FTAA Update Miami

Today marked the beginning of the local Miami business leaders formal involvement in the FTAA trade talks in Miami. With the first monthly Luncheon of the Free Trade of the Americas Ministerial Meeting and VIII Americas Business Forum, hosted by the Florida foreign trade Association. The Luncheon featured; Ambassador Luis Lauredo, Executive Director of the FTAA Ministerial and Americas Business Forum.

The Luncheon was sponsored by the Cotecna Inspection Inc. During Cotecna’s presentation the 30 or so Miami import/export business elite got to hear how quickly their money and products can flow through the western hemisphere. Cotecna boasts inspection services from counting containers to monitoring and certifying compliance with socially responsible global standards for manufacturing. Cotecna Also works to ensure that sewn products are produced under lawful, humane and ethical conditions. Although Cotecna Inspects corporations for human rights violations it has a policy of guaranteeing absolute confidentiality. When any violation is found they only report it to the corporation they were hired by and if it is relevant to WRAP the Worldwide Responsible apparel production. Coincidentally WRAP has the same policy of absolute confidentiality. In fact any company that applies for WRAP accreditation and is denied has nothing to worry for WRAP doesn’t even make that information available to anyone. When I asked Raul Gianelli, network manager of Cotecna if they reported any violations of human rights violations to any one other than their employer or WRAP, he assured me that “no one is notified of any violations” other than the above mentioned parties. Cotecna is a corporate red-tape scam that has no social conscious other than profit.

The featured speaker of the luncheon was Ambassador Luis Lauredo the executive director of the FTAA Ministerial in Miami. Mr. Luis opened with explaining that all the participating countries in the FTAA “with the tragic exception of Cuba are dedicated to democracy” and “Demand a rejection of centralized economy.” He continued to say that the member countries of the FTAA are “95% in agreement,” the other 5% which is the agenda for the talks in Miami are only “agriculture, intellectual property, and transparency.” If this is only 5% one can only imagine how loaded the 1000 plus page document of the FTAA already contains.

The trade talks are very important for Mr.Lauredo and the city of Miami, because Miami is the top contender to permanently host the FTAA Head quarters called the “secretariat.” Miami is bidding against Atlanta and Trinidad. Ambassador Lauredo said, “The Ministerial stupid, is the key to the Secretariat.”

The Ambassador went on to say “we now live in a brave new world.” He then began to speak of the protest movement against the FTAA by referring to it as an “anti-everything movement.” He then tried to cover his tracks by saying that 99% of the protestors are “intelligent” and “legitimate.” He continued patronizing the protestors by saying that,” we will provide them (protestors) the ability to protest in the streets.” He also referred to the last meeting in Quito as a success and that there will not be a repeat of what happened in Quebec City in 2001. Lauredo continued to trash talk the protestors who will descend on Miami in November, by saying that “3% are bad people who will come here as anarchists to disrupt…to get on the news by getting someone to club them.” Lauredo did say that the Opposition which he referred to as “civil society” will be given an “equal amount of time to meet with the ministers.” When I asked him who, when and how this will take place he said he didn’t know, but Director of the University of Miami north south center director Mr. Rosenberg is in charge of organizing the” civil society forum,” and that it would take place on a Wednesday. In fact there is an Americas Trade and sustainable Development Forum planned. For more information contact the Forum’s Program director Sherry Tross at 305-284-8974 or at stross [at] miami.edu.

Ambassador Lauredo described the police strategy as “subtle but affective.” He ended by saying the meetings in November that will take place at the Hyatt, and the intercontinental hotels, will be “an event with transindental significance to the hemisphere.”