. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(03)/ST/111
13 September 2003
(03-4893)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fifth Session
Cancún, 10 - 14 September 2003Original:  English
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Statement by the Honourable Kenneth Valley
Minister of Trade and Industry and
Minister in the Ministry of Finance
On behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), I
extend our best wishes to the Government and citizens of Mexico and commend you on the hosting ofthe Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).  My delegation also
extends its deepest appreciation for the hospitality as well as the efficient security and logistical
arrangements provided.
As a Caribbean country, T&T remains committed to the multilateral negotiating process.  We
are also committed to the long-term objective of establishing a fair and equitable trading system.  We
share an explicit interest in the development of targeted and operational mechanisms which facilitate
the strengthening of trade competitiveness in our economies and the crafting of specific measures
which would allow for complementarity between WTO rules and our future trade liberalization
initiatives.  We advocate the creation of a greater sense of balance in global trade between developed
and developing countries, thereby providing the requisite fillip to achieving the sustainable
development of Caribbean economies and indeed all developing countries.
Thus we approach Cancún with optimism and enthusiasm.In accordance with the Doha Development Agenda, the architecture of the post-Cancún
negotiations must evidence deeper operational initiatives geared at safeguarding the sustainabledevelopment of small developing economies.  It is also critical that the needs of developing countries
be fully integrated into the Work Programme of the WTO.
Special and differential treatment (S&D) is a core principle for developing countries.
Trinidad and Tobago considers and views with some measure of concern, the inability of Members toadopt a compendium of meaningful, targeted, opera tional and binding S&D provisions for developing
Members.  We consider S&D to be a cross-cutting issue, cutting horizontally along all areas of the
WTO Work Programme and diagonally across the issues of (i) market access ;  (ii) domestic support ;
(iii) export competition ;  and (iv) non-trade concerns  in the area of agriculture.
Special and differential treatment is the fulcrum that seeks to create a balance between
industrialized and developing countries.
The failure of the Doha Development Round to generate the intended benefits to developing
countries thus far, requires renewed effort at addressing the needs of small developing economies thus
contributing to making the reform process gradual and sufficiently flexible for these Members.WT/MIN(03)/ST/111
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We believe that the time has come to develop operational guidelines for the implementation
of SDT provisions.  Fundamentally, T&T supports a continuum rather than a " one size fits all "
approach to the provision of SDT.  We believe that differences in economic size;  levels of
development;  production competences and resource endowment may be used in the stratification
exercise.
Capacity-building, which is vital to developing countries, and, in essence, is at the heart of the
concept of special and differential treatment, must go beyond mere technical assistance.  It must
include developmental and financial assistance targeted towards redressing our supply side capacity
constraints and providing adjustment support.
Trade preferences also, are central to the concept of S&D.  The crucial role that special long-
standing trade preferences play in maintaining the viability and assisting in the development of
Caribbean and other ACP States cannot be over-stated.  Accordingly, it is imperative that this
Ministerial recognizes trade preferences as legitimate instruments of development.
In the area of agriculture, we support the crafting of a new Special Safeguard Mechanism
(SSM) for developing countries, the concept of Special Products (SPs) and re-formation of the " Green
Box".  With respect to the issue of market access for non-agricultural products, Trinidad and Tobago
is of the opinion that any indiscriminate lowering of the industrial tariffs of developing countries,
through the non-inclusion of the principle of "Less than Full Reciprocity", could serve to dampen the
industrialization and upgrading processes being undertaken in many Caribbean countries, possibly
leading to de-industrialization in some instances.
With specific reference to the Singapore Issues, the Caribbean is of the view that negotiations
should not be launched in these areas at this time.  Our preference is to use our limited capacity to
participate effectively in these negotiations to advance progress in areas that are germane todeveloping countries.
In concluding, I wish to reiterate Trinidad and Tobago's commitment to establishing a fair,
equitable and rules-based multilateral trading system and reaffirm our willingness to work with other
WTO Members in the reform process.  We will do ou r part to make the system more amenable to
fostering true growth and real development.
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