Caribbean and Central America press for
co-operation
by
Canute
James, Financial Times
of London
Said Musa, prime minister of Belize, is convinced that the small
size of his country will not prevent it from effectively playing a central
role in the latest attempt at economic integration in the
Americas.
"Our ties with Central America and with the Caribbean, and our
geographical location, puts us in a unique position to be a bridge between
the two regions," said Mr Musa.
Mr Musa is one of 16 Central American and Caribbean leaders who
have directed their foreign ministers to immediately prepare for
negotiations to create a free trade area made up of the two
regions.
Belize, an English-speaking Central American state of 250,000
people, is a member of both the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the
Central American Integration System (Sica), the two groups that are
driving the search for economic integration. Caricom is a 14-member group
that is creating a common market, while Sica is seeking to increase
economic co-operation in Central America.
Mr Musa hosted the recent meeting of the Central American and
Caribbean leaders who concluded that co-operation was the best defence for
small states against the effects of increasing economic globalisation and
to prepare them for beneficial membership of the planned Free Trade Area
of the Americas.
"We have limited trade and a paucity of investments across our
two regions, and we are still very vulnerable to international
developments," said PJ Patterson, prime minister of Jamaica. "The Free
Trade Area of the Americas is scheduled for 2005. We think it would be
beneficial to have a Central American-Caribbean free trade agreement by
2004."
Officials contend that with a market of 60million people, and a
trade volume of $72b, the planned Caribbean-Central American free trade
area will give a significant fillip to national economies.
"We owe it to ourselves to find mechanisms that will allow us,
in the shortest possible time, to widen our markets, increase commercial
activity and to improve transportation so we can trade the goods and
services that are produced by the countries of the region," said Enrique
Bolaños, president of Nicaragua.
"We also need to establish a common strategy so that we can
obtain special treatment in international trade negotiations, including
the negotiations to create the Free Trade Area of the
Americas."
In negotiations for the FTAA, Central American and Caribbean
countries have been arguing for recognition of their problems as small,
developing economies.
"An economically integrated group of Caribbean and Central
American states would provide both regions with some protection when they
get into the free trade area," said a Barbadian government
official.
However, expectations appear to be tempered in some quarters by
what is considered a more pressing preoccupation among the Central
American states.
"Despite the statements of the Central American presidents,
economic integration with Caricom might have to await what the Central
Americans could consider a more attractive priority -- a free trade
agreement with the US," said the official.
Last month US president, George W Bush offered to negotiate a
free trade deal with five Central American states, almost a year after the
leaders of the region proposed the arrangement.
Just under three years ago, Caricom suggested a free trade
agreement with the Central American countries. A Caricom spokesman said
that the reaction then from Central America was less than
enthusiastic.
The mood appears to have changed significantly. "There is
potential for co-operation in tourism, transportation, trade and
telecommunications, and this would move us towards a fully integrated
region," said Mr Musa. "This larger market will be more efficient and
attractive to investors, than would be one country."
da The
Jamaica Observer, 22 febbraio 2002 | 
Caraibi
Il
Cervantes
alla conquista dei Caraibi