Senator the Hon. Tyrone Barker, Acting Minister of Economic Affairs and Development
Ambassador Amos Tincani, Head of the European Delegation
Dr. George Belle, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Mr. Wendell Goodin, Director, OAS Office in Barbados
Mrs. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Principal Trade Specialist, OAS and Director of the Centre of International Services
Mr. Henry Gill, Senior Director, Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM)
University Faculty and Staff
Students of the Graduating Class
Distinguished Guests

It is indeed an honour for me to take part in this Closing Ceremony for the Certificate Programme in International Trade Policy which was held here at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) over the last four weeks. The Organization of American States is pleased to be associated with this collaborative effort with UWI and the EU-ACP partnership programme (TRINNEX/PROINVEST). I congratulate the University of the West Indies and all the partners for the timely organization of this training programme. I would also like to recognize Pamela Coke-Hamilton for her hard work in the launching and expansion of this important program. Our involvement in training programmes of this nature signals the commitment of the OAS to support the region in areas of highest priority and in ways that matter.

But, most importantly, let me congratulate the graduating class for taking the initiative to participate in this program. This decision is in itself a reflection of your progressive approach to governance and business and your recognition that your business activities – at the macro and micro levels – are impacted by national, regional and international developments.

As entrepreneurs, you no doubt experience the often conflicting and complicating effects of globalization on a daily basis. Trade more then ever in human history, is indeed global in nature. For example, a retailer operating in Barbados may sell shoes made in China with raw materials from Argentina, imported from a wholesaler in Panama and shipped on a vessel that is based in Miami, registered in the Bahamas and owned by a Norwegian company. This is the current reality.

I hope that this course has helped in your understanding of key international trade policy elements, negotiation objectives and their context.

The world has changed dramatically in the past three decades – we see this every day – but especially in the area of trade and international business. The globalized nature of trade demands creative thinking and innovative strategies in order to be competitive. This often requires a rethinking of the way we conduct business, which markets we penetrate, what products we offer and who drives the entrepreneurial effort.

While governments negotiate trade agreements and establish new rules and trading regimes, they are not expected to be the primary business creators but rather business facilitators. However, governments must be business-oriented and, in my view, a reasonable “fee” needs to be paid by those who benefit from their facilitation and support so that governments can continue to adequately fulfil their economic and social responsibilities to all their citizens in a range of areas.

Succeeding in this new global economy requires more than venture capital and shrewd entrepreneurs. It demands institutionalized strategic partnerships and sustained efforts by the private sector, academic institutions and governments to transform the economies of the region into more competitive, sustainable engines of growth and development.

In an increasingly interconnected world, citizens of the Caribbean must acquire the education, skills and attitudes that will allow us to be marketable and competitive in a global economy. Access to timely and useful information will be crucial in assisting individuals, companies and countries to make informed economic and political choices.

In their National Strategies for Trade Capacity Building, Caribbean countries highlighted the importance of building the capacity of its human resource base. I believe that it is essential to support the Caribbean in these efforts as the region prepares to meet the challenges of ongoing trade negotiations in the WTO, the EU-ACP, the Free Trade Area of the Americas as well as sub-regional and bilateral arrangements. The new OAS leadership, within the objectives and means of the Organization, is committed to support Caribbean countries in strengthening the sustainability of their economies and societies.

In this regard, the joint OAS-UWI International Trade Policy Programme is playing a critical role in providing training that can help prepare countries to participate more effectively in trade negotiations. In the context of international negotiations, wealthier countries often have an advantage as they can bring a battery of experts to the table supported by enormous financial resources as well as institutional and technical capacity. In the Caribbean, as in other parts of the Americas, there are significant challenges in all these areas: finance, expertise and institutional capacity.

Clearly, there is a need for collaboration and for pooling resources to build critical capacity. The initiation of the Masters Programme in August 2004 is helping to address the ongoing need for training in trade policy by helping to build that capacity and work toward the long term goal of creating a more level playing field.

The outstanding work that is accomplished by the small group of experts at the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) is an excellent example of what can be achieved when indigenous talent is mobilized, trained and nurtured, and when governments demonstrate the political will to collectively design a strategic external trade negotiating policy and commit themselves to diligent implementation in all negotiating arenas.

