South Florida’s Caribbean Community reacts to the ICC World Cup

This blog post gives the uncut reaction of 4 prominent members of the Caribbean community to the region’s hosting of the ICC World Cup as contributed by Teshie Jones of Well-Written Words.


From March 5 to April 28, 2007, the Caribbean is set to host the ninth ICC Cricket World Cup. The nine Caribbean countries selected to host this international sporting event are Antigua/Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Caribbean community in South Florida expresses their opinions about the impact that the Cricket World Cup will have on their home countries, the Caribbean at large, and South Florida.

Honourable Ed Bushell, Consul General of Barbados:
On Barbados: How can I count the ways! The international exposure will be phenomenal for Barbados with one million people watching. We’re a tourist industry, so the upgrades and expansion of infrastructure will increase and improve the facilities which will help the development of Barbados and will expose the area as a tourist destination.
On the Caribbean: There will be national benefits as far as tourism and improved infrastructure as well.
On South Florida: I am sure Miami will benefit also from the people in transit to the Caribbean who will travel through Miami.

Saran Stewart, 2004-2005 President, University of Miami Caribbean Student Association
On Jamaica: The Cricket World Cup will generate a lot of revenue for Jamaica in terms of tourism, hotels, employment, labor, and infrastructure. Increasing the revenue for the economy definitely will be significant because of the popularity, the fan base that follows the Cricket World Cup internationally, so we’ll have international recognition from that.
On the Caribbean: Right now the Caribbean is seen as a tourist industry, and there is a stigma of violence that surrounds the Caribbean. When the World Cup goes to the Caribbean in March, it will have a positive impact basically on the world wide community, on what the Caribbean can offer more so than just a tourist stop. It will have a very positive impact on the reputation of the Caribbean as a whole, and it will not just be seen as a tourist landmark but seen more as a sports entity which is universally and internationally known. We are hosting the Cricket World Cup! We are becoming more renown as a sports Caribbean world and not just a tourist destination or violent place.
On South Florida: Because of the magnitude of the amount of people attending the World Cup, South Florida will also get a lot of revenue from this. World Cup ticket holders will stop in Florida and have their accommodations here in South Florida and then fly to the games. It’s highly possible that if all the accommodations within the islands are taken up, then South Florida will benefit significantly from tourism because they will be looking for accommodations.


Irvine Headley, Sr., Past President, Trinidad and Tobago USA Chamber of Commerce
On Trinidad: Trinidad and Tobago is coming up from a tremendous success from our World Cup Soccer, and I think if we can get half of the exposure that we got from World Cup Soccer from World Cup Cricket, it will be a positive thing for Trinidad and Tobago. I feel that with the influx of visitors who will be coming to the country, who have probably never been to Trinidad and Tobago before, it will give them exposure and insight into our twin island republic. I hope that we create that positive impact that will encourage people to want to come back to Trinidad not only during cricket but for Carnival and for some of the other activities that take place in Trinidad and Tobago throughout the year.
On the Caribbean: As a whole, it will be a positive experience for the entire region. I know that some of the smaller islands have put a lot of money into putting the best foot forward with regards to building some infrastructure and improving some of the conditions with regards to cricket. I certainly hope those investments will be rewarded. I’m positive about the whole thing. I certainly hope that everything goes well, and the region gets a positive report card from its visitors and the press.
On South Florida: A lot of the people, I would think, would be passing through Miami to get down to the Caribbean. You’ve got people coming from the UK, from India, from Pakistan, and from all over the world. Any opportunity to stop in South Florida, in Miami, which is one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world, in addition to the Caribbean, if they can kill two birds with one stone, get a taste of Miami as well as a taste of the Caribbean with one shot, I think a lot of people will take advantage of that making a positive impact for South Florida and the Caribbean in general.

