Caribbean Community (CARICOM)/United Kingdom relations will come under sharp focus when Heads of Government of the Community meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday, 29 July 2001, at Jamaica House in Kingston, Jamaica, to deliberate on hemispheric and other issues. The Special CARICOM/UK Summit comes at the request of Mr. Blair who will be in Jamaica on the first leg of a Western Hemispheric tour which includes visits to Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.

Andrew Davies, winner of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat Book Cover Design Competition, will on Friday 27 July 2001 receive his prizes in Bridgetown, Barbados. The simple ceremony is scheduled for the Conference Room of the Ministry of Education starting at 3 p.m.

The book, "Our Caribbean Community" is aimed at providing young people of the Community with an insight into the history and process of our regional integration movement.

Honourable Prime Minister;
Former President and Leader of the Opposition;
Speaker of the National Assembly;
Honourable Ministers;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
His Excellency Ellsworth John, Ambassador of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States of America and a special guest for our function this evening;
Distinguished Guests;
Staff of the Secretariat;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

Welcome!

Foreign Minister of the Republic of Guyana, Hon. Rudy Insanally
Members of Executive Management
Other Colleagues of the Secretariat
Ladies and Gentlemen

I bid you a pleasant welcome and a special good evening.

It is with pride and pleasure that I join in paying tribute to our colleagues, staff members of the CARICOM Secretariat for their many years of outstanding service and dedication to the Caribbean Community in general, and to this Organisation, in particular.

Honourable Prime Minister;
Former President and Leader of the Opposition;
Speaker of the National Assembly;
Honourable Ministers;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
His Excellency Ellsworth John, Ambassador of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States of America and a special guest for our function this evening;
Distinguished Guests;
Staff of the Secretariat;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

In fulfillment of a mandate from the Twenty-Second Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a Team from the CARICOM Secretariat comprising Dr. Edward Greene, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development, and Ms. Gloria Richards- Johnson, Assistant General Counsel, visited Bermuda from 11-13 July 2001, for high level discussions with the Hon. Jennifer Smith, Premier of Bermuda, and other officials, regarding Bermuda's application for Associate Membership of CARICOM.

His Excellency Jean Bertrand Aristide, President of the Republic of Haiti and Mrs. Aristide,
The Honorable Jean Marie Cherestal, Prime Minister,
The Honorable Yvon Neptune, President of the Senate,
The Honorable Pierre Paul Cottin, President of the Chamber of Deputies,
His Excellency Cesar Gaviria, Secretary General of the Organisation of American States,
Esteemed Members of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies,
Esteemed Members of the Cabinet,
Distinguished Secretaires D'Etat

His Excellency Jean Bertrand Aristide, President of the Republic of Haiti and Mrs. Aristide,
The Honorable Jean Marie Cherestal, Prime Minister,
The Honorable Yvon Neptune, President of the Senate,
The Honorable Pierre Paul Cottin, President of the Chamber of Deputies,
His Excellency Cesar Gaviria, Secretary General of the Organisation of American States,
Esteemed Members of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies,
Esteemed Members of the Cabinet,
Distinguished Secretaires D'Etat