 | CARICOM Vies for FTAA SecretariatCARICOM Heads of Government during their July 2003 meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica formally endorsed Port of Spain as the Region’s choice to house the FTAA Secretariat when the trade agreement takes effect. To date, Port of Spain has secured the support of 18 countries (including all of CARICOM, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru). Additional support is expected whenever the substantive negotiations resume, at which time it is expected that countries will join the emerging consensus in the hemisphere that Trinidad and Tobago is the Natural Home of the FTAA. The location of the FTAA Permanent Secretariat in Trinidad and Tobago will raise the profile of the entire Region, while contributing ancillary benefits to each Member State in CARICOM. The case for Trinidad and Tobago |
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Why is Trinidad & Tobago “the natural home of FTAA Secretariat”? |
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Proposed site of the FTAA SECRETARIAT |
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Do you need to ask why Trinidad and Tobago? What gives Port-of-Spain the competitive advantage over the other cities vying to house the site? What makes the case for T&T?
We are full of many natural advantages over our competitors. We are the most southerly island of the Caribbean chain, which places us outside of the hurricane belt. Our official language is English and the Ministry of Trade and Industry is coordinating efforts to make Spanish our First Foreign Language.
Trinidad and Tobago's strong financial and manufacturing sectors coupled with our central location in the hemisphere (for travel to north, south and Central America) make us ideally poised to be the commercial, financial and communication hub of the Americas. Our socially and culturally diverse society complemented by a stable democracy and dynamic business climate, make our twin island Republic the natural choice for the permanent site.
With an economy fuelled by energy and petrochemicals and a GDP per capita of US$10, 500, Trinidad and Tobago maintains one of the highest standards of living in the Region. This is manifest in our low Consumer Price Index of 4.0% and stable exchange rate of US$ 1 - TT$6.30. Our population of 1.3 million has an adult literacy rate of 91%. Apart from Canada, Trinidad and Tobago has the highest level of US foreign capital investment in the Western Hemisphere. Further, among the countries bidding, Trinidad and Tobago boasts the lowest rate for electricity. Our relatively low cost of transportation, food and leisure combine to make executive living standards highly competitive when compared with other major metropolitan centres in the Western Hemisphere.
Our two major airports, Piarco International in Trinidad and Crown Point in Tobago are both well equipped to handle wide-bodied aircraft. Piarco is a modern world-class facility which accommodates comfortable and convenient connections to and from all the major metropolitan cities. It has well-established air routes, and is serviced by major international air carriers that fly to many of the major cities in the Western Hemisphere including Paramaribo, Suriname; Caracas, Venezuela; Miami, New York and Washington in the USA; Toronto, Canada; San Jose, Costa Rica and Georgetown Guyana; with connecting flights to other destinations. We also have excellent sea routes and two major sea ports, Port-of-Spain and Point Lisas. The port of Port-of-Spain is a sheltered harbour and is capable of handling bulk container shipping and cruise ships. Point Lisas is a fully developed industrial port that specializes in handling petrochemicals, iron, steel and containerized and general cargo.
In Trinidad and Tobago, there are many opportunities to enjoy an enriching and holistic life. Trinidad is fast-paced, industrialised, cosmopolitan and eager to stake its claim among the developed nations of the world. Tobago, our smaller and more serene sister isle, is home to endless beaches, an array of wildlife and wide-range of outdoor activities. We also have world-class golf courses on both islands. What Trinidad and Tobago has to share is a rich natural environment and a vibrant culture that seduces visitors and engenders a sense of pride in all of us.
The FTAA is refashioning the relationship of the Americas. On a recent promotional tour to garner support, one diplomat quite aptly summarised Trinidad and Tobago's bid with the acronym M.O.V.E. He explained that M stood for management and the belief that as a region and a people we can manage large enterprises. O was embracing ownership of our future as a region, of which the FTAA will be a major part. V, represented vision, and having the long-term vision of what Latin America and the Caribbean want, so we can work towards it as a region and E as empowerment and empowering ourselves to take charge of this large part of our hemispheric future. M.O.V.E, he emphatically stated, suggests movement and action.
The FTAA is an unprecedented piece of trade diplomacy and Trinidad and Tobago's candidature is about this Region taking action and greater charge of its future to achieve what we want. At stake here is far more than being selected as the site for the Secretariat. This is a golden opportunity to enhance our standing in the international arena and say without doubt that Trinidad and Tobago and the Region are standing up to be counted on the global stage.
This article is part of the public education by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. For further information please contact the Communications Specialist, the Ministry of Trade and Industry at tcarr@tradeind.gov.tt or 868. 623-2931-4 ext. 2028. Fax 868-627-8488
