Government of Suriname Sistema Económico Latinoamericano y del Caribe Latin American and Caribbean Economic System Sistema Econômico Latino-Americano e do Caribe Système Economique Latinoaméricain et Caribéen Speech by His Excellency Ricardo Van Ravenswaay, Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation of Suriname XXI Meeting of International Cooperation Directors for Latin America and the Caribbean Paramaribo, Suriname 29 and 30 July 2010 SP/XXI-RDCIALC/Di N 2-10
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Speech by His Excellency Ricardo Van Ravenswaay, SP/XXI-RDCIALC/Di N 2-10 Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation of Suriname 1 Good morning Chairwomen of the National Assembly, Colleagues Ministers, Vice Ministers from abroad, Directors from Suriname and abroad, SELA members, Diplomatic Corps, Representatives of international and regional organizations, Members of the press, Ladies and Gentlemen: It gives me great pleasure to welcome you today in Suriname as the host country of SELA s XXI Meeting of International Cooperation Directors for Latin America and the Caribbean. It is a particular honour for me to have so many distinguished guests here with us today. SELA was established in 1975 and today SELA counts on 27 members from the Latin America and the Caribbean region. Suriname officially entered SELA in 1979, to be exact on 27 July. This means that past Tuesday 27 we were exactly 31 year as member of SELA. In 1988, SELA started to have annual Meetings of Cooperation Directors in our region. I am therefore delighted that I can announce that today is the first time that an annual SELA meeting of International Cooperation Directors is being held in a Caribbean and CARICOM country. Suriname is very honoured to be your first host country in the Caribbean, and we see this as proof that the integration process is slowly but surely getting shape. I know that today we have some among us that visit Suriname for the first time. A visit by no means too late! Please enjoy your stay and if possible do take time to explore some of the hidden secrets that Suriname can offer you. We as SELA members have our differences that distinguish us. We have different languages, different cultures and a different background in history, but we also share many commonalities. It is important to focus on these commonalities and use them as a tool and asset further develop our common goal of regional integration. As a regional inter-governmental organization with 27 members, SELA has great potential as the regional platform for sharing ideas and experiences on different development issues. Among the main objectives of SELA is the adoption of common positions and strategies on economic issues in international organizations and forums. Secondly, to
Permanent Secretariat Cooperation 2 further develop cooperation and integration among countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In the previous meeting of Cooperation Directors, the focus was on the Impact of the World Economic and Financial Crisis on International Cooperation Programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean. Today s meeting will address issues on the Cooperation for Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Latin America and the Caribbean. This meeting gives us the opportunity to focus on some of the most pressing issues in economic development, now made more challenging by the subdued pace of economic recovery. Recent experiences have already show that development of the private sector with specific emphasis on the development of micro, small and mediumsized enterprises is of particular importance for strengthening the basis of the economy. We so often refer to the private sector as the engine of growth for the economy. It is therefore necessary to put special efforts in the development of this sector, and create an environment that supports this development. In creating this enabling environment for the private sector and the business community it is a precondition that governments should put all efforts in creating a stable macroeconomic environment. All macro-economic fundaments should be in place and should be kept in place. Aside from this basic priority the availability of sustainable energy, skilled labour, ICT facilities and proper infrastructure is also a must. Let s also not forget about the judicial barriers national, regional and international and the synergy which needs to be brought in between these judicial systems. Speaking of the development of the private sector we most often experience that in the discussions the focus is too much on the accessibility of capital. Too often we see, especially on the level on micro and small enterprises, that guidance and technical support is overlooked or neglected. Most recently, we in Suriname have started to set up institutions and facilities that help support entrepreneurs with their business. It is of the utmost importance to realize that the private sector development goes hand in hand with the public sector development. No growth of one without the other. How will we otherwise understand each others needs and work towards a conducive environment. The way for development should therefore be one where platforms between the public and private sector are created, where policies, views and constrains can openly be discussed among partners. In Suriname, this idea was put into practice with the establishment of the Suriname Business Forum, where partners of both the public and private sector discuss issues of importance for the development of the private sector. Aside from the Business Forum, a Suriname Business Centre was also established and attached to it. On the level of development of micro entrepreneurship in Suriname, initiatives were taken recently to establish a specific Micro Credit Facility. This facility is managed by our commercial banks with a financial injection from the government. This facility goes beyond just lending people money, but also includes guidance and technical support for micro entrepreneurs.
Speech by His Excellency Ricardo Van Ravenswaay, SP/XXI-RDCIALC/Di N 2-10 Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation of Suriname 3 For the small and medium-sized enterprises, the government has launched a programme where interested enterprises were selected and financially compensated in the process of certification. Certification proved to be very important at the level of these enterprises to gain more and better market access. Suriname as is also the case of other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean receives major amounts of remittances from relatives abroad. The amounts received are estimated at over US$ 120 million annually. Up until now, studies have indicated that most of the money received is spent on consumption. Suriname is currently exploring the possibilities to stimulate the use of these remittances in a more productive way. Currently, a pilot project is being implemented whereby these remittances are channelled towards private investments instead of being used just for consumption. In addition to these projects, I just mentioned some other projects and programmes that are being executed in the context of development of the private sector in Suriname. In the coming discussions during this meeting we will be more then happy to share with you the results and experiences of these programmes. Ladies and gentlemen, The integration of Suriname in the region is processing, not only with respect to the Caribbean but also within Latin America. We have been very active in many regional and subregional organizations but we also know that there is a lot more that needs to be done to achieve our goal of full integration. In the next days, all of you, as participants of this SELA meeting, will be asked to give inputs and discuss issues relevant to the topic of this conference, for the benefit of the development of our country and our region. During this critical time, your input and participation are important. We are counting on concrete and actionable ideas to further help progress the development of our region. Let s together accomplish what we have set out to achieve. Thank you and I wish you a successful meeting.