New York’s secretary of state, Randy Daniels has called for closer links between New York City and the Caribbean in the areas of tourism, education and trade. Mr. Daniels, a native of the Bahamas, made the call while delivering the keynote address at the CTO Allied’s Awards Luncheon at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York on Friday, June 4, 2004. “We need two-way tourism and two-way trade,” the New York State official told the audience, which included ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism. “New York City should be the natural marketplace for the Caribbean because we have the largest population of Caribbean Americans in this country,” he added. Mr. Daniels stressed the contributions that Caribbean nationals have made to the development of New York City and called for greater emphasis to be placed on the relationship between New York State and the Caribbean region. “I believe that we must look at our own hemisphere more closely. It does take insight and appreciation to understand that you should not look at the Caribbean region as individual countries but you should see it as a combined economic region with potential for not only investment but two-way trade and two-way opportunities,” he said. “My governor understands that and this is why we wish to participate wherever we can and whenever we can with you in the promotion of not only tourism, but in the promotion of all aspects of Caribbean society.” The secretary of state recommended as an example of enhanced cooperation, the exchange of students and agricultural workers. “If we can enhance and expand our exchange in terms of students we would strengthen your universities and strengthen ours by virtue of the diversity itself. “If we can find ways to exchange in terms of our agricultural sector we can help Caribbean nations be even more efficient in their agricultural sector and as a result of that increase their capacity to export goods,” he suggested. SOURCE: CTO NEWS