Whilst known as a Caribbean holiday destination, the Islands of the Dutch Antilles are also home to a commercial and financial service industry, which constantly strives to create interesting and sustainable development for the Islands and their independently governed citizens.

The identification of the following factors became the foundation for the development of the Dutch Caribbean Stock Exchange ("DCEXCH"), due to be formally launched in 2006, subject to licensing and/or approvals.

First of all, the introduction of a capital market will bring liquidity to further the significant commercial development on the Islands, and will also provide a trading and listing facility, which may entail tax benefits. The economies will benefit from creating their own capital market, and its citizens will find challenging opportunities within an increasingly sophisticated finance industry, specializing in investment opportunities in instruments that were previously not available to the investing community.

An electronic securities exchange trading facility can also function as a market for securitization for niche markets (new types of securities or derivatives) trading activities. Finally it can function as a hub for cross border investment in nearby emerging markets on the South American continent.

Its Founders set three principles. First, it was to have light, but efficient regulation, with compliance requirements which would make the Exchange acceptable to International and Financial control organizations. Secondly, it would employ all the latest techniques for efficient electronic settlement and funds transfer, leading to the lowest possible cost of operation. Thirdly, it would be available for investment activity that was limited to professional investors who would be familiar with the risks involved.

Thus DCEXCH will complement the traditional equity investment by securitizing new ideas and opportunities, offering them in the newly conceived form of a "Micro-Exchange" as outlined in "The New Capital Market Revolution" by Patrick Young (www.erivatives.com).