St. George’s, Grenada – The first consignment of goods from Haiti shipped under a temporary non-reciprocal preferential basis with other Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) arrived in St. George’s, Grenada last week.
Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General Trade and Economic Development, hailed the development as “a positive one by Haiti to become a part of CARICOM’s trading arrangements”. He also lauded the Community’s non-reciprocal access to sister Member State Haiti as a sign of their commitment to Haiti’s reconstruction through private sector engagement.
The shipment of items, including wall decorations, candle and napkin holders, and wind chimes, was made under the special arrangement agreed by the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED) last year and endorsed by CARICOM Heads of Government.
Haiti made the request for the arrangement in May 2010 at the Thirtieth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in Georgetown. The concession became effective from 1 January 2011, and Haiti indicated that the date of implementation of the decision was 14 March 2011.
Haiti was preparing for participation in the Trade in Goods regime of the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) when the earthquake struck in January 2010.
