Eastern Caribbean Forum hosted under the platform of: “Towards a New Frontier: Promoting Sustainable Development in the Eastern Caribbean through Women’s Economic Empowerment.”
The Eastern Caribbean Forum is being hosted by The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan), through its International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF) and the Ministry of Social Development & Gender Affairs in St. Kitts & Nevis. The forum which will be held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort Ballroom on Wednesday 8th December 2022, aims to highlight many different topics with the sole focus of educating and sharing ideas that will improve the economic region for Women Entrepreneurs.
The platform will be visited by a number of Caribbean ministers and dignitaries such as our very own Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Christopher & Nevis and Hon. Isalean Phillip, Junior Minister of Gender Affairs of Saint Christopher & Nevis, as well as Hon, Emma Hippolyte, Minister of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs of Saint Lucia and H.E Ambassador Michael Chau-Horng Lin, Ambassador of the Republic Of China (Taiwan) to Saint Christopher & Nevis just to name a few. The seven-hour event will see Keynote speeches from Mr. Mario Phillip, Gender Officer, Department of Gender Affairs, on the topic of “The Role of Women in Global Sustainability,” Ms. Carmen Gomez-Trigg, Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Caribbean Partial Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC), focusing on “The Impact of the Covid-19 Crisis on SME’s Financing in the Eastern Caribbean and the Urgent Need for a “Modern Credit Ecosystem’,” and Ms. Cecilia Lee, Taiwanese Expert elaborating on “Women’s Economic Empowerment: Experience from Taiwan.”
With invitations sent out to accommodate up to one hundred guests at the conference, panel discussions have been created to engage the audience and create an atmosphere of diverse ideas and experiences for everyone. The 4 panels with hosts such as; Ms. Azilla Clarke, Permanent Secretary (Ag) of the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs, Ms. Claudia Walwyn, Project Coordinator of Women Empowerment Project in Saint Christopher & Nevis, Dr. Ricardo R. Neil, Chairman and Founder of St Kitts and Nevis Robotics Association and Ms. Angela Delpeche, Director of Small Enterprise Development Unit in Nevis. The panels will
focus on a range of different topics with representatives from USAID, Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative, AWE, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), Women’s Representatives of Belize, Women’s Representative of Haiti and Small Enterprise Development Center Saint Vincent.
To complete the one-year tenured Women’s Entrepreneurship, Employment and Financial Inclusion Project in St Kitts & Nevis, the final ten Elite Awardees will also receive their final award and funds, based on the criteria first place winners will be given USD $5,630.00 and second place USD $4,300.00 to be invested into there business so that they can use the skills taught to grow as an entrepreneur. The ten outlined winners from the competition held will be; St Kitts First place: Shakema Halliday of Halliday Nursery, Clarissa Violenus of Lucid SKN and Minerva Gaskin of Divines Catering Services, Second Place: Ralseia Glasgow of Hickies Beauty Parlor, Michema Duggins of Vivante Digital Media and Alicia Whyte of Summi’s Wild Caught Sea Food. For Nevis First place; Nekisha Warner of Key Imprints and Violet Clarke of Llewellyn Manufacturing Company, Second place; Shobaina Prince of Nativa Radiance and Yunoka Flemming of Superar.
All ten winners have concluded entrepreneurial training and counselling over the past several months and will be highlighted at the forum which will be live-streamed on Facebook via Taiwan in St Kitts & Nevis and on Youtube via CaribbeanEvents for all interested persons that would like to view and take part in the engagement.