The Caribbean could become a major global technology centre if the region’s professionals engaged in the field were to unite around such a vision.

Barbadian businessman Andrew Jemmott, Managing Director of Caribbean Webcast Inc. (formerly The Caribbean Streaming Network), said regional populations ought to graduate from being mere consumers of cutting edge technology to creators and innovators in it.

Jemmott asserts that the convergence of technology and the global supply chain for products and services offers a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs to “leap frog into the global marketplace without having to board airliners and deal with the hassles of securing visas to do business with nations across the globe.”

Andrew Jemmott, Managing Director of Caribbean Webcast Inc.

Jemmott, a Bimventures entrepreneur, considers that the time has come for the technological bar in the region to be raised to enhance the profile of the Caribbean across the world. The first step, he says, is the formation of symbiotic relationships among the technological providers in the Caribbean to ensure they are all working towards the same goal of innovation and creativity in the sector.

That is why Jemmott supports the recently launched Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation whose mission is “Barbados – the #1 Entrepreneurial Hub in the World by 2020.”

He said Barbados and its Caribbean neighbours can truly become the Global Centre of Excellence for Entrepreneurship by 2020, but will need to be on the cusp of enhancing existing technological advancements or creating new technology. “Our goal is also to encourage productive and innovative thinking, through a process of research and development, design, and the production and implementation of software and hardware products through social media applications,” stated Jemmott.

Caribbean Webcast provides content and programming in four languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. “The Caribbean is a multi-lingual and multi-cultural area and Barbadian and Caribbean companies should cater to all the audiences within our diverse community. Providing a multi-lingual service will help regional technology companies penetrate markets in the Caribbean, Latin America and across the world,” he added.

About Caribbean Webcast, Inc.

Caribbean Webcast, Inc. capitalises on the advances in new media by offering rich online content in forms such as music videos, concerts, festivals, music and documentaries. The company aims to place the Caribbean’s culture and intellect on the global stage through a cross-cultural delivery of web content. Products such as digital marketing of live webcasts, streaming audio and video content, marketing materials, real time traffic reports, artiste licensing and digital distribution, a user profiles database and streaming platform development position Caribbean Webcast to respond to the region’s technological needs.

About Barbados Business Enterprise Corp.

Barbados Business Enterprise Corp. (BBEC) is a public/private sector partnership with the Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust (CBET) Inc. BBEC manages the Barbados Revolving Seed Capital Fund and the Barbados Entrepreneurs’ Venture Capital Fund. BBEC is a virtual organisation that focuses on promoting economic development in Barbados. The trustees of BBEC are respected Barbadian business and development experts, Sir Neville Nicholls (Chairman), Sir Stephen Emtage, Peter Boos and Hazel Highland.