The Twenty-Fifth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was held in Grand Anse, Grenada from 4 to 7 July 2004. Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada and Chairman of CARICOM presided over the Meeting of the Conference, the work programme of which sought to advance the process of regional integration.
Member
Mr. Chairman, thank you for affording me the opportunity to speak today on Belize's fulfillment of its Quasi-Cabinet responsibility as it relates to sustainable development issues within the Region.
Two beaming school children from Grenada who participated in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Thirtieth Anniversary Art Competition were presented with their trophies in Grenada today.
The students, Sean Harford and Shellon Eleazer placed second in the junior and senior categories respectively in the competition, which was one of the activities geared for the Community's youth during the anniversary year, February 2003 to March 2004.
Barbados_
CBC Radio, Barbados, has a long history of collaborative relationships with broadcast entities in the Caribbean Community on development and integration issues.
Since the early 1970s, with the advent of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, we have provided personnel and financial resources for regional broadcasters to travel for coverage of culture and aspirations of peoples throughout the Region. Indeed, over time, we have become a part of the very essence of the Caribbean Community; fulfilling our role in building an informed and educated society.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) now has its own voice. Leaders gathered for the 25th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Grenada were among the first audience to experience the commissioning of CARICOM's most recent connectivity initiative, Radio CARICOM.
Mr. Chairman;
Colleague Heads of Government;
Distinguished Members of the Legislative,
Judicial and Executive Authorities of Grenada;
Esteemed Secretary General of the Commonwealth;
Esteemed Secretary General of the Organisation of American States;
Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished Delegates;
Specially Invited Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Brothers and Sisters_
Mr. Chairman Colleague Heads of State and Government Honourable Ministers Secretary General Delegates Specially Invited Guests of International Organisations Members of the Diplomatic Corps Ladies and Gentlemen_
Introduction
Let me first thank the Government and people of Grenada for their cordial welcome and gracious hospitality. I extend warm congratulations to the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell on his assumption once again, of the Chairmanship of the Caribbean Community.
Welcome to Grenada. Welcome to Spice Country. Welcome to the Twenty-fifth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community. The people of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique welcome you.
I am very pleased that all of my friends are here. Just a few days ago, one of my colleague Heads of Government asked whether or not I would be here. Fortunately, being a cricketer, dealing with bouncers is ingrained in me. Thankfully though, bouncers are now limited to one per Over.
The Community Council of Ministers held its Second Special Meeting on July 3, 2004 in accordance with the decision taken at its Fourteenth Meeting, which was held in Trinidad and Tobago on 18 June 2004. The Chairman of the Meeting was The Hon. Elvin Nimrod, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Grenada. The Meeting was primarily to discuss the recommendations for the restructuring of the CARICOM Secretariat. It also received and reviewed an update on the situation in Haiti.
Opening Remarks
Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Hon. Baldwin Spencer has assured that diplomatic relations between Haiti and many Members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) remain intact, but said that the return to constitutional and democratic processes that underpin Haiti's development are prerequisites for participation in the Councils of the Regional grouping by its newest Member State.