The third and final day of the Workshop on Competition Law Enforcement in Castries, Saint Lucia, on June 19, 2024, began with an impactful presentation by Mrs. Azuka Ogundeji, Trade Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Mrs. Ogundeji shed light on the crucial issue of Women’s Economic Empowerment, defining it and underscoring its global significance. She highlighted startling statistics: women constitute half of the world’s population but contribute only 37% to global GDP, receive a mere 2% of venture capital worldwide, and face a 50% higher chance of rejection for trade finance compared to their male counterparts.

In the context of competition law enforcement, Mrs. Ogundeji emphasized the necessity of incorporating gender-inclusive policies within competition authorities and the importance of considering gender-disaggregated data to better address these disparities.

Following this, Mr. Marc Jones, Senior Legal Counsel at the CARICOM Competition Commission, gave a concise presentation on cooperation agreements. He explained their significance in fostering effective competition law enforcement and detailed the various forms these agreements can take, highlighting their role in facilitating cross-border cooperation and information sharing.

The workshop concluded with an engaging roundtable discussion featuring Mr. David Miller, Executive Director at the Jamaica Fair Trading Commission, Ms. Samantha Charles, Senior Legislative Drafter at the OECS Commission, and Dr. Thomas Samuel, Director of Trade at the Ministry of Commerce in Saint Lucia. The panellists discussed the practical challenges in establishing and maintaining a functional competition authority, such as financial costs and resource constraints.

Mr. Miller shared insights from the Jamaica FTC’s evolution from a consumer protection agency to one focused on competition law, drawing parallels relevant to Saint Lucia, where competition enforcement might initially be integrated within the consumer affairs department. The panellists also explored the strategic steps needed to implement a robust competition framework in Saint Lucia.

In a show of support, the CARICOM Competition Commission reiterated its commitment to assist Saint Lucia. They offered to provide human resources and expertise to help develop a strategic direction for the country’s competition framework, including the creation of a detailed Action Plan.

As the workshop concluded, participants left with a deeper understanding of competition law enforcement and practical strategies to build a fair and competitive market environment in Saint Lucia. The insights and commitments made during this workshop are poised to guide Saint Lucia as it takes significant steps towards fulfilling its obligations under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, promoting economic fairness and inclusivity.