Dale Holeness, Vice Mayor, City Of Lauderhill
On Jamaica: I believe the Cricket World Cup will bring exposure, it will bring tourist dollars, and the publicity it will bring will be positive publicity rather than negative. It’s good to be able to host sports teams. That’s why so many countries vie to get the Olympics because beyond the immediate dollars that are brought in, people form long term attachments to those areas, and I’m certain that some of that will happen in Jamaica.
On the Caribbean: I believe it will be positive in particular for those countries that are playing host. It will highlight the good things about the Caribbean. People will go there, enjoy themselves, and have a good time and more than likely revisit the island as a tourist destination. There might even be business ties that are developed as a result.
On South Florida: We’re going down from Lauderhill, and we’re meeting with members of the West Indies Cricket Board to finalize an agreement to have an international tournament at the opening at the stadium that’s being built in Lauderhill at the end of this year, in November. We already have a good tentative conversation and some agreement to bring in the major cricketing countries to play: England, Pakistan, India, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Zimbabwe. It might be a little different than the long game, a faster paced cricket that would suit the American palate. We have a large Caribbean population here, and seeing us as a place where cricket can be played will be a very positive thing for us, where in the future we’ll get even more requests than we’re already getting as a result of this.

Visit the Caribbean Business Digest website at www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com.

Previewing the current issue Part IV: Monikah Ogando's Tips for Personal Security

Monikah Ogando’s contribution comes in handy at this time of year, particularly as New Year’s resolutions start being in danger of being broken. In this the final of my 4 part review of this latest issue, I am in a reflective mood as I ponder about the article. My wife Nicole Ann, who read the article, commented that this was the best article in this issue. Since she is usually right about everything I chose not to argue but I do agree that the message is profound. While other articles make for light and interesting reading, Ms Ogando certainly made some major points that should result in some deep thinking for most of us, whether we are from the Caribbean or not. I am not sure Ms Ogando is from the Caribbean but her message transcends geographical lines. And that is one of my aims for the CBD; I want to create a bridge between different cultures and groups.
The tips she gave are certainly practical not only in a workplace setting but in life in general. Sometimes we should dare to venture outside of our comfort zone. Nerissa Street (who will feature in an upcoming issue) pointed out to me that any change (or birthing of a new idea for that matter) can be painful, uncomfortable and sometimes downright awkward. But, I believe that is fine as long as you seek to thrive, grow and learn.
I was particular touched by the question at the end of Ms Ogando’s article. To paraphrase she asked what is it that, if you died you would be satisfied that you have accomplished? That is a question I will choose to answer in the deepest recesses of my mind but I can be sure that the answer won’t be easy. In effect, the answer should always be changing as I believe that we should always be striving for betterment. So, if you have achieved certain goals or accomplishments then it is time to set a new one. Maybe that is not the type of answer that Ms Ogando was looking for but it certainly got me thinking. And at a minimum, that means her article was effective. I hope that my readers will be as stimulated by this as I was.

Visit the Caribbean Business Digest website at www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com.

Previewing the current issue Part III: It's cricket, lovely cricket!!

A previous post gave the reactions of 4 members of the Caribbean community to the hosting of the ICC World Cup in the Caribbean this year. The idea to get some community reaction to this event came about late and initially the plan was to get the reaction of the consul generals of the host countries but the short time frame did not allow. So I had to resort to a Plan B and in the end got four solid responses, with Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados represented. Despite the tight deadlines Teshie did well. I look forward to working with her in the future.
As far as my thoughts on this event are concerned, I have to echo the sentiments of Irvine Headley who said it is a big year for Trinidad with the T&T World Cup appearance where they won many hearts and now being one of the host countries for the ICC tournament. From a broader point of view the entire Caribbean is benefiting. Infrastructure is developed and the region is getting much recognition to the point where even non-host countries could benefit. We should se the benefits of this for some years to come. Even the South Florida area should have some positive residual effect. Let’s hope the powers that be are able to manage the impact of this event properly and capitalize on the recognition that it brings. And as Dale Holness said some business deals may arise from this.

Visit the Caribbean Business Digest website at www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com.

Previewing the current issue Part II: NAWIC Women in Construction

Breaking the glass ceiling and glass walls. In hindsight that should have been the name of the NAWIC article. The profile on the National Association of Women in Construction came to me while attending the Business Monday Construction forum at the Island Mecca late last year. Sharon Reid of the McKenzie Training Group, one of the event’s organizers, mentioned that NAWIC has been around for a long time. After watching a presentation done by Ms. Alyce Zahniser, head of the Fort Lauderdale Chapter, I decided it would be a good departure from the norm (NAWIC is not a Caribbean oriented group as far as I am aware) to talk with her and see what her group is all about. One of the main things that I learnt, which I think often gets missed, is the fact that the construction industry is far more than just brick and mortar. There is the financing, insurance, architecture and a whole slew of things that go into construction. I also spoke with Rhonda Wimberly the head of the Miami chapter as she talked about her goals for her chapter. It was quite enlightening and by doing this article I hope that I can further introduce these professional groups to my readers and take a piece of the Caribbean to their group as well.

