March 2017 | Business View Caribbean

6 7 opening lines tant, Claudia Stella Beltrán Turriago, economic consultant, for final refinement. The study, carried out in select CRFM mem- ber states, focused on factors such as capital, labor, maintenance, and energy costs. At the meeting, participants will review and finalize the formal report on the findings of the study, as well as propose workable policy options and strategies to improve efficiency, produc- tivity, and sustainability in the fisheries sector. The broader aim is to improve competitive- ness and profitability at the local, regional and international levels. The initiative will also inform strategies to protect against future economic shocks, reduce barriers to market access, and com- pensate for price fluctuations for fisheries produce by building on the value- added dimension of the industry. Last May, the CRFM convened a meet- ing of fisheries experts in Barbados to create a roadmap, including the best methodology, for the study. They also selected the beneficiary countries tar- geted for fieldwork and remote surveys, which entailed surveys of small-scale and industrial fishers, suppliers, traders and exporters. Later that same month, the consultant commenced work with field visits to Belize, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She also conducted remote surveys for Guy- ana, Grenada, Colombia, and Trinidad and Tobago. All 17 states that are members of the CRFM, as well as countries covered by a UN/FAO project on the Sustainable Management of Bycatch in Trawl Fish- ing in Latin America and the Caribbe- an (the REBYC-II LAC), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), are expected to benefit from the broader application of the study’s findings. The CRFM will prepare a policy brief for action by Caribbean leaders, to highlight the major findings and recommendations, including policy options and strategies to increase effi- ciency, productivity, and sustainability of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, while reducing economic risks. ILO Opens Meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labor in Jamaica The director-general of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Guy Ryder, opened a meeting in Jamaica with labor ministers and government representatives of 17 countries of the Caribbean, stressing the need to face the challenges of the world of work and lead the efforts to strengthen social dialogue. “We know there are challenges, we need to address them,” said Ryder at the tenth ILO meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labor held in Kingston, 23-24 February 2017. Ryder out- lined how this meeting will allow ministers