Cayman Strengthens Commonwealth Investment Role at CTIS London
The Cayman Islands concluded a strong and focused participation at the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit (CTIS) 2026 in London this week, with Eric Bush JP, Chief Officer in the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure (MPLAHI) and Director for the CWEIC Caribbean Hub, joining high-level Commonwealth discussions on resilience, growth and investment in island jurisdictions.
Held at Mansion House on 20–21 April, CTIS brought together 350 attendees representing many of the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries and Overseas Territories, including government leaders, investors and senior business representatives. The summit provided a platform for practical discussion on trade, investment, resilience and international partnership across the Commonwealth.
The Cayman Islands delegation included representatives from Maples, Dart, Treacy / Indigo, and Blenheim Palace Water, reflecting a cross-section of legal, investment, hospitality and commercial interests aligned with Cayman’s wider Commonwealth engagement.
As part of the official summit programme, Mr Bush participated in Plenary 4: Unlocking Economic Growth in Island Nations, a high-level panel examining how island economies can strengthen resilience, attract investment and convert structural challenges into long-term opportunity. The session focused on the role of infrastructure, finance, innovation and skills in supporting resilient growth while protecting the natural assets on which many island nations depend.
The Cayman Islands also engaged in wider summit discussions on project readiness, resilience and the conditions needed to attract long-term investment into vulnerable and high-potential markets. These themes were reflected in Roundtable 6: De-Risking Projects for Resilience, which focused on risk transparency, institutional support and reducing the cost of capital for high-impact projects. Cayman’s participation at CTIS built on the establishment of the CWEIC Caribbean Hub in the Cayman Islands, led by the Ministry of PLAHI.
Through that role, the Ministry is helping to strengthen links between governments, investors and private sector partners, while increasing the visibility of Caribbean opportunity within the wider Commonwealth business network. This year’s summit took place at a particularly important time for the region. The Commonwealth Business Forum will be held alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda from 2–4 November 2026 — the first time that gathering will be hosted in the Caribbean. In that context, CTIS provided an important opportunity to deepen relationships, build momentum and position the region ahead of a landmark Commonwealth year.
“CTIS provided an important opportunity to advance Cayman’s engagement within the Commonwealth in a practical and purposeful way. The discussions this week reinforced that small island jurisdictions must be active in shaping the investment, resilience and growth agenda, not simply responding to it. Through the Ministry’s leadership of the CWEIC Caribbean Hub, the Cayman Islands is well placed to strengthen connections between regional opportunity, credible partners and international capital. That matters for Cayman, and it matters for the wider Caribbean as we look ahead to CHOGM in Antigua and Barbuda.”
The Ministry’s participation at CTIS was closely aligned with its wider national responsibilities for planning, lands, agriculture, housing and infrastructure, including work to support sustainable development, long-term resilience and economic growth in the Cayman Islands. The summit also provided a valuable platform to strengthen strategic relationships and reinforce Cayman’s position as a credible, connected and forward-looking partner within the Commonwealth.
