PORT OF SPAIN – The Honourable Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago met with The Honourable Tillman Thomas, Prime Minister of Grenada, The Honourable Stephenson King, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Dr. the Honourable Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Honourable Christopher P. Sinckler, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados for a discussion on CARICOM. The President of Guyana, His Excellency Bharat Jagdeo is also expected to attend.
The meeting took place on Thursday August, 14th at at the Diplomatic Centre.
Trinidad and Tobago has consistently sought to strengthen relations with its CARICOM neighbours and in particular with countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
The main area of discussion focused on Caricom Integration and the Single Economy. The main elements of the Single Economy are:
– Agreement for the Development of Financial Services
– Framework for the Integration of the Capital Market
– Investment Policy Harmonization (Caribbean Investment Code)
– Framework for the Harmonization of Fiscal Incentives
– Framework for Fiscal Policy Harmonization; and
– Framework for Monetary Cooperation
The provisions relating to the Single Economy are designed principally to facilitate cooperation and coordination in the development of the economic sectors and the carrying out of support measures, including human resource development; research and development, environmental protection and the like.
All parties are looking forward to productive discussions that will redound to the benefit of all the countries involved and by extension CARICOM.
