Madame Chairperson
Honourable Wilfred Elrington, Attorney-General and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Belize,
Other Honourable Ministers of Government
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Dr Carla Barnett, former Deputy Secretary-General
Chairman and Members of the Interim Board of Management of the Belize Coalition of Service Providers
Ambassador Irwin La Rocque, Assistant Secretary General Trade and Economic Integration and other Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat
Other Invited Guests
Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
Ladies and Gentlemen
Representatives of the Media
I am delighted to be a part of this morning’s event- the Launch of the Belize Coalition of Service Providers (BCSP). It is the first launch of a service coalition that I have been able to attend and it is my good fortune to be at this Launch given that Belize is now in the chair of our Community.
In welcoming the Belize Coalition to the fold, it is my understanding that it is the eighth coalition in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), I expect Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada to join you before the end of April 2009 ensuring thereby, that we will have ten coalitions in the CSME by that time. We would then have a critical mass to form the proposed CARICOM Coalition of Service Industries.
But what exactly do we mean by coalition of service industries? It is an umbrella body that represents the various service stakeholders – such as teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers, tour operators and cultural artists. In CARICOM, services represent more than70% of total output and employment and for Belize in particular, the contribution is even higher.
Given the importance of this sector to the regional economy, the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) agreed that, as part of the regional development plan for services, the service firms, professionals and other service providers should be organised into an effective group to interface with member governments in the development of the sector, at both national and regional levels.
Today’s launch represents Belize’s fulfilment of its undertaking to so organise its services stakeholders.
Madam Chair, the Community is currently working on developing domestic regulations and a regional strategic plan for the sector. To this end, a regional symposium on services, the first ever to be held in CARICOM, is to be held in Antigua and Barbuda under the patronage of the Prime Minister of that Member State who is the lead Head of Government with responsibility for this important sector in the Community. These are but some of the activities in which this coalition is expected to play a critical role on behalf of the Belize stakeholders.
National Coalitions are expected to pursue four common objectives. These are:-
(a) Increasing exports of services within the CSME and between the CSME and Third Countries;
(b) Establishing standards for the professionals;
(c) Organising the non-organised professionals into professional organisations wherever this is possible; and
(d) Providing technical and other inputs into the trade in services negotiations.
Madam Chair, before concluding these brief remarks permit me to highlight a few important issues:
Notwithstanding the fact that the services sector of the Community is the largest in terms of employment, share of total output, and trade, it is characterised by fragmentation of effort and lack of a common focus to increase international competitiveness. Further, it often appears that the interests of the stakeholders are too diverse to foster its overall development. Therefore, it is indispensible that the service sector stakeholders be organised.
I know that this is no mean feat to accomplish. The constraints associated with small economies such as small pool of professionals and weak professional associations, lack of funding, massive brain drain are all characteristics of our small countries and major challenges to be confronted in organising ourselves.
Next, you need to stay organised. We live in a very dynamic world in which change is the only constant. One such, is the global financial and economic crisis which now threatens our very economic and social survival. Key to overcoming this threat is to remain organised. For us, that also involves developing our services sector to maximise the opportunities for meaningful employment and to generate wealth and improve our Community’s standard of living. This would certainly involve exploiting, not only the market of Belize but also those of all the Member States of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy – and beyond.
Allied to this is the need to keep your common interest constantly in focus.
Lastly Ladies and Gentlemen, is the need to spread the spirit of organising the service sector stakeholders. I encourage you to begin by organising the non-organised professionals here in Belize. And from here, to forge linkages with other coalitions in the Community as we seek to establish our regional coalition of service industries.
It has taken Belize a long time to reach this moment, but Belize has reached and it has done so by the persistence and dedication of a small team here in Belize.
In this regard, I wish to place on record my sincerest appreciation to Minister Wilfred Elrington, his Chief Executive Officer, and their hardworking team; to the executive of the Belize Chamber of Commerce; and to the members of the Task Force.
Let me conclude by once again congratulating the Belize Coalition of Service Providers – the eighth such body in the Caribbean Community. You now have within your grasp a gold mine of opportunities. I implore you not to squander it.
I thank you.
