The Tribune

HUNDREDS of delegates from across the Caribbean attended the virtual RF Economic Outlook on May 6 under the theme, Global Digital Disruption: Threat or Opportunity?

The event featured seven international experts who discussed the impact of emerging technologies.

Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar spoke at the opening, and noted the disruptive impact of technology in the region.

“I must say,” Minister D’Aguilar said, “the last few years have been somewhat of a crash course in understanding the highly complex, carefully nuanced and rapidly advancing technological framework that now dictates how much of the developed world and our core markets operate.”

He highlighted the need for research and data-driven strategies that would drive economic development in The Bahamas, particularly in the tourism industry, focusing on digitising travel and providing greater access to visitors through a “nuanced balance” between face to face interactions and technology.

Caribbean economist Marla Dukharan elaborated, saying: “We have to disrupt our own way of doing things.”

She noted the impact of COVID-19 on the Caribbean economy and projected recovery taking as long as four years.

A favourite among delegates was Daniel Kraft, MD, who spoke about technologies like FitBits, smartphones and smartwatches as tools to provide better healthcare in the digital age, along with opportunities like accelerated learning, remote monitoring and medical tourism in the Caribbean.

Other presentations included emerging technology, geopolitics, and the future of intelligence by cybersecurity expert, Amy Zegart, the Caribbean Central Bank digital currency landscape by cyber tech guru John Kiff, lessons in hospitality by hotelier Chip Conley and the future of energy by inventor Ugwem Eneyo. Closing the event was adventurer Matt McFadyen who took viewers through a virtual journey through the North Pole and some of the deadliest seas in the world in his presentation, To the Ends of the Earth.

RF Group CEO, Mr. Michael Anderson, thanked the event sponsors, RF Bank & Trust, Aliv, Cable Bahamas Business Solutions, Doctors Hospital Health System, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited, Glinton Sweeting O’Brien Counsel and Attorneys-at- Law, JS Johnson Insurance Agents & Brokers, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and The Tribune Media Group.