The Tenth Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on 8-9 November 2004. The meeting was chaired by Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique, and Chairman of the Conference.
Member
(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has secured the sum of US$81 million in USAID Assistance to undertake its regional development priorities in Trade Competitiveness, HIV/AIDS and the reconstruction of Grenada.
The funds, which make up part of a five-year programme, mark another important stage in what is described as a "strong, substantial and strategic relationship between USAID and the CARICOM Region."
Colleague Heads of Government, Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community; Ministers of Government, Distinguished Heads of Regional and International Organizations, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Chairman of the Conference, Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada;
Host Prime Minister the Honourable Patrick Manning;
Other Honourable Heads of Government;
Distinguished delegates;
Invited guests;
Members of Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat and Representatives of Institutions of the CARICOM family; Members of the media;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Let me warmly welcome you to this Tenth Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.
Mr. Chairman, Dr. the Honourable Keith Mitchell, Colleague Heads of Government, Honourable Ministers, Secretary General Mr. Edwin Carrington, Delegates, Members of the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, I wish to extend a warm welcome to all of you to Port of Spain.
The Eleventh Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD XI) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was convened at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana on 28-29 October 2004, under the theme, "Investing in Human Resources with Special Reference to Education and Training."
Salutations
On March 30, 2003 when the Special Meeting of Education - COHSOD was held in Trinidad and Chaired by Suriname, I was delighted to welcome Ministers of Education to Trinidad and Tobago.
I also emphasised the importance of COHSOD as a mechanism that allows us to come together to learn from each other to plan for our education systems in our own countries while recognizing that our success ultimately will depend upon our ability to prepare young people of the Caribbean to assure future roles in all our activities.
It is my pleasure to chair this opening session of the Eleventh Meeting of the COHSOD which focuses on education and training . I am pleased that so many Ministers, officials and representatives of collaborating agencies and development partners are with us today as we try to resolve some critical issues that underscore the intricate linkages between social and economic policies, especially in the context of the CSME process and the role that education plays in the development of human resources required for a CSME that is competitive in the global arena.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Electoral Observer Mission was mounted in response to a request made by the Government of St Kitts and Nevis for electoral observers to be present at the Elections held on Monday, 25 October 2004.
The Terms of Reference of the Observer Mission were to monitor the processes employed in the build up to the elections; observe the execution of the electoral process; make an assessment of the electoral process; and submit a report to the Secretary-General.
The CARICOM Secretariat is continuing its public education on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) with a workshop in Suriname 26-27 October 2004. The two-day workshop will train twenty-five participants as CSME Spokespersons. Modules will focus on advocacy, CSME Messages, the Regional Integration Movement, Media Skills and Public Speaking Techniques.
The CARICOM Secretariat's CSME Unit is collaborating with the Suriname Ministry of Trade and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in facilitating the workshop.