CaribPR Wire

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Tuesday June 5, 2012: More than a dozen ministers of government, including a premier and a chief minister from the Caribbean, will gather in New York City tomorrow for the second annual Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum.

The investment breakfast, a partnership between digital media company, Hard Beat Communications and the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the regional tourism arm, is set for the Marriott Marquis in Times Square New York City on June 6th from 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Among the high powered attendees of this year’s event include Dr. Daniel Orlando Smith, OBE, Premier and minister of finance and tourism of the British Virgin Islands; Chief Minister Government of Anguilla, Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Commerce & Tourism, Hubert Hughes; Minister of Business Development and Tourism of Bermuda, Wayne Furbert; Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and Minister of Tourism, & International Transport of St. Kitts/Nevis, Ricky  Skerritt; Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation of The Bahamas, Obe Wilchcombe; Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture of St. Vincent & Grenadines, Cecil Mckie; Minister of Tourism of St. Maarten, Romeo Pantophlet; Minister of Ministry of State of Jamaica, Damion Crawford; Minister of Tourism, Heritage, Culture and Creative Industries of St. Lucia, Lorne Theophilus; Minister of Tourism of Trinidad and Tobago, Rupert Theophilus Griffith; Minister of Tourism of Haiti, Stephanie Balmir-Villedrouin;  Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation of Grenada, Dr. George Vincent; acting Minister of Tourism of Guyana, Irfaan Ali; Luis Gerardo Rivera Marin, current Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and Alain Richardson, President of the Collectivity of St. Martin.
Invest Caribbean Now 2012 panellists are Jonathan S. Blue, Chairman & Managing Director, Blue Equity, LLC. and CEO of Cool Petroleum; Jay Yeo, President, Solamon Energy Corp.; Lisa Lake, Chief Development Director, Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean; Jean Arnell, vice president of the French Saint Martin Chamber of Commerce and Hon. Minister of St. Kitts and CTO Chairman, Ricky Skerrit.
Organizers of Invest Caribbean Now 2012 will also honour world renowned business leader, Sir Richard Branson with the 2012 Leadership Award for his commitment to the Caribbean via the launch of his Branson Center of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean.

The forum comes as Chinese investment in the Caribbean continues to boom in this free trade emerging market economy that is politically stable and boosts a highly literate work force and an established tourism market, and which the International Monetary Fund and World Bank forecast will see a 3.5 percent growth into 2013, higher than the economies of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and similar to those of East Asia.

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors are The French Saint Martin Chamber of Commerce, (CCISM), One Caribbean Television and Teamsters Local 237, a union of 24,000 New York City employees who work in government agencies and several municipalities on Long Island, while supporting sponsors include the PR Newswire, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now and Damoola Inc.

Supplementary information on the event can be found at InvestCaribbeanNow.com, the event’s pages on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/people/Invest-Caribbean/100002110419705 and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/InvestingCarib. When tweeting about this event, use #InvestCarib.

Registration for this event is now closed.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Friday June 1, 2012: Investment opportunities in the emerging market of the Caribbean region will help usher in Caribbean American Heritage Month in the United States this June as the Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum returns to the Big Apple.

The event, set for the Marriott Marquis in Times Square New York City on June 6th from 7:30 to 10 a.m., is a partnership between digital media company, Hard Beat Communications and the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the regional tourism arm.

Caribbean American Heritage Month has been celebrated in the U.S. each June since 2006.

“The Caribbean is often tagged as a fun, sea and sand destination. In Caribbean American Heritage Month, as we pause to remember the millions of Caribbean nationals who have lived in the United States since slavery and served and contributed to its heritage through finance, politics, the arts, science, education, business, sports, the military and government, it is important to focus on the strong investment potential of this region and the entrepreneurial spirit of its people,” said Felicia Persaud, convener of Invest Caribbean Now and CEO of Hard Beat.

