Speeches

Chairperson,
Collaborative Partners - Food and Agriculture Organisation - Dr. Hesdie Grauwde, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) - Mr. Ignatius Jean, United States Department of Agriculture /Animal and Plant Health International Services (USDA/APHIS) - Dr John Shaw, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) - Mr. Pierre-Yves Tycheney,
Participants from the non-CARICOM Countries,
Members and Associate Members of CARICOM,

Good morning.

The Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport
The Hon. Junia Regrello, Parliamentary Secretary, Trinidad and Tobago
Distinguished delegates of the Ninteenth Regional Cultural Committee
Members of the Interim Festival Directorate
Members of Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat

Chairperson,
Collaborative Partners - Food and Agriculture Organisation - Dr. Hesdie Grauwde, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) - Mr. Ignatius Jean, United States Department of Agriculture /Animal and Plant Health International Services (USDA/APHIS) - Dr John Shaw, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) - Mr. Pierre-Yves Tycheney,
Participants from the non-CARICOM Countries,
Members and Associate Members of CARICOM,

Good morning.

Chairperson,
Collaborative Partners - Food and Agriculture Organisation - Dr. Hesdie Grauwde, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) - Mr. Ignatius Jean, United States Department of Agriculture /Animal and Plant Health International Services (USDA/APHIS) - Dr John Shaw, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) - Mr. Pierre-Yves Tycheney,
Participants from the non-CARICOM Countries,
Members and Associate Members of CARICOM,

Good morning.

The Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport
The Hon. Junia Regrello, Parliamentary Secretary, Trinidad and Tobago
Distinguished delegates of the Ninteenth Regional Cultural Committee
Members of the Interim Festival Directorate
Members of Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat

This Twenty-Fifth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) is significant as much for the fact that it is actually taking place, as it is for its ultimate goal in helping to fashion a Caribbean Environment and Natural Resource Policy Framework. This is not an easy task given the multifaceted ambit of environmental issues, its widespread impact on the social and political landscape and on the lives and livelihood of the citizens of the Caribbean, and indeed on the future of the Region as a whole.

At a time when the world is grappling with climate change and its consequences, this 25th special meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (Environment) is timely. Our Agenda Items speak to critical issues facing the Region, and our deliberations in Georgetown will seek to charter a course for meaningful action for the future.

Within this context, it is appropriate that this COTED Meeting will discuss the development of a Regional Policy on Environment as a direct response to the common challenges and opportunities we face.

Mr. Chairman
Hon. Robert Persaud, Minister of Agriculture, representing the Prime Minister of Guyana
Hon. Allen Chastanet, Minister of Tourism of Saint Lucia and Representative of the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Lead Head of Government in the Quasi-Cabinet with responsibility for Sustainable Development
Ministers of Environment of CARICOM Member States
Assistant Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque and other members of Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat
Other Government Officials
Representatives of Agencies within the UN System

At a time when the world is grappling with climate change and its consequences, this 25th special meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (Environment) is timely. Our Agenda Items speak to critical issues facing the Region, and our deliberations in Georgetown will seek to charter a course for meaningful action for the future.

Within this context, it is appropriate that this COTED Meeting will discuss the development of a Regional Policy on Environment as a direct response to the common challenges and opportunities we face.

Mr. Chairman
Hon. Robert Persaud, Minister of Agriculture, representing the Prime Minister of Guyana
Hon. Allen Chastanet, Minister of Tourism of Saint Lucia and Representative of the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Lead Head of Government in the Quasi-Cabinet with responsibility for Sustainable Development
Ministers of Environment of CARICOM Member States
Assistant Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque and other members of Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat
Other Government Officials
Representatives of Agencies within the UN System