Mr. President of the St. Vincent Chamber of Industry and Commerce;
Members of the Chamber;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am delighted to be here this evening on the occasion of the Annual President's Dinner of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
The Twenty First Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), was held in Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines on 2-5 July 2000.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson says developing countries must press ahead with plans to establish a working secretariat with the technical and professional competence to promote and defend their economic interests, matching if not surpassing the developed countries in efficiency and effectiveness.
The Twenty First Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), was held in Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines on 2-5 July 2000.
It is with a measure of satisfaction that we mark the Twenty-Seventh Anniversary of the Caribbean Community.
At this juncture in our history, the Community sits on the cusp of a new era in our lives. We are facing a world of immense possibilities, but also one of unprecedented challenges.
The Twenty First Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), was held in Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines on 2-5 July 2000.
It is with a measure of satisfaction that we mark the Twenty-Seventh Anniversary of the Caribbean Community.
At this juncture in our history, the Community sits on the cusp of a new era in our lives. We are facing a world of immense possibilities, but also one of unprecedented challenges.
The involvement of the people of the Region in taking the integration process through the next stage assumed major focus among the Region's Leaders as they sought to set the tone of the 21st Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which opened in Canouan Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Sunday 2 July, 2000.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am indeed honoured to have the privilege to address my Fellow Heads in the idyllic isle of Canouan, a special part of St Vincent and the Grenadians.
It has become a ritual for new Heads of Government in their maiden presentation at CARICOM Summits to chastise the sitting heads for converting our meetings into a "talk shop". However, they themselves are accused later of joining the "club".