Barrow sees Carifta


as region's main hope


BRIDGETOWN, BAR-
BADOS: Prime Minister
Errol Barrow has ex-
pressed the view that
the main hope in solving,
common economic prob-
lems in the Caribbean
lies in the regional trade
pact Carifta, launched
April 30, 1968.
In a message published in
the first issue of the 'Barba-
dos Manufacturer,' a bi-
monthly publication of the
Barbados Manufacturers' As-
sociation just released in
Bridgetown, Mr. B a r r o w
said the solutions to "our
common problems-lay not
in competition with one an-
other, but in closer co-,
operation.
"In Carifta lies our chief
hope. It is in our interest to
strive for its success," he
said.
Mr. Barrow said Barbados
and other Caribbean coun-
tries depended to a large ex-
tent on the production and
export of a single crop.
He added however that
the numerous problems as-
sociated wi~h mono-cultures
indicated the need for the
region to aim at diversified
economic structures and-to
pursue appropriate integra-
tion policies to foster-a com-.
mon interest.
The Prime Minister said
Caribbean governments had


acknowledged that need
when they formed the Carib-
bean Free Trade Association,
which came into being May
1, 1968.
Dealing with the econo-
mic situation in the island
Mr. Barrow said his Gov-
ernment's intention was to
promote the expansion of
the manufacturing sector.
During the past decade,
he said, manufacturing on
the island, which .became
independent November 30,
1966, had increased its con-
tribution to the gross domes-
tic product (GDP) from $10
million (five million US)
in 1960 to $21 million
($101/2 million US) in 1968.
MINISTER'S MESSAGE
The publication also con-
tained a message from the
former Minister of Trade,
Mr: George Fergusson.
In his message Mr. Fer-
gusson noted the import-
ance of Carifta to the eco-
nomic and social develop-
ment of the Caribbean.
"Two years have gone by.
since the formal signing of
the Carifta agreement, and
I think I am justified in
saying that many events
within the period have
strengthened the faith of
those who saw the signifi-
cance of the agreement for
the benefit of the Common-
wealth Caribbean territor-
ies", the minister said.