(OECS Secretariat, Castries, St. Lucia, Wednesday March 30^th 2011) The CARICOM Trade and Competitiveness Project (CTCP) continues to facilitate more and better opportunities for the people of the CARICOM region to benefit from the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

The project which began effective implementation in May 2008, is about to close Phase I which has dealt with diagnostics for the various components throughout the Six (6) participating OECS Member States (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St .Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines). This includes consultative reviews of the environmental readiness and gender sensitivities of OECS Member States for the CSME.

In this regard, a consultative review of Grenada’s environmental readiness for the CSME was presented on February 18^th 2011 in St. Georges’ and received participation by officials from the OECS Commission, the  CARICOM Secretariat, as well as the National Coordinator for Grenada, representatives from the Environmental Unit and Public and Private Sector representatives. Various reviews have also been conducted in St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda.

Technical Attaché  at the OECS Secretariat for the Caricom Trade and Competitiveness Project Sandra Jones says plans are ongoing for the next level of the project: “The project is now preparing for Phase II which will commence with the development of a matrix on legislative compliance of Member States in the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market. The matrix comprises the findings and recommendations from the CTCP country reports prepared during Phase I for the six (6) OECS Member States.”

The CARICOM Trade and Competitiveness Project is designed to contribute to advancing the economic integration of CARICOM, by making it easier for nationals to benefit from the arrangements. It is financed by the Canadian International Development Agency CIDA.

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Subject contact; OECS Trade Policy Unit 455-OECS

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