Caribbean economies and private enterprises face new challenges and threats. We have to face reality in the current international trading environment. I am afraid that trade preferences and other special provisions benefiting the Caribbean economies are things of the past. Clearly, this is the current mindset of policy makers and trade negotiators in countries and organizations who earlier granted these benefits.

I believe that this is not only the result of trade liberalization policies, but also because the major players in the world are rethinking how to achieve their political and economic interests through strategic repositioning and realignments. Consequently, this means that certain countries, such as those of the Caribbean, may no longer be priorities on the agenda of these traditional partners that may be asking: “Why invest in these countries? What is the economic or strategic benefit for my country?”

I believe that there are certain risks to this approach. The strong orientation on trade and trade liberalisation does not guarantee the establishment of stable and sustainable economies. It is just one element of the holistic and integrated approach to development that needs to be advocated. More, not less, engagement is needed. More is needed in terms of policy measures, technical assistance and cross-border cooperation to avoid or mitigate challenges that we are experiencing in the Americas in terms of increasing poverty, challenges to democratic governance, illegal drug and arms trafficking, income inequality, social injustice and natural disasters -- just to mention a few.

We live indeed in very interesting times. We see important changes occurring in international political relations and orientations globally and hemispherically, as well as in sub-regional integration systems. The Caribbean Community is solidifying its determination to act as a solid group of nations in the international political arena, strengthening its “domestic” economic base with a Single Market and Economy and its judicial system with the creation of the Caribbean Court of Justice, two recent initiatives with critically important long term implications. In the hemisphere, we observe interesting dynamics in inter-state relations and the creation of new political consultation mechanisms while, at the same time, in many countries, political and social conflicts threaten or at least weaken the powers of democracy and democratic governability.

I believe that in an increasingly interdependent global economy, countries and groupings of countries can position themselves by developing a strategic political and economic agenda that serves their needs. The critical task is to identify these strategic political and economic objectives and create firm solidarity and the strongest political determination among partners to execute. Of course, this must be followed by a consistent and diligent insertion in global and hemispheric political and trade negotiations.

In my view, in the existing global trading architecture, small countries can only survive if they work together and foster partnerships that offer areas of mutual advantage, as in the case of the Caribbean Single Market. It is also important to take the initiative and go beyond the regional comfort zone to build strategic alliances with groups of countries that confront similar challenges. The Caribbean also has the ability to use the leverage afforded by its bloc of 14 votes to forge alliances with other sub-regional integration systems that face similar challenges in order to advance the region’s strategic priorities.

In this context of retooling and strategizing for the future development of the region, let me urge you, members of the graduating class, to continue the process of learning that you have begun here over the last four weeks. Those of you in the productive sector can perhaps appreciate better than anyone else that understanding the rules which govern multilateral trade as well as understanding how to influence those rules and communicate interests effectively within the existing international framework are crucial for participating effectively in the global economy.

Trade policymakers often face two major challenges with their own constituencies: (i) to communicate the implications of trade obligations and (ii) to obtain updated information on the strategic interests of the private sector to feed into the negotiating process. Training programs like this one help to demystify the sometimes arcane language of trade negotiations and can only help in facilitating greater dialogue between the public and private sectors as they work toward common objectives.

As you have seen, the participation of the private sector has become indispensable not only during the negotiation of trade agreements but also as important partners in public-private partnerships to promote the competitiveness and productivity required for successful integration into the world economy.

One of the significant new initiatives that emerged from the 2005 Summit of the Americas was the establishment of a permanent Hemispheric Private Sector Forum to explore public-private partnerships to promote job creation and improve competitiveness. The OAS is currently preparing for the 36th Regular General Assembly in the Dominican Republic in June of this year. We expect significant private sector participation in both the Private Sector Forum meeting and the Business Roundtable organized by the Inter-American Economic Council, both under the aegis of the Government of the Dominican Republic. I urge Caribbean companies to make good use of this opportunity and participate in this debate on how the private sector can collaborate with governments in furthering social and economic development in the Americas.

To you, the graduating class, my sincere congratulations. As leaders of today and tomorrow, you are demonstrating that you are prepared to craft the vision for the future and to play your part in achieving these objectives. Through this experience you have established a new network that extends through almost a dozen countries. Maintain that network and build on it. I urge each of you to continue to contribute to your community, your country and your region in helping to build sustainable and competitive economies. No doubt we all will benefit from your efforts and successes!

I thank you for inviting me and wish you the best of luck and success in your professional and private endeavours.