The Twenty-Sixth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was held in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, from 3 to 6 July 2005. Dr. the Honourable Kenny D. Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and Chairman of CARICOM, presided over the Meeting of the Conference.
Press Releases
The Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at their Twenty-Sixth Session in Saint Lucia on 3-6 July, 2005, considered the recent proposals by the European Commission for reform of the EU Sugar Regime and protest in the strongest terms the severe and dislocating loss of benefits from the Sugar Protocol which would result if the Commission’s proposals published on June 22, 2005, are implemented.
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Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community |
The Caribbean Community conveys warm and fraternal wishes to the African Union (AU). It is with great pleasure that the kind invitation to our Secretary-General to be a specially invited guest to the Fifth Ordinary Session of Assembly of the African Union and to address the Opening Session was received. We were honored by this gesture and deeply regret that the coincidence of dates with our Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government - the supreme organ of the Caribbean Community - has prevented his attendance.
Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community
Your Excellency Dr. Leonel Fernandez, President of the Dominican Republic
Your Excellency Edwin Carrington, Secretary General of the Caribbean Community
Your Excellency Enrique Iglesias, outgoing President of the Inter- American Development Bank
Your Excellency Dr. Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary- General of the Organisation of American States
Distinguished Ministers
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
There is hope that our sargasso days are ending.
The promise of fresh wind turns our bow toward waiting horizons
plotting our course by our judgment of the sun
and the latitude of familiar stars.
(…Anonymous)
SALUTATIONS
It is with great satisfaction and optimism that I address you today as one of the new generation of leaders who are emerging throughout the Caribbean to take responsibility for the political, social and economic development of our Region in a rapidly changing global environment.
First, I want to thank the Government and people of Saint Lucia for welcoming us to this beautiful country, and for making the splendid arrangements for this historic Conference.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at their Twenty Sixth Regular Meeting in Saint Lucia reaffirmed that the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) and the Regional Development Fund (RDF) will be in place by December 2005.
These decisions were disclosed by Lead CARICOM Head of Government for the CSME, and Prime Minister of Barbados, the Rt. Hon Owen Arthur, at the end of the first working day of the Heads of Government Meeting on Monday 5 July.
(Caribbean Community Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Parliamentary Opposition Leaders have agreed to set up a six-member team to follow up on issues arising from their recent historic meeting in Saint Lucia and also to map the path for the way ahead.
The team will comprise three representatives on each side. The Opposition Leaders of Jamaica, Dominica and Guyana will make up the Opposition team while CARICOM Heads of Government are expected to decide on the composition of their team in due course.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are leading by example in streamlining the required arrangements to cushion any fall out that may occur as a result of the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market (CSM).