News

The European Business Chamber in Trinidad and Tobago invites the printing and packaging industries to attend a free conference being hosted by PrintPromotion GmbH of Germany in Port of Spain, Trinidad on the 27 March 2017 at La Boucan, Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm.   The theme of the conference is 'High-tech for the Printing Industry from German Manufacturers - Getting ready for the future'.

Innovation and technology upgrades are key elements for increasing competitiveness among our manufacturers, commercial and industrial suppliers in the Caribbean region and the printing and packaging industry is no different.  Furthermore, this industry impacts a large range of manufactured goods for exports as printing and packaging has a direct impact on the marketability of products.

The conference will not only be a learning experience for the industry but will also offer the industry the opportunity for establishing partnerships and for networking with German technology suppliers.   This all supports the principles behind the CARIFORUM- EU Economic Partnership Agreement in a practical way.

Similar one day conferences for this region are scheduled as follows:

21st March 2017 - Cuba

23rd March 2017 - Dominican Republic

27th March 2017 - Trinidad and Tobago

29th March 2017 - Costa Rica

31st March 2017 – Guatemala

The host, PrintPromotion: http://www.printpromotion.de/is a non-profit organization that promotes the printing and paper converting industry by establishing a network, exchanging experience and spreading know-how. All activities are carried out in close co-operation with the world-wide leading German manufacturers of printing and paper technology. PrintPromotion forms part of the printing and paper technology group within the VDMA (German engineering association).  Member companies  are manufacturers of printing, paper and converting machinery. 

Attendance is free but all participants must pre-register. To register, please send the following information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.:

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MIAMI (March 13, 2017) - Seasoned hotel industry professional Stacy Cox is the new president of the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE).

Cox was recently appointed to the leadership position during board meetings that preceded the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association's (CHTA) annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace event in The Bahamas.

CSHAE is an independent organization aimed at advancing professional development and strengthening networking among Caribbean hotel and tourism association executives.

Cox, who has served as the Executive Director of The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) since September 2011, is a native of The Bahamas and a citizen of the Turks and Caicos Islands. She has amassed more than 20 years of hospitality experience in both destinations.

As Executive Director, she represents the membership of TCHTA on matters affecting the tourism and hospitality industry, both locally and internationally, including advocacy issues and marketing initiatives, which help build a sustainable tourism product through awareness, outreach and educational programs.

"To be elected by my counterparts throughout the Caribbean for such a role speaks volumes and I am truly honored," said Cox, who promised she will not take the role lightly. She looks forward to continuing her advocacy efforts for local members, while "taking our collective voice to CHTA, with the hope of having our issues addressed at the top of the regional association's agenda."

"It is a blessing to have Stacy in this leadership role," said Director General and CEO of CHTA Frank Comito. "She has been a model member of this group for several years and we always look forward to her wise counsel and enthusiastic, solutions-driven approach to addressing challenges for our members. She leads by example and has done outstanding work in her role with the TCHTA," he added.

Cox began her hospitality career as an activity coordinator in 1991 at what is now the world-famous Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas, and quickly moved her way up the ranks, receiving the coveted "Cacique" award prior to leaving her island home.

In 1997, she moved to the Turks and Caicos Islands, where she held general manager positions at Windsong Resort and Royal West Indies Resort.

The hospitality professional is committed to the advancement of the tourism industry and believes that education and awareness of opportunities within the sector are critical in the region. "One of my first tasks as President of CSHAE is to meet with the team to determine how we can better raise the profile of the Society and to identify networking and developmental opportunities for all Associations," she said.

Cox volunteers her time to organizations and events such as Youth Explosion, Maskanoo, TCI Shines Clean-up Campaign and TCI Little Chefs. She has also served on various executive boards, including TCHTA, Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, Turks and Caicos Animal Welfare Committee, CHTA, CSHAE, Junior Achievement Turks & Caicos Islands, and The Salvation Army.

An advocate of continuing education, she has furthered her own professional development through online courses at Cornell University and the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Cox's favorite motto is "Living with purpose, because of the promise". She regularly mentors young women, especially those in the hospitality industry.

About the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA)
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is the Caribbean's leading association representing tourism interests for national hotel and tourism associations. For more than 50 years, CHTA has been the backbone of the Caribbean hospitality industry. Working together with 1,000 hotel and allied members and 32 National Hotel Associations, CHTA is shaping the Caribbean's future and helping members to grow their businesses. Whether navigating new worlds like social media, sustainability, legislative issues, emerging technologies, data and intelligence or looking for avenues and ideas to better market and manage businesses, CHTA is helping members on matters that matter most.

For further information, visit www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.

