Trade in the Caribbean calls for better coordination among countries to improve the moving of goods

Havana._ The search for flexible customs tariffs and regulations, coupled with other alternatives, are some of the actions the Association of Caribbean States (ACE) is currently taking to further transportation in the area, an element that has been wielded time and again as a snag to the region’s trade development.

Cuba’s Angel Socarras, chairman of the Transportation Committee at the ACE, reminded this is a recurring issue among Caribbean entrepreneurs whose internal trade does not exceed 10 billion tons a year. This figure does not stem from lack of airlines or maritime freighters, but from poor country-to-country coordination efforts that narrow down the flow of merchandise to exchanges among Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and Cuba, mostly with Venezuela.

In the face of this situation, enterprises call for the ACE’s declaration of principles and action plan on tourism, trade and transportation to be more dynamic, Mr. Socarras said in an association meeting held in Santiago de Cuba within the framework of the EXPOCARIBE tradeshow just a few days ago.

The Cuban expert pointed out transportation fares are roughly twice as much higher as compared to other regions. Exchange imbalances and soaring taxes levied on vessels upon port calls were mentioned as two of the causes.

Mr. Socarras went on to say some efforts are now underway to find solutions. A case in point: a maritime-seaport database of the Caribbean, plus an agreement on operational safety of civil aviation, and Cuba’s willingness to lend its port facilities as transshipment points with a view to shore up the trade flow and the stopovers of Cuban freighters.

Cuba operates in the area with the Expedimar, Melfi Marine, Naviera Cubalse and Coral Container Lines enterprises, as well as through the Caribbean Maritime Connection Service –a firm associated to the France-based CMA-CGM Group hooking up the island nation to nine of the fourteen member states of CARICOM.

In Cuba’s eastern region, the NAVEMAR enterpr