Minister hopeful Trinidad will be FTAA headquarters
Saturday, December 20, 2003
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP): Trade Minister Ken Valley was optimistic Friday that Port of Spain, the bustling Trinidad capital, will be selected as the site of the headquarters of the secretariat of the Free Trade Area of the Americas
(FTAA).
Just back from visiting Miami, New York, Washington and Toronto to whip up support for his country, Valley told reporters that the campaign "was going extremely well."
Valley admitted there was no commitment from the parties he spoke with, but he felt the race will come down to Trinidad and Miami in the end.
Port of Spain is among 11 cities -- including Panama City -- lobbying to obtain the headquarters of the 34 member countries trade block, scheduled to come into effect in 2005 and embracing some 800 million people.
A decision on the location will be made in 2004.
In preparation, Valley is urging residents here to learn Spanish.
"In ten years' time, we will be bilingual," he said.
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