The online service, called Caribbean Business Opportunity Service (CBOS) matches buyers and suppliers, and has among other features, business opportunity alerts, a supplier directory, business matching and support services, as well as newsletters and event business briefings.

At the launch held at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston development minister, Dr Paul Robertson, pointed out that the portal would help businesspersons take advantage of the opportunities that would be created from the staging of Cricket World Cup 2007 in the region.

With the portal, buyers from across the globe are able to collaborate with suppliers in the Caribbean.

Robertson disclosed that the National Development Corporation of St. Lucia had already signed on as a partner.  His expectation was for other countries to sign on, especially those hosting events for the Cricket World Cup.

Foreign affairs and foreign trade state minister, Senator Delano Franklyn, endorsed the initiative, but argued that while the portal would act as the central hub for major business, opportunities must also be created for small-scale vendors.  He stressed that to be really beneficial, the portal must remain in operation after the Cricket World Cup.

In his address, president of Cable and Wireless Jamaica, Rodney Davis, said that the international cricket tournament would be the largest event ever staged in the region and would leave a legacy of business development in ensuing decades.

Davis committed the technology of Cable and Wireless to facilitate Jamaica's efforts to maximise the business opportunities, which would arise from the staging of the event.

C&W would, according to Davis, provide world-class telecommunications services and products to meet the needs of its customers in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, and the 50,000 visitors who were expected over the four weeks of cricket.

An estimated two billion people are expected to view the event.

Davis also noted that CBOS would play a key role in driving the objectives of CARICOM and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, by providing a critical portal for interface among the region's buyers and suppliers, in addition to meeting the needs for all major projects and events within the region.

At the event, Courtney Walsh was formally signed on as JAMPRO's Cricket Legacy Champion and Cable and Wireless as the major sponsor of the CBOS initiative.

The 2007 Cricket World Cup will be hosted by the West Indies from March to April of 2007.  Organisers expect more than 100,000 tourists to visit the region for the duration of the month-long tournament where 16 teams from across the world will compete in limited-over one-day matches for one of cricket's most prestigious trophies.  The games will be played at eight venues across the Caribbean.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Business/html/20051220T180000-0500_95019_OBS_JAMPRO_LAUNCHES_BUSINESS_FACILITATION_PORTAL.asp