Civil Society in three CARICOM Member States is to benefit from workshops on Opportunities and Commitments for Establishment, Services and Capital in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). A CARICOM Secretariat team of officials and consultants are scheduled to execute the sessions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Dominica in August.

The workshops will look at components of a Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Project. This project focuses on investment opportunities in new services and the implementation of legislation allowing Member States to meet CSME obligations. It is also intended for the business environment to be strengthened by the removal of restrictive administrative practices.

In the sessions civil society is specifically targeted to understand that the CSME is expected to benefit the private sector and entrepreneurs, particularly those with interest in the services sector. CARICOM nationals have certain rights created by laws, which have a bearing on investment decisions. Persons can now use these rights to decide the scale of investments, location of business and sourcing factors among other inputs.

The CARICOM Secretariat team is led by the Technical Services Officer in the CSME Unit, Ms Leslie Ann Edwards and includes Ms. Lydia Elliott of the CARICOM Legislative Drafting Facility; Consultants Mr. Noel Watson and Ms. Denise Watson and Mr. Jose Luis Liranzo from the Caribbean Export Agency.

Contact:

Mr Salas Hamilton,
CSME Unit, Barbados.
Tel: (246) 429-6064/ 6159/5449
E Mail: salas@csme.com.bb