Ramotar calls for increased trade with South America

Jul 05, 2012 News

-wants CARICOM states to share overseas missions to reduce costs

Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar has called for an increase in trade between Caribbean neighbours as a means to reduce the impact of global economic crisis.
Addressing the opening session of the 33rd Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Saint Lucia, Ramotar also called for the sharing of overseas diplomatic missions to help reduce the costs of establishing and maintaining them.

Guyana delegation at work. From L-R: Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh; President. Donald Ramotar, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

The Guyanese leader, in his inaugural message to that forum, also zeroed in on climate change, the international economic environment, food security, and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as top issues that need addressing.
The Castries, St Lucia forum, has taken heightened importance especially amidst an escalating war between Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica over an almost US$1B trade deficit.
Also to be discussed is the future of the 15-member trade bloc especially in context of a report it commissioned last year which found that the body needs urgent restructuring or it could face collapse in three years.
Stressing that Guyana remains committed to the regional integration process of CARICOM, President Ramotar underscored climate change as one of the more direct threat especially to Caribbean countries.
“It is imperative that our region continues to leverage our extreme exposure to climate change in forging and advocating a common position on the matter.”
It is essential that an agreement is reached this year on the new and additional sources of financing for a climate change fund, and that a REDD-plus window be established to reduce deforestation and incentivize forest conservation and sustainable forest management.
While the region has no control over what is happening on the international scene, the region should challenge itself to not have to react to situations, but ensure that preventative measures are put in place.
South America trade
“We must as a region, be more earnest in our efforts to define a development agenda that is responsive to the evolving global circumstances we face and the domestic realities of our smallness and our vulnerabilities.”
While CARICOM states should not forsake its strong relations with Europe, the US and Canada, it may be a wise idea to eye South America for increase trade.
“The global economy is undergoing rapid structural changes including the fact that growth is driven today by new and emerging centres of economic activity. These include countries that are geographically proximate to ours such as Brazil and with which we have historically strong relations such as China.
“Our region must respond to these realities by developing closer ties with these countries and also by exploring new frontiers of opportunity for beneficial bilateral relations.”
On the issue of food security, Ramotar warned the CARICOM leaders that the volatility of food prices throughout the world has seen many economically strong countries are moving into lesser developed states and buying large tracts of land in response to their own food security challenges.
“Our Region is diverse. It has many varied products and much under-developed potentials. We know that our food import bill is huge, even though we have most of the resources to guarantee our own food supply.
“The more than $3B that leaves our Region every year could be put to productive use within our Region to improve our peoples’ lives.”
He was critical of the efforts by the region to reduce this US$3B bill.
“We have to become more self-sufficient.”
CCJ acceptance
Ramotar also focused on free movement of the Caribbean nationals within member states, an initiative which is still to be fully implemented.
“With greater political will and purpose we can make this happen. If we are to survive and prosper, we must make this happen.”
He called for the more acceptance of the regional court, the Caribbean Court of Justice.
“Let us muster the political will to ensure that the intended jurisdictional boundaries of the Caribbean Court of Justice are realized. To do otherwise would be consciously or unconsciously fostering doubt in our abilities. This is not the time for that; it is a time to take these steps confidently.”
The Guyana President also blasted the state of the region’s cricket. According to Ramotar, the game has now fostered self-interest and even greed.
“Some administrators of the sport seem not to care about the importance of this institution but more about perpetuating themselves at any cost. Governments have invested millions of dollars in building facilities to enhance the game and to promote the growth of the sport. However, today we face the abomination – key matches are now being taken out of the Region while some of our territories are deliberately deprived.”