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Contact:
Claudia Monlouis
Thursday, January 13, 2005 - Representatives of three key partners in
Saint Lucia's implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME),
have all spoken optimistically on the benefits they anticipate will be reaped
from the new economic system.
Director of Commerce Mr. Titus Preville, Executive Director of the Saint Lucia
Chamber of Commerce Mr. Brian Louisy and the General Secretary of the Saint
Lucia Teachers Union Mr. Wayne Cumberbatch, recently aired their perspectives on
the CSME via the National Television Network's Live Discussion programme
“Feedback”, which was broadcast on the night of Tuesday, January 11th.
Mr. Preville said the economic rationale for the CSME facilitates the growth and
expansion of business entities currently engaged in intra - regional trade: "The
CSME in terms of the economic rationale, really and truly lies in the
understanding that the global environment, the whole environment was becoming
more liberalised, more competitive and you had to have in place a mechanism
within the CARICOM countries that could respond with a equal or adequate
response, being one of competitiveness, to take advantage of the reality."
For his part, Mr. Louisy said that the members of the Chamber were now poised to
view the market in its broadest context: “So you could now see the firms in
Saint Lucia seeing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy as their market rather
than Saint Lucia. You find that they would remove restrictions preventing
businesses from trading between each island; and that would allow companies to
grow. Companies will now be able to take on the international market more
competitively.”
General Secretary of the Saint Lucia Teachers Union Wayne Cumberbatch said he
believed that workers should view the CSME as a plus, aiding to the expansion of
the workforce via the creation of more job opportunity. He said there would also
be more scope for union bargaining and the negotiating process.
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