8:00 – 8:30

8:30 – 9:15

REGISTRATION

OPENING REMARKS

Chair: Dr. Indianna Minto-Coy, Trade Policy Research Fellow, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Dr. Keith Nurse, Director, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Professor E. Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies.

Dr. Roberta Piermartini, Researcher, Economic Division, World Trade Organization (WTO).

Ambassador Gail Mathurin, Director, Office of Trade Negotiations, CARICOM Secretariat.

9:15 – 10:45

CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL ECONOMIC and TRADE ANALYSIS

Chair: Mr. Carlos Wharton, Senior Trade Policy Adviser, Caribbean Export Development Agency.

Keynote Address: Professor Avinash Persaud, Emeritus Professor at Gresham College, London; Chairman, Elara Capital PLC; Chairman, PBL; Chairman, Intelligence Capital Limited and Board Director of RBC Latin America & the Caribbean.

“Regulatory responses to the crisis - hindrance or support to the recovery, a developing country perspective.”

Panel:

Dr. Roberta Piermartini, Researcher, Economic Division, World Trade Organization (WTO).

Dr. Keith Nurse, Director, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

10:45 – 11:15

Coffee Break

I. TRADE POLICY, NEGOTIATIONS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION AGENDA

11:15 – 1:00

IA. Regional Trade Policy Formulation and Implementation

Chair: Mrs. Nicole Foster (née Clarke), Attorney-at-Law and Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Mr. Andreas Lendle, PhD Candidate, Centre for Trade and Economic Integration at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (HEID), Geneva.

“CARICOM’s market access interests in North America: Much to gain?”

Ms. Sharifa Powell, Independent Trade Consultant, Jamaica

“A Shifting Mood in Investment Protection Agreements: Lessons for CARICOM.”

Dr. Govind Seepersad, Mr. Aaron Parke, Mr. Noel Watson, Mr. Nkosi Felix, Dr. Ranjit H. Singh, Mr. Omardath Maharaj, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“An Assessment of the Economic Impact of the WTO Agreement on CARICOM.”

Mr. Jeetendra Khadan, PhD, Candidate, Department of Economics, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

and

Dr. Roger Hosein, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“An Empirical Analysis into CARICOM’s Pattern of Merchandise Trade.”

1:00 – 2:00

Lunch

2:00 – 3:30

After-Lunch Roundtable on Trade Policy, Negotiations and the Implementation Agenda

Moderator: Dr. Anthony P. Gonzales, Director, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr. Chantal Ononaiwu, Trade Policy & Legal Specialist, Office of Trade Negotiations, CARICOM Secretariat.

Dr. Phil Rourke, Director, Centre for Trade Policy and Law, Carleton University.

Dr. Kusha Haraksingh, Senior Lecturer and Associate Fellow, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

Ambassador Edwin Laurent, Adviser and Head, International Trade & Regional Co-operation, Commonwealth Secretariat, London.

3:30 – 3:45

Coffee Break

3:45 – 5:30

IB. Caribbean Trade Agreements

Chair: Mr. Errol L. Humphrey, Consultant - EPA Implementation, EPA Implementation Unit, Foreign Trade Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Barbados.

Mr. Anthony Morgan, McGill University's Labour Law and Development Research Laboratory.

“The Caribbean EPA Experience.”

Dr. Reshma Mahabir, Senior Economist, Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. “Early Signals of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement.”

Dr. Anthony P. Gonzales, Director, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“Caribbean and CACM Trade Policy and Competitiveness on The EU Goods Market.”

Mrs. Dianna DaSilva-Glasgow, Institute of Development Studies, University of Guyana.

“Revealed Comparative Advantage and Competitiveness of CARICOM Vis- A- Vis Canada: Implications for the CARICOM- Canada FTA.”

Mr. Neil Paul, Manager - Research & Development, Shridath Ramphal Centre, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

“The Challenge of Implementing Trade Agreements and Improving Trade in the Caribbean: The Case for the Extension Methodology.”

5:30 – 7:00

Book Launch

Chair: Mr. Francis McBarnette, Barbados Country Representative, Organization of American States (OAS).

Feature Address: Professor Andrew Downes, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Planning and Development, The University of the West Indies.

