their overarching commitment to reading and technology, adopting new approaches that enhance the joy of reading for their customers.

 ”Along with the excitement of bringing our passion for eReading to new shores, we expect to see great success with the launch of the Kobo Wireless eReader in Nigel R Khan Bookseller stores throughout Trinidad and Tobago,” said Todd Humphrey, Executive Vice President of Business Development, Kobo. “Nigel R Khan Bookseller is really leading the way by bringing the latest technology to the Caribbean and introducing eReading to their customers.  We look forward to serving Trinidad and Tobago’s growing eReading community and the country’s technology-focused demographic.”

 The partnership will enable the book chain’s customers to engage in reading on a whole new level with Kobo, as well as attract a new reading crowd with the technological advancements Kobo brings to eReading.

 The Kobo Wireless eReader is perfect for reading on the go! Light, compact and featuring Wi Fi access you can shop today’s hottest new releases, newspapers and magazines plus over 1 million free classics — anywhere. Pre-loaded with 100 ready to go classics, this e-Reader is an obvious buy.

  • Browse and shop today’s best sellers plus over 1 million free classics
  • 6″ E Ink screen for no glare, paper-like reading
  • 100 free classics pre-loaded
  • Light and compact – just .4 inches thick and weighs only 8 ounces
  • Carry up to 1,000 eBooks or 10,000 with an expandable SD memory card
  • Read on and on. The long lasting battery lasts up to 2 weeks
  • Modern and minimal – intuitive navigation pad
  • Personalize your reading with customizable font sizes and styles
  • Choose your library view: list, text or by virtual book
  • Supports open standards (ePUB, PDF, Adobe DRM)
  • Wi Fi connectivity let’s you shop and update your library wirelessly
  • Read on your mobile, tablet or computer with Kobo’s free downloadable apps
  • Unique quilted back makes it comfortable to hold
  • Available in three stylish colors: Onyx, Silver and Lilac

 

About Kobo, Inc.

Kobo is a global eReading service with more than 2.3 million eBooks, magazines and newspapers – one of the largest eReading catalogues in the world. Kobo believes consumers should have the freedom to read any book on any device and has attracted millions of readers from over 100 countries across the globe. Kobo has top ranked eReading applications for iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows and MacOS, and is the eReading application of choice for leading tablets. Kobo eReaders are also available at leading retailers including Indigo, Walmart, Best Buy, Borders, WHSmith, Angus & Robertson’s, Whitcoull’s and Nigel R Khan Booksellers. Kobo’s innovative Reading Life is an industry-first comprehensive social eReading experience – Kobo users can earn awards simply for time spent reading and encouraging others to read.  Kobo is backed by majority shareholder Indigo Books & Music Inc, Cheung Kong Holdings, and institutional investors. For more information, please visit www.Kobo.com.

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