This year’s Invest Caribbean Now panellists are Jonathan S. Blue, Chairman & Managing Director, Blue Equity, LLC. and CEO of Cool Petroleum; Jay Yeo, President, Solamon Energy Corp.; Lisa Lake, Chief Development Director, Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean; Jean Arnell, vice president of the French Saint Martin Chamber of Commerce and Hon. Minister of Tourism of St. Kitts and Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Ricky Skerrit.

Invest Caribbean Now 2012, which will also honour world renowned business leader, Sir Richard Branson with the 2012 Leadership Award for his commitment to the Caribbean via the launch of his Branson Center of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean.

The forum comes as Chinese investment in the Caribbean continues to boom in this free trade emerging market economy that is politically stable and boosts a highly literate work force and an established tourism market, and which the International Monetary Fund and World Bank forecast will see a 3.5 percent growth into 2013, higher than the economies of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and similar to those of East Asia.

To book last minute seats to the event log on now to InvestCaribbeanNow.com or call 718-476-3616.

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors are The French Saint Martin Chamber of Commerce, (CCISM), One Caribbean Television and Teamsters Local 237, a union of 24,000 New York City employees who work in government agencies and several municipalities on Long Island, while supporting sponsors include the PR Newswire, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now and Damoola Inc.

For remaining sponsorship opportunities email Joe Bernstein at [email protected].

Supplementary information on the event can be found at InvestCaribbeanNow.com, the event’s pages on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/people/Invest-Caribbean/100002110419705 and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/InvestingCarib. When tweeting about this event, use #InvestCarib.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. May 18, 2012: The leader of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean will reveal the attractions of the region’s market at Invest Caribbean Now, set for this June 6^th at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.

The Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s breakfast power forum will spotlight on the Caribbean as a viable investment destination. The event will boast speakers from Jonathan Blue, chairman of Blue Equity, Jay Yeo, Solamon Energy Corp, Jean Arnell, of The Chamber of Commerce for French St. Martin, an official of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Agency, and Lisa Lake,  chief entrepreneurship officer, the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean, and will highlight the investment opportunities in the region and its Diaspora. 

The speakers will share their views on whether the Caribbean is the next hot emerging market that investors should be eyeing and explain how the region is developing new industries to balance the reliance on tourism that has powered many of the islands economies for years.

The Caribbean region, home to some 41 million people, has great tax benefits for investors, is politically stable, has a high literate work force, is open to free trade and has an established tourism market.  

Lake will be speaking of her plans to support the economic development of the region through supporting high potential entrepreneurs through the early stages of their business development. The Centre is supported by Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, and has been developed in partnership with Virgin Holidays and Virgin Unite, the group’s not-for-profit foundation.  Branson will be honored with the first Invest Caribbean Now Leadership Award on June 6^th.

“The Caribbean region is rich in entrepreneurial spirit and in opportunities to grow the economy. Tourism has sustained this region for many years. We now need to develop and add diversity to the market by investing in the skills of entrepreneurs in the Caribbean and to help them scale their businesses and employ people while to competing in a global market,”    Lake said.

The Invest Caribbean Now forum, the brainchild of Hard Beat Communications CEO, Felicia Persaud, will take place at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on June 6, 2012 from 7:30 to 10 a.m. during Caribbean Week in New York.

The June investment forum is a partnership between the Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat, a digital media company.

Cost to attend is $100 per person and registration can be done at www.investcaribbeannow.com or by email to [email protected].

About Invest Caribbean Now 2012

The Invest Caribbean Now series aims to connect investors with entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce and ministers of governments in the hot new emerging market that is the Caribbean and its Diaspora. Its sponsors to date include One Caribbean Television, La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM), the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (”ALTA”). For additional partnership opportunities log on to the sponsorship section of investcaribbeannow or call 646-820-5694.

About The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean

The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean, based in Montego Bay, Jamaica, was launched by Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, using funding from lead partner Virgin Holidays, the UK’s leading long haul holiday company last September. It is a hub for aspiring entrepreneurs and aims to offer practical business skills, access to coaches to offer guidance, mentors to share their experiences and in the future plans to work with partners to develop financing opportunities to enable growth. It supports the development of small and growing businesses and job creation in the Caribbean with an emphasis on tourism related businesses with strong financial, social and environmental credentials. The first Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship was established in 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa as a unique launch pad for bold and aspiring entrepreneurs to create successful businesses.

