By Ryan Peterson
CJ Contributor

The Caribbean, although often depicted as idyllic relaxation under a palm-tree next to the sea, is in fact an emerging region of youth initiatives, events, and young professional organizations that are working towards empowering and inspiring new generations through entrepreneurship.

Despite labels and liabilities of a “lost generation”, there is a new spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that is captivating and cultivating the imagination of the youth and young entrepreneurs, and unleashing the Caribbean’s true potentiality in terms of “eco-creativity”.

In preparation of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), several new and exciting youth leadership and entrepreneurship developments are highlighted throughout the Caribbean (GEW, 2014), including some of the following national and regional initiatives.

Antigua, in collaboration with St Kitts and Nevis, will be celebrating the Annual Caribbean Sustainable Livelihoods Conference. Junior Achievement Americas recently launched a new initiative called The Junior Achievement Program for the Eastern Caribbean (JAPEC). The program aims to build on the established youth livelihood development initiatives of USAID in the region and address issues of youth unemployment in five countries: Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia.

The Barbados Youth Business Trust, recently launched a new campaign themed ‘Increasing partnership, Improving Networking’. In Dominica, the Dominica Youth Business Trust, has signed up an impressive list of partners, including Young Entrepreneurs, the Government of Dominica, the local media, secondary schools, Dominica State College, Youth Development Division and various financial institutions.

Junior Achievement (JA) Jamaica is gearing up for a new campaign themed ‘Entrepreneurship: Needs vs. Opportunity’. In terms of flagship events, three regional fairs around the island supported by local governments will feature young entrepreneurs and give them the opportunity to showcase and sell their products to an audience of over 1500 visitors. An island-wide business model competition for various age groups is also planned.

In the southern Dutch Caribbean, following the National Council on Innovation and Competitiveness, young Aruban entrepreneurs have organized themselves in a foundation for entrepreneurship, and different local initiatives by and for young professionals are being organized.

Last week, young professionals and students of the University of Aruba teamed up with the newly established leadership institute for sustainable innovation on organizing and managing the leading sustainable tourism in Latin America and Caribbean conference.

During the conference the role and importance of this new generation of talented young professionals was discussed by young entrepreneurs, and with the young delegates, and how they can contribute to developing a more sustainable society by looking at ecology, technology and creative innovation as a primary driver of sustainability.

Likewise, the Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago plans to formally launch, a National Entrepreneurial Eco-System that will bring together all the entrepreneurial stakeholders for more efficient networking within the ecosystem. Youth Business Trinidad & Tobago also launched a series of weekly features in one of the major daily newspapers to raise more awareness about their activities, as well as to showcase the work and initiatives of key stakeholders in the ecosystem.

There is no doubt that the Caribbean captivates the world with its idyllic images of relaxation, trees, and pleasure.

Yet, the Caribbean may yet unleash its truest potential in the resilience, talents, and passions of a new generation of eco-savvy entrepreneurs and creative professionals. The best of the Caribbean is indeed emerging as the 21st century unfolds.

Ryan Peterson, PhD is Professor of Innovation Economics and Research Chair in Sustainable Islands at the University of Aruba. He is the co-founder of the National Council for Innovation & Competitiveness, and the Leadership Institute for Sustainable Innovation. He can be reached atryan.peterson@ua.aw.