Port of Spain, Oct 7,– The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Latin American Economic System (SELA) , Luis Alberto Rodríguez ,said Tuesday that independent Caribbean countries stand to benefit significantly from membership in the Caracas-based Institution.
Rodriguez was commenting on discussions on a report concerning the incorporation of independent states of the Caribbean into its fold during the second day of the technical session of the XXXIII annual meeting in Port of Spain.
The official said that the Eastern Caribbean countries, St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines would benefit extensively from SELA’s work which includes the promotion of consultation on many international economic issues, training programmes for trade negotiations, and technical cooperation activities.
The island states will meet in November and are expected to decide whether they will join the organisation which currently has a membership of 27.
" We feel that the Secretariat work programme could represent a major benefit for the small economies", said Rodriguez.
"Being a part of SELA, they will be part of these technical programmes", he said.
" We are aware that in the Latin American and the Caribbean region there are large economies like Brazil and small economies on the other hand, and it creates certain disparities."
He said that SELA recognises the particular needs of the small economies as they prepare for negotiations on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) process.
" When you look at the clock and begin to look at your calendar as well, and see that from April next year the hemisferic negotiations will start. All countries will be involved in those discussions, big and large as well."
"I think it will be an opportunity to get prepared both technically and politically and the SELA Secretariat can facilitate the preparatory work, through our technical support " he told reporters.
