Caribbean Trade Law and Development

Category: CARICOM

  • Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest – August 8-14, 2021

    Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest – August 8-14, 2021

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest for the week of August 8-14, 2021! We took a much-needed month-long vacation break and are pleased to once again bring you the major trade and development news headlines and analysis from across the Caribbean Region and the world from the past week.

    We at the CTLD Blog extend our deepest sympathies to our brothers and sisters in Haiti following the devastation caused by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on August 14 which was also felt in several other islands . As of the time of this article’s publication, the earthquake has led to the loss of over 300 innocent lives.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    This week the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group 1 Sixth Assessment Report issued a dire warning about the current levels of global warming. This article from The University of the West Indies provides 10 ‘urgent takeaways’ and this other article from the University of Melbourne gives a good breakdown of the 5 key takeaway points.

    Registration for UNCTAD15 to be hosted virtually by Barbados is open. To register, please see link here.

    Coming up this week, the first appointed female SG of CARICOM will take office.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    WTO Negotiations on Fisheries Subsidies Small states need special, differential treatment for ‘workable’ solution – CARICOM

    SKNVibes: While Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States have welcomed the progress on the Fisheries Subsidies negotiations, they have signalled that further adjustments are required, underlining the necessity for special and differential treatment (SDT) for small developing states. Read more

    Trade Ministry: Trinidad and Tobago exported $12.5b to US in 2020

    TT Newsday: Trinidad and Tobago continued to be an important trading partner with the United States, having recorded $12.5 billion in exports for 2020, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said on Friday. Read more

    Gopee-Scoon tells India: Trinidad and Tobago open for investment

    TT Newsday: Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon has said Trinidad and Tobago is open for investment. She expressed optimism that some of that investment could come from India, as efforts are being made to further strengthen economic ties between TT and India, on the journey towards a post-covid19 period. Read more

    G’town Chamber in cooperation pact with Barbados and Suriname trade bodies

    Stabroek: The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) recently entered into an agreement with the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Suriname Trade and Industry Association (STIA) in order to enhance trade and cooperation. Read more

    National Trade Negotiating Commission holds first Regular Meeting

    BBN: This week the National Trade Negotiating Commission (NTNC) held its First Regular Meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Immigration auditorium in Belmopan. Read more

    JAMPRO Pivots to Assist Producers

    JIS: Over the years, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) has been assisting various companies, from different sectors, to gain access to overseas markets for their products. Read more

    New JMEA president eyes Amazon to boost exports

    Jamaica Observer: Newly appointed President of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) John Mahfood is hoping to help small manufacturers to tap into a wider market by distributing their products through online channels. Read more

    New duties for T&T exports to Dominica

    Daily Express: SOME goods manufactured in Trinidad and Tobago and exported to Caricom member state Dominica will face new import duties from tomorrow, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has confirmed. Read more

    Oil finds propel Guyana to top of CARICOM FDI table

    Stabroek: Guyana’s successive world class oil finds beginning back in May 2015 have propelled the country to the top of the list of Foreign Direct Investment recipients across the entire Caribbean Community (CARICOM) last year and second behind the Dominican Republic across the Caribbean and Latin America as a whole, according to a recently released assessment of FDI inflows into the region released earlier this month by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Brexit has ‘significantly altered’ Irish-British freight traffic, report finds

    Reuters: Post-Brexit trade frictions have “significantly altered” freight traffic between Ireland and Britain and sparked a steep rise in volumes to and from Ireland and other European Union members, an Irish government agency report said on Thursday. Read more

    UK-EU monthly exports again above pre-Brexit 2020 levels

    City AM: The UK’s monthly exports to the EU were above 2020 levels for the second straight month in June, despite earlier concerns about Brexit disruption. Read more

    EU implements first animal welfare-based condition in trade agreement

    Euractiv: In an unprecedented move, the EU has included the first animal welfare-based condition in the Mercosur trade agreement, but stakeholders warned that this does not go far enough to save the controversial deal that is facing increasing opposition in Europe. Read more

    UNCTAD, IATA Extend Partnership to Facilitate Global Trade

    IATA: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and UNCTAD have extended their collaboration to facilitate international trade, particularly e-commerce. Read more

    US Joins Services Domestic Regulation Talks

    IISD: The US announced that it will join the process on services domestic regulation at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and “support conclusion of the Initiative” by the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in November. Read more

    Top U.S., South Korean trade officials discuss supply chain resiliency -USTR

    Reuters: U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo on Thursday discussed supply chain resiliency efforts, tackling climate change, and reform of the World Trade Organization, the USTR said in a statement. Read more

    Europe’s carbon emissions plan risks more damage to global trade regime

    East Asia Forum: The European Union (EU) recently announced its ‘Fit for 55’ plan to reduce carbon emissions by 55 per cent from 1990 levels by the end of this decade and to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Read more

    Argentina among top 15 countries with most import barriers, says WTO report

    Buenos Aires: New WTO and UNCTAD technical report warns country is among those which slap the most levies on the entry of products, with Brazil next in 16th position. Read more

    New report reveals ‘sobering’ impact of China trade war on Australian exports

    6PR: A new report on the overall impact of the Beijing trade war shows the extent of the losses have been grossly understated, due to a boom in iron ore prices. Read more

    China is still falling short of meeting an agreement to reduce its U.S. trade surplus

    CNBC: China’s purchases of U.S. goods are still falling short of trade agreement levels, even as overall Chinese imports from the U.S. have surged. Read more

    China’s export slowdown in July may signal more bumps ahead

    Reuters: China’s export growth unexpectedly slowed in July following outbreaks of COVID-19 cases, while imports also lost momentum, pointing to a slowdown in the country’s industrial sector in the second half even as easing global lockdowns boost commerce. Read more

    Biden revives Trump’s Africa business initiative; focus on energy, health

    Reuters: The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a new push to expand business ties between U.S. companies and Africa, with a focus on clean energy, health, agribusiness and transportation infrastructure on the continent. Read more

    Africa-Singapore trade on the up and up in the last five years

    The Citizen: Trade between Singapore and Africa has been growing at a compound annual growth rate of over 7.6 percent over the past five years, a senior official said at the weekend. Read more

    Lomé seeks firm to update its trade development policy

    Togo First: To this end, the ministry of trade and industry issued a notice of interest to hire a firm that will handle the process. Read more

    U.S. looks to leverage African diaspora in trade with Africa

    Reuters: The Biden administration plans to tap the African diaspora in the United States to bolster trade with Africa, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, in a push to work with people who understand “social nuances” on the continent. Read more

    Rwanda to host headquarters of AU backed e-commerce platform

    The New Times: Rwanda will host the continental headquarters of Sokokuu, an e-commerce platform aimed at enhancing the role of Africa’s small and medium enterprises in inter and intra-African trade. Read more

    STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO

    NEW ON THE CTLD BLOG

    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest produced and published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please subscribe to our Blog below:

  • Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest – July 4-10, 2021

    Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest – July 4-10, 2021

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest for the week of July 4-10, 2021! We are pleased to bring you the major trade and development news headlines and analysis from across the Caribbean Region and the world from the past week.

    The Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog expresses our profound sadness to hear of the assassination of the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise. We pray for the swift recovery of First Lady Madame Martine Moise who is currently hospitalised. We also express our solidarity with all who have been affected by Hurricane Elsa, which first made landfall in Barbados on Friday, July 2 and continued to affect other countries in the region and parts of the US. I personally wish to thank those readers who reached out to enquire about my well-being following reports of the passage of Hurricane Elsa last Friday and to confirm that I am doing well.

    Please see below some of the week’s highlights!

    THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

    G20 finance ministers this week endorsed the proposal for a global minimum corporate income tax of at least 15%.

