Future of CSME to be decided upon in July

Speaking at a news conference in the Diplomatic Lounge of the Piarco International Airport shortly after his return from the 28th Intersessional Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government in Guyana, Rowley said much attention was paid to devising strategies to bolster the CSME in the context of expanding the economic activities of regional territories.

He said Trinidad and Tobago has been spearheading moves in this regard. “What had come back on the table at the request of Trinidad and Tobago, at the last meeting in July, was the whole question of the single market and economy,” he said.

“So, at the last meeting, the heads had taken a decision to ask the Secretariat to prepare a comprehensive report on the status of our efforts at establishing a single market and economy and to make that report available to this meeting (Guyana).” Rowley said a comprehensive review was presented to the regional leaders.

“What the review showed was that there was a whole plethora of activities that were already agreed upon with a view to having the single market and economy operationalised.” He said, however, that while many of the agreements have been initiated to some extent, other were not. “The way it was presented to the conference it was very clear that we had a whole lot of agreements in place which, if we are to focus on a re-start of our efforts to establish the single market and economy, we need to operationalise the things that have already been agreed to rather than try to embark upon additional mandates when, in fact, what has been agreed to has largely not been affected,” Rowley said.

“In many instances, many countries had not ratified or not carried through with some of the things and, therefore, the review that has been presented at this meeting, countries now have until the end of March to look at that review and to make their positions clear as to what they intend to do about the outstanding matters and to comment on the review by the end of March in preparation for a return to this issue at the meeting of the heads which will take place in Grenada in July.” At the meeting, Rowley said Guyana had expressed a willingness to encourage TT and other CARICOM members to take advantage of its agricultural land with a view to increasing food production and feed production throughout the region. “Guyana expressed some disappointment that even though it had been willing to make these lands available, not much has happened and that we are to become a little more aggressive in trying to put those lands back into production,” he said. Rowley said Guyana also had pointed out that some of the lands were already in the hands of some TT citizens and business entities.

“And they are looking forward to those business entities increasing the production which some of them had embarked upon but which are not being accelerated to the scale that would make a significant impact in the supply or a dent on our food import bill,” he said. The prime minister said the issue of tourism also was discussed.