AMSTERDAM--The 20th edition of InterExpo’s Trade Mission got underway in Amsterdam Wednesday morning with welcoming words of Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk and speeches by several high-ranking officials from the Kingdom and the Caribbean.
In his opening remarks at the congress, which is part of InterExpo’s Trade Mission, Plasterk referred to the importance of good governance and solid financial management, which are key elements for foreign investors interested in doing business in and with the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom.
Measures to ensure good governance and solid financial management, for which the Kingdom Government carries the ultimate responsibility, are not always appreciated by everyone in the Kingdom, but they do contribute to the stability of the Dutch Caribbean, which in turn makes the islands attractive for businesses and investors, said Plasterk.
Next to address the audience, which included representatives of the private and public sector throughout the Kingdom, was Curaçao Justice Minister Nelson Navarro. He gave an update on the fight against crime in his country where the number of (armed) robberies seemed to be structurally decreasing.
Professor Peter Diekman of the Forensic Consultancy Netherlands and an expert in the area of financial fraud and money laundering, pointed out the many dangers of money laundering and fraud which caused much harm to the financial sector, both internationally and locally. He praised the islands for taking steps to combat money laundering, but added that it was imperative to share information on unusual transactions with financial supervising authorities, including the Central Bank.
One of the highlight speakers on Wednesday was Acting Secretary General of the Caribbean CARICOM organisation Manorma Soeknandan. She spoke of a different way of investing with more attention for the education and the exchange of know-how for persons with low skills.
Soeknandan said that foreign investors in the Caribbean have been limiting themselves too much to the removal of raw materials to create their products. As part of what she termed as a non-traditional approach, she said that Caribbean countries, in their talks with investors, should focus more on the aspect of education for their people.
Other speakers on Wednesday included Ambassador stationed in Suriname Ernst Noorman, President of the Dutch national UNESCO commission and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the We Connect Foundation and former Minister Plenipotentiary Paul Comenencia. Princess Laurentien, Founder and Director of the Missing Chapter Foundation, was the keynote speaker at the gala dinner on Wednesday evening.
The congress continues today, Thursday, with more speakers including Vice-President of the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg Pim van Ballekom, Vice-President of Operations of the Caribbean Development Bank Patricia McKenzie from Barbados, Chairman of the Dutch Association of Banks Chris Buijink.
Also addressing the congress will be President of the Caribbean Association of Banks Joanna Charles from St. Lucia, Vice-President of the Suriname Bankers Association Jim Bousaid, Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency Pamela Coke Hamilton from Barbados and Ambassador to Cuba and Jamaica Norbert Braakhuis.
InterExpo’s Trade Mission, organised in conjunction with producer/moderator Tanja Fraai, further features matchmaking sessions for participants. The increasingly more popular event, held at the prestigious Intercontinental Amstel Hotel, coincides with the concluding of the bicentenary celebrations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which will take place in Amsterdam this Saturday.
The event’s guest list includes the Governors and Prime Ministers of Curaçao, St. Maarten and Aruba, Members of the different Parliaments, the National Government Representative for Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius, as well as CEO’s from several companies from the Caribbean and Latin America.
