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opinionAlso in this section:
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The Greater Caribbean This Week Redimensioning the Rum Dialogue in the Greater Caribbean by Manuel Madriz As outlined in Article III of the Convention Establishing the ACS, one of the objectives of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) is to harness the collective capabilities of its members in its different areas, as well as consultation, co-operation and concerted action. One area that involves “collective capabilities” par excellence in the Greater Caribbean is the rum industry, whose origin lies specifically in this zone. However, we cannot say that it stands alone. Just like rum, there is a series of collective capabilities in the Greater Caribbean that can also be strengthened, for example, the banana industry, the sugar industry and the coffee and tobacco industries, to name a few. The issue of rum in the Greater Caribbean was introduced to the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in 2002 at the request of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA), under the chairmanship of Mr. Patrick Mayers, and was a new initiative that focussed on establishing rapprochement within the rum industry of the Greater Caribbean, which included both the Island and Continental Caribbean. The CARICOM rum industry was the major participant in that initiative, which was organized around WIRSPA, the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, France, (representing Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana), the rum industry of the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela, Guatemala and Nicaragua, in addition to which there was participation from several member countries interested in the matter. This effort was undertaken in the framework of a working group of the ACS Trade Committee referred to as the Rum Dialogue, as part of the negotiation process of the Free Trade Treaty of the Americas (FTAA) and was geared toward discovering a common definition of rum, for the Greater Caribbean. As we are all aware, for its own reasons, the FTAA has been suspended and consequently, the Rum Dialogue meetings have also been halted, without agreement being reached on the matter concerning the common definition of rum. The lack of agreement regarding the definition has not proven to be an obstacle because five years later, proposals are being presented for a reunion of the rum industry, with a redimensioning of the issue, embarking on other areas that are of interest to the rum industry in the Greater Caribbean. At this stage and under these new circumstances, the common definition of rum has ceased to be a topic of discussion. Differences have been overcome by the actions of the member states themselves. We see evidence of this in the Dominican Republic’s recent adoption of a dual definition of rum that suits all the parties involved and which paves the way for the search for areas of cooperation at other levels, for the rm industry in the Greater Caribbean. The 4th Rum Dialogue Meeting is expected to be held at the end of June this year in Managua, Nicaragua, hosted by the Grupo Pellas (owner of Ron Flor de Caña). According to its draft agenda, the said meeting plans, among other things, to exchange opinions on the development of recent initiatives within international organiztions that are likely to affect the rum industry as a whole and to also consider the possibility of discovering co-operation schemes in areas of mutual interest, so as to address these new circumstances. There are many and new expectations vested in the Rum Dialogue Meeting carded for June in Managua that would create a space for renewal in the rapprochement that is necessary and mutually beneficial for the rum industry in the Greater Caribbean. The ACS Secretariat is looking forward to successful results at the meeting in Managua.
Manuel Madriz is the Trade Director of the Association of Caribbean States. The opinions expressed are not necessarily the official views of the ACS. Comments and reactions can be sent to mail@acs-aec.org
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