Historic visit by Caribbean Community Heads of Government to Commence in New York Via ‘New York Conference on the Caribbean Community’

NEW YORK – The Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) Consular Corps of New York announces the arrival of “The New York Conference on the Caribbean Community: A 20/20 Vision Continued,” an
historic and prestigious summit that will examine the growth and development of the Caribbean Community from a regional perspective.

The Conference will be held June 19-20, 2008 in New York City and will feature Heads of State and Government from fourteen Member States and Overseas Territories of CARICOM, policy makers, members of International Organizations and Financial Agencies, the academic community and the
private sector.

The two-day summit will include trade presentations, roundtable discussions and meetings on such core issues as trade, investment, education and the Diaspora’s role in regional development. During the Conference the Heads of Government of CARICOM will meet with Congressman
Charles Rangel, New York Governor David Paterson, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and other elected officials.

“The CARICOM Government Heads and Consular Corps of New York are delighted to bring this unprecedented conference to New York to reinforce
and capitalize on the relations between the Caribbean and New York, which serves as the financial center of the world and residence to a large group of the Caribbean Diaspora,” Consul General of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairman of the New Conference on the Caribbean Community, McChesney Emanuel said. “Through this conference, we hope to once again direct the attention of the people of the United States — one of the Caribbean’s major trading partners and the home of the largest number of migrants from the region — to the future of the Caribbean and its peoples.”

Key Conference Highlights:

— Education Symposium: The CARICOM Consular Corps of New York City and Medgar Evers College, CUNY jointly present this event, which will feature a gathering of CARICOM Heads of Government and Ministers along with leading educational authorities for an education symposium focused on strengthening the collaborative ties between CARICOM and North American institutions of higher learning.

The symposium will highlight benefits of existing collaborative models and discuss the role of the Diaspora in expanding ties between educational
institutions in the CARICOM region and North America.

— Trade Presentations & Networking: The trade networking activity gives CARICOM public and private sector enterprises a platform to interface
with the New York State Development Corporation.

New York provides immense opportunities for CARICOM businesses to market their products and services since millions of CARICOM nationals and North Americans are consumers of Caribbean grown and manufactured products. The region is also a thriving destination for tourism and outsourcing of services therefore participants will learn about opportunities for trade and investment in these areas.

— Dinner with Mayor Bloomberg: This private dinner will give CARICOM Government Heads an opportunity to connect with Mayor Bloomberg and
discuss the presence of Caribbean nationals in NYC.

— Official Tour of Harlem: The CARICOM Heads of Government will participate in an official tour of Harlem, hosted by the Harlem Chamber of Commerce, to reconnect with the historical and present day
importance of this area as well as Caribbean constituents living there.

— Diaspora Forum: Presented by the CARICOM Consular Corps of New York in conjunction with York College, CUNY, this event will examine investment and Diaspora engagement with home countries. CARICOM Heads of Government will discuss specific steps they have taken to increase
the Diaspora participation in the development of the CARICOM region, as well as investment opportunities available to Caribbean nationals
abroad under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The forum, which will be held at York College in Queens, is open to the public and will include an interactive Q&A session.