43rd meeting of COTED begins; key unsolved issues to be discussed

The Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), approval of quality standards for goods and service providers, BREXIT and a range of other issues will be discussed at the 43^rd meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) which convened this morning at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Providence.

This is according to Assistant Secretary-General for Trade and Economic Integration at the Caricom Secretariat, Joseph Cox, who noted too that a road map for Caribbean regulatory systems for medicines and inter-sectoral action against non-communicable diseases are two health matters that must be considered at the meeting.

Cox called for pragmatic and strategic action in building a robust trade and investment environment for all countries within the community.

Meantime, Chairperson of the meeting Sieglien Burleson, Minister of Trade and Industry, Suriname, pointed out that there are many unsolved issues on the agenda for many years that need to be addressed.

Given the global financial environment, the Chairperson reiterated that the time is now, more than ever that the institutions within the region are strengthened. She is optimistic that the cooperation and support among member states would result in long term stability.