Arguably, we have never seen a stronger case made for global leaders to invest in our Region’s future survival than that put forward by the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley at COP26, the climate summit that took place in Glasgow, Scotland. If ever there was a time to press the reset button for our development agenda, it is now, with business playing a central and important leadership role.

It is with this spirit and momentum we need to approach the new trade partnership with the UK as a critical opportunity to advance a transformational agenda, creating jobs and opportunity for our people. We need to capitalise on the advantages of longstanding trade ties and friendship between the UK and the Caribbean to give life to this agreement by focusing on the private sector as we strive to deepen our trade and investment relationship. This is vital as we seek to transition to a green economy, which is essential given the fact we are one of the most climate vulnerable regions on the planet. Quite simply, time is not on our side.