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Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has underscored the importance of Suriname-Barbados business relations, saying there are phenomenal trade and investment opportunities with that South American country.

Ms. Mottley made the comments at a recent reception at Ilaro Court for members of the Suriname delegation, who participated earlier in the day in a seminar on trading and investment opportunities available in the Republics of Guyana and Suriname.

She said Government was firmly of the view that its decision to partner with Suriname and Guyana was a necessary one.

“You have what we don’t have and we have some of what you may want and therefore the complementarity between the two countries is absolutely clear,” she told her audience.

The Prime Minister noted that there was tremendous interest in the seminar, which was held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

“The fact that we have had a wonderfully successful symposium…that attracted over 400 persons tells you that the appetite is clear and real; the products are necessary,” she surmised.

She said trade facilitation was extremely important to Government, and very early it had looked at how it could assist individuals and companies in that area.

Ms. Mottley, who has lead responsibility for CSME, is firmly of the view that the majority of the fruit and food which could not be produced here should be imported from other CARICOM countries.

“We are spending US$5 billion a year in imports to bring food in from outside the region.  It is nonsense and we need to stop it.  We need to be able to help each other, and to participate with each other where we can…,” she contended.

She again expressed the view that there was a need for sea and air bridges in the region to ensure business could be further facilitated.

The one-day seminar was hosted by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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