Santo Domingo.- The Engineer Ricardo Hernandez Marchena on Monday called for a boost in trade between Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago, under the CARICOM agreement, to take full advantage of sub-regional integration.

Speaking during the induction of Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Commerce’s new board of directors, the business leader stressed of the US$473.7 million in total trade in 2011, Trinidad & Tobago exported US$450.8 million to Dominican Republic, whose exports to the island nation reached only US$ 22.8 million.

Hernández Marchena, appointed president of the Chamber of Commerce for a period of two years, is also president of Cartonera Rierba, SA.

He said he’ll focus his efforts bolstering economic ties between Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago, and aims to continue strengthening cooperation with industry, agriculture, free zones, financial sector, goods and services in general and with merchants and business leaders. “The new board will continue the commitment to boost trade between the countries and actively address the challenges that still persist in the free trade agreements.”

Among the new board members figure Alvaro Sousa Diesco, Amaury De Camps, of Vásquez Vásquez Valera y Asociados; Edmundo Gil, of GTC Intl., Braulio Brache, of Pasteurizadora Rica, Gerardo Simon of Sunix Petroleum, and Gustavo Tavares, of Maritima Dominicana.