ST JAMES, Jamaica — State Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Zavia Mayne is calling on Caribbean states to look beyond their sizes as it relates to their potential.

He was speaking at the Caribbean Invest Forum (CIF) now underway at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.

“While we may be small in size, we are not small in ideas, in talent, or in will. The Caribbean has what it takes to thrive,” he declared.

“What we need is continued investment in the systems, partnerships and innovations that can turn resilience into prosperity,” Mayne continued.

Explaining that the global economic environment is evolving in terms of energy costs, climate change, digital disruptions and demographic shifts, Mayne said what used to be considered future trends are now here and need to be addressed.

“The Caribbean is rich in talent, ideas and opportunity, not just as a tourist destination, but as a hub for green innovation, digital services, logistics, agribusiness and the orange economy,” he said.

“We are a market of over 40 million people, we are bound by shared values, shared vulnerabilities, and a shared will to build a prosperous, connected Caribbean,” he said.

Currently, Caribbean export agencies and other stakeholders are gathering in Montego Bay to collaborate on strategies on making this a reality.

Mayne insisted that to fully unlock this potential, investment in the Caribbean must be reimagined and CIF must be a catalyst.

“We must move beyond fragmented approaches, we must think and act as one region,” he urged.