    The UK disputes the Brexit ‘divorce’ bill estimated by the EU. Read more here.

    The WTO appears to be on the ‘cusp’ of its first multilateral agreement since the Trade Facilitation Agreement. This week, July 15, ministers will meet virtually to advance negotiations on curbing harmful fisheries subsidies. Read more here.

    CARICOM Heads of Government held their 42nd Regular Meeting. Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda Gaston Browne assumed chairmanship of CARICOM as of July 1. The communique emanating from the meeting may be read here.

    On Thursday, July 2, I was a guest on the DeBrief TV Show interviewed by the host Kemar Stuart on the “G7 and the Global Minimum CIT”. The conversation also explored other current geopolitical and political economy issues germane to the Caribbean.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    “The EPA has failed us,” says Prime Minister

    Antigua News Room: Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairman of the Caribbean Community, (CARICOM) the Hon. Gaston Browne has spoken out against the constant targeting of the financial services sectors of the region by developed nations through blacklisting. Read more

    Straughn: Small States need policy space

    Nation News: If small states like Barbados are to achieve and meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), they need to be given the appropriate policy space to operate globally. Read more

    MSMEs to tap into grant funding

    Barbados Today: Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Barbados and the rest of the region have just over a week to apply for grants of up to US$15,000 to be used on various technical projects to enhance their operation. Read more

    Gopee-Scoon: $78m spent on luxury foods in three years

    Newsday: Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon has said Trinidad and Tobago spent approximately $78 million a year over the last three years on the importation of luxury food items. She was responding to a question in the Senate on Tuesday. Read more

    Indian envoy aims for more trade with Trinidad and Tobago post-covid19

    Newsday: High Commissioner of India to Trinidad and Tobago Arun Kumar Sahu said since his appointment,, he has pushed for Indian businesses to do more trade with Caribbean countries, especially TT. Read more

    Minister wants more bilateral relationship between T&T, Dominican Republic

    Guardian: Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon has expressed keen interest to further develop the bilateral relationship between T&T and the Dominican Republic in the areas of trade and economic relations. Read more

    TTMA calls for greater accountability in Free Trade Zones

    Trinidad Express: The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) Illicit Trade Desk is calling for greater accountability in Free Trade Zones to prevent illicit trade and money laundering. Read more

    Trinidad and Tobago moves to improve investor confidence

    Newsday: Applying rule of law is important in order to strengthen investor confidence and legitimate trade. And by the US Chamber of Commerce’s accounts, TT is making positive movements in that regard, advancing two points from a 2019 report, indicating an above-average performance within the hemisphere. Read more

    Trade Ministry publishing monthly reports

    Newsday: THE Ministry of Trade and Industry has started the publication of monthly reports on the operations of various border agencies as part of its trade facilitation agenda and to improve trade and customs border transparency. Read more

    US to mount trade mission to the Caribbean

    Jamaica Observer: The United States is planning a Caribbean Region Trade Mission and Business Conference for October, a senior US official has announced. Read more

    Bahamas government signs $12M economic and technical agreement with China

    EyeWitness: The government signed a $12 million economic and technical agreement with the People’s Republic of China during a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Investment Facilitation Negotiators Review Proposals, Share Views on Implementation

    IISD: World Trade Organization (WTO) members participating in the discussions on investment facilitation for development (IFD) heard back from the facilitators of discussion groups, and considered implementation, technical assistance, and capacity building in a dedicated session. Read more

    New study makes the case for more US free trade deals

    The Hill: Do free trade deals work? A new study by the International Trade Commission (ITC) says the ones the U.S. has signed have had a small, positive effect on the economy. Protectionists will insist that this means free trade deals do little. That’s wrong. Read more

    Fisheries Talks Chair Presents Revised Text Ahead of July Ministerial

    IISD: The Chair of the World Trade Organization (WTO) fisheries subsidies negotiations, Ambassador Santiago Wills of Colombia, introduced a revised draft text that he said aims to serve as the basis for the July 2021 ministerial-level meeting. Ministers are expected to negotiate a final agreement on 15 July. Read more

