(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)  The Commissioners of the CARICOM Competition Commission have announced the appointment of Mrs. Barbara Lee to the position of Executive Director of the Commission, effective 18 August, 2008.

Mrs. Lee, an Attorney by profession, received her training at the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School. She has served in the Jamaican public sector for over twenty years, in various capacities, including stints as Litigation Attorney for the revenue collecting agencies; and later as Legal Counsel for the Securities Commission (now the Financial Services Commission).

She comes to the Commission from the Jamaican Fair Trading Commission, at which she spent seven and a half years as Executive Director.

The Commission, a key Institution of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, is responsible for enforcement of the Community Rules of Competition; which in the main prohibit agreements, decisions, and concerted parties which frustrate competition and abuse a dominant position in the market.

Its main functions within the CSME are to apply the rules of competition, promote and protect competition, co-ordinate the implementation of Competition Policy, monitor anti-competitive business conduct, promote establishment of national Competition Institutions and harmonisation of Competition Law as well as to advise the Council for Trade and Economic Development on Competition and Consumer Protection policies.

The Competition Commission was established in 18 January 2008 and is based in Paramaribo, Suriname.