Source: Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA)

Contact: Greta Andzenge, Marketplace Excellence + 1 201 861-2056 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SUMMARY REVIEW

As required by the Trade Act of 1974, the Trump Administration released on March 2, 2017 its 2017 Trade Policy Agenda and 2016 Annual Report. As noted in the introduction, the trade policy agenda piece of the report is much shorter than is typical in large part because the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has not yet been confirmed. The introduction also cites the statute creating the Office of the USTR, emphasizing that the USTR will “act as the principal spokesman of the President on international trade,” clearly acknowledging the USTR’s authority over trade policy.

The report notes both overall purposes of U.S. trade policy and identifies key objectives, which it identifies as the following:

“Ensuring that U.S. workers and businesses have a fair opportunity to compete for business – both in the domestic U.S. market and in other key markets around the world.

• Breaking down unfair trade barriers in other markets that block U.S. exports, including exports of agricultural goods
• Maintaining a balanced policy that looks out for the interests of all segments of the U.S. economy, including manufacturing, agriculture, and services, as well as small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Ensuring that U.S. owners of intellectual property (IP) have a full and fair opportunity to use and profit from their IP.
• Strictly enforcing U.S. trade laws to prevent the U.S. market from being distorted by dumped and/or subsidized imports that harm domestic industries and workers.
• Enforcing labor provisions in existing agreements and enforcing the prohibition against the importation and sale of goods made with forced labor.
• Resisting efforts by other countries – or Members of international bodies like the World Trade Organization (WTO) – to advance interpretations that would weaken the rights and benefits of, or increase the obligations under, the various trade agreements to which the United States is a party.
• Updating current trade agreements as necessary to reflect changing times and market conditions.
• Ensuring that United States trade policy contributes to the economic strength and manufacturing base necessary to maintain – and improve – our national security.
• Strongly advocating for all U.S. workers, farmers, ranchers, services providers, and businesses, large and small – to assure the fairest possible treatment of American interests in the U.S. market and in other markets around the world.”

The Trade Policy Agenda is notably different in substance compared to similar reports from past administrations, with its heavy focus on sovereignty and the lack of significant positive mentions of how trade agreements have opened up markets to spur greater opportunities. The review of 2016 activities is also much slimmer and less positive about the use of existing trade mechanisms and the international rules based architecture.

The Report outlines for major priorities for the new Administration:

(1) defend US national sovereignty over trade policy

(2) strictly enforce US trade laws

(3) use all possible sources of leverage to encourage other countries to open their markets to U.S. exports of goods and services, and provide adequate and effective protection and enforcement of US intellectual property rights

(4) negotiate new and better trade deals with countries in key markets around the world.

On negotiating new trade agreements, the Report reiterates President’s Trump (TPP) preference for negotiating bilateral deals and signals that high on the list will be the countries in the TPP that do not already have trade pacts with the United States.  The President’s decision to withdraw the United States from the TPP has paved the way for bilateral deals with those countries, the report says.

The Administration also intends to review – and where needed – renegotiate existing US trade deals. It singles out the North American Free Trade Agreement and the US bilateral trade deal with South Korea as trade agreements that have not benefitted country, only leading to big trade deficits.

Notably, the report makes no mention of initiating consultations on a renegotiation of NAFTA. It notes that it is reviewing TTIP. On TPP, it notes the administration’s early action to remove formally the United States from the TPP, but also indicates that it has “begun consultations related to bilateral discussions with our trading partners in the region.”

The Trump Administration is questioning the authority of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body and is prepared to disregard any rulings it believes challenge US sovereignty, according to President’s the annual Trade Policy Agenda released yesterday. “The Trump Administration will aggressively defend American sovereignty over matters of trade policy,” the report declares. The White House will not accept WTO rulings that impede its ability to address unfair trade practices. The report also suggests that the WTO has not always been successful in disciplining other countries that fail to live up to their obligations.

The Report reiterates President’s Trump preference for negotiating bilateral deals and signals that high on the list will be the countries in the TransPacific Partnership that do not already have trade agreements with the United States. The President’s decision to withdraw the United States from TPP has paved the way for bilateral deals with those countries, the report says.

New Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told his department’s employees yesterday that they will be playing a key role in renegotiating “bad trade deals like NAFTA.” The current trade system has “gutted” US manufacturing, he said. He seems en route to becoming the locus of trade power in the Administration but we still await USTR Robert Lighthizer confirmation and the entire “balance of forces” with National Trade Council (NTC) Director Peter Navarro in the White House.

The Report also pledges that the Administration will be more aggressive in tackling unfair trade practices, including by self-initiating trade remedy cases.

