The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) have announced the 2nd hosting of the Caribbean’s Regional Investor of the Year Awards 2014 (RIYA 2014).

Companies from Haiti and other Caribbean countries are invited to participate.

This year the RIYA 2014 will seek to promote investments in initiatives that employ environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices – initiatives that protect the region’s delicate ecosystem – its flora, fauna, and human life. Foreign and local investor applicants must demonstrate that they have made significant contributions through changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages to the region's ecosystem, or to benefit from opportunities associated with the green economy.

This year’s Special Award category will bring the spotlight on Women Investors and their achievements in the region. Applicants in this category do not have to be investors in a green initiative per se, but must demonstrate the significant impact they have had on the region’s socio-economic development because of their investment.

The RIYA 2014 will again feature 3 specific award categories, and applicants must clearly identify the category or categories in which they wish to be evaluated:

Foreign Investor of the Year Award: This award seeks to honor foreign investors (non-Caribbean nationals), who have invested in operations in the region that have generated a significant impact on the green economy.

Local Investor of the Year Award: This award seeks to honor local investors, of Caribbean birth who have invested in operations in the region that have generated a significant impact on the green economy.

Special Award: Special recognition will be given to women investors who have significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of the region through their investment.
An overall Regional Investor of the Year awardee will be selected from one of the category winners to be named the Regional Investor of the Year Awardee for 2014.

Application Forms and additional information on the RIYA 2014 can be found at: www.carib-export.com and www.caipainvest.org and persons or firms are requested to submit applications to the Center for the Facilitation of Investment (CFI), www.cfihaiti.com.

The deadline for submissions to IPAs is October 10, 2014.

The inaugural awards in 2013 focused on the creation of jobs by regional investors during harsh economic times, in particular the recession of 2008-2012. Last year’s overall RIYA2013 winner was ARS Humano, who was also the winner of the Local Investor of the Year category. The company is based in the Dominican Republic and is a leader in the health insurance business.