Port of Spain, Oct 6 – Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Minister Ralph Maraj said Monday that Caribbean countries must strive to deepen its links with Latin America to face the global economy more effectively.
The Minister gave a speech in the opening ceremony of the Preparatory Stage
of the XXIII Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council of the Latin American Economic System (SELA), where participate 27 countries of the region.
Stating that the English speaking Caribbean is already part of the hemisphere politically, economically, socially and culturally, Maraj said the sub region must develop stronger political ties and broaden economic, trade and technical cooperation links with the rest of countries.
He told delegates that greater involvement in the trade and integration efforts would position the smaller countries to more effectively integrate into the global economy.
"Accordingly, the integration of the English speaking Caribbean into Latin America and the reintegration of Latin America with its virtually homogenous culture, religion, language and legal systems when compared to other regions would greatly facilitate the achievement of such a goal,"he told delegates of the 27-member Latin American Council, the main decision making body of SELA.
Maraj said increased political stability and peaceful hemishperic relations could address major socio-economic issues such as extreme poverty, widening income disparities, inadequate health structures, high unemployment with economic growth and soaring crime.
"We will not be able to sustain our democratic peace and the economic prosperity mirrored in macro-economic figures, unless we redress the social inequities which are still evident within our respective societies," he said.
"The last thing we want is to have undergone painful structural reform and then to see the emergence of economic elitism and the alienation of the majority of the population of our countries."
Maraj said that through collective and joint efforts, countries must construct a wholesome Latin American and Caribbean society based on sustained economic progress tempered with social justice.
