March 8, 1998 marks the eighty-fourth year that the world will be commemorating International Women's Day. As we, in the Caribbean, take pride in the progress we have made in furthering the objective of regional integration and prepare to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas this July, we must also take stock of progress in moving our Region towards the imperative of gender equality and social justice.
Press Releases
The Ninth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was held in St. George's, Grenada, from 2 to 3 March 1998.
Five Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community and CARICOM Secretary General turned the sod as a symbolic start for the building of the permanent headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat at Liliendaal, Georgetown, Guyana.
Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Grenada's Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Keith Mitchell has stated that the visit by four regional Heads of Government is a demonstration of the Region's "absolute commitment" to the reconciliatory process in Guyana following the tension after the December 15, 1997 General Elections.
The Legal Affairs Committee considered the items on its Agenda. Of particular note, Agreement was reached on the following_
(1)Â Â Â Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Supreme Court/Caribbean Court of Justice
The Instrument establishing the Court was redrafted
Other supporting instruments are at an advanced stage and should be completed in July by the Legal Officers Meeting which has been constituted to examine and draft these instruments
The integration process of the Caribbean Community is progressing well and the Region is making an effort to liberalise its market, in spite of the concern of countries about their vulnerability. So said Mr. Michael Kergin, Deputy Minister Americas, Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada at a joint press conference with CARICOM Secretary-General Edwin Carrington at the conclusion of the Ninth Meeting of the CARICOM-Canada Joint Trade and Economic Committee held at the CARICOM headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana on Friday 20 February 1998.
Co-Chairman Mr. Michael Kergin
Assistant Deputy Minister
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates
Staff of the Secretariat
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen_
CARICOM Secretary General Mr. Edwin Carrington has announced that Suriname will soon become a member of the CARICOM-Canada Joint Trade and Economic Committee (JTEC). Mr Carrington was speaking on Thursday 19 February 1998 at the opening of the Ninth JTEC meeting in Georgetown Guyana at the CARICOM headquarters. Suriname which became a member of CARICOM in 1995 is expected shortly to take the final steps to complete its membership in JTEC.
The Ninth meeting of the CARICOM/Canada Joint Trade and Economic Committee (JTEC) begins in Georgetown, Guyana on Thursday 19 February, 1998.
This meeting takes place against the backdrop of the upcoming second Summit of the Americas scheduled for Santiago, Chile in April and the recent expansion of Caribbean Community/Canadian Technical Cooperation Agreement (CARIBCAN), the one way duty free trade arrangement, which allows CARICOM products to enter Canadian markets. Methanol and lubricating oils were added to the list of products under CARIBCAN.
The Chairman of the Caribbean Community, Dr the Hon. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, today (13 February,1998) announced the members of the Caribbean team who will undertake the independent audit of the December 1997 elections in Guyana. Over the past several weeks consultations on the make-up of the team have been held with the various political parties which contested the December elections. These consultations involved the Alliance for Guyana, The United Force, A Good and Green Guyana, Justice for All and the Guyana Democratic Party.