About Lisa Lake

Prior to joining The Branson Centre, Lake was Director of Operations for Brand Extensions at Sandals Resorts International. In this role, she had operational oversight of the Sandals Lifestyle Division and Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours.  Prior to joining Sandals, Lake worked with OTF Group – a consulting firm focused on issues of competitiveness in developing countries. She sits on the Economic Planning Committee of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, May 4, 2012: The momentum is building to the most talked about Caribbean investment forum that brings together ministers of government with investors in New York City, the investment capital of the world.

Invest Caribbean Now 2012, which will honour world renowned business leader, Sir Richard Branson, is now just 33 days away and tickets are in going fast for the June 6, 2012 emerging market meeting, set for 7:30 to 10 a.m. at the Marquis Ballroom of the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, organizers say.

The power forum, a partnership between the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the regional tourism arm and digital media company, Hard Beat Communications, will see panellists addressing the question: “Is The Caribbean, The Next China, India Or Brazil?”

Invest Caribbean Now comes as Chinese investment in the Caribbean continues to boom in this free trade region that is politically stable and boosts attractive tax incentives, a highly literate work force and an established tourism market, and which the International Monetary Fund and World Bank forecast will see a 3.5 percent growth into 2013, higher than those of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and similar to those of East Asia.

“If you are  a private equity investor, investment banker, financier, real estate developer, hotel chain executive, lawyers, architect or entrepreneur, looking to grow your money and do business in an emerging market that is on the up and up, then this is a can’t miss event,” said Felicia Persaud, co-convener of Invest Caribbean Now and CEO of Hard Beat. “To book last minute seats to the event log on now to InvestCaribbeanNow.com.”

Panellists for the annual power forum this June include feature Chairman of Blue Equity, Jonathan Blue; President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo and Lisa Lake, the chief development director of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean; Hon. Ricky Skerritt, chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and Minister of Tourism & International Transport of St. Kitts & Nevis and an official of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.

Blue, who already invests in the Caribbean, commented: “Our initial entry in the Caribbean market has led us to more progressive and larger scale opportunities in which we are investing or are continuing to evaluate.  We look forward to expanding our Caribbean presence in the very near future.”

“The Caribbean region is rich in entrepreneurial spirit and in opportunities to grow the economy. Tourism has sustained this region for many years. We now need to develop and add diversity to the market by investing in the skills of entrepreneurs in the Caribbean and to help them scale their businesses and employ people while to competing in a global market,”    Lake added.

The forum will also include an interactive question and answer segment as well as a one hour match making/networking session to allow for attendees to do business.

For exhibitor and additional sponsorship opportunities email Joe Bernstein at [email protected].

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors include La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM) and One Caribbean Television while supporting sponsors are the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc., The Museum of American Finance and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas.

Additional information on the event can be found at InvestCaribbeanNow.com, the event’s pages on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/people/Invest-Caribbean/100002110419705 and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/InvestingCarib. When tweeting about this event, use #InvestCarib.

L.R.: Ujjwal Bhattacharjee, Felicia Persaud, Loreto Duffy-Mayers and Tony Fiddy at the “Going Green” Invest Caribbean Now Forum on April 18, 2012 in Guyana. (CTO image)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, April 23, 2012: A panelist at the first green investment forum at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism Conference believes waste to energy plants in the region could help solve the problems of high power cost.

Tony Fiddy, President of the Waste to Energy Division and Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa, Naanovo Energy Inc., says waste to energy plants could lower the power costs of many nations tremendously.

“In St. Kitts we will be building a plant and selling power for US.20 cents to the government there, resulting in a huge savings that will be passed along to the consumer,” said Fiddy, a panelist on the “Going Green” Invest Caribbean Now Forum, organized by Felicia Persaud’s Hard Beat Communications and the CTO, and held on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Guyana International Conference Centre in Liliendaal, Guyana.

