Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 30, 2019 (MITICCA): The Ministry of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, in partnership with the World Trade Organization (WTO), successfully hosted a two-day workshop, which was aimed at providing a clearer understanding of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and its importance to St. Kitts and Nevis and the region.
The workshop was held from January 23 to 24, 2019, at the National ICT Center, Basseterre, St. Kitts, and was facilitated by WTO TFA expert, Mrs. Sheri Rosenow, OECS Commission Programme Officer, Cosbert Woods, and Michelle Belgrove of the Global Express Association.
The overall goal, which was to build capacity, provide consultation and explore best practices for the sectors involved in implementing the TFA exceeded expectations.
The stakeholders present, which included the Customs and Excise Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Brokers Association, and Staff at the Ministry of International Trade, were all actively involved in discussions surrounding relevant topics such as Advance Rulings, TFA Implementation Benefits, Priorities and Monitoring, practical exercises on how to draft TFA legislations and most importantly, how to notify Category C provisions for St. Kitts and Nevis, which are due on February 22, 2019.
Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Mrs. Jasemin Weekes, and her staff, openly expressed gratitude to the WTO for conducting the workshop. They also thanked the participating stakeholders for sharing in what was a very beneficial wealth of information and are very confident moving forward, as St.Kitts and Nevis transitions to the next phase of the TFA.
