Mr Chairman
Principal of the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH)
Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is with extreme pleasure that I welcome you to this 40th Meeting of the Council of the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation (CMO).
There is an upsurge in cross-border investment within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with potential conglomerate forms of business organisations emerging in the Region. The enterprising intra-CARICOM investors are mainly from the light manufacturing, distribution and financial services sectors.
As someone associated with the development of the Single Market and Economy, I most excitedly welcome the publication of the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report 2000. Empirical research has to be the foundation of meaningful policy-making, especially in our rapidly changing regional, hemispheric and global environment, and it is in that regard that this publication will contribute immensely to informing our deliberations on the deepening of the integration process.
Trade with the European Union (EU) following the new Cotonou Agreement presents a unique challenge for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) according to the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report, 2000 just released by the Economic and Intelligence and Planning Unit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. However, the Report cautions that the package also poses an imminent threat to the commodity producers of the Region.
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) more than tripled between 1990-1999, according to the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report, 2000 which has just been released by the Economic Intelligence and Planning Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat. This relatively good performance has earned some CARICOM States world top ratings among developing economy exporters.
As someone associated with the development of the Single Market and Economy, I most excitedly welcome the publication of the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report 2000. Empirical research has to be the foundation of meaningful policy-making, especially in our rapidly changing regional, hemispheric and global environment, and it is in that regard that this publication will contribute immensely to informing our deliberations on the deepening of the integration process.
Trade with the European Union (EU) following the new Cotonou Agreement presents a unique challenge for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) according to the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report, 2000 just released by the Economic and Intelligence and Planning Unit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. However, the Report cautions that the package also poses an imminent threat to the commodity producers of the Region.
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States are being urged to exploit niche opportunities with "marketing savvy" in penetrating hemispheric markets such as the USA, which accounts for over 70 per cent of CARICOM's global exports and imports.
According to the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report, 2000, which was recently launched by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, the bulk of CARICOM trade is within the hemisphere, with the USA being the largest trading partner.
The new radar network and the modification of the contribution formula of the Caribbean Meteorological Council (CMC) are key agenda items for the 40th Meeting of the Caribbean Meteorological Council which will be convened in Bridgetown, Barbados on 7-8 December, 2000.