The forum also featured Loreto Duffy-Mayers, Project Manager for the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action (CHENACT) Programme and Ujjwal Bhattacharjee, a specialist in renewable energy and energy efficiency with a focus on technology, investment and policy and a consultant on the CHENACT project.

The CHENACT Study found that green investments in the Caribbean hotel sector offers a sufficient critical mass to spur entrepreneurial activity and both Duffy-Mayers and Bhattacharjee expressed the hope that a Clean Energy Policy will be incorporated into the National Energy Policy of countries and replicated throughout the region

The forum was a partnership between the CTO and Invest Caribbean Now, the brand founded by Felicia Persaud, the Guyana-born CEO of the New York-based digital media company Hard Beat Communications.

Persaud, who co-convened and moderated the forum, urged the 100 delegates to remember that “investing in clean energy is not just environmentally responsible, but good business.”

“No region offers more long-term growth prospects for renewable energy than the Caribbean,” said Persaud.

Last year, according to the UN Environment Program, investors pumped a record two hundred and 11 billion US dollars into renewables globally and this is projected to grow to 1.7 trillion by 2020. Of the 211 billion, $72 billion was invested in developing countries vs. $70 billion in developed economies. South and Central America secured $13.1 billion of that amount. The Caribbean was not accounted for in this study.

“And so it is a challenge to the Caribbean region to position itself to take advantage of this new sector sustainably and with transparency. Our leaders must begin to think outside the box and be unafraid to move beyond the traditional sectors – for instance out of a dying sugar industry, to ethanol,” Persaud added. “We must tap investment into this sector to create new jobs and limit our dependence on the up and down prices of oil and grow our economies like our south American neighbors and really make a mark on this generation.”

The Caribbean Tourism Organization has been staging its Annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC), since 1997. The 2012 conference was presented by the CTO and hosted by the Government of Guyana from April 15-18, 2012.

Partners for the April 18^th Green Investment forum included One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire and News Americas Now.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, April 11, 2012: The countdown has begun to the inaugural “Going Green” Invest Caribbean Now Forum, part of this year’s Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 13^th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference in Guyana next week.

The forum, featuring Jennifer Baldwin, Research Fellow, Energy and Environment, Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), Inter-American Development Group; Tony Fiddy, President of the Waste to Energy Division and Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa, Naanovo Energy Inc.; Loreto Duffy-Mayers, Project Manager for the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action (CHENACT) Programme and Ujjwal Bhattacharjee, a specialist in renewable energy and energy efficiency with a focus on technology, investment and policy and a consultant on the CHENACT project, is set for next Wednesday, April 18, 2012, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Guyana International Conference Centre in Liliendaal, Guyana.

The forum is a partnership between the CTO and Invest Caribbean Now, the brand founded by Felicia Persaud, the Guyana-born CEO of the New York-based digital media company Hard Beat Communications.

Persaud said the forum will be similar to the company’s Invest Caribbean Now New York forum, which returns to New York City this June 6th, allowing presentations from speakers while giving ministers of government, tourism officials, entrepreneurs and other delegates the opportunity to pitch their investment ideas and prospects to the panelists. 

“Investing in clean energy is not just environmentally responsible, but good business,” said Persaud. “And no region offers more long-term growth prospects for renewable energy than the Caribbean. Last year, according to the UN Environment Program, investors pumped a record two hundred and 11 billion US dollars into renewables globally – a 540 percent rise since 2004. This is projected to grow to 1.7 trillion by 2020. The Caribbean region needs to position itself to take advantage of this new sector.”

To attend STC 13, log on to http://www.caribbeanstc.com/register. The Caribbean Tourism Organization has been staging its Annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC), since 1997. This year’s conference will open on Monday, April 16^th and will be keynoted by former Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo. STC also serves as a primary arena where new and creative ideas about enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean tourism product are generated.

Partners for the April 18^th Green Investment forum include One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire and News Americas Now.

Jennifer Baldwin, Research Fellow, Energy and Environment, Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), Inter-American Development Group.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mar. 16, 2012: Caribbean businesses have great potential to cut high energy costs by investing in renewables.

