(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Canada on Monday took another step towards heightened cooperation when High Commission to Guyana, His Excellency Mr. Charles Court presented his letters of credence as Plenipotentiary Representative of Canada to CARICOM to Secretary General His Excellency Edwin Carrington.
At the function at the CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Mr. Carrington and Mr. Court both referred to the special relationship between Canada and the 15-member grouping and their quest to ensure it became more fruitful.
“No doubt the relationship between Canada and the Caribbean region has been a special one. We need however, to guard against the many changes in the new global environment impacting negatively on the very nature and quality of that relationship,” Secretary General Carrington said.
In response, Mr. Court pointed to his country’s new invigorated role in the world and its role in the Americas, particularly the Caribbean.
“In concrete trade terms, this will entail the initiation of work on the Canada/CARICOM free trade agreement, once the new global commerce strategy is approved in the coming weeks. In this connection, we look forward to discussing further the results of the COTED meeting,” Mr. Court said.
The accreditation ceremony was held against the background of Canada’s bid to secure a World Trade Organisation (WTO) waiver for the extension, beyond 2006, of the preferential marker access under the Canada/CARICOM Trade Agreement (CARIBCAN) and of the Region’s quest to retain its rum market in the face of recent Canadian legislation. Canada has also been instrumental in providing expertise to the Region for Cricket World Cup (CWC) security.
“Excellency, we have made representation to Canada for amendments to recent legislation your country has adopted, seeking to have CARICOM rum exported to Canada accorded similar treatment to spirits produced in other countries mentioned in the legislation. We look forward to an early and favourable resolution to this matter in the context of current trade arrangements, since rum exports represent a significant source of foreign exchange earning for our Region,” the Secretary General said.
He explained that the legislation calls for rum to be produced from sugar made within the Region. But he pointed out that in the industry today, some spirits were produced with molasses sourced from outside the Region.
Mr Carrington thanked Canada for it support to the Region in capacity building and institutional strengthening, especially with regard to the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). Mr. Carrington said the Community intends to seek Canada’s further support for the establishment and functioning of the CARICOM Development Fund which is aimed at providing financial and technical assistance to the disadvantaged countries in the region in their economic transformation efforts.
The Secretary-General also expressed gratitude to Canada for its role in helping to ensure transparent elections in Haiti and said he looked forward to continued collaboration with Canada in particular for the opening of the CARICOM Representation Office in Haiti. According to High Commissioner Court, Canada is in the process of assisting Haiti’s re-integration into the Community and into the Single Market.
