“This meeting was timely and useful. We heard Director General Lamy’s perspectives on the current status of the negotiations, the obstacles that impede real progress and the way forward in the negotiations. The Caribbean used the opportunity to reiterate our priorities and articulate our key issues in the Doha Development Round of negotiations”.
Trade and Economic Issues
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite and Assistant Secretary-General Foreign and Community Relations, Ambassador Colin Granderson will participate in the International Conference for the Economic and Social Development of Haiti in Madrid, Spain, from 29-30 November 2006.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Trade Ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are to bring into sharper focus the expansion of the categories of persons eligible to move freely, within the context of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
The Ministers will meet on 16-17 November in Georgetown, Guyana for the Twenty-Second Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which is expected to advance discussions on Free Movement as well as other issues relevant to the operation of the CSME.
Honourable Secretary-General of CARICOM, Mr. Edwin Carrington, Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Guyana, Mr. Satyadeow Sawh Fellow Ministers of Member States, Colleague Ministers of Agriculture Senior Technical Officers of the Respective Caribbean Member States Members of the Media, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Afternoon.
Outgoing Chairman of COTED, Hon. Montgomery Daniel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture St Vincent and the Grenadines
Incoming Chairman of COTED, Hon Michael Jong Tjien Fa, Minister of Trade and Industry of Suriname
Hon. Clement Rohee, Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation
Ministers of Government of Member States of the Community
Representatives of Institutions of the Caribbean Community
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
Secretary-General, en route to Mauritius, sends best wishes.
Introduction
The Florida-Caribbean relationship is both historical and strategic. The Caribbean benefitted in the World War II and post-World War II periods as significant numbers of Caribbean farm workers found employment building the Florida Sugar and Citrus Industries. The strong agrarian Florida economy laid the base for its current dynamic industrial and service-based economy. The new economy has attracted more highly skilled Caribbean migrant workers and professionals and stimulated a vibrant tourist trade.
Two months after the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Round of talks broke down in Cancun Mexico, CARICOM Ministers of Trade seek to assert the Caribbean’s position for the resumption of negotiations and offer their perspective on the way forward.
CARICOM Heads of Government, in London en route to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Abuja, Nigeria, met over breakfast with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair today at his invitation.
They took the opportunity at this the latest in their biennial discussions, to exchange views on a number of issues of mutual interest, particularly those relating to trade and to security.
Caribbean Trade Ministers will meet with the Mexican Foreign Minister and the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, (WTO), Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi in Georgetown, Guyana on Friday 28 November, 2003. H.E Ernesto Derbez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico was the Chairman of the Fifth Session of the WTO Ministerial Conference, which was held in Cancun in early September.
The meeting is scheduled to take place from 3.00 p.m. at the Conference Room of the headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat, Bank of Guyana Building.
CARICOM Secretary-General Mr. Edwin Carrington is closing off a busy year with a heavy schedule of engagements, which began last weekend.