Systems must be in place to effectively monitor, evaluate integration journey – CARICOM official

IT is imperative that systems be put in place to more effectively monitor and evaluate the CARICOM integration journey.

So says Dr. Richard Brown, Director, CARICOM Single Market and Sectoral Programmes. He made the comments while delivering remarks at the start of a two-day workshop, which was held yesterday at the Radisson Aquatica Resort, on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting (MER) Framework.

Brown noted that as mandated by the Conference of Heads of Government, a comprehensive review of the CSME is currently under way, with focus being put on the achievements, outstanding matters, work-in-progress, bottlenecks, challenges and matters requiring resolution. Additionally, he said the intention is also to look at the basic framework of the CSME, including the right of establishment, the movement of services, goods and skills, and the supportive framework.

“The Secretariat continues to follow up with Member States regarding actions taken to implement the outstanding measures, in accordance with the Implementation Plan approved by the Conference in July of last year. In agreeing to the Implementation Plan, the Conference has considered a fairly comprehensive review of the legislative and administrative measures that countries have already developed or must now undertake to implement the CSME. The Conference, in their July 2017 Meeting, also discussed and received updates on the challenges that Member States face in implementing the CSME,” he said.

Read more at: Barbados Advocate