In his personal and professional life, Mr. Thompson proved himself to be a champion of youth issues and played an integral role in forming several associations that inherently seek to promote positive youth development. His role in The Youth in Business Programme as well as the Barbados Youth Service is testament to this dedication.

Indeed, in a National address in March this year, Prime Minister Thompson again reiterated his passion to serve youth as he insightfully developed new strategies to push forward his Youth Agenda - a promise he made in 2008 to tackle and resolve issues of concern to young people.

The Caribbean Community has lost a great public servant.

We would like to offer sincere condolences to the Thompson family and to the Government and people of Barbados.

Read Press Release here: CARICOM Youth Ambassadors' Tribute to Prime MInister David Thompson (59.21 kB)

The CVQ was launched in October 2007 to facilitate the movement of artisans and other skilled persons in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). The CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development had played a pivotal role in establishing the Common Standards and Framework to facilitate the introduction of this new qualification.

At its 20^th three-day meeting in Georgetown, Guyana last week, that Council discussed current regional arrangements for the Award of the CVQ as well as procedures for approval of regional occupational standards.

The Council noted that while some Member States had built up capacity to offer this certification, others were still getting ready. In this regard therefore, the COHSOD gave the approval for the Secretariat to put in place the necessary procedures for additional countries to issue the CVQ.

This qualification will be accessible to persons already in the workforce as well as students in secondary schools across the Caribbean region. Those already in the work force will be required to attend designated centres for assessment and will be certified through their National Training Agencies (NTA) while those in schools will be certified through arrangements with the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

The Region looks forward to reaping those benefits as more countries move to offer the CVQ.

Read Press Release here: More CARICOM countries offering CVQs in 2011 (66.07 kB)

Additionally, however, service providers may make their services available in other member states using another mode, that is, by moving on a temporary basis. As with the establishment of businesses, there are approved procedures both at points of entry and after entry, regarding treatment of CARICOM nationals wishing to temporarily provide services.

Critical to this process is the application for and the issuance of a certificate by the Competent Authority within the national’s country, subject to the provision of proof relating to:

(a) CARICOM nationality; and

(b) competency to provide the service, or contract to offer service or letter from relevant association or reputable person or body.

The certificate, the lifetime of which is indefinite, along with a valid passport and the contract to offer service or an invitation letter, must be presented to the Immigration officer at the port of entry, who should then grant the CARICOM National sufficient time to provide the service.

A regime has also been approved in respect of the granting of extensions under this regime.

Read Press Release here: Conference discusses rural communities’ participation in CSME (58.41 kB)

The seminar is organized by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and funded by the 9th European Development Fund (EDF), Caribbean Integration Support Programme (CISP). It is one in a series of seminars on Competition Policy and Law facilitated throughout the region.

Participants will hear from representatives of the Suriname Ministry of Trade and Industry, the CARICOM Competition Commission, the Jamaica Fair Trading Commission, the CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), the Caribbean Consumer Council and the CARICOM Secretariat. Topics to be presented at the one-day seminar include Competition Policy in CARICOM, Standards and Technical Regulations in CARICOM and an Overview of Consumer Affairs. This activity is a continuation of the CARICOM Secretariat’s public education programme on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), including regional competition policy developments. Similar seminars were conducted in Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

Read Press Release here: PR3162010 Surinam and Competition Law

Broadcasters and newspaper editors from across the region will benefit from presentations on a variety of topics including; The CSME – Looking ahead; Free Movement of Skills and Occupation and Providing Professional Services in the CSME. In addition, there will be presentations on issues affecting the regional broadcast and print media.

Representatives from the Grenada Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) and the CARICOM Secretariat are scheduled to speak.

The workshops are organized by the CARICOM Secretariat with funding provided by the 9th European Development Fund (EDF), Caribbean Integration Support Programme (CISP). The activities are part of the Secretariat’s on-going efforts to engage regional media workers on the CSME. Over the last five years, similar workshops have been held in Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda.

Read Press Release here: PR3312010 RegionalMediaWorkshop

The meeting featured a background paper by the Head of Competition Outreach of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and country presentations from Brazil, El Salvador and Chile, with the President of Spain’s Competition Agency as the lead discussant.

Under Dr Haraksingh’s chairmanship, the meeting examined the importance of intra government advocacy as a tool to tackle anti-competitive business practices and the relevance of market and sector specific studies as an advocacy instrument, as well as the importance of training in competition for judicial authorities. In this regard, the CCC has already conducted three important training sessions for judges in Caricom and has an ongoing programme in this area under the auspices of the Brussels based Trade.Com EU/ACP facility.

Advocacy is a core function of the CCC, alongside its investigative and adjudicatory responsibilities, to prevent cross-border anti-competitive business conduct and to enforce the rules of Competition as specified in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The Latin American Competition Forum is sponsored by the OECD and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the CCC has participated in this forum since its inauguration in 2008.

Read Press Release here:

During his tenure, Mr. Carrington oversaw the revision of the Treaty of Chaguaramas and the consequent transition of the Community from a Common Market to a Single Market in 2006. Under his Secretary-Generalship, the platform is also being set for eventual evolution of the Community to include a Single Economy - the framework for which Heads of Government have undertaken to create by 2015.

Mr. Carrington’s term has also seen the establishment of a number of key institutions designed to put the integration process on a sound base, including:

 

• CCJ - Caribbean Court of Justice (2005);
• CROSQ - Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (2002);
• CCCCC - Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (2005);
• CCC - CARICOM Competition Commission (2008);
• CDF - CARICOM Development Fund (2008).

 

 

See full press release here: PR3372010 Carrington Leaves (34.5 kB)