Inauguration Ceremony CARICOM's Competition Commission

Source: CARICOM Secretariat, Guyana

Jan. 14, 2008

Plans are well advanced for the Inauguration Ceremony of the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Competition Commission, including the swearing in of the Commissioners, which takes place on Friday 19 January 2008 in Paramaribo, Suriname. The gala ceremony will be aired live via television throughout the Community and high level representatives are expected from the Member States of the Community.

The Commission is an integral part of the operations of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and is established under Article 171 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community agreed at its 10th Special Meeting of the Conference in November 2004 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago that the headquarters of the Commission would be in Suriname.

The need for the Commission arose out of the discussions among the framers of the Revised Treaty about the need for a Competition Policy to help regulate the operations of the CSME. This was to prevent attempts at preserving positions in national markets by frustrating competition both by national and non-national competitors, which could diminish the benefits expected from liberalisation and integration.

In order to avoid such occurrences, Chapter Eight of the Revised Treaty was negotiated to promote economic efficiency, competition and protection of consumers. The provisions of the chapter prohibit agreements, decisions and concerted practices and the abuse of dominant positions which are incompatible with the CSME. Although the Treaty provides for public and private monopolies, these are subject to the Rules on Competition.

The body set out in the Revised Treaty for enforcement of the Community Competition Rules is the Competition Commission. The seven-member Commission is appointed by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission which will also appoint a Chairman from among the seven Commissioners. Their term of office is five years which can be renewed for a further period of not more than five years. Commissioners should, among other things, have expertise in commerce, finance, economics, law, competition policy and practice, international trade.

No timetable for CARICOM Passport in Jamaica

Caribbean Community passport deadline derailed

published: Sunday October 14, 2007

Source Jamaica Gleaner

Jamaica's deadline to introduce the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) passports by year end has been derailed, and no timetable has been set regarding when the country will join other member states in implementing the passport regime.

The introduction of the regional travel document should have taken place earlier this year, but was postponed because of preparations for Cricket World Cup, which the region hosted.

In a previous interview, Robert Miller, head of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had said the new documents would have come into effect by December 31.

But this will not be so, according to Gilbert Scott, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, which has responsibility for the Passport Office.

"A new passport is the least of my priorities right now," Scott tells The Sunday Gleaner when pressed as to why the date was no longer feasible. "I have other important things to deal with."
He, however, noted that while, Jamaica was committed to meeting its regional obligations, the matter of the regional passport was not at the top of the ministry's agenda.

"Our primary interest here is the security of our borders and the security of travel documents," states Scott. "The CARICOM passport in of itself does not guarantee or enhance the security of the document and our concern right now is to move to a more secure document, and that takes time and research," he adds.

Regionalism

The CARICOM passport is a document, which is being issued in accordance with an agreed format for intra-regional and extra-regional travel.

Heads of government agreed to the issuance of this passport by member countries as a symbol of regionalism. The introduction of the CARICOM passport is also one of the measures to promote hassle-free travel for CARICOM nationals.

Suriname was the first country to issue the CARICOM passport on January 7, 2005, followed by St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Kitts later that year.

Respect border Ruling

CCL urges Guyana, Suriname to respect border ruling

Rickey Singh Source: Jamaica Observer Thursday, October 11, 2007

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) is urging both Suriname and Guyana to abide by the ruling of an international tribunal on delimitation of their maritime boundaries and to avoid any unpleasant developments.

The regional umbrella body of some 30 trade union affiliates across the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries, was reacting to last month's unanimous award of an International Law of the Sea Tribunal that substantially favoured the case presented by Guyana.

But Suriname's questioning of the tribunal's judgement led Guyana last week to formally submit the entire text to the United Nations Security Council in order, it said, to avoid "misrepresentations" that could have unnecessary negative consequences.

The CCL, which maintains an operational secretariat in Barbados, welcomed the tribunal's ruling as "an achievement for the rule of law". It expressed the hope that the judgement contributes to "good neighbourly relations", noting that the workers of both countries "have always shared cordial and close relationships".

Consequently, the CCL has also urged workers' support in encouraging "respect for the procedures and adherence to the international rule of law" to discourage "triumphalism and agitation as being counter-productive....

"Especially at this time," it added, "when several countries of Caricom have signed onto the principles of free movement of goods, services and skills in pursuit of a CSME."