The small business sector got an opportunity to voice their concerns and make recommendations on improving the sector ahead of the upcoming Canada-CARICOM Trade Relations talks.

The Small Business Association (SBA), in conjunction with the Barbados Private Sector Trade Team, conducted roundtable focus group discussions today, at the SBA???s headquarters at Pelican Industrial Estate, on issues relating to manufacturing, agriculture, service and investment sectors.

The sessions will continue tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27, at the same location and the topics to be discussed will include development cooperation; product protection; market access; treatment of subsidised imports from Canada, especially in cases where there is domestic production; assessing Canada???s market access requests and the interaction of draft CARICOM Financial Services Agreement with FTA provisions on services and investment.

The entrepreneurs had the opportunity to: ???put forward their ideas as to what the agreement should contain, and exactly what they want out of the negotiations, not only in terms of sectors to be excluded and market access opportunities desired, but, also, the type of developmental assistance that would allow businesses to take advantage of these opportunities???.

The Canada-CARICOM Trade Relations talks are slated to be begin from October 2009.

jwilson@barbados.gov.bb

 

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