Mayor Eddie Perez cuts ribbon to open Caribbean Trade Council Office. Looking on from left are: Walter
Benjamin; Andrew Lawrence, Jamaican Counsul General Ambassador Dr. Basil Bryan; Councilwoman
Veronica Airey-Wilson; and a representative from the Barbadian Consul Office

The Hartford Caribbean Trade Council, established three years ago, moved a bit closer to realizing its vision of helping Hartford to become the distribution mecca for Caribbean services and products in the Northeast region with the opening of an office in the ACA complex on Main Street.

A small gathering of dignitaries and supporters were at the opening ceremony, held Saturday, October 14, Andrew Lawrence is coordinator and the brainchild of the project. Mayor Eddie Perez told the gathering that the Council aims to capitalize on and bring products and services from the Caribbean directly to Hartford so that consumers will get a chance to pay more reasonable prices for the products.

The mission of the Council is to promote trade, tourism and economic cooperation between the Metro Hartford and the Caribbean Islands, develop and strengthen relationships between the Caribbean islands and their Diaspora, who reside in the Metro Hartford region, and to encourage investment opportunities, while deepening a collaboration and facilitating the growth of the City of Hartford’s economic development efforts with the Caribbean islands. “Caribbean folks will benefit from the Trade Council,” Mayor Perez said. “It will be a challenge, but we are thinking about how to leverage today so that it can benefit us in the future,” he said. “This is a wonderful thing that we are here to do,” Jamaican Consul General/Ambassador Dr. Basil Bryan said, “which will help to generate trade between the Caribbean and this region.” He applauded the mayor for moving in this direction saying that Hartford is breathing life and bringing new vitality to the region. David Gibbs, who headed a delegation from the Barbados consulate in New York, said that his country gives full support to the project and looks forward to establishing amicable relationships with the Council in the future.

Yvon Alexandre, owner of the ACA complex, saw the project as a needed resource. As one who has been involved with trade in the Caribbean, it is a very welcome organization, he said.