Press Releases

Your Excellency Fraser William Wheeler and Mrs. Wheeler
Members of Staff of the Secretariat and of the British High Commission
Representatives of the Media

Good day and warm welcome to you all!

Today, we have the good fortune to witness the accreditation of the first Plenipotentiary Representative of the United Kingdom to the Caribbean Community. It is truly an historic occasion. By this accreditation, we will be establishing a new threshold in the enduring and historical diplomatic relations between the Caribbean Community and the United Kingdom.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) As the CARICOM Single Market enters its fourth year of operation, Heads of Government will next week review its performance and place focus on the movement towards the establishment of the Single Economy.

The Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) meets in Bridgetown, Barbados on 30 January 2009, and will focus on key elements of the CSME, the Community’s flagship programme.

It would be the fifth Meeting of this Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Newly-accredited Plenipotentiary Representative of the United Kingdom to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), His Excellency Fraser Wheeler, has reaffirmed his government’s support to the Region’s economic development.

In an historic ceremony which marked the accreditation of the first Plenipotentiary Representative of the UK to CARICOM, Mr. Wheeler stated that the British government was determined to partner with CARICOM to manage risks and take opportunities to attain sustainable economic growth.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) is moving to deepen its relations with the Republic of Finland for possible support to the Region in the area of sustainable development.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, H. E Edwin Carrington has welcomed an offer from the Kingdom of Spain to provide technical assistance with regards to the mechanics for the management of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF).

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, His Excellency, Edwin Carrington on Monday January 19, 2009 urged the newly recruited staff of CARICOM Secretariat to feel a sense of “ownership” of the regional integration process as they embarked on their tenure at the CARICOM Headquarters, Georgetown, Guyana.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Research findings conducted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) have revealed that youth across the Caribbean Region were alarmingly concerned about what they described as serious disintegration of social institutions and values.

This, according to researcher, Terri-Ann Gilbert Roberts, had affected youth development negatively and consequently prompted a strong call for appropriate youth governance structures to address the problem.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The prevailing high cost of living has been cited as one of the top five issues affecting Caribbean youth.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) As Trinidad and Tobago accelerates plans in preparation for the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April 2009, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) are collaborating to shape the Region’s position on a range of issues which it will seek to articulate collectively, at the Summit.