Simulated Caricom-Canada Negotiations

Wednesday, 03 February 2010 13:20

An agreement was reached in simulated negotiations of the CARICOM – CANADA FREE Trade Agreement conducted by Students last week under the auspices of the Shridath Ramphal Centre, at Cave Hill, UWI. The simulated exercise was a collaborative activity of the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services (SRC), UWI Cave Hill, the Centre for Trade Policy and Law (CPTL) and the Centre for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI), Both in Ottawa, Canada.

Fourteen students from the Masters in International Trade Policy offered by the SRC and six Canadian students from the CPTL and CIGI participated in this exercise as two Negotiating Teams representing CARICOM and CANADA. The Students, from the three institutions, were divided into two teams representing Canada and CARICOM with students from both countries on each team.

Each team fielded four negotiating groups dealing with Goods, Services & Investments, Labour & the Environment and Development with instructors for each subject matter area. The CARICOM and Canadian Negotiating Teams were coached by Ms. Allyson Francis who is the current CARICOM Lead Negotiator for Services (CARICOM – CANADA Trade and development Negotiations) and Mr. John Collins-Williams Former Canadian Trade negotiator respectively.

Negotiations were completed over four days with some spirited discussions and willing compromise in what was described by senior officials as approximating real negotiations. Students got a unique opportunity to learn the ins and outs of negotiations and also had the benefit of seasoned negotiators to guiding them to reaching an agreement.

Instructors or advisors for the four negotiating areas were Carlos Wharton of Caribbean Export Development Agency for Goods; John Curtis former Canadian Services negotiator for Services and Investment; Daniel Schwanen for Environment and Monique Moreau for Labour.

Attachment:

Agreement reached during the negotiations - pdf