The Caribbean Community is moving to ensure that the dreaded Foot and Mouth and Mad Cow diseases do not impact negatively on the livestock industry and the economies of the Region. To this end the Region's Public Health and Veterinary officers will meet in Guyana on 27 March 2001 to formulate a regional initiative to tackle these potentially devastating diseases.
Agriculture
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers responsible for Trade and Economic Development have agreed to a CARICOM position on Agriculture and Services in the current round of negotiations taking place in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
In my capacity as Lead Spokesman for the Caribbean Community on Bananas I sent off a letter on Saturday July 8, 2000 to the President of the General Affairs Council of the European Union Mr. Hubert Vedrine, expressing alarm at the recent proposals submitted by the Commission with a view to resolving the Banana dispute on Monday July 10, 2000.
Jamaica will host, with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Third Annual Telefood Concert on November 28, 1999.
This unique event, born out of the 1996 World Food Summit in Rome, is to mobilise solidarity for the fight against hunger and raise funds to support grassroots projects in developing countries. It is being staged for the first time in the Western Hemisphere. The first concert was held in Rome, and the second in Senegal.
A 17-member CARICOM team which recently undertook an Agri-Business Mission to Chile, is highly supportive of increased and stronger linkages with that country after a revealing and successful study tour there which focused on the fruits and vegetables sub-sector.
Agriculture and related issues of trade, standards, and external economic relations were the highlight of the just concluded Sixth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) at the Caribbean Community CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana, on 4-5 June 1999.
Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Rt Hon Sir James Mitchell will urge his colleague Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) "to act soon to finalise proposals" to put forward to the European Union (EU) in respect of the changes to the EU's Banana Regime following the ruling by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).