That’s according to Jennifer Baldwin, Research Fellow, Energy and Environment, Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), Inter-American Development Group, and one of three panelists who will address delegates at the inaugural “Going Green” Invest Caribbean Now Forum, part of this year’s Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 13^th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference.

The CTO is partnering with Invest Caribbean Now, the brand founded by Felicia Persaud, the Guyana-born CEO of the New York-based digital media company Hard Beat Communications, to present the inaugural green forum – set for April 18, 2012 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.

“Significant cost savings and new entrepreneurial opportunities can be created if businesses invest in quantifying and managing their environmental impacts,” said Baldwin. “The Multilateral Investment Fund has over 10 years of experience helping tourism businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean to reduce their energy and water use and to increase their stewardship of natural resources. I will share several success stories of businesses that profited from reducing their environmental impact through efficiency, renewables, and building a green brand around conservation. I will also share our newest projects on these topics in the Caribbean.” 

Currently, renewable energy provides less than two percent of the Caribbean region’s commercial electricity.

Other presenters of the April 18^th forum will include Tony Fiddy, President of the Waste to Energy Division and Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa, Naanovo Energy Inc. who will discuss Naanovo’s focus on helping the Caribbean region move away from fossil-fuels and into alternative energy.

Partnership and exhibitor opportunities to be a part of the historic Green Forum are available by calling 1-646-820-5694 or emailing Joe Bernstein at [email protected].

To attend STC 13, log on to http://www.caribbeanstc.com/register Partners to date for the April 18^th Green Investment forum include One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire and News Americas Now.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Mar. 9. 2012:  The spotlight is set to shine on investment opportunities on the French Caribbean territory of Saint Martin in New York City this June at the 2012 Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum.

La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM) has signed on as one of the partners of the second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat Communications investment forum, slated for June 6, 2012 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.

CCISM represents all companies within the government and the local authority in Saint Martin. Elle en traduit les besoins et en exprime les avis. The Chamber provides all necessary information to support development in all fields across the island and also supports businesses in their development, including facilitating their expansion plans outside of St. Martin to the rest of Caribbean to help improve their performance and competitiveness.

“Our participation in this international event places Saint Martin at the sides of the large economic actors of the Caribbean and we are also hoping to reveal the many assets of our beautiful country,” said Stephen Tackling, President of the CCISM.

“We are very happy to welcome the Chamber of Commerce, Art Craft, Industry and Agriculture of Saint Martin as a sponsor of our 2012 Invest Caribbean Now forum,” said Invest Caribbean Now convener and CEO of Hard Beat Communications, Felicia Persaud. “Saint Martin is a unique Caribbean nation that has a lot to offer to investors and we look forward to Chamber reps. telling their investment story.”

The Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum is done in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization to educate the private sector on Wall Street of the hot Caribbean market as well and boost interest in investment opportunities in the Caribbean and its Diaspora. It earned rave reviews in its inaugural years in 2011, 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 and was attended by some 300 delegates, who included ministers of governments, Wall Street money managers, hoteliers, architects, real estate developers and entrepreneurs.

This year, the event’s organizers hope to top the 2011 buzz by having its speakers’ share their take on whether the Caribbean is the next hot emerging markets investors should be eyeing. The June 6th event will feature Chairman of Blue Equity, Jonathan Blue; President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo and Lisa Lake, the chief development director of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean. A special honoree will be announced shortly.

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors also include the PR Newswire, One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (”ALTA”).

For additional partnership opportunities email Joe Bertnstein at [email protected] or log on to the sponsorship section of investcaribbeannow.com.

Chairman and managing director of Blue Equity, LLC., Jonathan S. Blue

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 24, 2012: “There are many opportunities for well capitalized, foreign investors entering into the emerging economies of the Caribbean.”

That’s the word from one of the top 50 powerful Louisvillians and chairman and managing director of Blue Equity, LLC., Jonathan S. Blue, one of the speakers of this year’s Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum in New York City.

