Speeches

By mahtabala, 31 March, 2012

​(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) My fellow Community nationals of Grenada, today I share with you a great sense of achievement.

The launch of the Grenada Coalition of Service Industries represents a feat in perseverance, and focused and positive tenacity in the face of severe economic and social challenges. You have stayed the regional course in the pursuit of long-term national, economic and social sustainability.

By mahtabala, 31 March, 2012

CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) My fellow Community nationals of Grenada, today I share with you a great sense of achievement.

The launch of the Grenada Coalition of Service Industries represents a feat in perseverance, and focused and positive tenacity in the face of severe economic and social challenges. You have stayed the regional course in the pursuit of long-term national, economic and social sustainability.

By mahtabala, 30 March, 2012

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque on Thursday accepted the Letter of Credence of His Excellency William Joseph, the new Ambassador of Grenada to CARICOM.

By mahtabala, 29 March, 2012

​(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) I have the honour and duty to chair this COTED Meeting in the absence of the designated-Chair. I therefore, have the pleasure of welcoming all Ministers, Heads of Delegations and other representatives to this meeting of the COTED. I wish to extend a special welcome to the Honourable Arnaldo Brown, Minister of State, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, who is attending his first COTED Meeting.

By mahtabala, 29 March, 2012

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) I extend a warm welcome to you all to this the Thirty-Fourth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). In extending this welcome, I do so specially to the Honourable Arnaldo Brown, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, Honourable Alva Baptiste, Minister of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation and the Honourable Emma Hippolyte, Minister of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs both of Saint Lucia.

By mahtabala, 29 March, 2012

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) I have the honour and duty to chair this COTED Meeting in the absence of the designated-Chair. I therefore, have the pleasure of welcoming all Ministers, Heads of Delegations and other representatives to this meeting of the COTED. I wish to extend a special welcome to the Honourable Arnaldo Brown, Minister of State, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, who is attending his first COTED Meeting.

By mahtabala, 28 March, 2012

​(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) In October 2011, I visited Brussels, Belgium to participate in a Meeting of Heads of African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP) Regional Organisations and Chief Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Negotiators. During that Meeting, the Commission of the European Union (EU) provided information that by the end of 2011, the Caribbean Forum of the ACP (CARIFORUM) would have programmed 80% of the Euro 165 million available under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Indicative Programme.

By mahtabala, 28 March, 2012

​(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) This is a great pleasure for me, both as the representative of the European Union, a development partner to CARIFORUM and as a strong believer in Regional Integration as an instrument towards achieving sustainable economic development, to be here today.

Indeed, we are about to sign three Financing Agreements for three important programmes which were identified and developed jointly, based on the Region priorities.

By mahtabala, 28 March, 2012

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) will examine recommendations to ease the effects of the rising cost of fuel and commodities on the Region’s economies. This matter was first raised at COTED in May last year at the height of the crisis in North Africa which had triggered an increase in the prices of fuel that itself caused a hike in the cost of other commodities.

By mahtabala, 28 March, 2012

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) In October 2011, I visited Brussels, Belgium to participate in a Meeting of Heads of African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP) Regional Organisations and Chief Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Negotiators. During that Meeting, the Commission of the European Union (EU) provided information that by the end of 2011, the Caribbean Forum of the ACP (CARIFORUM) would have programmed 80% of the Euro 165 million available under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Indicative Programme.