GBI
08-01-07, - 04:05 PM
US businessmen seek boost in $1.2 billion trade
Source: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism - 29th June, 2007. Contact: Clarence Rolle, Communications Dept.
Minister of State Branville McCartney with Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dennis Moss.
Ministers of government, diplomats and the business community welcomed a powerful US trade consortium to the Bahamas on Thursday as the delegation began a trade mission designed to increase the $1.2 billion in trade that ranks the Bahamas as Miami’s 18th largest purchasing partner. The Jay Malina International Trade Consortium of Miami-Dade County sent delegates on a three-day Bahamas mission. The consortium has held trade missions around the world as part of its Sister Cities program that fosters cultural, economic and social links with Miami-Dade County. Branville McCartney, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, pointed out that the Bahamas has had close ties with the United States for hundreds of years. Today, he said, Bahamians still do a large volume of business with Miami-Dade through companies and individual shopping sprees. “In 2005, just two years ago, Bahamas total trade with Miami was $1.2 billion. This is an amazing figure, given the scale of the Bahamian economy,” Minister McCartney said. “Furthermore, more than half of our country’s trade with the United States moved through the Miami Customs District. And it is significant that The Islands Of The Bahamas, with only approximately 300,000 residents, registered in 2006 as the 18th leading trade partner of Miami.
“Although these are impressive statistics, in our view, they are just the beginning of an even better relationship. There are still so many areas in which we can collaborate for the good of us all.” In the areas of tourism, Minister McCartney pointed to the potential for multi-destination packages that would include South Florida and Bahamas stops for travelers. In addition, he said, cooperation between Florida and Bahamas cities could bring benefits from Hollywood movies that could film in both South Florida and Bahamian islands. “The Islands of the Bahamas, for instance, has its ocean water film tank at Freeport, Grand Bahama, which allows for filming of ocean scenes in a controlled environment,” he said. “The Pirates of the Caribbean sequels made good use of this tank, which is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean and Florida.” Dennis Moss, who is of Bahamian descent, led the trade mission to the Bahamas. Mr. Moss, who is the Miami Dade County Commissioner for District 9, announced that the trade mission had already resulted in a scholarship for one Bahamian student, which will be administered by the International Trade Consortium. Meanwhile, he said, the Mayor of Miami is looking into further scholarship opportunities for Bahamians at Florida colleges and universities. On behalf of the people of the Bahamas, Zhivargo Laing, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, thanked the trade consortium for the provision of the scholarship. He said Bahamians looked forward to fruitful results from the Mayor’s efforts to obtain others. Minister Laing pointed out that the Bahamian economy supported more than 300,000 residents, a per capita income of $20,000 and about 4.7 million annual visitors who spend about $1.7 billion. In addition, he said, $300 billion Euro passes through the Bahamas each year.
“Ours has been a great fortune over the years insofar as our economic development is concerned,” Minister Laing said. “We have been blessed significantly by those fortunes. There is no question whatsoever that those fortunes result directly from and in many instances indirectly from our geographic positioning close to the world’s most powerful economy and the political and social relationship that we have with the people of the United States of America.
“It is for that reason that we never take lightly the relationship we enjoy not only with your country as a whole but with the state of Florida and the various communities of Florida, in particular Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.”
Minister Laing assured the trade mission of the government’s commitment to support their meaningful business proposals to the extent possible.
:walk: :walk:
Any comments on the above article? I'd just like to say, can we look elsewhere to spend some of that 1.2 Billion that will go further than it does in Miami?
Source: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism - 29th June, 2007. Contact: Clarence Rolle, Communications Dept.
Minister of State Branville McCartney with Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dennis Moss.
Ministers of government, diplomats and the business community welcomed a powerful US trade consortium to the Bahamas on Thursday as the delegation began a trade mission designed to increase the $1.2 billion in trade that ranks the Bahamas as Miami’s 18th largest purchasing partner. The Jay Malina International Trade Consortium of Miami-Dade County sent delegates on a three-day Bahamas mission. The consortium has held trade missions around the world as part of its Sister Cities program that fosters cultural, economic and social links with Miami-Dade County. Branville McCartney, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, pointed out that the Bahamas has had close ties with the United States for hundreds of years. Today, he said, Bahamians still do a large volume of business with Miami-Dade through companies and individual shopping sprees. “In 2005, just two years ago, Bahamas total trade with Miami was $1.2 billion. This is an amazing figure, given the scale of the Bahamian economy,” Minister McCartney said. “Furthermore, more than half of our country’s trade with the United States moved through the Miami Customs District. And it is significant that The Islands Of The Bahamas, with only approximately 300,000 residents, registered in 2006 as the 18th leading trade partner of Miami.
“Although these are impressive statistics, in our view, they are just the beginning of an even better relationship. There are still so many areas in which we can collaborate for the good of us all.” In the areas of tourism, Minister McCartney pointed to the potential for multi-destination packages that would include South Florida and Bahamas stops for travelers. In addition, he said, cooperation between Florida and Bahamas cities could bring benefits from Hollywood movies that could film in both South Florida and Bahamian islands. “The Islands of the Bahamas, for instance, has its ocean water film tank at Freeport, Grand Bahama, which allows for filming of ocean scenes in a controlled environment,” he said. “The Pirates of the Caribbean sequels made good use of this tank, which is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean and Florida.” Dennis Moss, who is of Bahamian descent, led the trade mission to the Bahamas. Mr. Moss, who is the Miami Dade County Commissioner for District 9, announced that the trade mission had already resulted in a scholarship for one Bahamian student, which will be administered by the International Trade Consortium. Meanwhile, he said, the Mayor of Miami is looking into further scholarship opportunities for Bahamians at Florida colleges and universities. On behalf of the people of the Bahamas, Zhivargo Laing, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, thanked the trade consortium for the provision of the scholarship. He said Bahamians looked forward to fruitful results from the Mayor’s efforts to obtain others. Minister Laing pointed out that the Bahamian economy supported more than 300,000 residents, a per capita income of $20,000 and about 4.7 million annual visitors who spend about $1.7 billion. In addition, he said, $300 billion Euro passes through the Bahamas each year.
“Ours has been a great fortune over the years insofar as our economic development is concerned,” Minister Laing said. “We have been blessed significantly by those fortunes. There is no question whatsoever that those fortunes result directly from and in many instances indirectly from our geographic positioning close to the world’s most powerful economy and the political and social relationship that we have with the people of the United States of America.
“It is for that reason that we never take lightly the relationship we enjoy not only with your country as a whole but with the state of Florida and the various communities of Florida, in particular Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.”
Minister Laing assured the trade mission of the government’s commitment to support their meaningful business proposals to the extent possible.
:walk: :walk:
Any comments on the above article? I'd just like to say, can we look elsewhere to spend some of that 1.2 Billion that will go further than it does in Miami?