(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)     The CARICOM Rapid Alert System for Exchange of Information on Dangerous (non-food) Consumer Goods (CARREX) is expected to be completely operational at the national and regional levels by the end of 2014. Representatives from national standards bureaux in CARICOM are being trained at a Regional Workshop in Suriname on matters relating to the CARREX and consumer product safety.

The workshop runs from 3-5 December 2014 and is facilitated by the CARICOM Secretariat in collaboration with the Organisation of American States (OAS). Participants will focus on the study of risk assessment concepts and methods in order to enhance national interagency networking in creating and sharing information. There will be sessions aimed at strengthening national capacities to detect unsafe products and to take timely measures to tackle the circulation of such products.  

The training will enable CARICOM Member States to more effectively implement the CARREX system and market surveillance processes for non-food consumer goods. The intervention is funded with assistance under the Tenth European Development Fund (10th EDF) CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and Economic Integration Programme (EIP).

The Community Strategic Plan  2015-2019 identifies, among other areas for priority focus , the accelerated implementation of the CSME, building competitiveness and unleashing key economic drivers to transition to growth and  to generate employment  and the development of human capital.