ST CROIX, USVI – The Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (VIEDA) hosted its inaugural Southshore Trade Zone (SSTZ) Investor Roundtable with 12 business investors at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Terminal conference room in St Croix on October 24, 2024.
This roundtable event included three days of activities from October 23-25 aimed at promoting the SSTZ program. The three-day event brought together business investors, private sector businesses and USVI government officials to discuss opportunities and strategies for economic growth within the SSTZ. The SSTZ, a designated special economic zone, boasts over 300 acres of relatively flat greenfield space with electrical, water, sewer, fiber optics and telephone utilities already on-site, deep-water ports, and warehouse space directly on the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. The SSTZ program is administered by the VIEDA’s Enterprise Zone Commission (EZC).
“The primary goal of the SSTZ Investor Roundtable was to attract investment to the SSTZ to help foster economic development and create job opportunities in the US Virgin Islands, especially on St Croix,” said VIEDA chief executive officer, Wayne L. Biggs, Jr. “The VIEDA and the EZC team worked together with its partners at the VI Port Authority, the Renaissance Park, and the VIEDA’s lead generation consultants, OCO Global, in organizing this first roundtable event to showcase the advantages of the SSTZ program’s available incentives, operating a business within the SSTZ, and highlighting the cultural aspects of living in the USVI, “added VIEDA CEO Biggs, Jr.
Representing a cross-section of industries such as aquaculture, research and development, management consulting, defense, development, and corporate risk management, aquaculture/technology, capital investment, professional services/capital investment, rum manufacturing, and food manufacturing. These business investors had the unique opportunity to discover first-hand the tremendous attributes and resources that make the SSTZ a prime location for companies to relocate or expand their business which can lead to the creation jobs and further investment in the Territory.
“With this first SSTZ Investor Roundtable, our EZC team truly desired to provide our 12 prospective investors with a wholistic experience which opened doors for them to learn more about the business opportunities that exist within the SSTZ as well as our rich and unique USVI culture,” said Nadine Marchena Kean, director, Enterprise Zone Commission.
“We are extremely grateful for our partnerships with the office of the governor, the Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA), other stakeholders and USVI government officials, and our private sector partners to make this roundtable a collaborative success as we continue to showcase the best investment opportunities our territory has to offer for our economic growth in the USVI,” added director Marchena Kean.
Activities and highlights
Governor’s Reception – 10/23: Led by Albert Bryan, Jr., Governor of the US Virgin Islands, the reception commenced with a welcome address and brief overview of the Southshore Trade Zone’s history from Governor Bryan, remarks from VIEDA CEO Wayne L. Biggs, Jr. on the program’s objectives, and comments from Senate president Novelle E. Francis on the USVI legislation that created the SSTZ Program. Reception attendees also had an opportunity to meet the first approved applicant of the SSTZ Program, St Croix-based business In the Mix Cakery, LLC, while networking and exploring potential partnerships and collaborations while enjoying USVI cultural music and being entertained by local quelbe dancers.
SSTZ Investor Roundtable Panel Discussions and News Conference – 10/24: Industry experts participated in panel discussions on topics such as agribusiness, renewable energy, and light manufacturing. Panel discussions included topics on workforce development, and regulatory support for investors; commercial property assets and leasing in the South Shore Trade Zone; and infrastructure development in the USVI. See SSTZ Investor Roundtable agenda here.
During the roundtable’s networking break, a brief news conference was held at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Terminal with Governor Bryan, VIEDA CEO Biggs, Jr., and senate president Novelle E. Francis Jr. to update the public about the purpose of the SSTZ and milestones that were made to achieve the development of the SSTZ program. See the news conference here.
SSTZ Investor Roundtable Tour – 10/24: Led by officials from the Virgin Islands Port Authority, the business investors were taken on a tour of the SSTZ industrial sites and commercial spaces with key stops at the Wilfred “Bomba” Allick Port and Transshipment Center aka “The Container Port” and the Gordon A. Finch Molasses Pier. These tours also included visits to VIEDA clients at the William D. Roebuck Industrial Park such as Leatherback Brewery.
