(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Governments in the Caribbean must strengthen their National Statistical Offices in respect of human, infrastructural and financial resources in order for statistics to make a meaningful contribution to regional development.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Haiti’s Prime Minister the Honourable Michelle Duvivier Pierre Louis has lent her strong support to a public education programme on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) in Haiti.

I join Madame Chair in welcoming you all to this High Level Advocacy Forum on Statistics.

In the game of cricket, the role of opening the batting has always attracted me. Today, as Secretary-General of CARICOM, I am particularly pleased in this setting and in these opening remarks, to take first strike, knowing full well that there are many top class batsmen to follow.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana) As the Region reflects on the successes of the thirty six years of regional integration, all efforts should be combined to make integration within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) a priority.

  (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The first Meeting in the West Indies Cricket Board-West Indies Players Association (WICB-WIPA) Mediation Process was held on Sunday 26th July in the Office of the Mediator, Sir Shridath Ramphal, with assistance from the CARICOM Secretariat.

Under the Agreement signed on 21 July in Georgetown, each side has nominated a Facilitator with whom Sir Shridath will work. In the case of the Board, it is Mr. Gerard Pinard; in the case of WIPA it is Mr. Dinanath Ramnarine. The Facilitators, met with the Mediator for five hours.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) His Excellency Edwin Carrington, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, on Friday July 24 urged the Community to commit to the achievement of the tenets of the regional integration movement with a sense of vision and determination.