Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance, Government of Barbados, Mr William Layne
Minister Counsellor Mr Douglas Williams of the Canadian High Commission in Barbados and other representatives of the High Commission
Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Integration, CARICOM Secretariat, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque
Director General, Office of Trade Negotiations, CARICOM Secretariat, Ambassador Gail Mathurin
Representatives of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my pleasure as Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, to affix my signature on behalf of my Community on this occasion to an agreement with the Government of Canada. I do so alongside that of the distinguished representative of Canada, Mr Douglas Williams. It is a pleasure because Canada has over the years proven to be a special friend of the Caribbean both at the Regional and bilateral level. I am certain that the representative of the Government of Barbados here today, Mr. William Layne, will also attest to this.
Our relations with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) have grown to the extent that it is now considered to be a highly valued International Development Partner for the Region. Among the many important areas in which CIDA has provided grant assistance to the Region has been that of Trade and Competitiveness, a most vital area as the Region seeks to secure its place in the international economic and trading arena. The most recent vehicle for the provision of that support from Canada has been a Contribution Agreement for what is known as the CARICOM Trade and Competitiveness Programme.
Under that Contribution Agreement, given the fact that the body formerly known as the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) did not enjoy ‘persona juridica’ and as such was not a legal entity, the Government of Barbados graciously consented to assume “fiduciary responsibility for the financial management and contracting on behalf of CRNM for the Programme”.
You may recall that there have been revised arrangements set out by the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community at its 20th Inter-Sessional Meeting in Belize in March of this year, with respect to the conduct of external trade negotiations on behalf of the Region. The decision was taken there to incorporate the functions of the then CRNM into the CARICOM Secretariat as a Specialised Department and so was born the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN), now headed by Director General, Ambassador Gail Mathurin of Jamaica. It is this new arrangement with respect to the OTN which has rendered necessary the amendment to the Contribution Agreement which has just been signed.
I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to place on record the Community’s appreciation to the Government of Barbados for its cooperation and sterling support in facilitating the previous arrangement. That action was in keeping with Barbados’ historical commitment to regional integration.
In closing, I wish to use this opportunity to reiterate the Community’s deep appreciation to CIDA for its role in our partnership. As CARICOM and Canada prepare to enter a new phase in our relationship with the negotiation of a Trade and Development Agreement, we look forward to the enhancement of that relationship and to the strengthening of the bonds that has made it special.
I thank you.
