Your Excellency Sir Colville Young, Governor General of Belize,
Honourable Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize
Madame Speaker of the Assembly
Honourable Ministers
Members of the Assembly
Member of the Diplomatic Corps
Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community
Distinguished Guests
Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
Press Releases
Madam/Mr. Speaker, allow me on behalf of the Government and People of Belize to warmly welcome to Belize this Assembly of distinguished Caribbean Community Parliamentarians, the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), observers, and other distinguished guests.
Madam/Mr. Speaker, it was some six years ago in 1994 that the Inter-Governmental Agreement establishing the Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP) entered into force. Two years later the First Meeting of the ACCP was held in Barbados in May 1996.
(i) The Recent Venezuela Oil Facility Offer
The Bureau welcomed the offer of the Government of Venezuela of an Energy Accord (the Caracas Energy Accord) to supplement the existing San Jose Agreement, thereby providing additional support on a bilateral basis to several oil-importing countries in the Caribbean and Central America.
Officials from Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), began a two-day meeting of officials in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda today to establish a timetable for the removal of restrictions affecting the application of Protocol II to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
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.