Conference of Heads of Government

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.

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".

Thank you Dr Carrington, our Secretary General of CARICOM
Your Excellency the Deputy Governor General of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Mr. Denniston Bobb and Mrs. Bobb
Colleague Heads of State and Government
Distinguished Ministers of the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines
Other CARICOM Ministers
Leader of the Opposition, Hon Dr Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines and other distinguished Members of Parliament
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Members of the Judiciary and the Clergy

The Deputy Governor- General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, His Excellency Mr. Denniston Bobb and Mrs. Bobb
The Rt. Hon. Sir James Mitchell, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Chairman of the Caribbean Community
Their Excellencies the Presidents of Guyana, Suriname and Haiti
The Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Community
Other Distinguished Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community

The Eleventh Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, was held in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis on 13-14 March, 2000

Your Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis; Honourable Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community; Members of the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Nevis Island Assembly; Hon. Justice Satrohan Singh of the Eastern Caribbean Appeal Court, Resident Judge, His Lordship Justice Neville Smith, Dr. Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of CARICOM, Mr. Swinbourne Lestrade, Director General of the OECS, Mr.

Your Excellency, Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, Governor General of St. Kitts and Nevis
Dr. The Hon. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community
Colleague Heads of Government;
Other Heads of Delegations;
Hon. Ministers of Government;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Reverend Clergy;
Other Distinguished Guests;
Members of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

His Excellency the Governor-General and Mrs. Sebastian;
Their Excellencies the Presidents of Guyana and Suriname;
Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government;
Other Distinguished Prime Ministers and Heads of Government ;
Honourable Ministers;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies;
Chief Negotiator of the Regional Negotiating Machinery;
Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank;