Noting the important role that Guyana plays in the Caribbean in advancing agriculture, Director of External Trade for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr. Chantal Ononaiwu recently spoke of the hurdles that still face the regional integration movement.
Earlier this week, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) facilitated a discussion with Dr. Ononaiwu. Trade barriers were among the several matters that were raised.
The Director referred to Guyana’s role in these discussions as “extremely important.”
“A core objective of the community industrial policy is to ensure that we have regional perks that can produce at a scale and a quality that can be competitive internationally. And also, that we can have viable micro, small and medium enterprises. Another important policy is the community’s agriculture policy,” the External Trade Director said.
“Heads of Government of CARICOM have committed to reducing the regional food bill by 25 per cent by 2025. Guyana plays an extremely important leadership role in this regard because the President of Guyana has lead responsibility for agriculture within the quasi cabinet of CARICOM. And the Minister of Agriculture actually chairs the Ministerial task force.”
She went on to name a number of supportive measures that are needed if the single market is to function effectively, including regional standards that will support, and not hinder, the prodyction of goods and services. Here, she referenced the Caribbean Regional Organization for Food Standards and Quality and the important role it plays in this regard.
However, CARICOM has made some headway in other areas, such as regional procurement and maritime policies. Ononaiwu made reference to a previous air services agreement that was reached in CARICOM. The regional bloc also has its eyes set on a maritime policy and even a fast ferry service.
“Transport policy is another important focus of policy of the Single Market. In 2020, the community concluded a multi-lateral air services agreement. And it facilitates the provision of air services throughout the community by airlines that are owned by CARICOM nationals,” Ononaiwu explained.
“And so, because these airlines that are owned by CARICOM nationals have preferential rights with respect to routes or capacity, it’s really hoped that this would really facilitate intra-regional travel and even provide more cargo options for exporters and importers.”
“There are also initiatives where we’re exploring how to improve maritime travel. There are discussions, for instance, about a fast ferry service in the southern Caribbean.”
In July 2013, conscious that transportation services delivered in Caricom had to address the needs of the travelling public and intra-regional trade, Caricom Heads of Government agreed to the urgent establishment of a Transportation Commission to address air and maritime transportation matters.
Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago all ratified the Multilateral Air Services Agreement, which came into force in 1998.
Meanwhile, President Ali has been vocal about the need for a transport policy in the region.
As far back as 2021, while addressing a regional sub-committee on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), he had informed them that the Lead Head on Transport has been engaged with a view to developing specific recommendations to incentivize Private Sector interest and partnership in transport and logistics, in order to better serve the agri-food systems agenda.
He had explained that the Ministerial Taskforce had recognised transport and logistics as integral to the effective implementation of the Caricom agri-food systems agenda. According to him, there were options being explored.
“In examining the potential and competitiveness of the sector as you would have expected, transportation is one of the critical issues that is linked to food production and for regional trade,” President Ali had said.
It was also announced last year during a joint press conference between President Ali and Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley that the possibility of establishing a ferry between the two territories to strengthen collaboration in several areas, specifically agriculture, was being explored.
