Regional participants in the CARICOM Secretariat’s CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Focal Point Attachment Programme will leave Barbados with a better understanding about the island’s work to date, under the integration regime.
The participants, drawn from Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and accompanied by representatives of the CARICOM Secretariat, met with Acting Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, (PMO) Paula Byer; Chief Research Officer in the PMO, Shennel Richards; and other officials at Government Headquarters, recently.
During the welcome, Ms. Byer challenged team members to ponder on a few areas critical to CSME, such as understanding their role in the process.
She stated: “There are some thoughts which I think that I will challenge you with and hope that you will bear in mind as you go through the week. What is your role as a CSME Focal Point as things continue to evolve? As you visit Barbados and see how the CSME functions in Barbados and how our regimes are operationalised, do we just tick the boxes?
“Are we just responding to emails from the CSME Secretariat? …. Are we ensuring that movement takes place unhindered in each of the regimes? Are we being vigilant? What is our intent as CSME Focal Points and what exactly is our role in this changing climate?”
Ms. Byer continued: “Today’s regional realities are so very different to what obtained two, five, or even 10 years ago…. It was completely different and I just want you to see how each of our countries interpret things and how the practices differ.”
There were also remarks from Director of the CSME, Leo Preville; focal points Tricia Gideon and Sylvonne Jack, representing Belize and St. Vincent, respectively, and Dominica’s Ambassador to CARICOM, Felix Gregoire, who each gave the commitment to learn from Barbados’ experience and take back best practices to their respective countries.
While here, the team visited the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute, the Barbados Accreditation Council, the Central Bank of Barbados, and Harrison Cave. They were also present for the I AM CARICOM Quizzarama at West Terrace Primary School and attended meetings with officials from the Ministry of Energy and Business, the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Export Barbados.
Their last engagement will be the Barbados Manufacturers Association’s Opening Ceremony and Expo at the Wildey Gymnasium, before departing the island later today. The CSME Focal Point Attachment Programme aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the CSME implementation across member states, through exposure to diverse implementation structures, work plans, challenges and consultative processes of different countries, among others.