Salutations.

It is again a great pleasure to be in Guyana, and particularly so during the celebration of the 36th anniversary of Independence.  On behalf of all of us I congratulate the Government and People of Guyana on this important national milestone, and further express sincere appreciation for the warm hospitality that has been extended to us.

Colleague Ministers, we meet at a critical juncture in Regional and global affairs.  Developments are taking place in the trade and economic arena that demand our most urgent and careful attention.

We are at a point where decisive steps must be taken, and quickly, to see the effective implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) in accordance with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, and the far reaching decisions of our Heads of Government at the 13th Inter-sessional meeting in Belize.  If this were not enough, we are also confronted with a challenging array of international negotiating processes that require us to strategise and chart a course of action through increasingly choppy negotiating waters.

Here in the hemisphere, the FTAA process is moving into high gear.  Further afield, the ACP/EU process is looming large, and the WTO agenda is a constant challenge.

We are here to do business - the citizens of the Caribbean demand that we address this ambitious agenda boldly. We must define and pursue effective strategies to advance our national and regional interests in all these fora, and employ in this process all the talent and resources at our disposal.

The agenda for this meeting is long.  It contains some very important issues which we must discuss carefully, and on which we must take serious decisions.

We will pay close attention to the on-going process of implementing the CSME.  We all recognise that time is of the essence - the clock is ticking.  Member States must take serious steps to comply with the timetable for the removal of all restrictions and take action on other vital aspects of the CSME process.

We have a strong message from our Regional private sectors that our timetable must be further accelerated - we need to respond to that message in a positive way - and at the end of this meeting, and after,  they must feel reassured that we in the public sector not only agree with them, but with them as our constant and willing partners.  That is a commitment.

I need not stress how crucial it is that we get the CSME process right, and get it right quickly.  It is the foundation from which we must approach the external trade negotiating process, and must become the bedrock of our entire trade agenda.

We have to confront serious challenges in the FTAA, and the signals are clear that the battle for recognition of our interests as small economies is far from over.  The obstacles are great.  We must, therefore, take carefully into account the update on this process and deliberations on the way  forward.

The post-Cotonou process is one that is of vital importance to all of us.  The historical importance of the ACP/EU Agreements are well recognised.  The challenge for is to ensure that the relationship, when transformed, continues to benefit the Region and accommodate its special interests.

In the WTO, we are at the epicentre of global transformation.  Global trade measures, both those now in place and those ahead of us, have life-altering consequences, some of which have already come home to roost.  Many of our key sectors have been touched by the long arm of the WTO.

Our challenge in the post-Doha agenda is great.  We must make the WTO framework one that facilitates growth and progress for the peoples of the Caribbean, a system that brings hope, not a threat to their well-being.  This must be the guiding principle for our deliberations, and the fundamental instruction for our representatives and negotiators.

We must also look at additional trade matters, including the issue of enhanced trade arrangements with Central America and Canada.

It is essential that, in light of this broad trade agenda, we ensure coherence and consistency in our positions in all the negotiating theatres.

Fundamental to these processes is the question of capacity.  We need to examine carefully how to deploy our limited resources to maximum effect.

Issues related to barriers to trade, both external and intra-regional, should be given careful consideration, so too must the items relating to the critical agricultural sector and trade in services.

I look forward to valuable exchanges on these items.

I know that in addition, there will be other interesting, even exciting matters that will come to the fore.  I am certain that we will have a lively and fruitful exchange on the range of issues before us.

Colleagues, I am honoured by this opportunity to guide the deliberations of the Thirteenth Meeting of COTED, I do with the confidence that I will receive your full support as we proceed to work on this extensive agenda.  We will address issues that are of vital importance to our Region as a whole, and above all, to the people of the Caribbean.

I welcome the fact that the private sector and civil society have become more and more engaged in the discourse on matters of trade and economic development.  This is a significant development and augers well for us as we face the challenges ahead.

Something good has begun - something great must result.