    USTR says WTO fisheries deal ‘within reach’ but improvements needed

    Reuters: A fisheries deal at the World Trade Organization is “within reach”, although improvements to the draft agreement are required in order to change the status quo, the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office said on Friday. Read more

    Liz Truss aims to tackle threats to free trade on five-day US visit

    Independent: The International Trade Secretary will meet Katherine Tai, the US trade representative, during her visit from Sunday to Thursday. Read more

    Trump is long gone, but trade

    Washington Post: President Biden routinely praises his Canadian counterpart in the warmest manner, as American chief executives — with one recent exception — have done for decades. And U.S. officials go out of their way to stress the shared vision that unites the two trading partners. Read more

    Canadian exporter confidence rebounds to 20-year high – EDC index

    Reuters: Confidence among Canadian exporters has surged to its highest level in more than 20 years, amid mounting optimism that a sustained global economic recovery is underway, a survey by Export Development Canada (EDC) showed on Thursday. Read more

    Shipping Turmoil Threatens Coffee From World’s Biggest Grower Brazil

    Bloomberg: Getting food where it needs to be around the world is never easy, and it’s been made all the harder this year with the twin forces of pandemic disruptions and climate change. Read more

    UK housing boom may derail post-Brexit trade dreams

    Reuters: History suggests Britain’s house price surge could threaten hopes of post-Brexit export-powered growth, if finance minister Rishi Sunak uses the housing market to fuel the economy like his predecessors did. Read more

    WTO report: Trade policy restraint prevented destructive acceleration of protectionism

    Trade policy restraint by G20 economies, as well as WTO members more broadly, prevented a destructive acceleration of protectionist trade measures that would have further hurt the world economy, according to the WTO’s latest Trade Monitoring Report. Read more

    Mexico to try former negotiator of USMCA trade pact

    AP: A judge in Mexico ordered the country’s former economy secretary, who served as one of the lead negotiators of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, to stand trial on illicit enrichment charge. Read more

    STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO

    NEW ON THE CTLD BLOG

    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest produced and published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please subscribe to our Blog below:

  • CARICOM DECLARATION ON REDEDICATION TO CSME IMPLEMENTATION

    Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community
    ST JOHN’S DECLARATION
    ON REDEDICATION TO CSME IMPLEMENTATION
    WE, the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), meeting virtually on 5-6 July 2021 for the Forty-Second Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM;

    Recognising that the commitments made in our 2018 ST ANN’S DECLARATION ON THE CARICOM SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY (CSME) to inter alia, take action at the national level to advance the regional integration agenda, have for the most part not materialised;

    Reiterating our conviction that CARICOM integration and particularly the CSME continue to be important for the growth and development of the Member States of CARICOM especially in the face of the debilitating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which has absorbed the focus of Member States  over the past fifteen months and more;

    Conscious of the vastly different economic environment that is currently prevailing;

    DECLARE:
    We have all individually and collectively recommitted to take all action necessary to ensure timely and effective implementation of the CSME, especially in light of the challenges of the current demanding environment.

    We have agreed that achieving full implementation of the CSME would require immediate specific action by the Organs and Bodies of the Community, Cabinets and Ministries of Member States, stakeholders (particularly the private sector) and the CARICOM Secretariat.
    We have agreed to have regular inclusion of the CSME as an item on the Agenda of Cabinet meetings.

    We have also agreed to give specific and focused attention to ensuring that our governance and accountability mechanisms and structures at the national and regional levels are made sufficiently robust for effecting the required CSME implementation including a greater oversight role for our Ambassadors to CARICOM.

    We have endorsed the COTED decision to convene a special session on CSME implementation before its next regular meeting in November 2021 to agree on other specific actions proposed for immediate implementation by the various stakeholders towards ensuring full implementation of CSME provisions and to approve an overall Action Plan for CSME implementation.

