Go Lean Commentary
Most Caribbean countries have embassies, consular offices and/or trade mission offices in world capitals. These are normally cost centers, where the governments have to maintain the cost burden for these facilities. But why do they have to be cost centers, why not profit centers?
Why not … a profit center? As in one integrated, consolidated center on behalf of all the Caribbean member-states – a classic “cooperative” model. This strategy meets a basic requirement of retail design: traffic. All the embassy, consular and trade mission activities would create impactful retail traffic demands.
This vision comes into focus as a result of the emergence of the Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU), and the news article[c] below. The book Go Lean…Caribbean serves as a roadmap for the introduction and implementation of the CU. The roadmap fully anticipated integrating and consolidating Trade Mission Offices (Page 116) to advance the causes of the Caribbean people in foreign countries; eight (8) cities are specified in details.
The resultant facility, and accompanying eco-system, would fulfill a CU mandate, global outreach to expand Caribbean trade within the source country, city and regional area.
From the outset of the roadmap, the intent to leverage Trade Mission Offices was pronounced in the Declaration of Interdependence (Page 13), as follows:
xix. Whereas our legacy in recent times is one of societal abandonment, it is imperative that incentives and encouragement be put in place to first dissuade the human flight, and then entice and welcome the return of our Diaspora back to our shores. … The right of repatriation is to be extended to any natural born citizens despite any previous naturalization to foreign sovereignties.
xx. Whereas the results of our decades of migration created a vibrant Diaspora in foreign lands, the Federation must organize interactions with this population into structured markets. Thus allowing foreign consumption of domestic products, services and media, which is a positive trade impact. These economic activities must not be exploited by others’ profiteering but rather harnessed by Federation resources for efficient repatriations.
The roadmap also urges the urban design approach for mixed-use developments; (Page 234). This dictates a structure designed as retail (ground floor), mezzanine for offices, and higher levels/floors for residences (apartments, condominiums, and hotels). See a sample site in a US Midwestern city here – Photos & VIDEO:
VIDEO Midtown Crossing Commercial – https://youtu.be/3Ua3FjWLfKk
A model of a successful mixed-use development is the Omaha-Nebraska Midtown Crossing[a].
Consider New York City; it is one of 8 mission cities envisioned. This map below and the Appendix Table lists all the addresses of the Caribbean embassies, consulates, and outreach offices in New York City[b] – all within a 5 mile radius. Imagine if all those facilities were in one property – a mixed-use development.
Imagine too, a climate-controlled atrium with Caribbean fauna & flora; a food court showcasing cuisines from all the participating Caribbean countries, (up to 30); art galleries, convention/banquet facilities, exhibit halls, night clubs, performing arts theaters and maybe even an indoor entertainment center (for instance, modeling the legacy of Caribbean Pirates). This vision would generate multiple streams of revenue – a profit center as opposed to 30 cost centers.
This vision would benefit a lot of Caribbean stakeholders with support and outreach services – those desiring to live, work, learn, heal and play in the Caribbean. These stakeholders include:
- Visitors
- Caribbean Citizens (travelling abroad)
- Diaspora
- Foreign Direct Investors
- Students
There is the need for this manifestation right now in London, England (another designated Trade Mission Office – Page 116 ); as depicted in this referenced news story[c]:
LONDON, England (May 1, 2014) — Overseas Territory representatives from the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Montserrat, the Cayman Islands and Anguilla met with United Kingdom business networking specialists, CaribDirect International Business Network (CIBN) in London last week, as the first networking session focusing on trade and investment gathers momentum.
These discussions, held at the offices of the Bermuda representative, focused on introducing the CaribDirect International Business Network (CIBN) concept; outlining its broad scope; revealing the economic and political opportunities available for the Caribbean Overseas Territories (OTs); and examining practical ways to work together for the benefit of the dependent territories of the Caribbean.
CIBN is an agency designed to facilitate and connect entrepreneurs and business people in the UK with Caribbean government and business representatives for trade and investment.
Representatives attending the meeting were Cayman Islands’ deputy director Charles Parchment, Montserrat director Janice Panton, BVI London Office director Kedrick Malone, Bermuda director Kimberley Durrant, CaribDirect director of policy Ron Belgrave and CaribDirect multi-media CEO David Roberts.
If only this profit center concept existed now … in London … and in New York.
