(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The first meeting of a Tripartite Committee established to oversee the implementation of a Haiti CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Project was held on Tuesday 26 February 2008 at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters, Georgetown, Guyana.

The Tripartite Committee comprises representatives of Haiti, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and was established under a CARICOM/Canada Contribution Agreement which was signed last October 15 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The Contribution Agreement includes two components one of which is the Haiti/CSME project and the other seeks to strengthen the administrative, functional and participatory effectiveness of the CSME.

In welcoming representatives to the meeting, the Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM, Her Excellency Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite said “the objective of the Haiti CSME programme is to help Haiti strengthen its capacity to function effectively within the regional economic integration process of the Caribbean Community encapsulated in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.”

Ambassador Applewhaite observed that the Haiti CSME project was part of the wider effort of the international community to help Haiti in its own attempt at social, political, economic and institutional development.

“The Government of Canada must be commended for the continuing support and attention it provides to Haiti and the pride of place it has granted to this sister CARICOM country in its co-operation programmes,” the Deputy Secretary-General added. She also took the opportunity to thank the Government of Canada and CIDA for the financial support granted to the Community.

Dr Paul McGinnis, Director Caribbean Division, Americas Branch of CIDA, led his Agency’s delegation while Mr Jean Mathurin, Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of Haiti, led his country’s delegation.

Haiti’s Parliament ratified the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas last October and Foreign Minister His Excellency Jean Renald Clerisme presented the published Notice of Ratification to the Chairman of the Caribbean Community Council of Ministers, on 7 February clearing the way for the country’s full participation in the CSME.