ST. LUCIA – Providing public education and dialogue on the advent of the CARICOM Single Market (CSM), remains high on the agenda of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Commerce.
The sentiment was aired by the minister charged with that responsibility, Senator the Honourable Guy Mayers, during his presentation on the 2008/2009 Appropriations Bill in the Senate last week.
“During the last financial year we continued with our strategy of public education by focusing on small group discussions and public meetings within the various communities around the country. We have found that these types of initiatives facilitate greater participation by members of the public where issues personal to them are clarified. That is why we are going into the communities and taking the message to the people at their homes and in the schools,” said Mayers.
The CSM will provide CARICOM citizens with a wealth of opportunities, which will be properly utilized only when individuals have a better understanding of its framework and provisions. Senator Mayers says the ministry’s administrative and policy arms are working jointly in their approach to facilitating the country’s transition into the CSM.
“In addition to public education on the CSME, the ministry has been working to put in place the various administrative arrangements to allow the CSME to work as intended. Hence, a great deal of time has been devoted to the development of procedures for the various aspects of the CSME,” said the minister.”
The CSM component of the CSME has already been launched, while the CARICOM community hopes to introduce the economy aspect in 2009.
Overall the CSME is expected to provide sustained economic development for the region through resource integration, and free movement of labour, capital and goods. However, the transition poses challenges to be overcome, including the harmonisation of laws and policy measures.