Of note on NAFTA:

•         Section I, The President’s Trade Policy Agenda: A key objective will be “updating current trade agreements as necessary to reflect changing times and market conditions.” [Page 2]

•         Section I, The President’s Trade Policy Agenda: “There are significant reasons to be concerned with other major agreements as well. For years now, the United States has run trade deficits in goods with our trading partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In 2016, for example, our combined trade deficit in goods with Canada and Mexico was more than $74 billion. As long ago as 2008, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton called for the United States to renegotiate NAFTA – and to withdraw from NAFTA if such renegotiations were unsuccessful.” [Page 6]

•         Section III, Bilateral and Regional Negotiations and Agreements: Overview and general updates on NAFTA. [Page 128]

Documents/Links

•         Statement of House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert.

•         Statement of House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Bill Pascrell, Jr.

•         Statement of Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden

The Summary Review is courtesy Manchester Trade Limited Inc in Washington, DC, US/Latin America trade/investment and business advisors to CAIC and partner firm to DYKON Developments.

Senior environment officials from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) met recently in Belize as CARICOM rationalises its position on the United Nations (UN) process to establish an international legally binding agreement on sustainable use of marine resources.

The two-day workshop held 20-22 February 2017, in Belize City, Belize, was titled, ‘CARICOM Regional Workshop on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction’.

Foreign Minister of Belize, the Hon. Wilfred Elrington, addressing the opening, said that CARICOM Member States had championed the negotiation and adoption of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which was opened for signature in Jamaica. He also reminded that when the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea was constituted, two CARICOM citizens – Edward Laing of Belize and Dolliver Nelson of Grenada, joined the ranks of the first 21 Members of the Tribunal.

“Judge Laing and Judge Nelson are no longer with us, but they, together with other key jurists from our Region, including the sitting Judge Anthony Amos Lucky of Trinidad and Tobago, have left a legacy on the international stage that is definitive of our Region’s commitment to uphold the law of the sea.

“We have now been called upon to address an area of the law of the sea that has not been adequately provided for in the UNCLOS, whether for want of scientific knowledge, implementation, or as a result of governance and legal gaps,” he said.

For CARICOM, he noted, the implementation of this agreement was the only feasible option to ensure that developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in particular, benefited equitably from the conservation, sustainable use and exploitation of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Critically, he said, the agreement presented an opportunity to strengthen the Convention and to help States with the implementation of provisions of UNCLOS relating to resources which would not have been contemplated to be the exclusive domain of any State, however large and industrialised.

Minister Elrington told the gathering of regional experts in the legal field, in fisheries, environment and international relations that it was critical for the meeting to identify the essential elements for a new implementing agreement, taking into account regional interests, the Community’s contributions to the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources and potential benefits to be secured in such an agreement.

The Hon. Dr. Omar Figueroa, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, also addressed the meeting noting that the wide range of expertise gathered at the meeting reflected the complexity of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

This multi-sectoral approach was necessary, he said, to address the complexities of the issue. He urged the participants to use the platform for knowledge-building, sharing and networking, and to establish a solid foundation upon which the CARICOM could formulate well-informed positions.

The meeting engaged in technical discussions on the proposed Implementing Agreement under the United Nations Law of the Sea on Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction. It identified areas for further study and research for the Region to enhance its participation in the preparatory process. It also identified key actions to be taken at the national and regional level ahead of the next Preparatory meeting of the United Nations scheduled for March 27th to 7th April 2017.

Courtesy: CARICOM Today

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, March 2nd, 2017 –The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Anguilla Community College (ACC) to jointly certify Level 1 and 2 Linesmen Training.

The training programme, which will include personnel from the Anguilla Electricity Company Limited (ANGLEC), is to ensure a highly skilled, certified, and dedicated team of linesman professionals. It is a part of CARILEC’S overarching efforts to promote sustainability and capacity building in the electricity industry.

In his remarks at the official signing ceremony for the MoU, CARILEC Executive Director Mr Thomas Hodge said that CARILEC is “focused on improving or facilitating world class electricity services for the people of the region, and we work with utilities anyway we can to support them in this.” Further adding: “We recognize that capacity building is an important tenet of a secure energy infrastructure. Our linesmen have to be able to work at world class standards and improved efficiency so that the industry as a whole will become more efficient.” Mr Hodge emphasized that there is value in developing “home grown” institutions and that CARILEC is “very proud to be part of this and part of the Anguilla Community working together.”

Chief Executive Officer of ANGLEC Mr David Gumbs, also addressing the signing ceremony remarked that: “This is a programme that is very critical for us in trying to develop our team and making sure our team receives the appropriate certifications for two reasons: One (1) the benefit that brings to the company; and Two (2) the development of our people.”

