Press Releases

  (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana and Incoming Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said Friday that the regional integration movement remained on course and called on Member States to recommit to integration.

He gave this reassurance at a media briefing ahead of the Thirtieth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, scheduled for 2-4 July, 2009, in Georgetown, Guyana. The media briefing was held at the Headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Department for International Development (DFID) of the Government of the United Kingdom has established a Trust Fund for £5 million at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to assist the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States (CARIFORUM) to boost growth and reduce poverty through trade and regional integration.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Plans to establish the Caribbean Regional Public Health Agency (CARPHA) are moving full speed ahead as regional Health Ministers gave the green light to the Steering Committee to step up its legal and operational processes in making CARPHA a reality by 2010.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community is intensifying efforts to contain the spread of the H1N1 Virus popularly known as Swine Flu within the Caribbean, with the most recent initiative being the strengthening of national laboratories with PCR equipment and relevant training of lab staff to enhance testing capabilities in identifying the HINI virus.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) “After 25 years of grappling with HIV and AIDS, there is yet no cure. Notwithstanding the copious declarations and pronouncements, behaviour modification is slow to take root and stigma and discrimination persist.”

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)  World Environment Day is observed in many places across the world on 5 June every year. The day has been singled out to inspire awareness and enhance political attention and action towards the environment. It is an opportunity for many of us living in the developing world to think of our contribution and approach towards making the world a better place for ourselves, our children and grandchildren. This year's theme is Your Planet Needs You - Unite to Combat Climate Change.

It is my pleasure to be present at this important Ministerial Meeting on HIV and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, when representatives from across our Hemisphere try to grapple with the critical developments, consolidate approaches and shape new initiatives for an adequate response to the disease that has challenged the World for over 20 years. I wish to congratulate UNECLAC, PAHO and the Caribbean Community Secretariat for their joint effort that has resulted in this gathering today.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) While implementation of decisions taken by Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) may not occur as quickly as citizens desire, what had been accomplished ought not to be underestimated, the Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda said.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)  The Eighteenth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) which focussed on Education and Health was convened under the theme_ “Winds of change_ Education and Health collaborating to advance Human and Social Development” was held at the Ritz Carlton, Golf and Spa, Montego Bay, Jamaica, 3-4 June 2009.

In attendance were_