Visit the Caribbean Business Digest website at www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com

Previewing the current issue Part I

Volume I 2007! This issue is certainly a notch above the rest. There is so much to say that I have a 4-part reaction.

There is a wider range of articles and a couple contributions as well. A notable difference here is that unlike the previous two, I did not personally write any of the pieces in this issue. I had contractors that did the work and Teshie Jones from Well-Written Words and George Leposky came through in a major way. This issue does encompass what I envision the magazine to be in that it is not only about businesses that are Caribbean in nature but takes the approach to cross boundaries and build a bridge between within my Caribbean community as well as outside it. The current issue includes some members of South Florida’s Caribbean community commenting about the impact of the Cricket World Cup being hosted in the Caribbean, the owners of NetSpeak talking about their growing business and a feature on the National Association of Women in Construction and more……. !

The piece on Netspeak reveals an ambitious group of people looking to capitalize on their entrepreneurial skills. It was nice to meet the people behind the operation. Of course this is of interest to most Caribbeans what with the high cost of telephone bills that come from calling back home. I discovered that this group is looking to make some major inroads into some of the larger markets that boast a high number Caribbean people. I have noticed an increase in the number of commercials aired on the radio which tells me they are looking to make a big marketing push. Wayne Burgher told me as much when he and I met. Hopefully, he will see his way to spend some advertising dollars with the CBD for the next issue!

Visit the Caribbean Business Digest website at www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com

Minor changes for this year

Late last year I spoke with Sharon Reid of the McKenzie Traning Group, who at the time was organizing a construction forum in Lauderdale, about the launch of my magazine among other things. She offered some tips and valuable insight but also admitted that she does not know the effort that goes into producing a magazine even at a smaller circulation such as mine.

Well, even at a smaller scale I am learning what it takes to produce each issue. As such I am forced to tweak things as I go along. One change that I am making this year is to stop putting dates on each issue. Since there is some uncertainty as to the timing of each issue it is best to label each issue as Volume I, Volume II etc. (Playboy magazine did not have a date on the first issue either!)

Another change I am making is to make the frequency 4 times a year. Now, from previous blog entries you can see that I favor a higher frequency (bi-monthly at a minimum). However, budget wise, that is not feasible. So I am being forced to make this decision and aim for a minimum quarterly publication. In the event I can squeeze out a bonus issue then I will do so. As a result of the cutback, I also have cut the subscription price to $9.99 annually. Hopefully, the reduced rate will draw in some subscription orders.

So, the 2007 Volume I issue will go to print over the weekend and distribution will start early next week. Let’s see if there is any reaction to these minute but necessary changes.

Making connections and….. Charging for articles?

A few weeks ago I spoke to a business owner in the Lauderdale area and pitched to him the Caribbean Business Digest. I ended up giving him my last copy of the most recent issue. I was holding it for personal reasons but needed to give it away to promote the magazine. He was highly impressed and asked if he could submit an article and an ad. Of course he was welcomed on both counts. So he gave me his article for the next issue (article was on taxes, he is an accountant) along with his business card to create the ad and a check for his ad. Needless to say I was extremely happy with his contribution not only for the paid advertisement but his support. He had good positive comments to offer and even went as far as sharing the magazine to one of his clients who is a restaurant owner.

This restaurateur was impressed with the magazine specifically the piece on Chef Irie Spice, Hugh Sinclair. He wanted to know if I charged for doing the articles on business owners. As a rule, I don’t intend to but would welcome any ad submissions that may be forthcoming. But that is food for thought. I know some magazines and journals out there do get paid to feature businesses in their publications. But I am not there yet. So for now I have to profile people and businesses free of cost and make a pitch for ad submission. Is that the best way to go? Time will tell. After all, one business that was featured promised to advertise but it never materialized. The Reason? Advertising in magazines is not effective for the business. In any event, that is the chance I am taking at the moment and I have to live with the risk that not everyone featured or contributing will end up being advertisers.

As far as the restaurant owner mentioned above is concerned, I will try to do a piece on him in an upcoming issue most likely in the summer. And hopefully he will be inclined to become a longtime advertiser in the CBD!