Roseau, Dominica – August 19, 2009………The legislative and administrative impediments affecting the smooth implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) in Dominica were identified at a Review Meeting held in Roseau recently.
The Review Meeting also featured an overview/status of implementation of the CSME within the Member States of the Caribbean Community as a whole. The presentation was done by
Ms. Wanya Illes of the CSME Unit in Barbados. Dominica’s Director of Trade, Dr. Eisenhower Douglas delivered the opening remarks.
Under the CARICOM-CIDA Trade and Competitiveness Project which was launched in Dominica in April, 2009, Attorney-at-law and a former Trade Minster of Barbados, Mr. Kerrie Symmonds, presented a draft report to stakeholders in the public and private sector.
The report is entitled: Component 100- The Harmonisation and Standardisation of Administrative Practices and Procedures.
The report looked at the legislation, regulations and administrative practices impacting movement of Services, Goods, Capital, Skills and Right of Establishment in Dominica, the five core regimes established under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (2001). The study entailed an investigation into existing legislation with specific emphasis on subsidiary legislation and /or regulations in the Member State with a view to determining the extent to which the said legislation meets the expected needs of the CSME.
Some of the impediments/weaknesses identified include:
· The Caribbean Court of Justice Act (CCJ), though enacted has not been formally brought into force
· The Movement of Factors Act has not been enacted albeit the administrative practices in country were deemed to be operating smoothly.
· There is not yet in existence in the law provisions to cover Fair Competition rules and the provision of penalties for anti-competitive business conduct
· There is need for greater capacity in legislative drafting at the National level
In addition, the Consultant added that in the case of Dominica, the Caribbean Community Skilled Nationals Act “is being administratively applied in accordance with its letter”. Additionally significant progress has been made in the full implementation of the Accreditation Act which came into force in February, 2007.
The Meeting provided a forum for feedback on the draft report by Mr Symmonds from the various stakeholders on the basis of which a final report will be produced.
The idea to create a CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) was born in Grand Anse, Grenada in 1989 at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. The Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which provides the legal basis for the CSME was agreed by Member Governments of the Caribbean Community in 2001; the Treaty was adopted into Dominican domestic law in 2006.
It is expected that through this CARICOM-CIDA Trade and Competitiveness Project, implementation deficiencies and related legal and administrative obstacles can be removed to allow Dominica to benefit fully from the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.