Invest Caribbean Now forum is the brainchild of Hard Beat Communications CEO, Felicia Persaud, and aims to showcase the Caribbean as a great investment option as well while connecting investors with entrepreneurs and ministers of governments.

The June partnership presentation by the Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat, a digital media company,  is set for June 6, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square and will feature the Blue Equity head along with President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo and Lisa Lake, head of The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean. A special honoree will be announced shortly.

The event earned rave reviews in its inaugural years in 2011, 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 and was attended by some 300 delegates, who included ministers of governments, Wall Street money managers, hoteliers, architects, real estate developers and entrepreneurs.

Blue, who heads the 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, sports and entertainment, is looking forward to being a part of the panel at this year’s event. In his role as chairman, Jonathan Blue oversees the management of the current holdings in the company. He also serves as the chairman and CEO of Cool Petroleum. Cool Petroleum Ltd., the licensed operator of Shell brands in Jamaica, is an integrated downstream petroleum products business operating in the captive Jamaican market.

“At Blue Equity, we believe that our management and business processes transcend industries and regions and are universally successful in the development and growth of companies worldwide,” said Jonathan. “Our initial entry in the Caribbean market has led us to more progressive and larger scale opportunities in which we are investing or are continuing to evaluate.  We look forward to expanding our Caribbean presence in the very near future.”

“Invest Caribbean Now is honored to have Jonathan as part of this year’s panelists,” said Persaud. “His investment in the Caribbean helps us to make the case that the Caribbean, like emerging markets globally, is definitely a lucrative investment option as well.”

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors to date include the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (”ALTA”). For additional partnership opportunities log on to the sponsorship section of investcaribbeannow or call 646-820-5694.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 10, 2012: The first Green Investment power forum has been added to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 13^th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference and is set for Guyana this April.

The CTO is partnering with Invest Caribbean Now, the brand founded by Felicia Persaud, the Guyana-born CEO of the New York-based digital media company Hard Beat Communications, to present the inaugural green forum.

The event is set for April 18, 2012 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal and will feature Greg Watson, head of the Climate Change team at the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of The Inter-American Development Group and Tony Fiddy, President of Naanovo Energy UK Ltd.

Persaud explained that the green forum will be similar to the company’s Invest Caribbean Now New York forum, which took place last June in New York, allowing presentations from both speakers while giving ministers of government, tourism officials, entrepreneurs and other delegates the opportunity to pitch their investment ideas and prospects to both Watson and Fiddy. 

The successful June 9, 2011 event at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel featured over 300 money managers, investors, hoteliers, ministers of governments and real estate developers as part of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Caribbean Week in New York series of events. The event returns this June 6^th to New York City and will feature CEO of McKinney Rogers, Damian Rogers as the key note speaker along with the chairman of Blue Equity, LLC, Jonathan Blue and President of Solamon Energy, Jay Neo.

“The Caribbean and Guyana has tremendous potential for investments, especially for green investors, as evidenced by the interest of many renewable companies in a region rich with sun, wind and waterfalls, all of which have become attractive potential sources of power,” said Persaud. “This event presents an opportunity for the government of Guyana as well as Caribbean ministers and entrepreneurs to do business in renewables.”

Watson re-joined the Multilateral Investment Fund of the IDB Group in 2008, having previously worked there from 2004-2007. He serves as the team leader for the MIF’s environment and clean energy team, conceptualizing, overseeing, and implementing the MIF’s climate change projects, investments and research in clean and efficient energy, natural capital, and adaptation. 

Watson leads several projects in the Caribbean, including a recent regional project on adaptation, projects on energy efficiency in Jamaica and Barbados, and a project on sustainable tourism and biodiversity in Guyana. 

Reporting to the President and CEO of Naanovo Energy Inc., Fiddy holds the dual position of President of Naanovo’s Waste to Energy Division and the Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa. As head of the WTE Division, his primary responsibility is to oversee the global deployment of WTE/Maax^TM systems and to work with regional representatives of Naanovo and its subsidiaries in the development of WTE projects. This includes projects in the Caribbean, among them St. Kitts/Nevis.

