Caribbean Trade and Investment Council reviving

Caribbean Trade and Investment Council reviving The Caribbean Community's (Caricom) Trade and Investment Council, a dormant group of trade and economic experts from Caricom nations and the U.S., is about to come back to life.
   Caricom officials say a tentative meeting of the council has been set for Washington, D.C. during the month of October, following a series of discussions with U.S. officials over the last six months.
   There was a broad agreement to try to revive the council in April, after then-U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman met with Caricom representatives in Washington. Caricom officials said the concept took a major leap forward in September, when Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice held a side meeting with Caricom representatives while she was at the United Nations. Rice had also met with Caricom nation foreign ministers earlier this year in Nassau, Bahamas.
   The general goal of the council is to boost trade and investment in the Caribbean. The structure is not rigid, and Caricom officials have said they would like to see private sector representatives from the U.S. and Caricom nations join the council, along with the usual government officials.