Call for Caribbean Countries to Develop a Common Trade Policy

There´s a call for Caribbean countries to develop a common policy on negotiating offers and demands at the World Trade Organization, particularly on the issue of cruise tourism.

Barbados´ Minister of State in the Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Ministry, Kerrie Symmonds, who put forward the suggestion, has also stressed the need for the protection of the agriculture sector which continues to be a source of livelihood for a substantial part of the region.

“It continues to be a nagging source of concern that cruise ships are not currently defined as a tourism service at the World Trade Organization, but are considered to be maritime transport services,” he said.

The government minister said the private sector is far too important in the process of integrating the region to be excluded from the deliberative tables.