Partnership and exhibitor opportunities to be a part of the historic Guyana Green Energy forum are available by calling 1-646-820-5694 or emailing Joe Bernstein at [email protected].

Guyana has become a key player in the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions which significantly contribute to climate change.  The Caribbean Tourism Organization has been staging its Annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) since 1997. This conference will be keynoted by former Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo on April 15^th and is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. STC also serves as a primary arena where new and creative ideas about enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean tourism product are generated.

Partners to date for the April 18^th Green Investment forum include One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire and News Americas Now.

Carib PR Newswire, NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 7 2012: The man who is set to build the Caribbean’s largest solar energy plant is among the speakers confirmed, for the 2012 Invest Caribbean Now.

The second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat Communications investment forum is set for June 6, 2012 in New York City and comes on the heels of June 9, 2011that drew over 300 high powered investors to the New York Marriott Marquis event and earned rave reviews from money managers, real estate developers, architects, entrepreneurs, ministers of governments and the media, and the top speakers including 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.

President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo, will join other top speakers this year, including Damion McKinney, CEO of McKinney Rogers and Jonathan Blue, Chairman of Blue Equity LLC.

 Solamon Energy Corp is a renewable energy developer, providing Caribbean clients with cost effective and reliable RE power generation solutions. The company recently announced it will build the biggest solar energy plant in the Caribbean in Jamaica. With a keen understanding of the Caribbean energy marketplace, Yeo has become a cornerstone of organization, developing business opportunities in key territories across the region. Solamon presently has over 100 MW of projects in their pipeline.

An export of the blossoming Canadian solar industry, Jay previously worked with Spark Solar, a solar development firm and manager of the AGRIS Solar Co-operative, an agricultural energy co-operative with over 700 PV installations.

Prior to his career in renewables, Jay held several executive positions with emerging technology companies working in the areas of business development and marketing.

Ideally suited for the burgeoning renewable energy sector, Jay has made a career of articulating the benefits and value of new technologies to consumers and business professionals.

Jay presently splits his time between Toronto and Barbados.

Additional sponsors include the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc. and ALTA.

For additional sponsorship opportunities log on to http://investcaribbean.wordpress.com/sponsorship-opportunites/

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.

Carib PR Newswire, NEW YORK, NY, May 27, 2011: Entrepreneurs looking to meet investors or do business in the Caribbean have just days left to book their spot for the Investing in Paradise power forum.

Invest Caribbean 2011 is set for June 9^th from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City and tickets are going fast for business owners seeking to network with Martin Mohabeer, the Guyana-born Managing Director of Spackman Group and CEO of Spackman Capital; W. Dave Dowrich, Vice President at Goldman Sachs, and David Brillembourg, CEO of the Brilla Group.

Additionally, the event is also slated to feature New York City comptroller John Liu, who helps manage $646 million in pension funds for New York City; Brian Lilly, CEO of Lilly Broadcasting; Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and St. Kitts/Nevis minister of tourism, Ricky Skerritt and several Caribbean tourism ministers of government, commissioners and directors of tourism as well as officials of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, including Secretary General Hugh Riley and others from the business, travel and investment community.

The Investing In Paradise event is presented by digital media company, Hard Beat Communications and the Caribbean Tourism Organization in Caribbean Week.

The Hard Beat/CTO forum will be moderated by Professor Temisan Agbeyegbe, professor of Economics at Hunter College and Graduate Center, City University of New York and a research associate with The Caribbean Center for Monetary Studies, The University of The West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

The Pennsylvania-based WSEE TV and OneCaribbeanWeather.com, both part of Lilly Broadcasting Corporation, and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, are the official sponsors of the ‘Invest Caribbean Power Breakfast.’

Additional sponsors include the PR Newswire, CaribPR Wire, The Bahamas Weekly, News Americas Now and the Caribbean American Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Register at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=7phqhyn6&oeidk=a07e3p448ple41d4ad3. or for more information log on http://investcaribbeannow.com/.