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07/07/2004

Press Release

Rural Sectors to be Informed on Trade Issues

The rural sectors and indigenous communities in four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states will soon be better informed on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the emerging global trading environment.

The Caribbean Policy Development Centre, with support from the Caribbean Trade and Competitiveness Development Program, a United States Agency for International Development initiative, will hold consultations with farmers, small producers and small traders in Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Dominica beginning next week.

The specific objective of the consultations is to increase awareness in rural communities about the issues related to trade liberalization. The forums will also help rural communities develop sustainable strategies to respond to and capitalize on the potential benefits of the liberalization process.

“The rural sector in the Caribbean is one that has been at the heart of agricultural production and small trading for years, but for various reasons these sectors have traditionally been left out of national discourse. They represent vulnerable sectors in our societies that can be very hard hit if they are left unaware and unprepared for the process of trade liberalization,” the organizers added.

According to the organizers, the consultations are not only aimed at increasing the awareness of the rural and indigenous sector but will also seek to have the sectors share some of their innovative ideas on how they could capitalize on the potential benefits of trade liberalization.

The first forum in the series will be held in Grenada at the Oasis, Sendall Street, Grenville, St. Andrew's on Tuesday, July 13 from 5 p.m. Experts will be on hand to explain the CSME and answer any questions. Among speakers invited to the forum are Senator Emmalin Pierre, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and Gloria Payne-Banfield, who were both recently trained as “Champions of the CSME.”

For further information on the Rural Sectors Series please contact CPDC at cpdc@caribnet.net or telephone 437-6055.