Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean, is disappointed with the delay in concluding negotiations to finalise a trading agreement with Canada.
She made this disclosure during the opening session of the Barbados Private Sector Trade Team's Consultation on the status of the region's negotiations with Canada held at the Island Inn Hotel recently.
Underscoring the importance of Barbados/Canada trading relations, the Foreign Affairs Minister said Cabinet had taken a decision to complete a comprehensive Trade and Development Agreement with Canada "as soon as possible and preferably by the end of next year and this is an agreement which my Ministry will not take lightly".
Senator McClean added: "We are mindful of the current economic and financial climate in which we operate and the additional challenges which trade liberalisation present at this time. However, we see the glass as half full and not half empty, and we see Canada as a prospective market where we can build avenues for increased exports and investment…"
In order to speed up the process, the Foreign Minister suggested the "immersion" of the political directorate of CARICOM and very senior officials in the negotiation process.
"What I am advocating is not a call for Ministers to be at the negotiating table, but to be accessible and to be given adequate opportunity to distil the issues where direction is needed. There are avenues available …The technology is available…and we must be prepared to use it," Senator McClean emphasised.
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