8:00 – 8:30

REGISTRATION

II. TRADE DIVERSIFICATION AND REGIONAL, DIASPORIC AND GLOBAL MARKETS

8:30 - 9:45

II A. Trade and Innovation Governance

Chair: Dr. Matthew Bishop, Lecturer, Institute of International Relations

The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago

Miss. Marsha Drakes, Programme Officer - Trade Information, Office of Trade Negotiations, CARICOM Secretariat

“External Trade Agreements as Potential Innovation Systems Development Policy Instruments.”

Dr. Tarmo Kalvet, Department of Public Administration, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia

“Global Production and Innovation Networks: A Small State Perspective.”

Phillip C. Jackson, Science and Technology Coordinator
Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Towards a Regional (Supra-national) Innovation System for CARICOM Countries.”

Khadija K. S. Holder. Candidate, Masters in Trade Policy, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Working Title: “CARICOM Competitiveness in a Global Economy: The Role of Innovation Policy.”

Gary Campbell, Director of Technology, Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica.

Working title: ICT in a Globalised Environment: The Potential of Free and Open Source Software.

9:45 – 10:00

Coffee Break

10:00 – 11:30

II B. Trade and Competitiveness

Chair: Dr. Kusha Haraksingh, Senior Lecturer and Associate Fellow, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

Ms. Annabelle Haynes, Competitiveness Associate, The Competitiveness Company, Jamaica.

“Small Island States Competing in the Global Marketplace.”

Mrs. Indera Sagewan-Alli, Executive Director, Caribbean Centre for Competitiveness, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago

and

Mr. Garik Joseph, Research Assistant, Caribbean Centre for Competitiveness, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“A Firm- based Competitiveness Index for Caricom Firms: The theoretical Framework.”

Mr. Nicardo Neil, Marketing & Project Manager, Urban Value Chain Development Project, The Competitiveness Company, Jamaica.

“The Possibilities of Non-Traditional Exports and Non-Traditional Exporters in the Caribbean.”

Dr. Eisenhower Douglas, Chief Economist, Trade & Sustainable Development, Ministry of Employment, Trade, Industry & Diaspora Affairs Government Headquarters, Roseau, Dominica

“Trade Policy and Small State Competitiveness in the Global Village: Reflections on Dominica.”

11:30 – 1:00

II C. Trade and Export Facilitation

Chair: Dr. Wendy Grenade, Lecturer in Political Science, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. (TBC)

Courtney O. Lindsay, MPhil Candidate, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“The Evolution of Neo-liberalism - The opening up of Policy Space for Small Island Developing States of CARICOM.”

Dr. Matthew Bishop, Lecturer, Institute of International Relations

The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“Barbados and the search for a new growth model.”

Rommell Hippolyte, CARICOM Competition Commission, Suriname.

“Determinants of Barbados’ Exports: The Gravity Model Approach.”

Nadine M. McCall. Masters in Trade Policy, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

“Export Diversification and Growth in GDP.”

Dr. Marlon Anatol, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“Industrial Diversification as an Engine for Sustained Development:

A Case Study of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Dr. Michele Reis, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“Revolutionising Trinidad and Tobago’s Fashion Industry: Exploring New Ideas for Trade and Entrepreneurship.”

Arnaud F. Djemmo, Postgraduate Candidate in Trade Policy and Multilatéral Negotiations, Research Centre in Economic and Management, University of Yaoundé II-Soa, Cameroon.

“Trade Facilitation and Export performance in Cameroon.”

1:00 – 2:00

Lunch

2:00 – 3:30

After-Lunch Roundtable on Trade Diversification And Regional, Diasporic And Global Competitiveness

Moderator: Dr. Keith Nurse, Director, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Mrs. Indera Sagewan-Alli, Executive Director, Caribbean Centre for Competitiveness, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Carlos Wharton, Senior Trade Policy Adviser, Caribbean Export Development Agency.

Mr. Bertram Johnson, EICF Clusters Project Coordinator, Compete Caribbean, Inter-American Development Bank.

Mr. Joel Richards, Trade Policy Consultant, Barbados Private Sector Trade Team.

3:30 – 3:45

Coffee Break

3:45 – 5:30

II D. Diasporic Trade, Investment and Entrepreneurship

Chair: Mrs. Jessica Jones, Research Consultant, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Lisa-Marie Elliott, Attorney at Law, Jamaica.

