PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – One of the key matters of interest to The Bahamas during scheduled bilateral meetings between the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and both the United States and Canada is the tax haven initiative of the two countries, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham said Friday.
Mr. Ingraham, who travelled to Trinidad for the 5th Summit of the Americas, participated in a Caricom caucus held ahead of Friday night’s scheduled bilateral meeting between Caricom and the United States.
Caricom is scheduled to meet with Canada on Sunday.
Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham
“The Bahamas is interested in the tax haven initiative by the United States of America and the Canadians, and we will be talking to them about that and will meet with representatives of United States Congress and the [Obama] Administration,” Mr. Ingraham said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that The Bahamas currently has a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the United States, which he said has worked very well.
United States President Barack Obama is scheduled to address the opening ceremony of the Summit of leaders of the 34 democratic countries in the Organisation of American States (OAS).
At the close of the caucus, Caricom Chairman and Prime Minister of Belize the Hon. Dean Barrow advised that he, during his address at the Summit’s opening, will put forward Caricom’s formal statement on its position regarding principal issues affecting member states and Cuba.
Also on Friday, National Security Minister the Hon. Tommy Turnquest represented The Bahamas at the Summit’s Foreign Ministers Dialogue with Civil Society and Labour representatives.
The dialogue forum was one of several scheduled ahead of the three-day Summit.
