Member

His Excellency Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo
Ministers of Government
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (Mr. Edward Boyer)
Leader of the Opposition
Members of Staff, CARICOM Secretariat
Distinguished Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen

Deeply concerned about the continuing instability in Haiti and the prospect of a breakdown in the social order, the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) emphasise that only strict adherence to the democratic process will constitute a proper solution to the political problems in Haiti.

It will be recalled that at the XXIII Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community held in Georgetown from July 3-5, 2002, the Heads of Government had accepted an invitation extended by the President of Haiti for a delegation led by the Chairman of Conference to visit Haiti before the end of 2002. 

The main purpose of the visit would be in recognition of Haiti’s membership and to encourage the process of inter-relationship between Haiti and the rest of the Community. 

The Caribbean Community wishes to convey its full support for   the Mission to Venezuela currently being  led by  the Organisation of  American States (OAS) Secretary-General  H. E. Cesar  Gaviria with the aim of promoting political dialogue between the Government of President Hugo Chavez and opposition groups.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Mr Edwin Carrington on Saturday, 30 November 2002, received Barbados= second highest National Award, the Companion of Honour of Barbados (Honorary) (CHB).

At a glittering ceremony at Government House, Bridgetown which formed part of the celebrations marking the 36th Anniversary of Independence, Barbados Governor-General H.E Sir Clifford Husbands GCMG KA, pinned the insignia on Mr Carrington. The award was conferred on the Secretary-General Afor his outstanding contribution to the development of the Caribbean Region.@

On 25 September 2002, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat received a Diplomatic Note dated 24 September 2002 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica informing that the Government of Jamaica had “indicated to the Government of the United States of America its intention to resume bilateral ‘Open Skies’ negotiation on suitable dates between 21 and 30 October 2002.”

Regional statisticians got together for back-to-back meetings during the past week, November 11-15, 2002 in St. George’s, Grenada to discuss critical issues relating to data collection, compilation and dissemination, in support of national and regional priorities and objectives. The Meetings were convened by the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and hosted by the Government of Grenada.

The Secretary-General and Staff of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat have learnt with shock and great sadness of the passing of Leonard "Tim" Hector, the well-known Caribbean cricket commentator, journalist, political activist and historian from Antigua and Barbuda.

Tim was a true Caribbean man whose commitment and passion for the Region, its people and for those things which mattered most in their lives such as cricket and politics, made him a great force in his nation=s life and in the arena of Caribbean life as well.

Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, the President of Guyana, is planning to lead a mission to Haiti, the Community's newest Member State, in early December.

The Mission will include representatives of both Government and Private Sector as a means of familiarising key Community stakeholders with Haiti. Heads of Government at their Meeting last July in Georgetown agreed that the Chairman should visit Haiti to mark its accession to the Community which was formalised during the July meeting. 

The Fifteenth Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) takes place on Monday, November 11, in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The Bureau comprises of the Chairman, President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, Prime Minister Said Musa of Belize,(the immediate past chairman); Prime Minister Pierre Charles of Dominica (the incoming chairman); and the Secretary-General, Mr Edwin Carrington.