CIBC FirstCaribbean will once again partner with KPMG as the title sponsor of the 5th Caribbean Infrastructure Forum (CARIF 2021) which will see policymakers, technocrats and private sector experts bring their perspective and leadership to the critical issues impacting the future of infrastructure in the Caribbean.

Against the backdrop of the novel coronavirus pandemic, there is a new urgency around the need to finance and build economy-boosting, resilient infrastructure which can weather the storm.

Commencing today, the virtual three-day forum will feature public and private sector leaders exploring the need, the opportunity — and the price tag.

Drawing on a deep pool of regional leaders, the CARIF 2021 will feature presentations om how to frame a comprehensive vision for tourism-related infrastructure; the financial and operational challenges of airports created by COVID-19; insights on the new perspective on risk in the infrastructure space and pandemic and climate resilient investment in health infrastructure; and solutions available for the Caribbean region’s waste management.

Esteemed speakers include Colette Delaney, chief executive officer of CIBC FirstCaribbean; Daniel Best, director of the projects department at the Caribbean Development Bank; Therese Turner-Jones, general manager of the Caribbean country department at Inter-American Development Bank; and Stephen Beatty, global chairman for infrastructure and chairman of Global Cities Center of Excellence at KPMG.

CIBC FirstCaribbean is sponsoring CARIF 2021 against a backdrop of its success regionally in brokering public and private sector cooperation in generating investment opportunities for, and increasing the availability of, capital for infrastructure development. Over the past four years, the bank has arranged in excess of US$2.3 billion in various financing transactions in the infrastructure sector, making us the leading regional financier.

The bank has also won two major awards for infrastructure financing — the 2016 IJGlobal award for ‘North America Port of the Year’ for the debt financing of expansion and privatisation of the Kingston Container Terminal; and the 2017 CREF award for “Best Project Financing” for its project financing of Entropy Cayman Solar, Cayman’s inaugural solar PV commercial project.