The first 2018 Bahamas Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference is underway in Freeport, Grand Bahama with ALIV as its title sponsor. The conference, being held at the Grand Lucayan Convention Center, is a unique partnership that is entirely in keeping with the way ALIV does business, which is to be at the forefront of all new innovations in the marketplace and to bring those innovations to the Bahamian consumer.
Chief ALIV Commercial Officer (CACO) Gravette Brown sat as a panelist during the “How Can I Get Funded?” session following the official opening ceremony Wednesday morning where Ms. Brown assured attendees that ALIV’s participation as a title sponsor and during various aspects of the conference is more than just a sponsorship.
“We consider ourselves to be at the forefront in helping to support all efforts to deepen economic development of this important island and to our nation. It is one of the reasons why we’ve welcomed this opportunity to dialogue as a telecoms infrastructure partner in the necessary discussion around continuing the advancement of technology and other forms of economic development not only here in Grand Bahama but throughout the greater Bahamas,” she said. “So why Blockchain and Cryptocurrency? Last year we joined the Bahamas Financial Services Board as the exclusive telecommunications partner of their fintech working group.
It is through our participation in this body we hope to continue to work with the foremost minds in financial services and law to help the country to prepare for the blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies.”
Keynote Speaker Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis noted the importance of Grand Bahama as a key player in pushing the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency narrative and boasted that Grand Bahama is on the road to becoming the “Silicon Valley” of The Bahamas.
“We welcome the local and global community and are pleased to be the meeting place of investors and companies focused on Blockchain, Cryptocurrency and FinTech solutions. We will closely follow discussions and the recommendations following this conference and implement other recommendations,” he said. “As we embark on a new era and establish this new pillar of the national economy, my government believes it is fitting that we base our technology hub in Grand Bahama and I also want to encourage Bahamian professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs to establish yourselves and your business at home.”
Also bringing remarks during the official opening ceremony was Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce President Mick Holding who said Blockchain technology is just as revolutionary as a period in the 1980s when technology was introduced to the financial sector.
“At the Grand Bahama Tech Summit held in November of last year, Senator Kwasi Thompson Minister of State for Grand Bahama stated that his vision was to establish Grand Bahama as a Silicon Valley of the Caribbean. This conference over the next three days is a major step along that road,” he said. “I will freely admit I am far from an expert on blockchain technology and, I know very little. But, I did look at a definition by the authors of the blockchain revolution and they said the blockchain is an incorruptible digital ledger of economic transactions that can be programmed to record not just financial transactions but virtually anything of value. Blockchain continues to grow in important areas and professions around the world and I hope this conference is both informative and stimulating.”
The three-day conference focuses on attracting local and international investors, entrepreneurs and service providers interested in building relationships with blockchain technology companies to The Bahamas. Simultaneously, promoting The Bahamas as a jurisdiction with established legislative framework, provide introductions for investors to Seed Stage and Early Stage companies focused on block chain, cryptocurrency, FinTech solutions and to present Freeport, Grand Bahama as the ideal location to establish offices and global headquarters for the new technology companies.
Other keynote speakers, presenters and panelists included Minister of State for Grand Bahama Office of The Prime Minister(OPM) J. Kwasi Thompson, Grand Bahama Tech Hub Steering Committee Chairman Donovan Moxey, Blockchain Foundry Inc Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dan Wasyluk, Cryptocurrency Newsfeed President Aaron Wise, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation CEO Edison Sumner, and Coral Inc Founder Kristie Powell among many others.
Break out session topics included, “Should I Invest?”, “What does the future look like for Blockchain, Cryptocurrency and FinTech Solutions?”, “Islands in the Data Stream: Blockchain as a Global Resource for Seed and Growth Capital”, and “The Technology Sector in The Bahamas is Open for Business: Cryptocurrencies, ICOs and Exchanges”.
The conference will end on June 22nd.
ABOUT ALIV
ALIV has ignited the cellular revolution in The Bahamas and is continuously reinventing how consumers interact with their mobile devices. A true digital lifestyle partner, the ALIV network is built on next generation LTE technology to ensure an unsurpassed consumer experience. With groundbreaking consumer plans, a laser focus on exemplary customer care, ALIV has committed to deliver a never before seen experience for the people of The Bahamas. ALIV, believe in best!
