STATEMENT MADE BY SENATOR, THE HONOURABLE, KNOWLSON GIFT, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO DURING THE DIALOGUE OF HEADS OF DELEGATION OF THE 32nd REGULAR SESSION OF THE 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE OAS

 BARBADOS, JUNE 04, 2002 ------

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Topic: The OAS, Democracy and Trade Madame Chair,

o A little over a year ago, our Heads of State and Government gathered for the III Summit of the Americas in Quebec City and acknowledged that the values and practices of democracy were fundamental to the advancement of our goals to create greater prosperity and to expand economic opportunities.

o For Trinidad and Tobago, the significance of democracy lies in its importance in fulfilling human desires for political and social participation, as well as its instrumental role in expressing and supporting claims for public initiatives and in conceptualizing needs. The issue of public discussion and social participation is thus central to policy making and public policy analysis in a democratic framework. Trinidad and Tobago therefore, fully supports the commitment of the OAS to the developing and strengthening of democratic systems because this is essential to the process of economic and social development.

o We must however, be mindful of the fact that the people of the Americas live and work in countries with institutions and that the opportunities afforded to them depend on the type of institutions that exist and how they function. My Government is not in agreement with those who choose to focus their attention on particular institutions, such as the mechanism of the market, or free trade, or the democratic system, and refrain from exhorting governments to devise systems that effectively address poverty and other social issues. Trinidad and Tobago believes that our approach should be an integrated one, one that views all institutions in relation to each other in furtherance of the developmental agenda.

o We are not opposed to free markets or free trade because they constitute arrangements whereby people can engage in mutually advantageous pursuits. Nevertheless, we recognize that there are problems and wish to voice our concerns regarding, for example, those unregulated activities that allow the powerful to capitalize on asymmetrical advantages and the inadequate capacity of some citizens to make optimal use of market transactions. Governments are obliged to address these problems by allowing markets to operate better and more fairly and to create, where necessary, basic social opportunities for social equity and justice.

o It is true that, free markets and free trade achieve great success wherever they are accompanied by equitable political and social arrangements. In this regard, appropriate public policies must be formulated and implemented in the areas of basic education, primary health care and social security. And, it is also true that in the context of developing countries, (and the vast majority of OAS Member States are in this category) the need for public policy initiatives in creating social opportunities is critical, because it makes it possible for the bulk of our populations to participate directly in the democratic system and in the process of economic expansion.

o Expanded health care, education and social security do not only result in an enhanced quality of life, but contribute directly to people's productive abilities and thus to economic growth. I am certain that we can all agree that illiterate and innumerate workers will find it exceedingly difficult to make use of the opportunities provided by global trade. Whilst advocates of fiscal conservatism usually express skepticism about the involvement of governments in human development endeavours, the benefits of human development are manifest, especially when we take its overall impact into account.

o Our OAS, must accordingly continue to remain engaged in enhancing the trade policy capacity of the smaller and less developed countries, and must increase its efforts at policy formulation in the areas of education and social development. However, our enhanced trade policy capacity will be for nought, if wealthy countries adopt protectionist measures that satisfy certain domestic constituencies but effectively close off access to their markets.

o As valuable as democracy is as a major source of social opportunity, the OAS must play a pivotal role in assisting Member States to examine ways and means of making it function well, to realize its full potential. This realization depends not only on institutional forms of democratic rules and regulations, but also on effective practice, and is a challenge that confronts both well-established and newer democracies.

o In conclusion, I wish to reiterate my government's support for the work of the OAS, the work that focuses on sustaining democracy, and on furthering the negotiations leading to the creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

o I thank you