The CU roadmap is designed to bring change to the Caribbean region. This commentary demonstrates that a lean, nimble organization structure can also be “at the corner of preparation and opportunity” and that opportunity can be made in turning a cost center into a profit center. This structure can optimize the Caribbean’s economic, security and governing engines – no matter the location. If the Trade Mission Offices were constituted as profit centers, the following details from the book Go Lean…Caribbean would manifest, with impacted community ethos, strategies, tactics, implementations and advocates; listed as follows:
| Community Ethos – Lean Operations | Page 24 |
| Community Ethos – Cooperatives | Page 25 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Improve Sharing | Page 37 |
| Strategy – Repatriating Caribbean Diaspora | Page 47 |
| Strategy – Inviting Foreign Direct Investments | Page 48 |
| Tactical – Separation of Powers – State Department | Page 80 |
| Tactical – Design Requirements for the Capital District | Page 110 |
| Implementation – Trade Mission Objectives | Page 116 |
| Implementation – Reasons to Repatriate | Page 118 |
| Implementation – Ways to Benefit from Globalization | Page 119 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Trade | Page 128 |
| Advocacy – Lessons from New York City | Page 137 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Enhance Tourism | Page 190 |
| Advocacy – Impact the Diaspora | Page 217 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Impact Urban Living | Page 234 |
The Go Lean roadmap will make the outreach, and foreign support, for Caribbean stakeholders more efficient and effective. This plan would impact and change the Caribbean and the foreign world we reach out to.
All Caribbean stakeholders – citizens, businesses and governments alike – are urged to lean-in to this Go Lean roadmap.
Download the free e-Book of Go Lean … Caribbean – now!
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Appendix – References
a. http://www.midtowncrossing.com/about/default.aspx
b. http://michaelbenjamin2012.com/2012/06/21/caribbean-region-consulates-in-nyc/
c. http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Caribbean-overseas-territories-meet-with-UK-networking-specialists-20934.html
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Appendix – TABLE – Caribbean States Mission Offices – New York City
| Member-State |
Address |
| Anguilla | 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-745-0277 |
| Antigua & Barbuda | 610 Fifth Avenue, Ste 311, New York, NY 10020 Phone: 212-541-4117 |
| Aruba | 666 Third Avenue, 19th floor, New York, NY 10017 Phone 877-388-2443 |
| Bahamas | 231 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-421-6420 |
| Barbados | 820 Second Avenue, 5th Fl, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-551-4325 |
| Belize | 675 Third Avenue, Ste 1911, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-593-0999 |
| Bermuda | 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-745-8272 |
| British Virgin Islands | 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-745-8272 |
| Cayman Islands | 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-745-8272 |
| Cuba | 315 Lexington Ave 38th Street New York, NY 10016 Ph. 212-689-7215 |
| Dominica | 800 Second Ave, Ste 400H, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-949-0853 |
| Dominican Republic | 1500 Broadway, Ste 410, New York, NY 10036 Phone: 212-768-2480 |
| Grenada | 800 Second Ave, Ste 400K, New York, NY 10017 Phone 212-599-0301 |
| Guadeloupe | 45 W 34th Street, Suite 703, New York, NY 10001 Phone 877-203-2551 |
| Guyana | 370 Seventh Avenue, 4th Fl, New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-947-5110 |
| Haiti | 271 Madison Avenue, 17th Fl, New York, NY 10016 Phone: 212-967-9767 |
| Jamaica | 767 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-935-9000 |
| Martinique | 444 Madison Avenue, 16th Fl, New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-838-6887 |
| Monserrat | 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-745-0200 |
| Netherland Antilles:Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Eustatius, Saba | 1 Rockefeller Plaza 11th Floor, New York, NY 10020 212-246-1429 |
| Puerto Rico | 666 5th Avenue # 15l, New York, NY, 10103-1599. Phone: 212-333-0300 |
| St. Barthelemy | 934 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10021 Phone: 212-606-3601 |
| St. Kitts & Nevis | 414 East 75th Street, New York, NY 10103 – 212-535-5521 |
| St. Lucia | 800 Second Avenue, 9th Fl, New York, NY 10017 – 212-697-9360 |
| St. Maarten | 675 Third Avenue, Ste 1807, New York, NY 10017 – 800-786-2278 |
| St. Vincent & The Grenadines | 801 Second Avenue, 21st Fl, New York, NY – 212-687-4490 |
| Suriname | 1 UN Plaza, 26th Fl, New York, NY 10017 – 212-826-0660 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 125 Maiden Lane, Unit 4A, 4th Fl, New York, NY 10038 Ph. 212-682-7272 |
| Turks & Caicos Island | 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-745-8272 |
| US Virgin Islands | 45 W 34th Street, Suite 703, New York, NY 10001 Phone 877-203-2551 |