(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)  Washington DC - 19 June 2007 - For the first time ever, Heads of State and Government from fourteen Member States of the Caribbean Community, policy makers, members of International Organisations and Financial Agencies, the academic community, the private sector, and people of the Caribbean and of the United States kicked off a high-level meeting today to examine the growth and development of the Caribbean Community from a regional perspective.

The agenda for the three day summit includes such core issues such as trade, investment, tourism, crime and violence, and human development.

Today’s meeting, hosted by the World Bank, and co-hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of American States (OAS) drew more than 750 participants from government, civil society, and the private sector and community leaders from the Caribbean Diaspora.

“My colleagues (Heads of Government) and me, come to Washington to express confidence in the Region’s future, and to urge the U.S. to join the Region in a partnership for progress” said the Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados in his keynote address.

On behalf of the United States, Secretary of Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez hailed the CARICOM Single Market and Economy as a strategy which serves to strengthen ties and better prepare the Region for the challenges of globalisation. “You know better than I the unique challenges that the geography of your nations present. But the U.S. is committed to an ongoing dialogue, and we are optimistic that the changes we see in the global economy, present opportunities for us all” Secretary Gutierrez said.

The Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, expressed confidence that practical outcomes would emerge from the Conference on the Caribbean.

Speaking on behalf of the World Bank which hosted the opening session, the Managing Director of the World Bank, Mr Graeme Wheeler reminded the audience that the Caribbean’s future prosperity lies in greater integration. “Size is not destiny but regionalism is”, Wheeler said. He also stressed that the donor community must adopt new and more flexible approaches to the needs of small states.

The Opening Session was also addressed by the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Insulza, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Moreno and the Secretary-General of CARICOM, His Excellency Edwin Carrington.

The opening plenary was followed by the Joint Private Sector-Experts Session under the theme “International Competitiveness of Caribbean Countries” including speeches by the Most. Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica, and the Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize.

Other events on the first day include the Diaspora Forum held at the OAS Hall of the Americas under the themes “The Caribbean Diaspora in Perspective” and “Challenges and Opportunities for Caribbean/US Diaspora” and the opening of the official Caribbean Art Exhibition at the OAS by the President of Haiti, His Excellency Rene Preval.

In the evening, Caribbean hi-hop stars Wyclef Jean, Shaggy and Jimmy Cliff will perform a free concert at the Kennedy Centre.

During the Conference, which ends on June 21, the Heads of Government of CARICOM and the ministers will meet with U.S. President George Bush, members of the U.S. Cabinet and members from both Houses of Congress.

The Conference, organized in collaboration with the World Bank, the OAS and the IDB, is structured to provide opportunities for interaction Government to Government, People to People and between Governments and People in three parallel events – an Expert Forum hosted by the World Bank, a Private Sector Forum, hosted by the IADB and a Diaspora Forum hosted by the OAS.

For more information go to www.caribbeanconference.org