BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Federation will be represented at the highest level in this week’s gathering of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) as President Carol Evelyn presides over his first meeting since being elected to the regional office in June 2009.
The CAIC will meet for the first time this year at the Trinidad Hilton Conference Centre in Port of Spain, Trinidad from February 4-5. The meeting is expected to be attended by the executives and top officials of private sector organizations from across the region.
Evelyn, who serves as Director of the Manufacturing Division in the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce and as Plant Manager at Harowe Servo Controls Ltd., told this media house that the meeting will address the future of the organization and its eventual transformation into the Caribbean Business Council (CBC).
“It is really an honour for me to chair this meeting and I look forward to a productive meeting. I’ve been VP for years and I am really looking forward to take the issues to a higher level.
“The main issues on the agenda will be the financial state of the CAIC and we will also be looking at the new CBC, which CARICOM Heads initiated to replace the CAIC,” he said.
The CBC is expected to draw private sector organizations from all over the Caribbean under one umbrella and will have representation at the level of CARICOM. Although draft legislation for the new body has already been prepared, Evelyn said at the CAIC level there must be ongoing dialogue to allow a smooth transition into the new regional body.
“It’s a very good initiative, as there might be an issue which is affecting a particular sector and that sector may get little or no government assistance. But if we could approach governments as one private sector, with a greater voice, then individual sectors will certainly have the support they need behind them.
“Finally, a lot of the issues which were held back in terms of CSME [CARICOM Single Market and Economy] can be heard; if we sit down as a private sector and come with a common understanding, we would be able to articulate our position and we will see a smoother movement of the CSME coming into place,” Evelyn added.
Tomorrow's (Feb. 4) meeting is a strategic planning meeting for chambers of industry and commerce in the Caribbean. A report on the progress of the meeting will be forthcoming following the return of the CAIC President.
