Category: CSME

Did you know?

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
The CCJ was inaugurated on 16 April, 2005, in Trinidad and Tobago, where it is headquartered. Its central role is providing legal certainty to the operations of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). It is structured to have two jurisdictions – an original and an appellate.
In its original jurisdiction, it ensures uniform interpretation and application of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, thereby underpinning and advancing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. As the final court of appeal for Member States of the Caribbean Community it fosters the development of an indigenous Caribbean jurisprudence

Regional Poultry Association keen on achieving CSME goals

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment
Dr. Desmond Ali, Executive Director of the Caribbean Poultry Association (CPA), (fifth from right), makes a point during the discussions as CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Integration, Mr. Joseph Cox, CARICOM Programme Manager, Agriculture and Industry, Ms. Nisa Surujbally, CARICOM Director, Single Market and Sectoral Programmes, Dr. Richard Brown and CARICOM Agricultural Trade Specialist, Mr. Nigel Durrant listen

A team from the CARICOM Secretariat met members of the CARICOM Poultry Association (CPA) on Monday, April 9, 2018, to ascertain how the two sides could work together to achieve the goals of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The CPA’s mandate is to promote the socio-economic development of the Region through the development, growth and expansion of the Caribbean poultry industry and to create linkages.

The meeting at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana, was an opportunity for the CPA to share its vision, progress and challenges in the industry. The meeting was held at a time when the Secretariat is continuing efforts to broaden the conversation with the Region’s Private Sector to optimise the latter’s output and sustainability.

With much emphasis placed on food security, rural development and the reduction of the Region’s $4B food import bill, the meeting was timely for both parties. Poultry meat accounts for more than 80 per cent of meat consumed in the Region. Most of the poultry meat and eggs consumed within CARICOM comes from CPA member organisations, with self-sufficiency hovering at about 67 per cent for meats and close to 100 per cent for eggs. The industry produces about 243 000 metric tonnes of poultry, 122 million dozen eggs per year, accounts for the employment of more than 100,000 persons and annual sales of US$660M.

See more photos here

(more…)

CARICOM, World Customs Organisation, sign MOU for capacity-building support to Region’s Customs Administrations

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment
CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and World Customs Organisations Secretary-General, Kunio Mikuriya sign the Memorandum of Understanding

Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and the Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) His Excellency Kunio Mikuriya have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The signing ceremony took place at the CARICOM Secretariat  in Georgetown, Guyana on Tuesday, 20 March, 2018.

The main objective of the MOU is enhancing the professionalism and effectiveness of CARICOM Customs administrations through cooperation in the field of technical assistance and capacity-building.

The Region should benefit from greater coordination of customs training programmes and pursuit of the most suitable training solutions.  There will also be closer cooperation with the WCO in managing development and technical assistance programmes for Customs Administrations, and  capacity-building to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

More details to follow.

See other photos here

Saint Lucia gets CARICOM Development Fund support to jumpstart Village Tourism Initiative

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment
Saint Lucia Prime Minister, the Hon. Allen Chastanet and CDF Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rodinald Soomer sign the agreement

The Government of Saint Lucia on Friday signed on for the 2nd cycle from the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF). Since its establishment, Saint Lucia has benefited from the CDF. For the first funding cycle, the Saint Lucia CAP (Country Assistance Programme) was valued at approximately USD $6.1 million or XCD $16.47 million in loans and grants and was designed to enhance private sector competitiveness and youth entrepreneurship.

During this second funding cycle, the CDF Board has approved two (2) projects to support initiatives that are geared to expanding Saint Lucia’s exports, which include strengthening the institutional infrastructure for trade and implementing new programmes for trade competitiveness and village tourism development.

The Village Tourism Grant in the sum of USD $120,000 (XCD $324,000) to finance technical assistance for coordination of the development of village tourism including the provision of technical advice on the establishment of the institutional framework, and for preparation of a road map and business plan for village tourism. Co-financing for the development and support to implement the revised National Export Development Strategy for Saint Lucia in the amount of USD$332,800. (Office of the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia)

CARICOM Development Fund
The CDF was established under Article 158 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas “for the purpose of providing financial or technical assistance to disadvantaged countries, regions and sectors”. It is the centre-piece of the regime to address the disparities among the Member States of CARICOM which may result from the implementation of the CSME. The Agreement Relating to the Operations of the Fund was signed in July 2008 and the CDF began operating on November, 2008. Whilst all Members of the CDF are eligible to receive financial and technical assistance support from the Fund, only the designated disadvantaged countries – the LDCs (OECS and Belize) and Guyana (as a Highly-Indebted Poor Country) received access to resources during the first contribution cycle. Under the second contribution cycle the MDCs, as well as the LDCs, will be able to access resources to address development challenges in their disadvantaged regions and sectors, once the enabling policy framework and operational procedures are agreed to by the Community. The relevant policy, procedures and implementation plan to facilitate this are currently being developed within the framework of the formulation of Regional Cohesion Policy, which the CDF has taken the lead role in preparing on behalf of the Community.