A number of pressing issues relating to the continued support of European Union funding for projects and programmes in the Caribbean will be high on the agenda when a series of meetings convened by Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (CARIFORUM), gets underway in Saint Lucia from 15-19 October 2001.
Officials and Ministers from the Caribbean will deliberate separately prior to meeting with their European Commission counterparts on European Development Fund (EDF) support for the Caribbean.
Director of Technical Operations at CARIFORUM Mr Percival Marie said the Caribbean was at a critical juncture with regards to its projects funded under the EDF. He said the Region was moving into its Ninth EDF partnership agreement with the European Union, and efforts will be made to ensure that future projects are implemented effectively.
Mr. Marie reported that the CARIFORUM Secretariat in Guyana is supervising several projects in the member countries, including one involving Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and another relating to the Commonwealth of Dominica, which are paramount at this time.
He revealed that the project with Haiti and the Dominican Republic involves the construction of a road and bridge to facilitate access between both countries. He said the completion of this project would go a long way in addressing the issues of poverty that continue to plague Haiti as the road and bridge would provide access to the DR’s market for Haitian goods.
In the case of Dominica, Mr Marie said that due to limited access by air, the country’s exports and tourism industry remained under-developed. He said the EDF project would help Dominica to address this situation.
Critical at this time for the Caribbean, Mr Marie added, are funds for the rice and rum industries. According to Mr. Marie, both industries are likely to come under severe pressure in the future as, like banana, the preferential markets are coming under some stress.
In addition to issues relating to the European Union, the CARIFORUM Ministers will spend some time focusing on the organisation itself, while examining the status of Cuba and other observer countries.
When the Ministers meet with the European Commission officials, it is expected that they will deliberate on the future of the relationship between both sides.
