ROSE HALL, St James — Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro) President Shullette Cox has urged the Caribbean not to remain passive in the face of global change and has called for the greater regional cooperation it will take to compete.

“As the global economy is shifting rapidly towards digital transformation, the need for climate resilience, clean energy and more inclusive and sustainable models of growth in logistics, transport, agriculture, technology, tourism and energy [is increasing]. Within this context, the Caribbean cannot afford to be spectators,” she declared.

Cox made the appeal during Tuesday evening’s opening ceremony for the three-day Caribbean Invest Forum (CIF) now underway at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

“We must be leaders, we must be bold, we must be proactive and, importantly, we must be unified in how we attract investments, build industries and secure the future of our region,” she urged.

The CIF is touted as the region’s premier platform for investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to connect, collaborate, and capitalise on high-growth opportunities. Cox stressed that the event plays a vital role in helping the Caribbean become more adaptable in responding to developments that occur at the global level.

“The forum is a strategic gathering, a space where ideas can be transformed into action and partnerships into prosperity. We recognise, as a region, that the stakes are getting higher,” she said.

“That is why regional integration is at the heart of CIF, reinforcing that — as a Caribbean region— we cannot do this in isolation. For we are stronger when we act together, pool our resources, align our strategies and speak with a single voice to the global investment community,” she added.

She said the staging of the CIF, a gathering of almost 500 delegates from the Caribbean and beyond, was proof that the level of collaboration needed is alive and well.

The Jampro head insisted that everyone — including investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs and partners — has a single shared goal of contributing to a Caribbean-focused investment strategy for the betterment of the region. She pointed to areas of opportunity such as sustainable agriculture, green economy transition, digital transformation, along with logistics and transportation.

“Over the next three days, our collective energy will focus on four strategic sectors that are not only ripe with opportunity, but which are fundamental and essential to our collective future and represent the sectors that are engines for inclusive growth for the Caribbean region,” she said.

“For us to capitalise on these opportunities, we need to pursue targeted, intentional and a focused approach to directing investments into these core sectors,” Cox added.