Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called on the Caribbean to think beyond established approaches if it is to draw the investment needed to drive social and economic growth, telling a regional business gathering in Bridgetown that the region must make itself far more attractive to investors.
Mottley carried what she described as a shopping list of investment needs to the official opening of the Caribbean Investment Forum on Tuesday, where an estimated 500 delegates are attending the three-day event. Her central message was that the region cannot rely on familiar formulas and must instead find new ways of presenting itself and its opportunities to the world.
The forum, held in the Barbadian capital, brings together government, business and development interests from across the Caribbean to examine how capital can be mobilised for projects that support growth. Mottley's address set the tone for the discussions, placing the emphasis on the region's own responsibility to create the conditions that investors look for.
Her intervention comes as Caribbean states continue to compete for limited international investment while managing the pressures of small, open economies. The Prime Minister's argument was that the region's appeal cannot be taken for granted and must be actively built, with fresh thinking applied to how opportunities are packaged and promoted.
For Dominica and its neighbours in the Eastern Caribbean, the themes raised at the forum speak directly to long-standing priorities: diversifying beyond traditional sectors, strengthening agriculture and fisheries, expanding geothermal and renewable energy, and developing tourism and related services. Attracting capital to such areas is widely seen as central to creating jobs and improving resilience.
The presence of some 500 delegates underlines the scale of interest in the region's investment prospects. Over the three days, participants are expected to explore practical ways of turning interest into commitments, with the Barbados Prime Minister's call for imagination and boldness framing the conversation.
Mottley's remarks also reflect a broader Caribbean position that the region must speak with a more coordinated voice on economic matters. By urging greater creativity, she placed the onus on Caribbean governments and businesses to sharpen their pitch rather than wait for external conditions to improve.
The Caribbean Investment Forum continues in Bridgetown, where delegates will spend the remaining sessions examining the investment gaps identified at the opening and the steps needed to close them.
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