By way of invitation from the Cuban Government, Minister of Trade & Industry, Leslie Miller, was the honourary guest of that nation’s 20th Annual Havana International Fair (FIHAV).
The main purpose of the Minister’s visit was to meet with Cuban officials on a diplomatic level to ensure procurement of information that would exchange views on how best to promote and maintain their trading connections in the Caribbean.
The fair which was held from November 3 – 10, featured 1,000 exhibitors from 59 countries. Five hundred Cuban enterprises, nineteen official delegations and more than thirty trade missions also participated.
Trade missions included, furniture, souvenir, textiles, cigars, rum, chemical, pharmaceutical, oil, education, health, construction, agriculture, fishing and welding etc.
Minister Miller was accompanied by First Assistant Secretary, William Munnings and other prominent businessmen who experienced first-hand the lucrative possibility of craft production.
During his trip, Minister Miller and the Bahamian delegation, paid courtesy calls on a number of Cuban Government officials. It was a time of positive discourse on Cuban migration, Bahamian interdiction, trade relations, education, training, agriculture, shipping, sanitary precautions and manufacturing.
Throughout its 20 years, FIHAV has been increasingly developed. In the first edition, 60 companies from three countries occupied a total area of 800 sq. m. In 2001, around 1,700 firms from 60 countries participated in approximately 20,000 sq. m and welcomed over 120 thousand visitors.
In every edition, FIHAV consolidates as an important step in the promotion of export products, strengthening cooperation among trade partners and furthering new sectorial fairs.
Cuba, one of the founding members of the World Trade Organisation, became a full member on April 20, 1995. Because of its open economy due to dependence on foreign trade, Cuba trades annually with an average of 170 countries. Nevertheless, it does so by concentrating on markets for its main export products.
Cuba is also a member of the African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) Group and the CARIFORUM, an agency in the Caribbean region which is known for its relations with the European Union. Furthermore, Cuba has signed agreements on Economic Complementation with Guatemala and CARICOM member countries exporting products like nickel, cigars, frozen juice, shellfish and sugar.
Cuban officials that the delegation visited were Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, Minister of Government at the Executive Committee to Council Ministers; Antonio Carricarte, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Cuba; Jesus Perez Oton, Minister of the Light Industry; Raul de la Nuez, Minister of Foreign Trade and Soaqvin Benavides Rodriques, Vice Minister of Transportation.
By Lisa Albury, The Nassau Guardian
