It is with great pleasure that today, 8 December, we celebrate CARICOM-Cuba Day.
Thirty-one years ago, four Caribbean Community countries - Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago - opened this chapter in the Community’s history by establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba.
CARICOM Heads of Government, in London en route to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Abuja, Nigeria, met over breakfast with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair today at his invitation.
They took the opportunity at this the latest in their biennial discussions, to exchange views on a number of issues of mutual interest, particularly those relating to trade and to security.
Ministers representing Ministries of the Government of Guyana,
Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community,
Members of the Diplomatic Core,
Members of the Business Community,
Representative of Workers Organisations ,
Other Non Governmental Organisations ,
Ladies and gentlemen
Welcome
THE BASIC RATIONALE
Preparations are moving apace at various levels within the Caribbean Community to institutionalize as fast as possible the Single Market and Economy (SME) in this regard, Guyana is no exception.
The target year has been set for sometime before year 2005.
We are a mere two years away from this momentous event which will have a direct and indirect impact on the daily lives of each and every Guyanese. In fact, it would be no wild assertion to state that the Single Market and Economy is "around the corner".
Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) Director-General, Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal, was appointed Honorary Professor at the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies of the University of the West Indies (UWI), October 2003. The appointment comes in recognition of Ambassador Bernal’s contribution to the work and progress of the institution over the years. The distinction Ambassador Bernal has brought to UWI was recognized in letters of congratulation from Professor the Hon. Rex Nettleford, Vice Chancellor-UWI, and other distinguished persons.
The CARICOM Mission to India led by the Hon. K.D. Knight, current Chairman of the Community Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica continued its five-day visit with stops at a number of Hi-Tech organizations in Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh (State). The Delegation, which includes Secretary-General Edwin Carrington and Special Assistant Glenda Itiaba, met with representatives of the e-Seva Centre – a one stop agency designed to integrate, simplify and upgrade the provision of government services to the wider population.
Caribbean Trade Ministers will meet with the Mexican Foreign Minister and the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, (WTO), Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi in Georgetown, Guyana on Friday 28 November, 2003. H.E Ernesto Derbez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico was the Chairman of the Fifth Session of the WTO Ministerial Conference, which was held in Cancun in early September.
The meeting is scheduled to take place from 3.00 p.m. at the Conference Room of the headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat, Bank of Guyana Building.
The CARICOM Mission to India, led by the Chairman of the Community Council of Ministers Hon. K.D. Knight, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica and including the CARICOM Secretary General His Excellency Edwin Carrington and his Special Assistant, Ms. Glenda Itiaba, got underway on Tuesday, 25 November with discussions in Delhi, with the Hon. Yashwant Sinha, Minister of External Affairs of India and other representatives of the Indian Government.