Parliamentarians from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will this week journey to Belize for the Third Meeting of the Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP) which will take place in Belize City from 17 to 20 November 2000.
The Second Special Consultation on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) will take place in Barbados on 20-21 November, 2000 with CARICOM Heads of Government meeting with the regional media networks to intensify the CSME's Public Education Programme.
The Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr.Edwin Carrington on Thursday, 2 November 2000, met with the President of the Republic of Surname, H.E. Runaldo R. Venetiaan in his office in Paramaribo.
The Secretary-General's visit is in keeping with the spirit and policy of the CARICOM Secretariat to meet and brief newly elected Heads of Government of Member States on key developments, opportunities and activities of CARICOM.
Your Excellency Madame Minister Maria Elizabeth Levens,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Heads of International and Regional Organisations,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Madam Minister, It is an honour, which is deeply appreciated, to have been invited to respond on behalf of the diplomatic community to your kind expression of welcome to this luncheon in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Independence of Suriname.
The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Dr. the Hon. Kenny Anthony and CARICOM Head of Government with responsibility for Justice and Governance will be arriving in Guyana this Sunday October 29, 2000.
During his three-day visit, Dr. Anthony will meet with H.E. Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana, Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Desmond Hoyte and CARICOM Secretary-General Mr. Edwin Carrington.
A range of issues deemed critical to the future development of the Caribbean Community have been proposed for discussion at the first ever Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Forum with the Region's Civil Society to be convened next year.
Proposals for the issues came out of the first meeting of the Planning Committee for the Forum held in Trinidad and Tobago recently. The Forum is scheduled to be held no later than April 2001.
This Meeting is being held under a pall of sadness. The people of Dominica last Sunday morning, without warning, lost their new Prime Minister, the Hon. Roosevelt Douglas, and are in mourning. The people of Canada, last Thursday lost their former Prime Minister and friend of the Caribbean, the Rt. Hon. Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Let us observe one minute silence in their honour.
It was with great shock and profound sadness that the Caribbean Community learnt, early Sunday morning, of the death of the Prime Minister of Dominica, the Honourable Roosevelt Douglas at the age of 58.
Prime Minister Douglas was welcomed to the fold of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community only eight months ago when, in February this year, he led the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) to its first electoral victory since 1980.