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Haiti becomes member of the Caribbean community
Georgetown, July 06: Haiti was admitted as the 15th member of the Caribbean community, becoming the most populous and poverty-stricken state in the trading bloc, as it wrapped up a summit that was marred early on by violence.
Georgetown, July 06: Haiti was admitted as the 15th member of the Caribbean community, becoming the most populous and poverty-stricken state in the trading bloc, as it wrapped up a summit that was marred early on by violence.
Haiti's acceptance was aimed at bolstering opportunities for regional manufacturers, but some critics have questioned how much trade can be done with country that has an average income of just US $ 400 a year. Members like the Bahamas and Barbados have an average annual income near $ 10,000. The community's 14 other member states have a population of 6.5 million.
"I have been saying all along that people should understand that Haiti has 8 million people and their buying power would be enormous both now and in the future. We should take advantage of this," Secretary-General Edwin Carrington told the Associated Press this week.
Prime Minister P J Patterson of Jamaica had pushed for Haiti's provisional membership in 1997, reassuring leaders what the consequences of welcoming the Caribbean's most politically and economically troubled nation.
St Lucian foreign minister Julian Hunte, the community's point man on Haiti, said yesterday that Haiti's membership was long over due but cautioned the country that suffered nearly 200 years of dictatorship has a long way to go since democracy and the rule of law have never been entrenched.
The leaders said yesterday night that Guyana's President Jagde Bharrat will visit Haiti later this year to welcome it to the bloc and explain the benefits of membership.
Bureau Report
Haiti's acceptance was aimed at bolstering opportunities for regional manufacturers, but some critics have questioned how much trade can be done with country that has an average income of just US $ 400 a year. Members like the Bahamas and Barbados have an average annual income near $ 10,000. The community's 14 other member states have a population of 6.5 million.
"I have been saying all along that people should understand that Haiti has 8 million people and their buying power would be enormous both now and in the future. We should take advantage of this," Secretary-General Edwin Carrington told the Associated Press this week.
Prime Minister P J Patterson of Jamaica had pushed for Haiti's provisional membership in 1997, reassuring leaders what the consequences of welcoming the Caribbean's most politically and economically troubled nation.
St Lucian foreign minister Julian Hunte, the community's point man on Haiti, said yesterday that Haiti's membership was long over due but cautioned the country that suffered nearly 200 years of dictatorship has a long way to go since democracy and the rule of law have never been entrenched.
The leaders said yesterday night that Guyana's President Jagde Bharrat will visit Haiti later this year to welcome it to the bloc and explain the benefits of membership.
Bureau Report