    Source: CARICOM Secretariat

  • What lies ahead for the incoming CARICOM Secretary-General?

    What lies ahead for the incoming CARICOM Secretary-General?

    Photo credit: CARICOM (Photo of incoming CARICOM SG, Dr. Carla Barnett)

    Alicia Nicholls

    On August 15, 2021, Dr. Carla Barnett will formally assume office as the eighth Secretary-General (SG) of the forty-eight year old Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Although Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite briefly acted as SG during the period January-August 2011, Dr. Barnett will be the first female and Belizean to be appointed to this position. She was selected unanimously by the Conference of Heads of Government at a virtual special meeting held on May 11, and succeeds regional stalwart Ambassador Irwin Larocque of Dominica whose second term is coming to an end.

    Dr. Barnett joins a growing pantheon of distinguished women to lead international trade organisations and groupings at a time of mounting global uncertainty. A well-respected economist, she will be at the helm of the Caribbean’s foremost regional bloc which is fighting a number of proverbial fires of both endogenous and exogenous origin. This article discusses what lies ahead for the incoming CARICOM SG and some ways in which she might be able to make a difference within the confines of her position.

    The role of the SG

    The CARICOM SG heads the CARICOM Secretariat based in Georgetown, Guyana as outlined in Article 23 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC). Article 24(2) of the RTC provides, inter alia, that the SG is the Chief Executive Officer of the Community. He or she is not an all-powerful figure, however. The SG’s role is primarily administrative as it is the Conference of the Heads of Government that is not just the supreme organ of the Community but determines and provides policy direction to the Community as per Article 12 (1) &(2) of the RTC.

    Among the tasks assigned to the SG under Article 23 is to make an annual report to the Conference on the work of the Community. The tasks outlined in Article 24(2) of the RTC include, for instance, that the SG represents the Community. It also assigns to the SG various other functions broadly associated with implementing Community decisions and achieving Community objectives. His or her functions throughout the RTC are often exercised in conjunction with, or on the direction of the competent organs or the Conference.

    The SG is supposed to be independent in the exercise of his or her functions. That is, Article 23(4) forbides the SG and staff from seeking or receiving instructions from any Government of the Member States or from any other authority external to the Community in the performance of their duties.

    There is also the ‘soft power’ that the SG holds. For instance, the SG is tasked under Article 26 with assisting the Community Council in collaboration with competent authorities of the Member States to establish and maintain an efficient system of consultations at the national and regional levels in order to enhance the decision-making process in the Community. Under Article 191, disputant Member States can also use the good offices of a third party, including the SG, to settle their dispute, for example.

    The road ahead

    Dr. Barnett will be assuming office at a time of unprecedented social and economic challenges for the Community – some endogenous and others exogenous in origin, some longstanding and others of newer vintage. She will be heading an intergovernmental organization whose Member States are all classified as Small Island Developing States and whose pre-COVID-19 realities included generally low growth rates, limited export diversification, a rising incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and high vulnerabilities to macroeconomic and weather-related shocks. Member States continue to battle the climate crisis, arbitrary blacklisting from metropolitan countries in the areas of tax and anti-money laundering/terrorist financing (AML/CFT) matters, border disputes, and the list goes on.

    These longstanding issues are further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which brings with it the attendant issue of access inequalities caused by richer nations’ hoarding of COVID-19 vaccines and placing export restrictions on needed medical supplies. While it is hoped that the worst of the health crisis provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic will be over by August, it is evident that the economic and social effects will be with us for some time. All independent CARICOM Member States, with the exception of newly oil-rich Guyana, saw economic contractions in 2020. Unemployment and under-employment, especially among the youth, remains a chronic problem, while crime remains a concern. COVID-19 has given greater urgency to regional calls for debt forgiveness and expanded criteria for access to concessional financing.

