Contents
What is the role of the National Secretariat for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting?
What is the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC)?
When will CBF 2009 be held?
Where will the CBF 2009 be held?
Who are some of the speakers who will be at the Forum?
What sorts of organizations attend the CBF?
How many persons will likely be at the Forum?
What are some of the issues to be discussed at the Business Forum?
What will be the sub-themes discussed at CBF?
What is the cost of participating at the Business Forum?
How do I register for the Business Forum?
For registration, do I need to provide a picture?
Where would accommodation be available?
Who can I contact should I have any enquiries?

What is the role of the National Secretariat for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting?

The National Secretariat has overall responsibility for coordinating the CHOGM and all of its associated events. The National Secretariat for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) coordinates the CBF.

What is the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC)?

The Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) provides leadership in increasing international trade and investment flows, creating new business opportunities, promoting good governance and corporate social responsibility, reducing the digital divide and integrating developing countries into the global market. In fulfilling its mission, CBC strives to provide a bridge between the private sector and governments, between emerging markets and developed markets and between small businesses and international private sector.

More information about the CBC can be found here:www.cbcglobal.org

When will CBF 2009 be held?

CBF 2009 will be held from 23rd to 26th November 2009.

Where will the CBF 2009 be held?

It will be held on the Cruise liner "Serenade of the Seas" which will be docked at the Port of Port of Spain for the duration of the Forum.

Who are some of the speakers who will be at the Forum?

Some of the speakers who have confirmed participation at CBF 2009 include:

• The Honourable Patrick Manning - Prime  Minister, Trinidad and Tobago

• Honourable David Thompson -Prime Minister,  Barbados

• Honourable Bruce Golding - Prime Minister,  Jamaica

• Professor Joseph Stiglitz - 2001 Nobel Prize  Winner in Economics

• Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla -  Secretary General, Association of the Caribbean States

• Rahul Bajaj, Chairman - Bajaj Auto

• Dr. Anthony Hayward - Chief Executive, BP Group

• Sir K Dwight Venner - Governor, Eastern  Caribbean Central Bank

• Jim Westlake - Group Head International  Banking, Royal Bank, Canada

A full list of the speakers could be accessed "here".

What sorts of organizations attend the CBF?

A sample list of organizations who have attended previous CBFs can be found "here".

How many persons will likely be at the Forum?

The will be over 800 participants at the Business Forum from all of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth region. Additionally, participation is also encouraged from countries in the Americas, such as Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina and the United States of America.

What are some of the issues to be discussed at the Business Forum?

The Overall theme for the CBF 2009 is "Partnering for a Sustainable Future – Commonwealth and the Americas'.

What will be the sub-themes discussed at CBF?

• Energy for Growth – Managing Climate Change

• New Global Financial Infrastructure –  Instruments for Growth

• The Innovation Mantra: Technology – The Key to  Growth and Development

• Skills Challenge of the 21st Century

• Trading for a more Equitable Future

What is the cost of participating at the Business Forum?

The cost of participating at the Business Forum is US$900; however you can pay
only US$500 when you use the promotional code CBF09TTCIC when you register.

How do I register for the Business Forum?

Persons can register for the Commonwealth Business Forum through:

i) Online Registration – those persons who wish to register online can visit the link:http://cbf09.eventbrite.com/

or

ii) Download and complete the registration form - this form could be accessed "here"
. Applicants should print the form, complete all information fields and:

• Fax* the completed registration form to: +44 (0)20 7024 8201

 

• Post/Mail the completed registration form to:
  Events Team
  Commonwealth Business Council
  18 Pall Mall
  London SW1Y 5LU, UK

Scan/E-mail the completed registration form to:delegates@cbcglobal.org.

* Persons faxing the form must provide a picture. The picture can be mailed to the address given above or scanned and emailed to the email address provided.

For registration, do I need to provide a picture?

Yes. Persons can submit either a digital photograph or a printed on. The specifications for the picture are as follows:
Digital Photo

a) JPEG format, no larger than 50KB

b) The photo must be in full colour

c) Taken in the past six (6) months

d) Image must be clear, well defined and clean

e) Image must be set against a light-coloured, plain background and must occupy at least two-thirds (2/3) of the space

Digital photos can be emailed todelegates@cbcglobal.org. The file name for digital images must be in the format: surname_firstname_Identification#. For example, if your name is John Doe and your Identification # is QP19Z0131, then the file name for your digital photo will be doe_john_QP19Z0131.

Printed Photo* - printed photos must comply with the specifications b) to e). In addition the photo must:

f) Be in colour and passport sized (50mm x 70mm)

g) Printed photographs must be identified on the reverse with the surname, given name, and date of birth.
*printed photos should be mailed to:
Events Team
Commonwealth Business Council
18 Pall Mall
London SW1Y 5LU, UK

Where would accommodation be available?

Cruise Ship: Accommodation is available for participants on the Serenade of the Seas Cruise ship where the Commonwealth Business Forum will be held. Bookings on the cruise ship can be made while registering for the forum.

Land based: There are numerous hotels and guest houses throughout Trinidad where persons visiting Trinidad and Tobago may wish to stay. Prospective applicants to the forum would still require a "delegate’s pass" to allow access to the forum site.
The cost of this pass is $900 US (special discounts are available – please see
the question “What is the cost of participating in the business forum” above)
and persons can register "here".

Participants of the Commonwealth Business Forum who wish to use land based accommodation are recommended to make arrangements at venues located in the vicinity of the Port of Spain area. For a list of hotels in this area please click "here"(link to list of hotels document).

Arrangements can be made by contacting the various hotels directly or can be made through the website:www.gotrinidadandtobago.com .

Who can I contact should I have any enquiries?
The National Secretariat

or

The Commonwealth Business Council