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CARICOM Special Session on Services Convened

A Special Session of the ‘CARICOM Working Group on Services Negotiations’ was convened in Barbados, November 16 to 18. Mr. Ramesh Chaitoo, Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) Services Trade Specialist, characterized the Special Session as an “important opportunity to assess the status of the region’s preparations for World Trade Organization (WTO) services offers, and discuss crucial next steps in this process.” The Special Session considered draft initial services offers, with a view to submitting all outstanding offers from CARICOM Member States to the WTO by February 2005.

Government Procurement Takes Center Stage

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – A joint WTO/IDB-INTAL 'Regional Workshop on Government Procurement for Caribbean Countries' was held in Trinidad and Tobago, October 18 to 20. The workshop was opened by Hon. Conrad Enhill, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Government of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. Mr. William Robinson, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Representative in Trinidad & Tobago and Mr. Kodjo Osei-Lah of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat also addressed the opening ceremony.

Caribbean Trade Officials to Participate in WTO General Council Meeting

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – A Caribbean delegation of trade experts led by the Honourable Minister of Trade in the Republic of Guyana, Clement Rohee, has left the region for Geneva this week to participate in what is shaping up to look like one of the most crucial turning points to date in the WTO talks. Subsequent to the release on July 16 of a WTO draft framework agreement setting out the terms for the Doha round, critical issues still remain unresolved as Members have failed to substantially narrow the differences in positions on a number of these issues.

G90 set to “Coalesce” on Common Platform for Global Trade Talks, in Georgetown

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – A meeting of G90 Ministers and Ministerial representatives got underway today in Georgetown, Guyana. The two-day meeting is expected to contribute to efforts to revive and give impetus to stalled World Trade Organization (WTO) talks. The objectives of this meeting are to: 1) examine the current status of Doha Round negotiations; 2) explore possible elements of a July framework package; and, 3) decide on the steps that the G90 would have to take between now and the end of July. Hon.

Rohee: ‘Development has to be at Core of Global Trade Talks’

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – At a recently concluded “mini-ministerial”, convened in Paris, Hon. Clement Rohee, CARICOM Ministerial Spokesperson for World Trade Organization (WTO) issues and Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation- Guyana, underscored that development has to be at the core of the WTO’s Doha Round. Minister Rohee also highlighted the significance to CARICOM of Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT). He stressed the importance of recognizing the vulnerabilities of Small Developing Economies.

CARICOM Welcomes EU Initiative to Revive Global Trade Talks

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – CARICOM welcomes elements of a joint letter on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Development Agenda (DDA), issued by European Commissioners for Trade and Agriculture, Pascal Lamy and Franz Fischler, respectively. This according to the Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal. Ambassador Bernal was speaking to members of the international press, in London, May 11, where he is attending the Fourth Meeting of the UK-Caribbean Forum.

RNM DG Meets Antigua & Barbuda PM

ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA – The Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal, met with Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Hon. Baldwin Spencer in St. John’s, Antigua, April 6. At that meeting, Ambassador Bernal pledged the RNM’s full support to the new government. “The RNM is at the service of Antigua & Barbuda”, he said.

Launch of Caribbean-EU Negotiations Imminent

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The Sixteenth Meeting of the Caricom Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) was held in Belize City, Belize, during the first week of March. Several key decisions were made regarding external trade matters, including on issues related to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), respectively. Concerning Africa Caribbean Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations, COTED affirmed that a regional EPA must make a meaningful contribution to development.

Barbadian Diplomat to Chair WTO Committee

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – A World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council meeting was convened, February 11. There was consensus in the General Council on chairpersons for various WTO bodies. Barbados’ representative to the WTO, H.E. Ambassador Trevor Clarke, is set to take up the chairmanship of the Committee on Trade and Development. A considerable amount of the WTO’s work on trade and development issues takes place in this Committee.
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