    CARICOM as an organisation itself confronts enduring issues which have been well-documented in a lengthy list of reports and studies, including the 1992 ‘Time for Action’ Report of the Ramphal Commission, the Golding Report commissioned by the Government of Jamaica and the recently released draft report of the CARICOM Commission on the Economy.  There are persistent concerns over CARICOM’s implementation deficit, the suitability of its current governance model and its ‘top down’ approach, the need for greater transparency of CARICOM’s work, enhanced and meaningful engagement of ordinary citizens and civil society, and even questions over CARICOM’s continued relevance. While the sentiment is a bit unfair, the average man or woman on the street is generally of the opinion that CARICOM either does ‘nothing’ or decisions made do not meaningfully impact livelihoods

    How can the SG make a difference?

    The power to make the bold and transformative change that CARICOM needs does not rest with the SG, but with the Member States themselves. However, an SG with a strong vision and the necessary technical and soft skills can parlay these into helping to effect the change so greatly needed.  Dr. Barnett brings to the post an impressive resume  of qualifications, expertise and experience which make her well-suited and equipped for tackling the enormity of the tasks ahead. She is a well-respected economist who has held several key ministerial positions in the Belizean government and in financial institutions in that country, including former deputy governor of the Belize Central Bank. She was also a former Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM.

    It is timely that Dr. Barnett will be taking office when the draft report of the CARICOM Commission on the Economy has been published. The report outlines the findings of an eminent group comprised of both regional and extra-regional luminaries and headed by noted economist and finance expert Prof. Avinash Persaud. The Commissioners propose a 12-point plan.

    Unlike the process with the selection of the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Director-General where we had the benefit of successive statements and videos in which the candidates outlined their visions for the WTO and answered questions publicly on their plans and positions, there is regrettably no similar publicly accessible exercise for the CARICOM SG.

    However, in scouring the internet, I was able to come across a few articles which give some insight into Dr. Barnett’s vision. In the press release announcing Belize’s nomination of Barnett, she is quoted as stating her vision for CARICOM as follows:

    “a Caricom that the ordinary woman and man will defend because they feel the impact in their daily lives through economic and social advancement that comes from community action”.

    Based on this statement, it is clear that Dr. Barnett supports greater citizen involvement and engagement in the regional process and the need for enhanced community action for economic and social impact that permeates down to the man or woman on the street.

    There are some ways in which the new SG can make a difference, such as to the extent possible, promoting greater transparency of the Secretariat’s operations, the status of Member States’ implementation of decisions and the availability of up-to-date disaggregated statistics. For instance, what is the status of each Member States’ implementation of decisions made? This information should be in reports easily accessible by the public.

    The new SG can find ways to improve engagement, awareness and interest by the ordinary CARICOM citizen in the work of CARICOM and the opportunities the regional integration process present. With few exceptions, such as the CSME Townhalls or by following CARICOM’s website or social media, there are limited  opportunities for the average CARICOM citizen to learn what is happening in regional bodies or have their voices heard in regional decision-making. Even so, improvements can be made in what and how the information is disseminated and the channels through which it is done.

    As I conclude, I wish to applaud the excellent work being done by the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors. I particularly want to highlight the two Barbadian ambassadors Java Sealy and Meagan Theobalds, who have hit the ground running in continuing the work of their successors to raise the profile of CARICOM among the youth who are the inheritors of this region. The unquenchable enthusiasm and passion of young persons like these two is needed for any organization or regional movement to thrive and advance. As such, the establishment of a CARICOM Young Professionals Programme, similar to those offered by other organisations around the world, would be a value-added to CARICOM and perhaps something the incoming SG could champion.  

    Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B. is a trade and development consultant with a keen interest in sustainable development, international law and trade. All views herein expressed are her personal views and should not be attributed to any institution with which she may from time to time be affiliated. You can read more of her commentaries and follow her on Twitter @LicyLaw.