thebahamasweekly.com - Grand Bahama Confirmed as Location for 2013 Design Caribbean Tradeshow

From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama Confirmed as Location for 2013 Design Caribbean Tradeshow
By GBPA
Jan 10, 2013 - 6:45:23 PM

Promoting the Country’s Finest – The Ministry for Grand Bahama will host a press conference to announce the signing of the Host Country Agreement, between the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) and key stakeholders for the 2013 Design Caribbean event scheduled for June of this year in Grand Bahama. Pictured are members of the organizing committees along with Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister for Grand Bahama (seated centre); Manager of Trade & Export (CEDA) David Gomez (standing 5th from left); Melvin Seymour, Permanent Secretary and Chairman of the organizing committees (standing 6th from left); and Charles Pratt, Commercial Manager for Business Development (GBPA) (standing 7th from left).

Freeport, Grand Bahama – Displaying and promoting the country’s finest artisans will be the focus of the 2013 Design Caribbean Tradeshow & Expo, slated to be held in Grand Bahama, June 20th – 23rd, 2013. Mr. David Gomez, Manager of Trade & Export for the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA), along with other CEDA executives, event owners and organizers, arrived on Grand Bahama this past Wednesday, for the purpose of attending meetings to finalize plans for the up-coming event.

Key stakeholders at the facilitation meeting included officials from the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), Bahamas Customs and Immigration Departments, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited, (GBPA), Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC), as well as the Royal Bahamas Police Force and numerous other governmental agencies. This gathering marked the second in a series of meetings which will take place over the course of the planning period. Initial planning sessions took place back in October 2012 and were facilitated by executives of GBPA, key sponsors for the 2013 Design Caribbean event.

The Honourable, Dr. Michael Darville, Minister for Grand Bahama, also attended the facilitation meeting and expressed his thanks in welcoming the key government agencies to be involved in organizing the event.

“We are very excited about this event and the opportunity to get all of our artisans involved,” stated Minister Darville, as he stressed the importance of everyone’s full support to ensure the event’s success. “We have worked diligently to secure government funding for this initiative. The Bahamas will be on display internationally and we want the world to know that we are professionals and are committed to promoting the work of our Bahamian artists,” Minister Darville emphasized.

The 2013 Design Caribbean Tradeshow is expected to bring together, regional players for sourcing and selling of products and services. Following suite with past Design Caribbean events, the multicultural platform will include industry wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers, etc., hoping to acquire and trade authentic Caribbean goods.

GBPA representative and Commercial Manager for Business Development, Charles Pratt noted that efforts to attract this event to Grand Bahama have been in the making for some time. He said that the overall objective for GBPA is to ensure that Grand Bahama’s many advantages for doing business is featured to all surrounding Caribbean neighbours. “GBPA looks forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship, wherein GBPA/CEDA are able to exploit the strengths of each other, and to realize the full economic development potential for Grand Bahama, The Bahamas and the region,” Pratt stated.

Organizing committees were formed during the meeting, all in an effort to ensure a high energy, multicultural conference for local and visitors to enjoy. Organizers also hope to feature international Caribbean artists of different genres of music, film, and fashion.

A press conference to announce the signing of the Host Country Agreement between the Government of The Bahamas (Ministry for Grand Bahama) BAIC, GBPA and MOT, is scheduled at the Ministry for Grand Bahama, on Friday, 11th January, 2013. The Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe, and the Minister of Financial Services, Hon. Ryan Pinder, are expected to be in attendance for the signing as well.