Minister of International Trade of Canada Confirmed for Miami Conference along with USAID Assistant Administrator for Latin American & the Caribbean

Washington, D.C.–Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA) announced today the participation of Canadian Minister of International Trade, David Emerson at the upcoming Miami Conference on the Caribbean Basin. Mr. Emerson was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and was named Minister of Industry in July 2004. He was re-elected in 2006. In 1975, Mr. Emerson joined the Government of British Columbia, becoming the province’s Deputy Minister of Finance in 1984.

In 1986, Mr. Emerson left government to become President and CEO of the Western and Pacific Bank of Canada. Four years later, he returned to the provincial government as Deputy Minister of Finance, then Deputy Minister to the Premier, and later President of B.C. Trade Development Corporation. In 1992, Mr. Emerson was appointed to lead the newly created Vancouver International Airport Authority. In 1998, he was appointed President and CEO of Canfor Corporation.

CCAA also confirmed today the participation of Paul Bonicelli, Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United States Agency for International Development. Prior to his this appointment in May 2007, he served since October 3, 2005 as Deputy assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance at USAID. As Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bonicelli was responsible for USAID's democracy and governance programs and chaired the State Department's Governing Justly and Democratically interagency committee for the Director of Foreign Assistance. He oversaw coordination of foreign assistance for democracy promotion and good governance, working in particular with the various bureaus of the State Department and the National Security Council.

Bonicelli's previous government service includes working as a professional staff member for the International Relations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served intermittently as a consultant to the Department of Labor's Bureau for International Labor Affairs. Before joining the administration at USAID, Bonicelli served six years as dean of academic affairs and associate professor of Government at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA. As chief academic officer, he oversaw the development of the college's academic programs and recruited the faculty. He also taught foreign policy and comparative politics.

CCAA's Miami Conference continues to be the only forum that focuses specific attention on the smaller economies of the Caribbean and Central America. Confirmed sponsors for the Miami Conference include Atlantic Tele-Network, British American Tobacco, Guyana Telegraph and Telephone, Scotiabank, FedEx, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Tropical Shipping, Port of Miami and Seaboard Marine.

CCAA is a non-governmental organization that promotes private sector-led economic development in the Caribbean Basin. More information on the organization and the Annual Miami Conference can be found by visiting CCAA's website at www.c-caa.org.

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