“IT’S TIME TO MAKE IT OVER THE RAINBOW:

Mobilizing the Caribbean Diaspora to Get to the Pot of Gold‐‐

Reciprocal Bilateral Investment Treaties with the USA.”

Dr. Indianna D. Minto-Coy, Trade Policy Research Fellow, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

and

Mr. Jason Jackson, PhD Candidate, MIT, Boston, Massachusetts.

“Diasporic Trade and Investment in the Caribbean: Status, Prospects and Challenges.”

Screening of Forward Home: The Power of the Caribbean Diaspora

Shot in 9 locations across the globe, this documentary reveals the economic power of Caribbean overseas communities, showcasing the experiences of Diasporic peoples who straddle the dual worlds of Caribbean Homelands and Global Cities as travelers and entrepreneurs, and the organisations that make the relationship work.

Discussion

8:00 – 8:30

REGISTRATION

III.TRADE POLICY AND INNOVATION GOVERNANCE IN KEY STRATEGIC SECTORS

8:30 - 10:00

III A. Food, Health and Energy Security

Chair: Dr. Winston Moore, Lecturer, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Dr. Desmond Ali, Executive Director, Caribbean Poultry Association, Trinidad and Tobago.

“Trade Policy and the Poultry Industry in the Caribbean.”

Dr. Damien Cohall, Lecturer in Pharmacology and Phase I MBBS Coordinator, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

“Value Added Products in the Health and Wellness Sector: Our Opportunity for Sustainable Product Development Using Scientific Approaches.”

Mr. Jermaine S.M. Spencer, Policy Analyst, Planning and Development Division, Office of the Prime Minister, Government of Jamaica.

“Strengthening Public Health Systems through TRIPS.”

Ms. Sanya K.N. Alleyne, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

“Challenges and Trade Policy Options for Food Security in the Context of Climate Change for the Caribbean.”

Ms. Teckla Nemes Sultan, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

“Influence of Trade Policy on Food Security in developing Countries.”

10:00 – 10:30

Coffee Break

10:30 – 12:00

Roundtable on Innovation and Trade in Services

Moderator: Dr. Don Marshall, Senior Fellow, SALISES, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

Ms. Lisa Cummins - Executive Director at Barbados Coalition of Services Industries (BBCI).

Mr. Nirad Tewarie – Chief Executive Officer, Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI).

Dr. Christopher Tufton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI).

Mr. Henderson Holmes, Executive Director, Barbados International Business Association (BIBA). (TBC)

12:00 – 1:00

Lunch

1:00 – 2:30

After-Lunch Roundtable on Trade Policy And Innovation Governance In Key Strategic Sectors: Food and Health Security, Renewable Energy and Climate Change.

Moderator: Mr. Maurice Mason, Project Officer, The Institute for Sustainable Development, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica.

Mr. James Husbands, Managing Director and CEO, Solar Dynamics.

Ms.Katherine Nishiura, Director, Caribbean Basin Agricultural Trade Office, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Mrs. Ena Harvey, Hemispheric Specialist, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. (IICA)

2:30 – 3:00

Coffee Break

3:00 – 5:00

III B. Climate Change

Chair: Mr. Neil Paul, Manager - Research & Development, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Mr. Kobina Wilson, MPhil Candidate, International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“The Role of Caribbean Governments in an Alternative energy Strategy (AES) geared toward international competitiveness.”

Dr. Winston Moore, Lecturer, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

“An Assessment of the Green Export Opportunities for Barbados.”

Dr. Michelle Scobie, Lecturer, Institute of International Relations
The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

“Carbon taxes- implications for Caribbean States.”

Dr. Ram Upendra Das, Senior Fellow, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi

and

Ms. Jodie Keane, Research Officer, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, United Kingdom

“Trade-Climate Change Linkages: Influencing the Comparative Advantage and Regulatory Frameworks.”

Ms. Kerry-Anne Roberts-Kasmally, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago,

“Climate change and Environmental Migrants in the Global South: The Case of the Caribbean.”

Ms. Crystal Martin, Masters Candidate in Global Studies, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago

“Regional Environmental Governance a Case Study of the Baltic Sea Lessons for the Caribbean.”

5:00 – 5:30

 Closing Session

Dr. Indianna Minto-Coy, Research Fellow, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.

Dr. Anthony P. Gonzales, Director, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.