Following their decision of last July in Montego Bay, Jamaica, CARICOM Heads of Government will meet in special session in Castries, Saint Lucia on November 13-14, 2003 with a view to maintaining the momentum regarding a number of issues discussed at that July meeting.
The Heads of Government are to pay particular attention to issues surrounding governance of the Community, the key requirements for the implementation of the Single Market and Economy and energy.
The Fifth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference came to an end in Cancún, Mexico, September 14. However, the ‘endgame’ was not the result WTO members had hoped for.
The Cancún summit closed with no consensus on key items on its agenda. Members failed to bridge their differences. Divisions amongst members proved too deep.
Today the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Cancun, Mexico, at which all Caribbean Countries were present, ended without agreement on the many key issues. Billed as a Conference to advance the Doha Development Round of Trade Negotiations, the Conference collapsed on the key issues for developing countries such as agriculture, non-agricultural market access, small economies and special and differential treatment, as well as on the so-called Singapore issues – investment, government procurement, competition policy and trade facilitation measures.
In a brief ceremony held at the Headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana, last Thursday (4th September), the Secretary General of CARICOM, Mr. Edwin Carrington received on behalf of the people of the Community a Plaque to mark the distinction of co-operation between the Region, and Japan’s External Trade Organisation. (JETRO).
Chairman and Members of CARICOM,
Host Minister Hon. Clement Rohee,
outgoing Chair Hon Margaret Dyer-Howe,
Colleague Ministers,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Representatives of Member Governments,
Representatives of Inter-Hemispheric and Regional Governments,
Ambassador Richard Bernal - Director of the Regional Negotiating Machinery,
Friends of the Media_
Deputy Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Incoming Chairman of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), Hon. Sam Condor;
Minister of Agriculture, Housing, Lands and the Environment of Montserrat and Outgoing Chairman of the Coted, Hon. Margaret Dyer-Howe;
Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation of Guyana and Host Minister, Hon. Clement Rohee;
Deputy Prime Ministers;
Ministers;
A team of Haitian Trade officials will begin a two-week study-tour on Monday 2 June 2003, spending the first week in Georgetown, Guyana, at the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). They will spend the second week in Trinidad & Tobago to complete the familiarisation exercise of the CARICOM machinery particularly as it relates to trade.
Issues pertaining to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) trade and economic agenda will be the focus of two days of deliberations at the Fifteenth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) which opens in Georgetown, Guyana, tomorrow, 29 May 2003.
COTED is responsible for the promotion of trade and economic development of the Community.
CARICOM Ministers at the Fourteenth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) which met in Georgetown, Guyana on 31 January - 1 February 2003 expressed deep concern regarding the challenge to the European Union (EU) sugar regime launched by Brazil/Australia at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in September 2002. This challenge, if successful, would be disastrous for CARICOM Countries whose economies depend vitally on their sugar industries. Ministers considered this challenge as the most serious threat to CARICOM’s most important agricultural crop.
His Excellency Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo
Ministers of Government
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (Mr. Edward Boyer)
Leader of the Opposition
Members of Staff, CARICOM Secretariat
Distinguished Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen