His Excellency Jean Bertrand Aristide, President of the Republic of Haiti and Mrs. Aristide,
The Honorable Jean Marie Cherestal, Prime Minister,
The Honorable Yvon Neptune, President of the Senate,
The Honorable Pierre Paul Cottin, President of the Chamber of Deputies,
His Excellency Cesar Gaviria, Secretary General of the Organisation of American States,
Esteemed Members of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies,
Esteemed Members of the Cabinet,
Distinguished Secretaires D'Etat
Member
The Twenty-Second Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was held in Nassau, The Bahamas, on 3-6 July, 2001.
The Presidents of Guyana and Suriname have expressed their commitment to work towards a peaceful solution to the centuries old border dispute between the two countries.
Speaking at a joint press conference in The Bahamas, where the 22nd Meeting of Heads of Government and State of the Caribbean Community is being held, President Jagdeo of Guyana and President Runaldo Venetiaan of Suriname pledged to work towards a peaceful solution to the dispute.
Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, during their 22nd Conference, engaged in an exchange of views on the political crisis in the Republic of Haiti, which emanated from the 21 May 2000 elections in that country.
Your Excellencies Sir Orville and Lady Turnquest;
Your Excellencies the Presidents of Dominican Republic, Haiti, Guyana, and Suriname;
Colleague Heads of Government;
Honourable Cabinet Ministers, Senators and
Members of Parliament;
Mr. Secretary General;
Mr. President and Justices of the Court of Appeal;
Madam Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court;
Their Excellencies the Secretaries General of the Commonwealth, the Association of Caribbean States and the Director General of the Food and Agricultural Organization;
The Right Honourable Prime Minister of Barbados, Outgoing Chairman of CARICOM
The Right Honourable Prime Minister of Bahamas, Mr. Hubert Ingraham, the Incumbent Chairman of CARICOM and our wonderful host;
Other distinguished Heads of State and Government;
The Secretary-General of CARICOM, His Excellency Mr. Edwin Carrington;
Ministers of Government of member countries of CARICOM;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Other esteemed invited guests; Ladies, gentlemen and the people of our Caribbean civilisation.
His Excellency the Governor-General of The Bahamas Sir Orville Turnquest and Lady Turnquest
The Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community and Mrs. Ingraham
Their Excellencies the Presidents of Guyana, Suriname and of the Dominican Republic
Other Distinguished Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community
Hon. Premier of Bermuda
Hon. Ministers
Hon. Deputy Leader and Minister of Tourism, Environment and Transport of the Cayman Islands
In the Caribbean we see the future rushing at us as the high, to our eyes, impenetrable wall of the tidal wave bearing many developments under beautiful acronyms such as_ WTO, FTAA and CSME_ the Caribbean Single Market and Economy.
Your Excellency, The Governor General of the Bahamas,
Prime Minister Ingraham and fellow Heads of Government,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen_
I am delighted to return to Nassau to enjoy once more the excellent company of my good friend and colleague, Prime Minister Ingraham and the hospitality of his beautiful country, while doing the region's work.
I am especially pleased that on this occasion I have the honour of transferring from my hand to his the mantle of Chairmanship of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.
Important measures and areas where implementation is critical to the achievement of the establishment of CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) are expected to feature prominently in the four-day deliberations of the leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), slated for Nassau, the Bahamas, 3-6 July 2001.