A Montserrat delegation, led by Minister of Trade John Osborne Jr., recently attended the UK-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum in London from November 5 to 7, 2024, hosted in Central London by DMA Invest. The forum, a major intergovernmental and private sector summit, convened Caribbean political leaders, UK Government departments, and key UK businesses to explore investment opportunities and strengthen UK-Caribbean ties.
Montserrat played a highly visible role at the forum:
- Minister Osborne took center stage as a panellist alongside Ministers from Belize, Guyana, the Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago, delivering a compelling pitch on the unique opportunities available for UK businesses in Montserrat across sectors such as geothermal energy, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable tourism. The minister’s presentation received a very positive response, with attendees expressing strong interest in the potential Montserrat holds as an investment destination.
- Dedicated meeting space: Montserrat had an exclusive meeting area where delegation members held one-on-one discussions with pre-selected UK businesses. These focused on key areas including maritime and logistics, renewable energy, ports and harbours development, airport infrastructure, and other resilient infrastructure projects.
- Roundtable discussions allowed Montserrat’s delegation to connect with investors, creating a platform for in-depth dialogue around Montserrat’s vision for sustainable growth and its investment-ready sectors.
Minister Osborne commented after the session on his Facebook page: “Overwhelming response to my pitch for investment in Montserrat at the UK Caribbean Trade and Investment forum in the UK. Montserrat became the VIPs at the meeting after my presentation, which the whole group was proud of. Our booth was flooded with interest, and we even conducted a lot of meetings with interested parties.”
The Montserrat delegation showcased two new brochures created especially for the event: an Invest in Montserrat Teaser and a Renewable Energy Brochure. These materials highlighted the island’s competitive advantages and investment-ready sectors, reinforcing Montserrat’s reputation as an emerging investment hub in the Caribbean.
The primary objective of the visit was to initiate connections with suitable investors and underscore Montserrat as a preferred destination for British investment. This event marks the beginning of further UK-Montserrat collaborations, with sector-specific opportunities to be discussed in a follow-up UK-Montserrat roundtable event later in the month. Plans are also underway for a UK-Montserrat Trade and Investment Forum to be held in Montserrat early next year.
The new minister of Trade was accompanied by Alba Smeriglio-Heimpold (Head of Programmes and Governor’s Office Lead on the UK-Montserrat Trade and Investment Project), Deonne Peters (Director of Policy), and Keiretta Farrell (Head of the Montserrat UK Office). Key highlights from the forum will be shared by the Government Information Unit (GIU), keeping Montserratians informed on the outcomes and potential opportunities arising from the event.
This participation was a key initiative of the UK-Montserrat Trade and Private Sector Development Project, funded by the UK Government’s Green and Inclusive Growth Centre of Expertise, aiming to drive sustainable economic development through strategic international partnerships.
