The Project Management Group (PMG) for the projectĀ āStrengthening the Institutional Response to HIV/AIDS/STI in the Caribbeanā (SIRHASC) is due to meet later this week in Saint Lucia to assess efforts at building the RegionāsĀ capability to combat the dreaded diseases. The Project Management Group of five regional institutions will also fine-tune a range of activities slated for next year, completing the three-year programme of cooperation among these institutions.
Press Releases
The Caribbean should expect increased assistance from Canada as relations between that country and CARICOM have recently been strengthened with the appointment of its first Plenipotentiary Representative, His Excellency Serge Marcoux.
The Seventh Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) was held at Le Meridien Pegasus, Georgetown, Guyana on 23- 25 October 2002.
The Hon. Walter Sandriman, Minister of Education and Community Development, of the Republic of Suriname and Chairman of the COHSOD, presided over the proceedings.
It is my pleasure to be here this afternoon to join you for this closing session of the Seventh Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development, which is dedicated to the presentation of the CARIFESTA VIII Programme by the Surname National CARIFESTA Commission led by Minister Walter Sandriman. I regret that I could not be with you before but as the Deputy Secretary-General would have pointed out in her remarks at the opening session, my absence was unavoidable.
Your Excellency President Fidel Castro
Colleague Heads of Government
Ministers of Government of Cuba and of CARICOM
Secretary General of the Caribbean Community
Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States
Distinguished Ambassadors
Specially invited guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
His Excellency the Governor-General and Mrs. Ballantyne;
Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves;
Honourable Members of the Council of Ministers of the Caribbean Forum of ACP States;
>Honourable Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands;
Representatives of the European Commission;
Representatives of the Regional negotiating Machinery;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished Delegates;
Distinguished Guests;
Members of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Honourable Heads of State or Government of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the four Caribbean countries that, having achieved independence in 1972, 30 years ago, took the courageous step of establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba;
Ā Honourable Heads of State or Government of the other member countries of CARICOM, whom we are bound to by close and excellent ties of brotherhood, solidarity and cooperation in various fields that constitute an example of relations between small developing countries;
Honorable Ministers
Mrs. Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM and Assistant Secretary General of CARICOM
Permanent Secretaries
Representatives of Ministries
Members of the CARICOM Secretariat
Ladies and Gentlemen
Guests,
On behalf of Suriname and myself I am honoured to represent Suriname, which accede to Chair of the Seventh Meeting of the Council of Human and Social Development at this meeting.
The Region is seeking to advance discussions on a sustainable approach to human and social development as a major step towards securing a better future for its peoples by improving their quality of life and creating a region more capable of taking on the challenges of globalisation.
Chairman
Deputy Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett
Ministers of Government and Representatives of Member States
Diplomatic Corps
Members of International and Regional Organs
Ladies and Gentlemen