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Contact:
Ryan O’Brian
Wednesday, November 24, 2004 - The Caribbean Association of Industry and
Commerce (CAIC) will play an integral role in the function of the recently
launched CARICOM Trade Support (CTS) Programme.
The CTS will include a component to provide technical inputs from private sector
organisations of member states through the CAIC.
Vice President of the CAIC, Guy Mayers said, “The CAIC as the main umbrella
private sector organisation in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will have a
dual role to play. Firstly, CAIC is represented on the Facilitation Committee,
which is one of the two advisory committees put in place to assist with the
process. CAIC will therefore, play a major role in defining the strategic
industries and key growth sectors in the Caribbean, that the CARICOM Trade
Support programme will be targeting,”
St. Lucia’s Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Aviation,
Senator the Hon. Petrus Compton feels the CTS must be measured within the
context of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and global change.
“The CTS programme and its support mechanism, the CTS Fund can become a powerful
lever to produce a changed business environment, characterised by increased
competitiveness, greater flexibility and an enhanced export capacity. Through
the appropriate technical assistance and the facilitation of mutually beneficial
strategic alliances, businesses in St. Lucia and the OECS can acquire the much
needed capacity to compete more effectively, within the new economic environment
being created at the regional and global levels,” he said.
The CTS is expected to enhance the level of competitiveness among private sector
firms in CARICOM member states and aid in stimulating economic growth and
recovery from the adverse economic effects of globalisation and recent natural
disasters.
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