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HOME	JUNE 04th, 2005

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JUN 04

Grenada has launched a Trade Reference Center aimed at providing simple and user-friendly access to regional and country-specific information related to trade and trade negotiations.

The Center is sponsored by the Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) with technical assistance from the Organisation of American States (OAS) Office for Trade, Growth and Competitiveness.

A ceremony to launch the Center was held last Friday at the Department of Human Resource Conference Room at the Ministerial Complex building in the Botanical Gardens.

Director of the OAS Office in Grenada, Francis Mc. Barnette presented the equipment for the Center to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Arlene Buckmire- Outram.

He told the ceremony that Grenada and other CARICOM countries have asked for assistance in building their trade capacity needs so that they can be better equipped to participate in trade negotiations within the context of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

Mc. Barnette disclosed that in response to the request, the OAS has customised a Trade Information Database (TID) for each of the CARICOM country.

The system includes full texts of trade agreements, bilateral investment treaties, national legislation in trade-related disciplines, trade and tariff data along with relevant articles and studies.

Mc Barnette indicated that their responsibilities include providing analytical and technical support to seven of the nine negotiating groups as well as other special FTAA committees.

He pointed out that they have also been engaged in the compilation of information on trade laws and measures as well as preparing substantive studies and reports.

He noted that the job also entails disseminating documents and statistics electronically, organising regional trade capacity building and training activities as well as co-ordinating with donors to meet the priority needs identified by countries in preparing national trade capacity building strategies.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Arlene Buckmnire-Outram indicated that Grenada is currently involved in a number of trade negotiations at the multilateral, regional and sub-regional levels.

She said the island is also actively implementing measures in order to participate in the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) that requires a significant amount of expertise, which is placing a strain on its already scare human and financial resources.

Buckmire-Outram stated that the Center will allow for greater access by stakeholders to trade information, as well as establish a database on trade-related laws and regulations, and create a means to ensure that Civil Society is provided with current trade information.

The Center which will be established in the Department of Trade can be accessed from a computer that will be set up at the Sheila Buckmire Memorial Library in St. George's. Information posted on the Center's website will be updated every three to six months to ensure that it remains as current as possible.