TT’s Caribbean Community (Caricom) youth ambassador Luke James-Trim wants greater urgency in transforming the regional body’s Single Market and Economy (CSME) from policy to practice.
He says it has the potential to empower young entrepreneurs and professionals.
Addressing stakeholders at the closing session of the national consultation on the CSME implementation arrangements and procedures on March 21, James-Trim said the time had come to fully utilise the mechanisms designed to unlock the Caribbean’s economic potential.
"For too long, we in the Caribbean have spoken about potential without fully seizing the mechanisms designed to unlock it," he said.
"The CSME is more than a policy framework – it is a gateway to economic empowerment, mobility and innovation for young people.
"It is the key that allows a young Tobagonian entrepreneur to scale their business beyond our shores, a recent graduate to find work in another Caricom state without unnecessary barriers."
James-Trim illustrated how the CSME could help small businesses transition from local enterprises to regional franchises and highlighted Tobago’s unique economic and geographical landscape as an opportunity for leadership in integration.
"That future is within reach, but only if we collectively take ownership of the CSME’s implementation," he said, urging government officials, business leaders and youth to ensure that discussions translate into tangible action.
He pointed to sectors such as agriculture, creative industries and technology as key areas where young people could benefit significantly from regional integration, noting the removal of trade barriers would allow for greater collaboration and resource-sharing across Caricom states.
At the opening of the consultation, Caricom assistant secretary-general for the single market and trade Wayne McCook reaffirmed TT’s pivotal role in advancing regional integration.
"TT is a foundational bulwark of regional integration and has been central to all phases of our regional integration effort as the seat of the West Indies federation, a founding member of Carifta (Caribbean Free Trade Association), and the home of the Treaty of Chaguaramas that established our Caribbean Community"
McCook praised the country’s trade and investment contributions, calling them vital to deepening production integration and facilitating regional innovation.
He also commended the government’s commitment to implementing CSME-related legislation, citing the Caricom Skilled Nationals Act and the ratification of the Protocol on Enhanced Co-operation as key milestones.
"Beyond the trade and economic sphere, TT has been intentional in building a strong and resilient framework for the implementation of its commitments under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas."
McCook further addressed the necessity of digital transformation within the CSME framework, advocating for expanding e-commerce, digital payments and cross-border financial services to enhance trade efficiency.
He noted that greater use of technology cou
