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Contact:
Primus Hutchinson
Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - The Management Committee of the OECS Trade
Policy Project, launched in April of 2003 met at the Indies Conference Centre in
Rodney Bay on Tuesday, April 6th, 2004 to discuss a proposed extension of that
unit.
Due to the significance of the project, the countries of the OECS namely Antigua
and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St.
Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla, along with the British Virgin Islands
requested the extension. According to officials, the Trade Policy Project has
had to deal with a very intensive agenda in assisting with relevance to
development at different levels, including the World Trade Organisations (WTO),
the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and the commencement of
Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations.
Project Manager, Charles Cadet says “the OECS Trade Policy Unit bears a
significant mandate to keep abreast of world issues and to inform member states
of the OECS on how best to approach these issues.” Commenting on the unit’s
relevance, Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Dr.
Len Ishmael says the OECS Secretariat has put in a significant amount of work to
ensure the sustainability of the OECS Trade Policy Unit.
Project Manager/Analyst with the Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA), Mr. Stephen Paape explains that CIDA will continue to support the effort
of CARICOM and also various donors, who are focusing on improving on trade
policy instruments, to promote economic development, capacity building and
government and civil society participation.
The Trade Policy Project Unit seeks to strengthen the capacity of OECS member
countries to participate fully and compete successfully in the global economy
through the provision of technical assistance.
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