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Contact:
Ryan O’Brian
Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - As St. Lucia and other Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) member States prepare for the advent of the CARICOM Single Market and
Economy (CSME), the unrestricted movement of goods throughout the region is one
reality that will capture the attention of customs officials.
Comptroller of the Customs and Excise Department in St. Lucia, Mr. Claude Paul
said several meetings have been held at CARICOM task force level, and that St.
Lucia was working to meet its obligations under the Treaty.
Mr. Paul noted that the passage of the CARICOM Act put into effect the
provisions of the Treaty, as far as national legislation was concerned,
including rules of origin: “This will facilitate the movement of goods between
territories as the CSME takes more effect in St. Lucia. We already have under
CARICOM, a situation whereby goods do not attract import duty and that will
continue to be the case under CSME, and there would be removal of further
restrictions, which are currently in place, for example, the import licence
regime. In that regard, there are two aspects, the third and fourth schedule of
the external trade restrictions order, restricted imports order, which I
imagine, would be further reduced or removed in the longer term.”
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