Government of Saint Luca

Go to Homepage

[Feedback]

[Site Map]

[Contact Us]

Search this Site

WTO Dispute Settlement Seminar Underway Here


Governor General
Prime Minister
The Cabinet
The Senate
House of Assembly
St. Lucia Ambassadors
The Constitution
The Staff Orders

National Television Network

Saint Lucia Gazette
Press Releases
Speeches
Features
Notices
Vacancies

Saint Lucia 25th Independence Celebrations

About Saint Lucia
Frequently Asked Questions
Web Links
Government Directory
Browse by Agency
Site Help
Subscribe to NEMO News
Updates to Hurricane Frances

Weather Information Service Number

(758) 454-3452

Contact: John Emmanuel

Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - Work has gotten underway here aimed at giving trade officials an improved knowledge of the dispute settlement rules, procedures and practices governing World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. The latest initiative comes in the form of a week long regional seminar which started Monday, March 22nd at the Bay Gardens Hotel.

The event has been organized by the WTO, the CARICOM Secretariat, the Inter-American Development Bank, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Deputy Programme Manager for External Economic and Trade Relations at the CARICOM Secretariat, Valerie Alleyne-Odle says over 20 similar sessions have taken place exposing over 200 regional officials to the various WTO disciplines.

This particular seminar will hopefully prove beneficial as participants seek to implement the dispute resolution mechanisms at the level of the single market and economy. Also, it is hoped that at the end of the seminar, “the region will be better able to deal with the inevitable challenges that may arise not only at the level of the WTO, but with respect to all other trading relations like the FTAA, and many of our bilateral agreements,” notes Mrs. Alleyne-Odle.

Given the very limited administrative capacity and human resources of small states, trade officials say St. Lucia and the wider CARICOM grouping will continue to press the case for greater assistance to be given to smaller economies, in order to facilitate their effective participation within the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. That view is sheared by External Trade Advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Calixte Leon. He emphasized that “followers of debates involving dispute settlement would recognize that the cost of participating in such settlement procedures was exorbitant,” much beyond the capacity of small countries like St. Lucia.

While commending the initiative taken to promote the effective participation of all WTO members in dispute settlement proceedings, the senior government official pointed out that most small economies were still unable to afford the discounted rates being charged. St. Lucia, he says welcomes a suggestion to have a pool of WTO lawyers to assist in cases. Notwithstanding that, he says individual small economies have little capacity to either mount or defend their cases.

The odds appear to be staked even further against small states Mr. Leon laments, “in that if a small state was ever to be successful in a dispute against a larger WTO member, and the WTO member concerned fails to bring its measure into conformity with the WTO provisions, it would be very difficult for that smaller country to impose sanctions.” In light of those developments Mr. Leon says CARICOM must continue to lobby at ensuring that small economies are better able to participate in the dispute settlement mechanism.

He suggested among other things, the need for WTO members to show due constraint in invoking dispute settlement procedures against small states.
 

 


Home ] Up ] Search 2004 Press Releases ] [Site Help]

© 2004 Government Information Service. All rights reserved.

Read our privacy guidelines.