JIS -- A group of 40 students from the Harvard Business School and the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania arrive in the island today for a five-day business trip.

A collaborative effort between students and alumni from both institutions, the trip is the first of its kind and is designed to expose MBA students, through a business project called CARIBEZ, to the Caribbean as a viable arena for business and investment opportunities.

Student at Wharton, Barron Channer, said the CARIBIZ effort, while supporting growth in the Caribbean, is expected to foster business development relations and in the long-term, contribute to development in the entire region.

Jamaica was selected for the initial leg, and plans are being put in place to extend this programme to other Caribbean nations annually.

The visit to Jamaica will provide participants with the opportunity to interact with a cross-section of public and private sector personnel, and to fully understand the business environment, government systems and the cultural heritage of the country.

Channer, a Jamaican national, expressed the view that apart from the tourist industry, the island has the potential to be more competitive globally.

During the visit, the group will observe other industries such as food manufacturing and processing, banking and entertainment.

Several activities have been planned for the participants, including meetings with representatives from the public and private sectors. These include JAMPRO, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Jamaica Manufacturers' Association, the Jamaica Exporters' Association and the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

Business sessions will look at and specific initiatives the government has in place to promote and support business and investment in Jamaica; available opportunities in key sectors of the economy, such as venture capital, banking and entertainment.

Leading business interests are expected to host recruiting sessions for CARIBIZ participants detailing available opportunities in the respective firms.

As part of the trip, the participants of CARIBIZ will mobilise the interest of local students, through a recruitment drive, to become members of the CARIBIZ initiative.

"The intent is to maximise the organisation's impact," Channer explained.

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