Export of sugar to Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago was the subject of separate and successful bilateral discussions between Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation of Guyana Clement Rohee and his counterparts from the two sister CARICOM countries, K.D Knight of Jamaica and Kenneth Valley of Trinidad and Tobago. These discussions took place during the just concluded Special meeting of the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which took place in Georgetown, Guyana, 1-4 September 2003.
agriculture
CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery’s (RNM) Seventh Technical Working Group (TWG) on Agriculture came to a close yesterday. The two-day meeting - convened in Bridgetown, Barbados, July 21 to 22 - provided an overview of agriculture trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA – The Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA) signed an important Cooperation Agreement, July 4. The signing took place on the margins of the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of CARICOM Heads in Montego Bay, Jamaica, July 2 to 5. RNM Director-General, Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal and Dr. Chelston Braithwaite, Director-General of IICA, signed on behalf of the two organizations.
CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The RNM will convene its 5th TWG on Market Access and Agriculture on February 10th. The establishment of TWGs was mandated by The Heads of Government meeting in Special (Emergency) Session on 11-12 October, 2001 in Nassau, The Bahamas. TWGs, co-ordinated by the RNM, are intended to bring together officials from across the Region to decide on positions in specific trade-related subject areas. The TWG Market Access and Agriculture will bring officials up to speed on progress achieved in the fulfillment of mandates in the FTAA and WTO context.
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.
The Tenth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) which was convened in Georgetown, Guyana,11-12 January 2001 is dismayed at the decision of the Agriculture Council of the European Union to direct the Commission to prepare for a revised EU banana import regime based on the principle of "First Come, First Served" (FCFS).
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).
We, the Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community, meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname, deplore the precipitate unilateral action of the United States to impose sanctions against the European Union (EU) over its Banana Import Regime. This unauthorised and illegal action undermines the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and threatens the economic survival and social and political stability of several Caribbean countries.