(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The operation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the imminent establishment of the Competition Commission are among key agenda items of the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

Mr. Chairman
His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo
Prime Minister the Hon. Samuel Hinds
Ministers of Government
Members of Parliament
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Governor of the Bank of Guyana Lawrence Williams
The Chairman and Executive Members of the CAIB
Distinguished Delegates
Other Distinguished Guests
Representatives of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) CARICOM Secretary-General His Excellency Edwin Carrington has outlined six of the major challenges facing the indigenous banking industry in the Caribbean.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Fifteenth Meeting of the Regional Census Coordinating Committee (RCCC) which began in Suriname 8 November 2007 will focus on preparations for the 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses in Members States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

On the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Community has mounted a CARICOM Electoral Observer Mission to monitor the election system and processes, as well as the conduct of the General Elections to be held on 5 November 2007.

The twenty-seven member Observer Mission comprises_

Core Group_

Your Excellency Dr. Martens
Deputy Secretary-General, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite
Assistant Secretaries-General and other staff members of the CARICOM Secretariat
Esteemed Guests
Representatives of the Media