Representatives of the CSME Unit, CARICOM Secretariat
Members of Staff of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs
Participants from St. Kitts and Nevis
Specially invited guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago I would like to welcome you to this afternoon’s Reception. I am indeed pleased to be present here and to deliver remarks to you, the guests of the hour today, and our future leaders of tomorrow. I wish to state categorically that my pleasure in addressing you is derived in a large part from the considerable value that the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago places on projects and programmes such as these. I consider this Students’ Mission with its focus on regional integration, business and entrepreneurship and engaging of our young CARICOM people to be extremely important and indeed necessary, given the important economic issues of the day and the fundamental changes that continue to take place in the regional and, by extension, the international environment.
I wish, at the onset, to congratulate the CARICOM Secretariat and the CSME Unit in Barbados, for their initiative and foresight in organizing this Student Mission. I also wish to thank the European Union through the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) CSME Economic Integration Programme for the remarkable assistance they have afforded the students of the region in making this CSME Student Mission a reality. Without this support, such an initiative would have been quite challenging.
As the new Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, I am heartened to see the CARICOM Single Market and Economy come alive. I am sure the students would have been exposed to the theoretical aspects of regional integration but this student mission brings to life that which you cannot find in any text book.
During the week the students would have had the opportunity to gain practical experience of how the CSME functions in Trinidad and Tobago. This brings to the fore the view that the CSME must be a lived reality. This Student Mission has offered that practical experience necessary for providing a holistic education. The focus of this Student Mission has been to expose you the students of St. Kitts and Nevis to business opportunities in the CSME and identify career possibilities that exist throughout the region. I am sure that you have seen the value of this Mission.
As young people, you are our most valuable stakeholders and as CARICOM addresses all the challenges that we are faced with, I believe that you can make a difference by giving our Region the tools to survive by creating a sustainable environment. The CSME allows for all CARICOM nationals like yourselves to maximize your talents and resources. Under the provisions for Establishment, Services, Capital and the Movement of Community Nationals as contained in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, you will recognize that employment opportunities that are available to you, are no longer confined to the labour market in St. Kitts and Nevis or the OECS countries but extend as far as Suriname in the South and of course here in Trinidad or Tobago.
I want to draw attention to the fact that whilst discussions and consultations have largely involved manufacturers, businessmen and local government, the CSME Unit of Trinidad and Tobago has made it a necessity to involve constantly the Youth in our Public Education Programme. We have had many discussions with students at tertiary level institutions disseminating information about the CSME, its benefits and opportunities. This Student Mission is another one of many initiatives focused at involving the young people of our region in the incorporation of the CSME. I am therefore pleased that the CARICOM Secretariat has recognized the potential of the CSME and has sought to include you, our young people in such an innovative and interactive way.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is important to note that even as we speak benefits are being accrued from the CSME. Our manufacturers, for quite some time now, have been operating within a Single Market framework. Capital is moving freely in most Member States and people are setting up business throughout the region. Further, our skilled persons are capitalizing on the greater opportunity for work. To date, Trinidad and Tobago has issued over three thousand seven hundred (3,700) Certificates of Recognition of Caribbean Community Skills Qualification, otherwise known as Skills Certificates and the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs continues to receive applications on a steady basis from nationals belonging to all twelve Member States. Additionally, during the period 2012 to present, over 100 businesses owned by CARICOM nationals have been given approval to operate in Trinidad and Tobago without the need for a Work Permit.
It is therefore my expectation that this exercise has undoubtedly provided you with the stimuli and recommendations to support the Region’s efforts as well as the tools to address the opportunities and the challenges brought on by this single enlarged economic space.
In closing, I wish to state that the Caribbean Region should indeed be proud of its integration with the world community. As the Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago I am heartened by the efforts of the CARICOM Secretariat, the CSME Units of Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados and the European Development Fund Community Integration Support Programme. It is indeed a pleasure to see that our students around the region are being exposed to social and economic development and good governance while fostering a better understanding of the goals and intent behind our educational efforts. I wish to extend my heartfelt commendations to all of the participants and hope this opportunity brings great rewards.
Permit me to say once more how pleased I am with the convening of this Student Mission and to wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavours!
I Thank You.
