Dear Colleagues,

If there is anyone in our midst who is of the belief that when we met in September 2004 at our First Stakeholders' Meeting, that that meeting took place in a backdrop of uncertainty, today as we meet at this Second Stakeholders' Meeting, the circumstances are even more ominous.

The dark cloud hovers over us as a result of the recent ruling by the WTO Appellate Body on the EU sugar case has not made the situation less worry-some.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Guyana's Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Hon. Clement Rohee has suggested that the recent ruling by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Appellate Body on the European Union (EU) Sugar case has made the situation for sugar in the Caribbean more "worrisome". Minister Rohee was at the time addressing the Second Meeting of Sugar Stakeholders being convened on Tuesday, 10 May 2005 in Georgetown, Guyana.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Another milestone was created in the history of the thirty-one year old integration movement, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with the inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday 16 April, 2005.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers with responsibility for economic development issues will meet under the umbrella of CARICOM’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in Guyana, 11-12 May 2005. The Ministers will be guided in their deliberations by discussions and recommendations from their officials who are scheduled to meet on 9-10 May 2005, also in Guyana.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Nationals of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are to benefit while the Region is expected to boost its competitiveness when the Community rolls out its project for distance learning. Known as the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN), the project aims to foster collaboration and boost competitiveness of CARICOM Member States through education.

CARICOM REAFFIRMS INTEREST IN FTAA CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – “CARICOM Countries are prepared for the possible resumption of Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations.” This according to the Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal. “The Region is actively positioning itself to re-shape the ‘vision’ of the FTAA, in accordance with Regional development goals and priorities,” he added.

The Tenth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was convened at the Hilton Tobago Hotel, Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago on 28-30 April 2004 under the Chairmanship of the Hon. John Rahael, Minister of Health, Trinidad and Tobago and under the theme, Investing in Human Resources with Special Reference to Health, Sustainable Development and the Environment.

Salutation

It is my pleasure to bring you greetings on behalf of the CARICOM Secretary-General and the staff of the Secretariat, and to thank you for attending this the Twelfth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD). This meeting is particularly significant as it convenes for the first time, Ministers with responsibility for Gender Affairs in the Region. 

Theme_ GENDER AS A CROSSCUTTING ELEMENT

  

Salutation 

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite has made a strong call for women and men to be treated equally in Regional development policies. Ambassador Applewhaite was at the time delivering remarks at the opening of the Twelfth Meeting of CARICOM's Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD). The three-day Meeting opened in Georgetown on Wednesday, 27 April under the theme "Gender As A Cross-Cutting Theme In Human And Social Development Issues."