(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Trade Ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are to bring into sharper focus the expansion of the categories of persons eligible to move freely, within the context of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The Ministers will meet on 16-17 November in Georgetown, Guyana for the Twenty-Second Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which is expected to advance discussions on Free Movement as well as other issues relevant to the operation of the CSME.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The CARICOM Youth Ambassador (CYA) of Barbados, Chad Blackman was recently presented with the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for outstanding work as a CYA and for contributing to the socio-economic landscape of the country on national, regional and international issues.

The award was presented by Barbadian Prime Minister the Right Honourable Owen Arthur.

Blackman noted that he was extremely pleased to be the first recipient of this prestigious award and proud to be a member of the CYA Programme.

I would normally start by saying that it is a pleasure for me to be here today; however, there is nothing pleasurable about the topic that brings us here today. For it must concern us that the number of HIV infected persons in the Caribbean is larger than the entire population of Barbados; we cannot afford to lose sight of the fact that the number of new HIV infections occurring in the Caribbean last year bordered on the entire population of St.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is committed to continuing its role in advancing the fight against the scourge of HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean. This commitment was given by the Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite to the gathering at the opening ceremony of the Sixth Annual General Meeting of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) taking place in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), over the next two days.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)  President of Dominica, H.E. Dr. Nicholas Liverpool, presented to CARICOM Secretary-General, H.E. Edwin W. Carrington today, the nation’s highest award, the Dominica Award of Honour to the Caribbean Community; one of only two awarded this year as the Commonwealth of Dominica observe the 28th Anniversary of its independence.

The other awardee was Mr. Franklyn Baron, a Chief Minister in Pre-Independent Dominica and later distinguished Diplomat and Statesman.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, H.E. Edwin W. Carrington ended a one day official visit to Montserrat during which he held discussions with Chief Minister Dr. Lowell Lewis on a number of Regional matters of relevance to Montserrat.