Decisions leading to the continued implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) are expected to be made when Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Officials and Ministers of Government responsible for Economic Development meet in Guyana 22-28 May, 2002. The Officials will meet on 22-25 May 2002, while the Ministers will meet on 27-28 May 2002.

Meeting under the umbrella of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), the Officials will discuss reports and make recommendations in their specific area of expertise varying from agriculture and manufacturing to transport and foreign trade agreements. The reports and recommendations will then go before the COTED Ministers who will review them and start the process of implementation.

This 13th Meeting of the COTED comes at a time when efforts are being intensified for the implementation of the CSME - the CARICOM economic and trade arrangement that offers equal and non-discriminatory treatment to participating countries, notwithstanding geographical borders.

One area of the Single Market and Economy on which there will be a great deal of focus is that of the removal of restrictions for the provision of Services in the Community. Member States of the Community having already identified the barriers for the provision of Services, and have agreed on a timetable for removing those barriers. There is an understanding that the last of such restrictions will be removed by 2005.

Both the Officials and the Ministers will receive a number of reports outlining issues on which they will be required to arrive at some decisions. Reports will be received on the much researched and discussed Regional Transformation Programme for Agriculture, the CARICOM Rice Industry, the Regional Programme for Food Security, the Regional Natural Disaster Management Strategy, External Economic and Trade Relations, the Common External Tariff (CET) and Development of Regional Aviation Safety and Security.