New trade links with Curaçao have been heralded by the BVI Chamber of Commerce after business talks in Road Town.
Curaçao-based entrepreneurs operating in tourism, fintech, beverage importation, retail distribution and textiles arrived on a cruise ship and met with Virgin Islands businesses last Saturday at Main Street Restaurant to discuss increased commercial deals.
Curaçao, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that lies 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela and has a population of about 160,000 people, offers myriad trade opportunities, according to the VI chamber.
The delegation’s VI visit was part of a 12-day cruise organised by the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce.
The entrepreneurs were also scheduled to visit Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia.
Sinclair Flemming, the VI chamber’s recently appointed chairman, said the session complemented the organisation’s work in the territory.
“This board is focused on execution,” Mr. Flemming said.
“The chamber is the voice of business in the Virgin Islands, and, whether a company is formally a member or not, we are committed to ensuring opportunities like these are accessible to the wider business community.”
The discussions were also attended by Tourism and Culture Junior Minister Luce Hodge-Smith and representatives from the Ministry of Financial Services, Economic Development and Digital Transformation.
The chamber said in a statement that meeting the trade delegation from Curaçao opened up market development opportunities for the territory.
“The initiative created tangible pathways for regional expansion, import and export discussions, and cross-border collaboration be-tween the two jurisdictions,” the chamber stated.
‘Promising conversations’
The chamber added that “several promising conversations were started” regarding CX-Pay, an online payment platform already operating in the VI.
“Local businesses were introduced to Curaçao’s trade and distribution landscape, while Curaçao delegates gained firsthand insight into the Virgin Islands’ commercial ecosystem,” the chamber stated.
Reciprocating
The chamber added that the gathering was the start of a renewed cross-Caribbean relationship.
“With reciprocal invitations to Curaçao already extended and follow-up discussions underway, the chamber has signalled that this is only the beginning,” the statement noted.
“A structured calendar of upcoming events, trainings and business initiatives will be launched shortly as part of a broader effort to restore prominence and visibility to the chamber as the leading voice of commerce in the Virgin Islands.”
Participants
Among the businesses and organisations participating in the event in person or online were Apex Consulting; P3, Paper Plastic Products; De Castro Marking; Anchor-Point Consulting Services; Southern Mango Consulting; H. Lavity Stoutt Community College; Exquisite Events and Marketing Solutions; Caribbean Cellars Limited; Smith Associates; Epic Media; Advance Caribbean; and Shore to Shore Management.