Fwd: The Caribbean to the World: Farewell and Passing the Baton! Music Group

[Tonika Sealy]

My Dear Colleagues, Friends and Valued Contacts in the Caribbean Music Industry 

To say that the last  6 - 12 months  have been full of change would be  an understatement.  Caribbean Export  has successfully  transitioned from the 9th to the 10th European Union Private Sector Development Program, a five year project with more than 20 Million Euros allocated.    The Agency  has welcomed  new leadership and has constructed a fortified team .  There are new possibilities being mined and refined every day,  all destined to propel the region towards new heights in terms of the export of its  Creative and Cultural  goods and services. 

On my side, I have been working on realizing a  a dream that I have long deferred, and of  whose accomplishment Saint Langston Hughes has been my patron!   In a few days, I will be starting a new challenge - a one-year MBA program at the Hult International Business School's Shanghai Campus.   

On the CE side, under the stewardship of Executive Director Pamela Coke Hamilton, Caribbean Export has been putting together a highly skilled technical  team of which I am happy to have been a  part for the time that was.   

Now running with the  Creative Industries and Services baton is Ms Kayanne Anderson (kand...@carib-export.com).  Kayanne brings over 20 years of regional and international experience to the job having worked with  private sector clients in a wide range range of creative sectors. Not only is she a legal professional, she has a deep understanding of the needs creative of creative entrepreneurs, being an artist herself.     I had the opportunity to spend the last few weeks with her facilitating a smooth handover,   and I know that big things will be coming out of CE in the months and years to come! 

Also joining the team is Ms Carolyn Brome, who will be serving as Project Assistant for the Creative Industries - cbr...@carib-export.com.  Both are based in the Barbados office whose number is 1 246 436 0578.

I wanted to thank you for your partnership and your commitment to this process. Every minute of time you have invested in  traveling  to meetings, participating  in conference calls, writing  and reviewing documents,  developing new contacts and exploring new markets,  is valued and honored.  The  possibilities that have come to life  through working  with Caribbean Export  have been so  extremely compelling that taking  the leap to  leave to go study was a difficult decision indeed.  Yet, as I felt when I first signed my contract with CE,  and when I first met and started working with many of you,  this is the right thing  to do and the right time is now.  

The  evidence is there to show   that the region now has a totally different degree of  possibility:  there are  functional  networks of competent people and relationships - not just names and addresses, and there are more resources than there have ever been to be invested in the Cultural and Creative Industries.  I encourage you to continue to build out these networks and implement your strategic  business  objectives.   Together with agencies like Caribbean Export, the rewards are going to flow in a way that will honor your work, and that of  all those who have gone before and paved the way. 

My email address will remain the same tms...@gmail.com.  As soon as I have new details in China, I will pass those along.  I look forward to staying in contact with all of you and to returning to the region  when the time is right for me to  serve once again! 

Wishing you all the best!

Tonika Sealy
Skype: tonika_sealy

1 246 258 6848