PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar leaves Monday for London, England, to attend a meeting of the Commonwealth Economic Partnership Forum, from October 13th to 14th. The Prime Minister, in her capacity as current Chair of the Commonwealth, was invited to this meeting by Dr Mohan Kaul, Director-General of the Commonwealth Business Council.
The Prime Minister will address the opening session of the Forum, and participate in its business deliberations over the two days involved.
While in London, the Prime Minister will also use the opportunity to meet with nationals of Trinidad and Tobago in the UK, and to meet with representatives of other business interests desirous of pursuing investment opportunities with Trinidad and Tobago
Hon. PM KamlaPersad-Bisseser
As a means of expressing their own tangible support for the significance of this visit, representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and the Energy Chamber, will be joining the Prime Minister and her delegation in London. Both organisations have decided to mount their supporting missions at their own expense.
Traveling with the Prime Minister on this assignment will be the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Suruj Rambachan, Minister of Trade and Industry Stephen Cadiz and Norris Herbert, Director of Trade.
Included in the discussions which will take place during the business sessions at the CEPF will be re-assessing the economic potential of the Commonwealth in light of the global financial crisis.
Taking into account the fact that the Commonwealth comprises two of the world’s seven largest economies, two members of the G8 group of industrialised countries and five of the G20 countries, eighteen African countries and major clusters in East Asia and the Caribbean, participation in this forum promises to engender new and lucrative trade and investment arrangements for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Prime Minister and the expanded Trinidad and Tobago delegation will also be seeking to identify areas of action, to exploit possible benefits of intensifying economic co-operation in relation to trade and investment, within the Commonwealth.
Facilitating the involvement of Trinidad and Tobago in driving the agenda for the next Commonwealth Business Forum, to take place at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia in November, 2011, will also be part of the Prime Minister’s agenda at this week’s meeting.
