Diplomatic superstars and heavyweight happenings bolster lineup for Caribbean Week in New York

Like the days before an anticipated boxing match, “Caribbean Week in New York” organizers are unveiling their heavyweight participants and giving the public a glimpse of the major spectacle to come — dozens of public and private programs, presented June 1-7 by the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization.

A YouTube-posted video with CTO Secretary-General Hugh Riley promoting the week, a special media session with the heads of state from Sint Maarten and the Bahamas, and final preparations for the 2014 edition of the “Invest Caribbean Now!” global business initiative are among the happenings preceding the start of the annual seven-day event.

A personal pitch from Riley is featured in the short video posted on the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s YouTube channel. He talks about the many activities of the week, which allow member nations and territories to “take advantage of that big spotlight we’re placing on the Caribbean” by promoting vacation and business travel to region.

Journalists will gather in Manhattan on June 4 for “A View from the Top,” an invitation-only meeting with Prime Ministers Perry Christie of the Bahamas and Sarah Wescot-Williams of Sint Maarten to discuss the “holistic development” of Caribbean tourism.

Meanwhile, Hard Beat Communications CEO Felicia Persaud, CTO officials and participants are excited about the fourth annual “Invest Caribbean Now!” summit of developers and investors, on June 4 at the Harvard Club, 35 W. 44th St., in Manhattan,

“We are definitely relevant in the world and we’re growing faster than many people think,” said ICN founder Persaud, at the opening last year’s well-attended ICN forum, about Caribbean business activity. “So, don’t tell me that the Caribbean is too small, and that we don’t have the market and we don’t have the resources.”

The event is back this year with a notable number of international business experts in its agenda: Gordon (Butch) Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resort; keynote speaker Isaac Newton of Paramount Communications; Li Li of the Chinese American Business Development Center; Sergio Millian of the Russian American Chamber of Commerce; Anthony Adjasse of Allied African Nations Chamber of Commerce and Qahir Dhanani of the World Bank Group.

“The Caribbean Diaspora represents a welcome market for making investments and contributing to growth and development,” said Dhanani recently. “Given the intimate knowledge they have about the opportunities back home, Diasporas are best places to take advantage of these opportunities and make an impact,” said the private sector development specialist with the World Bank Group.

Emmy Award-winning WNYW-TV news anchor Ernie Anastos is master of ceremonies for “Invest Caribbean Now!” 2014, which will also feature the launch of Beverly Hills-based celebrity fashion designer Woody Wilson’s “Tropical Collection for the Caribbean” and an appearance by Hollywood actor Malik Yoba.

Panels on global investment and networking opportunities are part of the events. Among the ICN 2014 panelists are Colin Childress, CEO/founder of Global MedChoices of Turks & Caicos; Dr. Paul Angelchik, founder and CEO of American World Clinic; former Costa Rica President José María Figueres Olsen, who is president of the Carbon War Room emission-reduction initiative; and U.S. State Department representative Leigh Moran

Go to http://investcaribbeannow.com for information and a detailed list of panels. To register, visit http://bit.ly/InvestCaribbeanRegister.

Visit http://bit.ly/CTORileyvideo to see the YouTube video and, for a full schedule of events, including the “The Rum and Rhythm Benefit: The Ultimate Caribbean Epicurean Experience” at Tribeca 360 in Manhattan on June 6, visit www.CaribbeanWeek.com or call (212) 635-9530.

‘GO CARIBBEAN’ TRADE SHOW & EXPO

With trade and investment between the Caribbean and North America as its goal, “Go Caribbean” — a daylong, international trade and business expo — debuts June 7 in Brooklyn at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge hotel, presented by the Anchor Business Consultancy firm.

Through key partnerships and the participation from government agencies and private industries in Caribbean and North America, Go Caribbean’s informative sessions will target companies and business ventures in traditional and emerging Caribbean industries — from tourism, food and beverage manufacturing and packaging to solar, wind and other alternative energies.

Expo registration will be followed by the daylong Trade Expo and a series of Go Caribbean events.

Go Caribbean project manager Kevin Howell is the managing director of the Anchor Business Consultancy, which assists government agencies and private firms with project management strategy development, and training. Howell has a history of work with businesses, the city’s Small Business Services agency, the Harlem Business Alliance, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and other entities.

Visit www.gocaribbeanexpo.com for details on expo activities and registration fees. For more information, reach out to the Go Caribbean team members by email: For general expo information contact Damian Allen at info@gocaribbeanexpo.com; for exhibitor and conference information, Melissa Howell at exhibitor@gocaribbeanexpo.com and for sponsorship information call Howell at (347) 413-3282 or send email to sponsorship@gocaribbeanexpo.com.

BIZ SUCCESS, ONE STEP AT A TIME

Veteran business consultant Basil Springer’s aptly named “Nothing Beats Business Success” management solutions firm is one-step-at-a-time answer for entrepreneurs seeking commercial successes.

“Our team at ‘Nothing Beats Business Success’ is offering simple step-by-step planning and monitoring processes which, if carefully followed, can quickly put businesses on a path to sustained profitability,” said Springer, a Barbadian whose fruitful track record includes founding the Systems Caribbean Limited management consultancies company 23 years ago, running the “Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust” for the past 12 years and promoting its “Shepherding Model.”

Working through the Shepherding Model’s innovative “ManOBiz Matrix,” Springe, who is also a well-known business columnist, utilizes a team of consultants devoted to helping small and medium business owners.

Through “Nothing Beats Business Success,” entrepreneurs utilize free email consultations, traditional face-to-face connections and online Skype sessions at reasonable rates.

The service aims to provide entrepreneurs with solutions to revitalize their businesses.

“Shepherding (life coaching and business mentoring) has proven to help business owners mitigate the risk of business failure,” said Springer.

The business initiative’s services are provided by the New Jersey-based Marketplace Excellence Corp., which has satellite offices in the Caribbean, Canada and the U.S. Marketplace with a range of entities — from small businesses to governments, universities and U.N. agencies. For more information, visit www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com.

CALYPSO – IN PHOTOS

Trinidad and Tobago-born photographer Hayden Roger Celestin documented an impressive collection of Caribbean performers who entertained patrons at the Mother We Love You Concert,” presented by Everybody’s Caribbean magazine on May 10 at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College.

Mothers and others in the audience enjoyed the show, which starred The Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Lyrikal, 2014 Trinidad and Tobago National Calypso Monarch Chucky Gordon, Shadow, Young Devyn, King Short Shirt, Tony Ricardo, Singing Sandra the Braata Jamaican Singers and Susan Kennedy.

For information and subscription information on Everybody’s magazine, call (718) 941-1879 and visit www.everybodysmag.com.

MAXI’S REGGAE COMEBACK

An exclusive group of music company executives, journalists and fans got to get a listen to “Easy to Love,” the first new studio album from British Jamaican reggae artist Maxi Priest in several years.

Priest, who last released an in-studio work since 2011, was on hand at the recent listening party, held at SiriusXM in Manhattan. Priest was interviewed by SiriusXM radio director of programming Pat Mckay and tracks were played from the album, which will debut in the U.S. on June 24.

jmccallister@nydailynews.com