The Bahamas is becoming a "solid" partner with Mastercard, the company's Country Manager for the West and Dutch Caribbean Markets Jimena Elia told Guardian Business yesterday, adding that fintech companies should not be afraid to approach Mastercard to expand their capabilities.

Elia, who spoke to this paper on the sidelines of Mastercard's first-ever Fintech Summit in The Bahamas, said while Latin America is leading the amount of engagement that firms are having with Mastercard, the Caribbean is not far behind.

According to Elia, Mastercard is prepared to lend support to firms that are in need of fintech solutions and collaborations.

"I would like to close by inviting the fintech community to really engage with the solutions that we can provide," she said.

"During the sessions today, we have proven that it's not only about money, sometimes it's about the experience that we can bring in order to really help them to avoid mistakes that we know have happened in the past. We can sometimes accelerate the time to market with good connections, with the cheapest and most comfortable technologies.

"And, of course, we can always support with funding, as we have been supporting many, many players."

She added: "Don't be afraid. If you have an idea, just come share your idea and try to leverage all the expertise in order to make that happen."

Prime Minister Philip Davis opened yesterday's summit and welcomed Mastercard's contributions to The Bahamas.

Elia said Mastercard was happy to have the support of the prime minister, as the company looks to collaborate with the government. She said she could not say much about those talks with the government at the moment.

"I think it's a great proof that we are doing what we have to do," Elia said.

"So looking forward to some more news for you shortly. But I think, again, we are in a good direction."

The post Growing partnership between Mastercard and Bahamas appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

The post Growing partnership between Mastercard and Bahamas appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian