The Member States of the Caribbean Community have followed with continued interest, the evolution of the political crisis in Haiti. They did so against the background of the Region's continued concern about the political crisis in that country and the impact of that crisis on the Haitian people, whose democratic, social and economic aspirations it holds dear.
Member
The Community Council of Ministers, the second highest decision-making body of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), will this week address a range of issues critical to the upcoming deliberations of the CARICOM Heads of Government Summit scheduled for the Bahamas from 3 - 6 July, 2001.
The status of implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) as well as the establishment of two committees to take the implementation process forward are top agenda items for the Eight Meeting of the Council slated for Thursday, 14 June, 2001 in Kingston, Jamaica.
1. The Caribbean Community has been engaged with Haiti for a long time, as that country is part of the Caribbean sub-region. Haiti has also applied for full membership of the Caribbean Community and Common Market.
2. CARICOM Heads of Government have agreed to the establishment of a CARICOM Office in Haiti to support Haiti´s membership of the Community and I am pleased to inform that that staff will leave Georgetown this week-end to commence operations of that office, which will be housed in the Embassy of The Bahamas in Haiti.
The Joint OAS/CARICOM Mission to Haiti, led by Secretary General Cesar Gaviria and former Dominican Prime Minister, Dame Eugenia Charles, will visit Port-au-Prince from May 29 to 31, 2001.
The Fourth Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) was held in Georgetown, Guyana on 21-22 May, 2001. The Ministers attending were_ the Hon. Hilroy Humphreys, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Business Development, Antigua and Barbuda; the Hon. Billie Miller, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Barbados; the Hon. John Briceño, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, the Environment and Industry, Belize; the Hon. Osborne Riviere, Minister of Trade, Industry and Marketing, Dominica; the Hon.
Hon. Ministers,
Other Heads of Delegations,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Heads of Regional Institutions,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
Staff of the Secretariat
Honourable Prime Minister,
Honourable Ministers
Excellencies,
Mr. Secretary-General
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am extremely pleased, on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana to extend to you a warm welcome to the opening of this Fourth Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations.
Honourable Prime Minister of Guyana
Colleague Ministers
Secretary-General
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Delegates
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is indeed a pleasure to address this Fourth Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) in my capacity as outgoing chairman.
His Excellency Mr. Samuel A. Hinds, Acting President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana
Honourable Ministers of Foreign Affairs and their delegations
Other Honourable Ministers
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other representatives of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media
Colleagues
An agenda focusing on the Region's strategic approach to its relations with Third States and International Organisations will occupy the attention of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers of Foreign Affairs when they meet in Georgetown, Guyana, from 21-22 May. This will be the Fourth Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) and it is being held under the Chairmanship of Guyana.