Salutations.
Let me begin by first extending, on behalf of the Government and people of the Commonwealth of Dominica, a happy and prosperous 2001 to all my colleague Ministers, the Secretary-General, officials, and staff of the CARICOM Secretariat. It is our hope that the year 2001 will be for you and for all of us in CARICOM, a year of greater accomplishments and the fulfilment of hopes and dreams.
Mr. Chairman,
I thank the delegation of Haiti for the statement made to the Permanent Council on the recent elections in Haiti.
The position of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, has been expressed to this august body on several occasions. CARICOM's engagement with Haiti is a matter of great importance to the Region.
 It was with profound sadness that the Caribbean Community learnt of the recent passing of His Excellency, Henck Arron, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Suriname, on 4 December 2000 at the age of 64.
Recently decorated by the Government of Suriname for service to the country, Henck Arron played a key role in the political arena of his beloved country. He will best be remembered for negotiating a three and a half billion guilder 'golden handshake' as part of Suriname's independence package from Holland.
Mr Chairman
Principal of the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH)
Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is with extreme pleasure that I welcome you to this 40th Meeting of the Council of the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation (CMO).
As someone associated with the development of the Single Market and Economy, I most excitedly welcome the publication of the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report 2000. Empirical research has to be the foundation of meaningful policy-making, especially in our rapidly changing regional, hemispheric and global environment, and it is in that regard that this publication will contribute immensely to informing our deliberations on the deepening of the integration process.
As someone associated with the development of the Single Market and Economy, I most excitedly welcome the publication of the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report 2000. Empirical research has to be the foundation of meaningful policy-making, especially in our rapidly changing regional, hemispheric and global environment, and it is in that regard that this publication will contribute immensely to informing our deliberations on the deepening of the integration process.
Your Excellency Madame Minister Maria Elizabeth Levens,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Heads of International and Regional Organisations,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Madam Minister, It is an honour, which is deeply appreciated, to have been invited to respond on behalf of the diplomatic community to your kind expression of welcome to this luncheon in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Independence of Suriname.
At the invitation of His Excellency Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan, President of the Republic of Suriname, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Mr. Edwin Carrington will participate in Suriname's 25th Anniversary celebrations on 25-26 November 2000.
Mr. Carrington has also been invited by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Maria Levens to make a presentation on the regional integration process during a working lunch with the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Suriname.
Mr. Chairman
Ministers of Government
(i) The Recent Venezuela Oil Facility Offer
The Bureau welcomed the offer of the Government of Venezuela of an Energy Accord (the Caracas Energy Accord) to supplement the existing San Jose Agreement, thereby providing additional support on a bilateral basis to several oil-importing countries in the Caribbean and Central America.