. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/12 
15 December 2011 
 (11-6553) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 
 
Statement by H.E. Mr Stephen Cadiz 
Minister of Trade and Industry 
 
 
I take the opportunity to thank the Government  and the people of Switzerland for hosting this 
Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference.  On behalf of the States of the Caribbean Community 
(CARICOM) I wish to reiterate our firm belief in a fair and equitable rules-based multilateral trading 
system that is supportive of the development pursuits of Members. 
 As small and vulnerable countries of the Ca ribbean, with trade-dependent economies 
possessing such characteristics as narrow production a nd export bases with few export destinations;  
high infrastructure costs, and severe supply-side capacity constraints, CARICOM recognizes the 
importance of trade as a development tool and theref ore looks to the multilateral trading system as an 
avenue to reduce the vulnerabilities of the region as we pursue economic development. 
 The current global economic and financial cris es have severely impacted on our economies, 
in the form of reduced economic output, increased public debt, reduced exports and remittances and 
increased unemployment.  This is occurring at a ti me when we are facing high adjustment costs in 
light of the diminishing value of our preferential market access arrangements. 
 We would like to share our reflections on the state of DDA negotiations and the overall 
treatment of development within the MTS (multilateral trading system).  We register our deep disappointment that that the development gains promised continue to elude us.  Also there appears to 
be a trend towards reducing the development am bitions of the negotiations.  For CARICOM, 
development remains at the core and we must make every effort to realize this objective.  In this 
context, CARICOM views with concern the failure to deliver an early harvest LDC package and to 
prioritize efforts to support the development aspirations of the SVEs. 
 
CARICOM also recognizes that any attempt at recalibrating the DDA negotiations should 
neither compromize the integrity of the Single Undertaking nor result in provisions from which our countries will not derive immediate benefit.  It is also important that the negotiations should not be 
distracted by the consideration of new i ssues, which are not development focused. 
 
CARICOM believes that we should preserve the gains made thus far in the negotiations, 
particularly, those provisions supportive of LDCs and SVEs.  Also we seek the multilateralization of 
the agreement on Tropical Products/Preference Erosion into the next draft of the Agriculture modalities. 
 CARICOM also believes that there are some other issues that deserve urgent treatment.  
These include:  (a) advancement of the Small Economies' Work Programme;  (b) the rebinding of 
agricultural and industrial tariffs that woul d allow both Haiti and Suriname to apply the WT/MIN(11)/ST/12 
Page 2  
 
  CARICOM Common External Tariff;  (c) examination of the relation between trade, debt and finance 
and the impact of severe indebtedness on many of our countries;  and (d) reform the Dispute 
Settlement Mechanism in a manner that protects and enhances the rights of small, vulnerable 
economies. 
 
Given the important role that development financing plays in addressing adjustment costs, 
enhancing competitiveness and impr oving productive and regulatory capacity in Caribbean countries, 
the needs of small, preference-dependent ec onomies should be urgently addressed by our 
development partners.  Th is is particularly required in order to implement trade capacity-building 
measures in all relevant trade disciplines.  CARI COM also supports entrusting the WTO Secretariat 
with the role of monitoring and mob ilizing additional Aid-for-Trade resources. 
 On behalf of Trinidad and Tobago, I would like  to express our concordance with the positions 
expressed by CARICOM and take this opportunity to  highlight the circumstances of middle-income 
countries that are increasingly being excluded from access to concessionary funding due to the blunt 
use of per capita income as the main criterion by International Financial Institutions for allocating 
development resources. 
 Beyond MC8 we advocate a pragmatic approach involving a work progr amme that takes due 
cognizance of the issues related to SVEs. 
 
Going forward, it cannot be business as usual.   The people of CARICOM are expecting 
deliverables from this Organization.  We dare not fail them!  
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