A team of Haitian Trade officials will begin a two-week study-tour on Monday 2 June 2003, spending the first week in Georgetown, Guyana, at the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). They will spend the second week in Trinidad & Tobago to complete the familiarisation exercise of the CARICOM machinery particularly as it relates to trade.
Haiti, a Provisional Member of the regional grouping is making strident efforts towards becoming fully functional in the regional integration movement and has singled for out priority attention, the implementation of the Free Movement of Goods by July, 2003. Trade matters such as tariffs, norms and rules of Origin are among the critical issues which Haiti will have to address in the phased implementation of the provisions of the Treaty which established CARICOM and to which all Member States are committed.
The Haitian trade officials will be afforded the opportunity to become suitably conversant with the procedures and regulatory frameworks for implementation of the Free Movement of Goods. The areas to be covered include the design requirements of the CARICOM Single Market & Economy. They will also be allowed hands-on training particularly with respect to the operation of the Rules of Origin and the Common External tariff (CET) at the regional and national levels.
Haiti attained Provisional Membership of the Regional Grouping in 1997 and is being assisted by the CARICOM Secretariat in the transition process.
Following Haiti’s entry into the Community, and at its request, agreement was reached that there would be an 18-month period to assist that country’s systems, structures and institutions to make the transition, and comply with obligations under the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
