​Excellency, today’s Ceremony accrediting you, High Commissioner Brummell, as your country’s Plenipotentiary Representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a notable and important one. You are the second Representative of the United Kingdom to be accredited to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Your predecessor High Commissioner Fraser Wheeler, based as he was in Georgetown, Guyana, had a close and active relationship with the CARICOM Secretariat. You, Excellency the first under the new UK Government, we are advised will be based in Barbados.
Speeches
Your Excellency Stefan Schlüter;
Deputy Secretary-General and other Members of the Executive Management Committee; Other Members of Staff of the Secretariat
Excellency, it is always a pleasure for me to welcome the representative of a development partner country of the Caribbean Community to the Headquarters of the Community. This Ceremony, today, to accredit you as your country’s third Plenipotentiary Representative to the Caribbean Community is a short but pleasant pause, in the intense three days of meetings that are being held here at the CARICOM Secretariat.
​Welcome to you all! I am particularly pleased to make special reference to the Honourable Ministers of Trinidad and Tobago, of Barbados and of Suriname who I am advised are attending their first meeting of COTED. Honourable Ministers, we are delighted to have you as members of this august Council and we look forward to your unique contribution.
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Permit me to begin these brief opening remarks to the Seventeenth Meeting of the Ministers of the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) by thanking the Outgoing Chair for the outstanding leadership which she gave to CARIFORUM during her tenure. As Secretary-General of both CARICOM and CARIFORUM, I had the opportunity and privilege to work closely with her. I derived great satisfaction and pride from that very fruitful and constructive working relationship.
​Salutations
Her Excellency the Governor General Colleague Ministers His Excellency Dr. Edwin Carrington Ladies and gentlemen
On Wednesday this week, several of us, representing the people and governments of many Caribbean nations, gathered in Barbados to pay tribute to an outstanding son of the region, who sadly has passed on.
This morning we gather here to pay tribute to another outstanding Caribbean son. Happily, this time, we are doing so while he is alive.
​It was only a few months ago, I sat here as the stand-in-chair of the Council in place of my colleague from Trinidad and Tobago and directed the meeting on a number of critical matters facing the Community. Since then, a number of other developments at the national, regional and international levels have taken place, and the Council, like many times before, is being called upon to take decisions that will map the trade and development agenda for the region into the approaching New Year 2011.
​Thank you for that warm welcome. I am truly honoured to be with you today.
Let me begin by thanking our host – the Prime Minister and people of St. Maarten – and congratulating you on your new status and constitution.
These are exciting times for the entire country. I wish you all the very best for the future.
We are here to mark the 10th anniversary of the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS [PANCAP], to look at what has been achieved and discuss the challenges ahead.
​Thank you for that warm welcome. I am truly honoured to be with you today.
Let me begin by thanking our host – the Prime Minister and people of St. Maarten – and congratulating you on your new status and constitution.
These are exciting times for the entire country. I wish you all the very best for the future.
We are here to mark the 10th anniversary of the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS [PANCAP], to look at what has been achieved and discuss the challenges ahead.
​ I welcome the opportunity to make a few comments at this consultation to review the Draft Report and proposed strategy prepared by the Consultancy firm, European Profiles and Consortium.
​ Honourable Robert Persaud, Minister of Agriculture;
Representatives of Member States;
Participants;
Representatives of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community, it is my pleasure to welcome you to this consultation. His Excellency Edwin Carrington could not be here with us today. However, he sends his warmest regards and best wishes for today’s deliberations.