NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC):

Trade and economic ministers from the region yesterday began a special meeting here discussing measures to deal with the rising cost of living in the Caribbean.

CARICOM officials say the meeting "is expected to make a determination regarding the removal or reduction of the Common External Tariff (CET) on certain commodities".

At the last COTED meeting, the ministers had requested member states to submit national lists of items on which they would be prepared to reduce or remove the CET.

"The COTED took this decision after lengthy, intense but incomplete discussions in search of a single common list to fulfill the mandate of the heads of government," a CARICOM statement said.