"A HOME OF OUR OWN"

The formal opening of the Headquarters of the Community in this rich and diverse land is a particularly touching occasion for me personally. I had to be here. I am honoured that I have the privilege to speak to this august gathering.

It is a moment filled with nostalgia but I must resist the temptation simply to indulge in fond reminiscence.

Excellencies

Today, we gather to inaugurate the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters Building at Liliendaal. This is indeed a proud moment for all Guyanese, especially for me as it represents the fulfilling of a promise made more than 30 years ago when the regional integration process began. The event must certainly rank among the more significant occasions in the life of our integration movement.

The Sixteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of The Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was held in Paramaribo, Suriname, February 16-17, 2005 under the chairmanship of His Excellency Drs. Runaldo R. Venetiaan, President of the Republic of Suriname and Chairman of The Conference. Other Heads of Government in attendance were_ The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Hon. Baldwin Spencer; the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur; the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Said Musa; the Prime Minister of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique, Dr. the Rt. Hon.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana)   Officials of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat today began a week of discussions with representatives of TATA INFOTEC Limited on assistance being provided by the Government of India for the computerisation of the new CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters, which will be inaugurated on Saturday, 19 February 2005.

  The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) remains gravely concerned by the overall situation in Haiti. Insecurity, volatility and political polarization combine with joblessness as stumbling blocks to progress.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) The themes of economic cooperation, unity and strengthening of the economic base of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) came to the fore as the Sixteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government opened in Paramaribo, Suriname on Wednesday February 16.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) which was officially switched on at the July 2004 Regular Meeting of The Conference of Heads of Government in Grenada, is slated to receive funding from the World Bank, the Canadian Government and E-Links, a United States based company. The full-scale operation of the e-learning network system will however require an additional US$9M, Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada disclosed yesterday.

Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community, Your Excellency Luiz Ignácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Your Excellency Mr. Jules Rattankoemar Ajodhia, Vice-President of Suriname, Your Excellency Mr.

President of the Republic of Suriname Ministers of Foreign Affairs Excellencies Officials Ladies and Gentlemen

This afternoon I have had the honour and the pleasure of signing An Agreement for the Deepening of Bilateral Cooperation between the Government of Barbados and the Government of the Republic of Suriname. It is the hope of the Government and people of Barbados that through this Agreement we can strengthen ties at the official level and equally improve relations at the people to people level between our two societies.