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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week ending August 18, 2017
‘Help get us off the blacklist’ …CARICOM SG lobbies Sweden on blacklisting of Caribbean countries SECRETARY-GENERAL of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, has urged Sweden to use its position in two major international organisations to highlight the unfair labelling of some of the Community’s member states as “non-cooperative tax jurisdictions.” Speaking at the CARICOM Secretariat’s Turkeyen, Guyana headquarters during the accreditation ceremony of Sweden’s new Ambassador to the Community, Elizabeth Ekulund, the secretary-general said, “As we seek to diversify our economies and build our services sector, some of our member states, engaged in financial services, have been labelled as “non-coopera-
tive tax jurisdictions.” This is despite the fact that the countries in question are not so designated by the relevant global authorities, such as the Financial Action Task Force and the OECD Global Forum. “As a member of the EU and the OECD, Sweden can assist in encouraging these bodies to be guided by the informed position of the relevant global regulatory authorities and desist from their unnecessary, seemingly punitive actions,” he added. The secretary-general called attention to the decision earlier this year by the European Union Council to screen some CARICOM member states to determine whether they were co-operative tax jurisdictions, using new criteria. “The stated cri-
trade. Its socio-economic as a non-permanent memimpact would be disastrous, ber of the United Nations given that remittances which Security Council to raise are the main source of in- awareness in that forum of come for many of our poorest the importance of the concitizens will be affected,” the servation and sustainable use secretary-general said. of marine resources. This, he Development finance said, was one of the priority Meanwhile, LaRocque areas of our Region and the believes that a new model for Community looks forward to development finance needs Sweden’s continued support to be considered, stating that for UN Sustainable DevelGDP per capita should not opment Goal 14, which seeks be the principal measure- to “conserve and sustainably ment used in determining use the oceans, seas and mathe development status of a rine resources for sustainable Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community country. “We will continue development.” (CARICOM) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and new to advocate for the use of a He pointed out that “our Swedish Ambassador to Caricom, Elizabeth Ekulund more accurate and realistic countries are vulnerable to It was extremely onerous measure of development, economic and environmental teria go beyond the generally accepted international tax for small countries to ad- which considers vulnerabil- shocks compounded by the transparency and account- dress different international ity, including exposure to effects of climate change. ability standards which our initiatives which dealt with natural disasters and other Therefore, global agreements countries have been meeting the same, similar or related exogenous shocks,” he said. on sustainable development over the past several years,” subject matter, yet stipulated “In the interest of realising and climate change are of different sets of criteria, he our economic aspirations as special significance for the he pointed out. observed. “There appears a Community, we believe Community.” almost to be a predisposition that a new paradigm in devel“Most of our member to blacklisting our coun- opment finance needs to be states bear a heavy debt tries,” Ambassador LaRoc- considered,” he added. burden, brought on in large que stated. He said a major Ambassador measure by reconstruction LaRocque
consequence of this blackrecalled two interactions beafter major climatic events, CLIA/IATA OSSN/SATH APTA/PATA CLIA/IATA OSSN/SATH APTA/PATA listing was the “de-risking” tween the Community’s For- in a Region designated as TPOC/IGLTA M/W/DBE CERTIFIED strategies being employed eign Ministers and theCERTIFIED Swed- the “most natural disasTPOC/IGLTA M/W/DBE by certain international banks ish Foreign Minister, Her Ex- ter-prone in the world,” he which had resulted in the cellency Margot Wallström, added. Ambassador EkuELAINE HENRY, CTA, MCC LAINE ENRY , CTA, withdrawal of crucial E corwhich H addressed issues of MCC lund stated that the UN was Travel Consultant respondent banking rela- mutual interest, including central to Sweden’s foreign Travel Consultant tionships. “This particularly Climate Change, Renew- policy and the UN’s Agenda 1053 E 40th Street Tel: 718-377-2071 1053 40th Street 718-377-2071 affects ourEindigenous banks able Energy, Oceans,Tel: Trade 2030 was a top priority. She Brooklyn, NY 11210 Fax: 718-377-1291 and other financial services Gender listed humanitarian actions, Brooklyn, NY 11210 in Small Arms and Fax: 718-377-1291 entities and could lead to the Equality. Some of these are poverty reduction, sustainemail: minitravel@hotmail.com disconnection of our small email:reflected minitravel@hotmail.com in the MoU. able development and Clieconomies from the global www.minervatravel.net www.minervatravel.net The secretary-general mate Change as areas of economy and international welcomed Sweden’s efforts interest for her county.
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To Advertise in this new and exciting paper The New York Edition of the GUYANA CHRONICLE — Guyana’s National Newspaper call: 917-379-6590