(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) The Twenty-Sixth Regular Meeting of The Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will be convened from 3-6 July in Saint Lucia, where Heads of Government are expected to deliberate on a number of pressing Regional matters. Under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Dr the Honourable Kenny Anthony, the Conference will focus heavily on the shaping of a new globally competitive economic path for the Regional integration movement.
As the Community increases its focus on the December 2005 date for the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market (CSM), the Head of Government with lead responsibility for the CSME, