Patty Rasmussen

In terms of economic development, Thailand is no slouch. The country has the second largest economy in the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and, in October 2015, a World Bank Group report found Thailand to be among the top 50 economies worldwide, ranking third among ASEAN countries in ease of doing business. But the economy just dubbed by Bloomberg News as the “world’s happiest” due in part to remarkably low unemployment (below 1 percent) has a decidedly unhappy problem.

I f industrial diversification is key to a healthy economy, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) are doing just fine. According to a December 2014 report by Hamel-Smith for Lex Mundi, a global network of independent law firms, T&T enjoys the most industrialized and diverse economy of any of the English-speaking Caribbean nations. And the current lull in the energy industry has turned the spotlight on other sectors, like agriculture, and companies like the Trinidad and Tobago Fine Cocoa Company.

This commentary is the third installment of a three-part series. Once finalized, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) treaty will be the most ambitious trade agreement ever negotiated. The stakes are incredibly high, with much to be gained for parties in both the United States and the European Union, especially for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in all industries looking to expand.