Transforming to Superior Advocacy The Way Forward

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Transforming to Superior Advocacy- The Way
Forward -

• Anton E. Edmunds
• Executive Director
• Caribbean Central American Action

CAIB 32nd Annual Conference Grand Cayman, Cayman
Islands
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• What is Advocacy?
• Advocacy is an umbrella term for organized
  activism related to a particular set of issues.
  Advocacy is expected to be non-deceptive and in
  good faith, though it is sometimes tainted by the
  use of propaganda. It is almost always organized
  into or by an advocacy group or special interests
• Lobbying is defined as the practice of private
  advocacy with the goal of influencing a governing
  body to ensure that an organization or
  individuals point of view is represented. A
  lobbyist is paid to influence legislation as well
  as public opinion
• influence and promote an agenda

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Our Mission, Goal Rationale

• MISSION
• Strengthening the Economies of the Caribbean
• By better positioning our institutions and
  advocating for a better enabling environment for
  us to do business.
• Promote PRIVATE SECTOR-LED sustainable economic
  development in the Caribbean
• Increase TRADE AND INVESTMENT flows to our small
  economies
• GOAL
• Improve ECONOMIC WELL BEING of the people living
  and working in the Caribbean
• Raise business and banking STANDARDS across the
  region.
• Solidify mutually beneficial TIES that bind us
  together as well as with major trading partners,
  including the U.S., Europe and possibly our
  neighbours to the near south.
• RATIONALE
• After 9/11, NATIONAL AND STRATEGIC INTERESTS
  highlight the
• Greater GEOPOLITICAL importance of our nations.
• That political stability and economic growth are
  the keys to a secure NEIGHBORHOOD.

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Challenge

• CHALLENGE
• Take advantage of regions geographic proximity
  to the worlds largest market and our space in
  this market to address four fundamental
  REALITIES
• POVERTY is worsening for many of our citizens who
  have not benefited from open markets and stable
  democracies.
• COMPETITION is increasing for many of our
  businesses who must now operate in a truly global
  economy.
• TRADITIONAL SOURCES (domestic savings, government
  aid, multilateral agency assistance and
  commercial bank lending) to finance economic
  development are declining.
• FOREIGN INVESTMENT is an absolute necessity if
  the region is to create new jobs and overcome
  poverty and we should be at this nexus.

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Task

• TASK
• Confront four BARRIERS to attract the investment
  needed to finance development by creating the
  jobs that will overcome poverty
• SCALE small economies with inefficient
  infrastructure and weak institutions.
• SKILLS inadequate training and poor primary
  education for many of its workers.
• BUREAUCRACY culture of the seal and difficult
  business facilitation practices.
• CORRUPTION lack of the rule of law and
  unpredictability when disputes arise.

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Objective

• OBJECTIVE
• Create broad-based private and civic alliances
  to advocate for public policy change through a
  TRANSFORMATION AGENDA
• INTEGRATION create larger markets with uniform
  commercial, legal, regulatory and supervisory
  frameworks.
• EDUCATION provide technical capacity building
  in the short term and quality education in the
  long.
• HARMONIZATION standardize best business
  practices within industry sectors across
  regions, especially banking.
• INSTITUTIONALIZATION insure the transparent
  application of the law so all parties are
  consistently treated as equals.

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Constituents Role

• CONSTITUENTS
• Articulate a thoughtful message of TOUGH LOVE
  (walk the talk) to well-defined target audiences
• INTERNAL TO REGION Local (family-owned)
  Companies, Private Sector Organizations, Civil
  Society and National Governments.
• EXTERNAL TO REGION Multinational Corporations,
  Private Sector Organizations, US/G7 Governments
  Multilateral Agencies.
• ROLE
• Serve as CATALYST AND HONEST BROKER for a
  constructive dialogue among constituents
• Obtain their unqualified COMMITTMENT to become
  advocates for the policy changes needed to
  execute Transformation Agenda.
• Satisfy Civil Societys ASPIRATIONS to believe in
  the integrity of their leaders and provide a
  better future for their children.

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Methodology

• METHODOLOGY
• Organize opinion leaders and key decision-makers
  in region-wide, industry-specific BUSINESS TEAM
• Encourage ACTIVE DIALOGUE among constituents to
  build a workable consensus.
• Identify VITAL ISSUES to improve the environment
  for trade and investment.
• Undertake BEST BUSINESS PRACTICE studies to
  create common regional standards.
• Develop or strengthen an ADVOCACY PLATFORM for
  constituents to pursue public policy change.
• Embrace our common destiny and recognize that the
  region must PRODUCE TO PROSPER
• For the business community to PROSPER the public
  sector must implement sound policies to PRODUCE
  effective institutions
• For civil society to PROSPER the business
  community must invest sufficient resources to
  PRODUCE well-paying jobs
• For the public sector to PROSPER civil society
  must become true stakeholders to PRODUCE stable
  communities.

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Keys to Success

• KEYS TO SUCCESS
• Stay on point
• Champions private sector leadership is key
• Know your limitations
• Dont believe the hype about your role/share the
  success with partners
• Believe in a beginning, middle and an end
• Constantly review how effectively your issues or
  advocacy has advanced change
• Be transparent - You do have your own interests

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Conclusion What Does This Mean for You

• ASK YOURSELF THIS
• Can indigenous banks compete in the global
  marketplace?
• If yes, is the enabling environment in place to
  allow for this success not only locally but also
  regionally?
• Isnt your success really dependant on other
  relevant changes that need to be embraced by
  governments and business alike?
• Are regulators negatively affecting your
  business? Is there a need for more consistency
  in the regulatory environment from domicile to
  domicile?
• Can you continue to depend only on your financial
  partners to advocate on your behalf in Europe and
  America.

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• HOW SHOULD YOU FOCUS YOUR ADVOCACY?
• Highlight how critical you are for the regions
  economic development, how critical you are for
  the movement of capital, half of the CSME
  explanation.
• Targeted messaging to clients, governments and
  the world outside that you are sophisticated and
  working to be even more so.
• WILL THEY LISTEN? / WHY NOT?
• You are a key to the success of the region/Weigh
  in on key issues/Believe that you have a role to
  play to ensure the region not only survives but
  also prospers.
• BELIEVE IN YOUR ADVOCACY POSITION THE TIME IS
  NOW