Launch of the II ACS Textile and Fashion Forum of the Greater Caribbean

NR/001/2011
ACS Secretary General, Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla is accompanied by top fashion designers from Trinidad & Tobago, Meiling (left), Anya Ayoung-Chee (right), and Ms. Catherine Kumar, CEO Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (far right).

Port of Spain (February 22, 2011) – The II ACS Textile and Fashion Forum of the Greater Caribbean and the "Plataforma K" event were officially launched at the ACS Headquarters on February 10, 2011. This important Forum is a collaborative project between the Chamber of Commerce of Barranquilla, Colombia and the ACS, whose objective is to provide an opportunity for the transfer of knowledge and expertise from recognized designers of the fashion industry. “Plataforma K” is an initiative of the Chamber of Commerce of Barranquilla, aimed at strengthening business ties between buyers and designers of the Greater Caribbean. The events will take place from 22-25 March 2011 in Colombia.

The day’s activities included several presentations, which were followed by meetings with interested buyers as well as top designers from Trinidad & Tobago. Key speakers included ACS Secretary General, Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla and Ms Janinne Pinedo from the Chamber of Commerce of Barranquilla, who gave an overview of the upcoming events.

Ms. Catherine Kumar, CEO of Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce and ACS Trade Development and External Economic Relations Director, Ms. Ariadna Perez were also in attendance. Several of the top fashion designers from Trinidad & Tobago participated in the meeting, including: Meiling, Heather Jones, Peter Elias, Robert Young, Anya Ayoung- Chee, Ecliff Elie, Lucia Joseph, Ryan John, Sharleen Chin, Shurnel Oliviere, and Mario Lewis.

The ACS Textile and Fashion Forum of the Greater Caribbean originated with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the ACS and the Chamber of Commerce of Barranquilla, Colombia on January 22, 2010.

Further information can be obtained from the ACS Secretariat and the official website: http://www.plataformak.com/

About the ACS

The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.