WHAT IS being described as the biggest conference of the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) ended in Montego Bay last Wednesday (Oct. 15) with the nearly 300 delegates departing with a resolve to make their impact felt as a region in the worldwide trading arena.
The themes of regional solidarity and innovative use of resources were recurrent during the discussions, which focused on how best the region could capitalise on world developments and maintain a competitive edge.
The three-day conference, which was convened under the theme "Providing a Medium for Economic Development and Increased Competitiveness" discussed a number of trade related matters, including the implications of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
James Moss Solomon, who was one of the presenters on this subject, stressed that the FTAA presented many opportunities for the Caribbean and Latin American region, and the players, especially the private sector, should be more innovative and seek to implement appropriate strategies in order to capitalise on these opportunities.
"It is something we need to take seriously," Mr. Moss Solomon stressed, as he encouraged shipping interests to work together for the best results.
In his recommendations, he noted that it should not only be governments who are involved in the trade discussions/negotiation, but the private sector should have an active role to play. He said trade talks should not be bogged down with diplomatic or political matters.
He also cited the various opportunities presented by the Homeland Security Act in the United States. From a maritime perspective, he said the Act presented the opportunities for increased transshipment via the Caribbean region, as many countries were unprepared for the stipulations of the Act, but they would still need to trade and the region could become a transshipment point in these cases.
He said advantages were also presented for a boom in tourism with the advent of terrorism, sporadic civil unrests and even war in some countries, which have enhanced the attractiveness of the Caribbean region as a tourist destination. He said cruise shipping can also benefit from these developments, considering that Americans make up 80 per cent of the cruise ship market and these people preferred to vacation or cruise where they felt safe.
"We are sitting on a gold mine here... we need some solidarity," he stressed, adding that the region should also put money into the ownership of cruise ships and other assets which could be converted into earnings for the region. He also mentioned the possibility of the region creating mega free zones to compete with North American shopping malls, for instance in Miami, where people without a US visa could shop for premium goods at competitive rates.
Mr. Moss Solomon said the Caribbean should also capitalise on the services industry, take advantage of existing opportunities "without fear", seek regional solidarity, and be inclusive of all the talents in the region from all sectors. He also expressed the view that multilateralism was in the best interest of the Caribbean and as such, should be encouraged over bilateral arrangements. "Multilateralism suits the Caribbean whose future rests in services," he observed.
