Caribbean-Central America pact moves closer

Caribbean-Central America pact moves closer The Caribbean Community (Caricom) economic bloc said Wednesday formal talks aimed at the establishment of a Caribbean-Central America trade agreement will be held during May in Belize.
   As reported in the April 10 Florida Caribbean Connection, trade ministers from Caricom's 15 member nations discussed the Central America proposal during meetings in Kingston, Jamaica.
   Caricom said Caribbean and Central American nations will hold meetings in Belize, with trade ministers meeting May 11 and heads of state following up on May 12.
   Caricom officials have been discussing the agreement for some time. Negotiations are also underway for a trade agreement with the European Union, and Edwin Carrington, Caricom secretary general, said those talks could preempt a final Central America agreement.
   Caricom officials have also expressed hopes that an agreement similar to the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) approved by the United States could eventually be worked out to include all Caricom nations.