The MoU was signed on February 17 at 10:00 in the morning at the Anguilla Community College’s main conference room. Mr David Gumbs, CEO of ANGLEC; Mr Steve Hodge, Network Operations Engineer, ANGLEC; Mr Rodney Rey, Chairman of the Board of the ACC; Ms Janis Mckeag, TVET Coordinator and Mr Thomas Hodge, Executive Director of CARILEC were in attendance and gave remarks. The ACC intends to commence the training programme by May 2017.

For more information contact:
Malika Thompson-Cenac
Communications and Research Officer
Phone: 758 452 0141/0
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, February 21st, 2017 – The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), will host its annual Corporate Communications, Human Resource and Customer Service Conference at the Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa from 10th to 14th March, 2017, in Sint Maarten. For the second consecutive year the Conference will be co-hosted with Utility member NV GEBE, whose CEO Mr. Kenrick Chittick has registered a number of his employees as part of the utility’s capacity building strategy for employees. The conference is being sponsored by silver sponsor, The Training Professionals International Firm (TPI).

Prior to the Conference CARILEC is scheduled to host a Pre-Conference Workshop: “Aligning Culture and Strategy” from March 10th-11th. The workshop will be facilitated by Richard Dick, Principal Consultant and CEO of Development Consulting Center, a firm he founded in 1997 that focuses on Organizational Development.

The Conference will feature Henrietta Elizabeth Thompson as the keynote speaker. Thompson is a former Member of Parliament and Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate in Barbados. She has also served as an Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), a consultant on the SDGs and as a Senior Advisor to the UN Secretary General’s global energy initiative entitled ‘Sustainable Energy for All”. An attorney-at-law with LLB, LLM and MBA degrees, Thompson has co- authored and authored numerous publications, including “From Rio+20 to a new Development Agenda”, “The Plain Language Guide to Rio+20” and a motivational book “Make Yourself Happy”. She currently serves as the Executive Director Designate of the SUNY-UWI Centre for Leadership and Sustainable Development in New York.

Thompson and other regionally recognized speakers will address this year’s Conference theme “Accountability. Transparency. Customer Experience”. They will share their experience and expertise on a range of topics which include: “Getting Aligned on Culture and Strategy”; “A way of looking at culture”; “Taking an external view- wins and failure”; “Culture assessment- gathering insights”; “What’s HR’s role in aligning culture and strategy?”; and “Creating the culture needed for the future”. The Conference will emphasize leading innovation, creativity and best practice and will provide an opportunity for professionals working in all facets of human resources, communications, marketing, brand management and customer experience to share insights and network with the leading minds in these fields.

To register or learn more about the CARILEC 2017 Conference for Corporate Communications, Human Resource and Customer Service explore our website www.carilec.org, follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/carilecpower or like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/carilecpower.

For more information contact: Alana T. Mathurin,Manager, Marketing and Member Services,
Phone: 758 4520 141/0 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The first consultation of the Office of Trade Negotiations facilitated by the CAIC on the Future Direction of CARICOM's External Trade Policy was well attended on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, providing insight into challenges with existing agreements, the direction that countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago are looking towards, as well as the framework required to go forward.

Participants included representatives from
- Jamaica Chamber of Commerce
- Bahamas Chamber of Commerce
- St Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Commerce
- Suriname Chamber of Commerce
- Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce
- Haiti Chamber of Commerce
- Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association
- Barbados Coalition of Service Industries
- Grace Kennedy
- Caribbean Institute of Certified Management Consultants
- and various other private sector companies

The 2017 Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF), is the fifth clean energy event of the Caribbean Community, with the intention of connecting policy and strategy with implementation and practice in high level dialogue to identify actions that can promote a shift to sustainable energy through increased use of renewable energy sources and improvements in energy efficiency in CARICOM member states.

Held at the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau, Bahamas from January 23rd to 25th, the agenda includes panels on the following: -

• Effectively linking the Nationally Determined Contributions, Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS) and Sustainable Development Goals.
• Policy Strategy and Planning - the CARICOM Energy Policy, Roadmap and Strategy
• Lessons learned from 2012-2017 in CARICOM's Energy Transition.
• Building a culture of effective Energy Statistics and Information management within the region.
• Integrating Efficiency and Renewable Energy into the Regional Energy System.
• Unlocking the appropriate quantity and quality of capital for the region's sustainable energy needs
• CARICOM's Energy Transition outlook on the next ten years.

This Forum is attended by CAIC's Secretary, Dav-Ernan Kowlessar who participated on Monday in a C-SERM working group on Policy and Regulation. Organised by the CARICOM Secretariat in collaboration with the government of The Bahamas, the Forum is attended by Energy Ministers from membe states, senior officials from national, regional and international institutions, and industry experts.

The Forum coincides with the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference and Trade Show at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad from January 23rd to 25th.