Susan Gordon, Staff Reporter

"START TRADING," is the plea from president of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC), James Moss Solomon.

He told Sunday Business that the private sector should now get on with trading as the CARICOM Single Market has officially been in existence for six months now.

On January 1, the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) took effect in six of the CARICOM states. This gave skilled CARICOM nationals of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Belize, Guyana and Suriname free movement into the labour market of these states and the opportunity togain employment without unprecedented barriers. It also liberalised trading among businesses in the region.

"What's the use of having the CSM without trading ... We need to look across the Caribbean for partners who will help us to extend our businesses outside of the region," he noted.

He believes that an avenue of trading is with Jamaican companies buying into the energy supply of Trinidad. "Trinidad & Tobago is going to be building oil platforms. There's nothing preventing the countries buying into Trinidad's oil business," he said, bemoaning that many Jamaicans are still thinking that the future is looking north.

Where funding is concerned, Mr. Moss Solomon said more Jamaican businesses should take advantage of the US$16 million revolving loan scheme administered by The CARICOM Trade Support Programme of Trinidad and Tobago.