Caribbean Report 28-05-1993 - Ransome, Debbie (anchor); Crosskill, Hugh (correspondent); Manning, Patrick (interviewee); Martin, Lionel (correspondent); Bloomfield, Faraday (analyst); Persaud, Yesu (interviewee); Gatcliffe, Thomas (interviewee); Marsh, Bennett (interviewee); Orr, Carol (correspondent); Johnson-Sirleaf, Ellen (interviewee) (The British Broadcasting Corporation, 1993)
1. Headlines (00:00-00:36)
2. Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Patrick Manning has completed a series of high level meetings in London, including a session with the British Prime Minister, John Major. Matters discussed at the meetings include energy, Trinidad and Tobago as the business and financial centre of the Caribbean and Caribbean bananas and its access to the EC markets. Mr. Manning was assured of British support for Caribbean bananas and that rum and sugar were not a threat at the moment on the international market (00:37-03:09)
3. Cuba has warned that it may have to suspend its international shipments of sugar because of its worst harvest in thirty years. Sugar production has fallen from 6.2 million tons to 4.2 million tons due to weather conditions. Priority in shipment has to be given to its contractual obligations with Russia. Russia provides fertilizers, spare parts for machinery and shipping in return. Faraday Bloomfield, Sugar Analyst with Commodity Brokers, EDF Ltd says that other exporters will attempt to fill the void to Cuba’s long term disadvantage (03:10-06:20)
4. The new President of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce says that the region must pursue liberalization if it is to compete with NAFTA. However, Guyanese businessman Yesu Persaud warns that unless the region gets special consideration for entry into NAFTA, it will be severely disadvantaged. Trinidad businessman, Tommy Gatcliffe recognized that NAFTA can also bring opportunities to the region. Bennett Marsh, Director of Trade, Policy with Caribbean and Central America Action advises that while the region eyes the Latin American market, attention should also be focus on Mexico (06:21-08:16)
Keywords: Economic assistance –- Trinidad and Tobago; Banana trade –- Caribbean Area; Trading blocs –- Caribbean Area; Sugar trade –- Cuba; Cuba –- Foreign relations –- Russia; NAFTA –- Commerce –- Caribbean Area; Free trade –- Caribbean Area; Economic assistance –- Caribbean Area; Caribbean Area –- Politics and government; Haiti –- Politics and government; Haiti –- Military relations; Haiti –- Foreign relations; Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce