Guyana’s Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Carl B. Greenidge to be keynote speaker
Miami – Plans have been finalized for a one day conference in South Florida, on September 10, which will bring together Caribbean Diaspora community and business leaders along with US elected officials, business executives and members of the academic community and media for discussions on three current issues of concern to the Caribbean region and its Diaspora.
Titled the “Florida Conference on Current Caribbean Issues: The Diaspora Discussion”, this event is a follow up to the issues identified earlier this year during Legislative Week in Washington, DC which need to be further addressed.
Hosted by the Washington, DC based Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) and the Greater Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Harlem Company LLC, the conference will focus on Challenges and Opportunities for the Caribbean and its Diaspora in the Context of Normalization of US-Cuba Relations; Venezuela and Guyana Maritime Boundary Controversy: Implications for Peace, Security and Development; and Dominicans of Haitian Descent and the Dominican Republic’s Expulsion Plan.
Guyana’s Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Carl B. Greenidge will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the conference in addition to leading the discussions on the panel that will discuss the Guyana/Venezuela controversy.
Conference Chair, former Guyanese diplomat Wesley Kirton says that a list of leading public and private sector officials as well as academics has been assembled to lead the discussions and recommend future strategies for dealing with “these critical issues”. The list includes a number of key business executives- David Clark, VP Network Planning of Jetblue Airlines; Dr. Teo Babun, Chairman of Americas Relief Team (ART); Dr. John Thompson, VP Americas, Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS); Eldon Bremner, former General Manager, Jamaica Pegasus Hotel; and Gillian Nanton, President, the Harlem Company NYC (former Caribbean representative UNDP and member of the West Indian Commission). Also speaking at the conference will be Ambassador Richard Bernal of the IDB; Ambassador Matthew William, former Grenada Ambassador to Venezuela; Dr. Mark Kirton, International Relations Institute, University of the West Indies; Mayor of Miramar Wayne Messam; Florida District Court Judge Ali B. Majeed and former Guyana Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud.
The conference will be held at the Miramar Cultural Center, City Hall Complex in south Florida under the auspices of Representatives Hazelle Rogers (D-FL. 95th District) and Daphne Campbell (D-FL. District 108). Both Rep. Rogers and Rep. Campbell will also speak at the conference.
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