Prime Minister to lead delegation to Panama

Prime Minister, the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar

April 23, 2012:

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is to undertake a two-day state visit to Panama on March 11 to sign a trade deal with the Central American nation to open up further trade.

As part of the visit, Persad-Bissessar is expected to sign a trade deal with the Ricardo Martinelli administration which is expected to boost exports of “bitumen, cement, ceramic tiles, clay tiles, steel products.

This visit is being projected as part of a strategy to penetrate a combined market of 600-million people and position this country as a gateway to Latin America.

So far, Trinidad and Tobago has “substantial” trade arrangements with Brazil, Chile and Argentina among several South and American countries.

Persad-Bissessar has described Latin America as the new frontier for South-South Trade opportunities given the strategic location of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.

As such, the Prime Minister was looking forward to the talks in Panama and will continue to aggressively pursue new markets for Trinidadian goods and services.

The negotiations towards a partial scope agreement between Trinidad and Tobago and Panama City are to be following by the signing of a bilateral memorandum of understanding when she meets President Martinelli.

Article courtesy www.antiguaboserver.com