Date: 20 January 2016, 11.00am-1.00pm

Venue: British Expertise offices, London

The Caribbean Council in collaboration with British Expertise organised an event with 70 participants on the £300 million UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to Jamaica in September 2015 and the opportunities it presents for UK businesses.

Baroness Verma, the Minister for International Development, and the Caribbean Development Bank President, Dr Warren Smith, together with senior officials from the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), provided attendees with the latest information about the main objectives of the fund, the types of projects which would be eligible and the procedures by which funds would be allocated. The event was chaired by the President of the Caribbean Council, Lord Foulkes.

The event was followed by a networking reception, at which several Caribbean High Commissioners and Commercial Counsellors also attended.

Agenda

10.30am-11.00am: Coffee upon arrival and networking

11.00am: Welcome remarks
Lord Foulkes, President of the Caribbean Council

11.05am: The Caribbean Infrastructure Fund and its Objectives
Baroness Verma, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development

11.20am: The Role of the CDB and the procurement process for the Fund
Dr Warren Smith, President, Caribbean Development Bank (via video conference link)

11.45pm: Panel discussion and Q&A
Baroness Verma, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development
Dr Warren Smith, President, Caribbean Development Bank (via video conference link)
Bo Sundstrom, Head of the Regional Development Banks Team, DFID
Andrew Dupigny, Manager UK CIF Fund, Caribbean Development Bank (via video conference link)
Douglas Fraser, Deputy Director Procurement, Caribbean Development Bank (via video conference link)

12.10pm: Supporting UK companies in the Caribbean
Paul Carter, Head of Caribbean Team, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Eddie Malone, Head of Aid Funded Business, UKTI
Chris Bennett, Managing Director, Caribbean Council
Nigel Peters, Director, British Expertise

12.40pm: Panel discussion and Q&A

12.55pm: Closing remarks
John Bowers, Chairman of the Caribbean Council

1.00pm-2.00pm: Networking lunch reception

We are grateful to our Reception sponsors, Liat – the Caribbean airline.