Business leaders urged to discuss implications of CSME

Douglas

Former Director of Trade Dr Eisenhower Douglas has urged the Dominica Manufacturers Association and the Dominica Association of Industry and Trade to go further and host symposiums in to discuss implications of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Douglas was speaking yesterday at a symposium hosted by the two organizations in collaboration with the AID Bank and a number of other stakeholders that brought manufacturers, businesses and professionals together to look at some of the implied advantages and disadvantages that they may face when the Treaty of Basseterre takes effect in July 2013.

He spoke of the key differences between the Treaty, which will establish the OECS as a single economic space, allowing the free movement of persons, skills, good and services, and attempted to impress on those in attendance that the same attention must be given to the CSME and not assume that it will work.

“I am very pleased that you all decided to participate in this initiative, because it takes two hands to clap. The fact that the Government has put the institutional and legal arrangements in place is only half of it. If you do not do your part it’s like we’re stuck in the mud. Some of my colleagues in the public and private sector operate under the assumption that this thing will succeed. There are no guarantees in life. We must make these things work. We have to familiarize ourselves with it. Awareness must precede preparedness. We need to familiarize ourselves with the arrangement and take action so we can get results,” said Douglas.

He persisted, “We need to keep in mind that although we are focusing on the OECS economic union today, we cannot just deal with the OECS economic union. We need to think of the Caricom arrangement also. We need to think of the Economic Partnership Agreement and of the World Trade Organization rules.”

Meantime, OCES Secretariat Representative Alicia Stephens indicated that the way forward through the Treaty is policy harmonization and the pooling together of resources to better be able to mitigate against changes in global trade.

Stephens stated, “Some of the things we have done so far is really looking at policy harmonization in social programs for example education and environment, governance arrangements such as the OECS Authority and the Treaty itself speaks to areas where we’re going to pursue common policy; energy, foreign policy, trade policy, judicial reform. But in terms of deeper integration, why are we going even further than our current functional operations? It is because we want to achieve greater efficiency and we see our coming together as a way of building resilience.”

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4 Comments

  1. unemployed
    November 10, 2011

    Admin your article states the FORMER director of Trade…. Has Dr. Douglas moved on to new and more exciting areas of employment.. to include the managing of the Douglas Business at Portsmouth!!!!!!!!!

  2. Governance
    November 9, 2011

    Reading the regulations and other requirements are needed and is the first step to succeed. However, if we are not prepared to improve on productivity, be smarter and harder workers, we will be unable to enjoy the benefits of the Treaty.

    We must stop the blame game and pull our resources, not the oral assassination which we are great at and cannot export for cash or other returns, rather let us rejuvenate the co-operative spirit as years gone by to develop the strength of togetherness and thus social and economic sustainability and prosperity.

  3. britbob
    November 9, 2011

    Why is it these technocrats never break these things down to what it means to the man in the street. The way the WTO affected our bananas was spoke about in the very same terms for over 20 years. The ordinary Dominican just ignored it because the technocrats never spelled it out. With the result that the downturn in the industry took the most important people in the industry by surprise…. the FARMERS! Break it down … what does it mean to our farmers and their prices and the quality and quantities they have to produce. What does it mean to our hoteliers, out manufacturing and the jobs in those sectors. To those who deal in imported goods, to architects and engineers. If success under the CSME is a collaborative effort, bring the common man on board.

    • Aye Dominique
      November 9, 2011

      Well this is where Eisenhower have a problem, he cannot break it down……

      What is Eisenhower talking about government did the legal framework, and we have to do our part, he needs to explain to Dominicans exactly how they can further the agenda of CSME. I thought this was taken care of at the governmental level. Isn’t that a policy that needs to be institutionalize by the government of the participating countries.

      Eisenhower just saying things, he need to stop and listen to himself for a second, or ponder on his utterances.

      Dominica was suppose to be working on improving a few deficiencies to be CSME ready, what is the update on that Mr. Eisehower?

      Are you asking the private man on the road to fix our airports, tertiary education system etc. You all need to speak the truth to the common man.

      Do not try to bluff anyone with your smooth talk, because Dominicans are not all dummies.

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