PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – High ranking officials of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the government of Trinidad and Tobago held talks in St Lucia this weekend on the economic, development, and foreign policy challenges facing the region.
Trinidad and Tobago’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Winston Dookeran met with OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin to discuss the economic implications of the region’s foreign policy, and the need for careful consideration and coordination of policies.
According to Foreign Minister Dookeran, “Foreign policy can no longer be seen in isolation. In the current environment, it must actively take into consideration and merge economic and political issues. The path of trade and business diplomacy must be pursued more. The current integration models which are based solely on trade and markets don’t fully capture the scope of the challenge before us. I believe we should think more along the lines of Caribbean Convergence, centered on production, distribution and competitiveness.”
Assistant Secretary General Ramdin agreed, saying, “The current economic and political environment requires a carefully thought-out and independent foreign policy which takes account of global and regional development. Now more than ever, countries, regional blocs and the economic powerhouses of the region must be proactive, practical and creative to secure economic growth and improve the quality of life for the people.”
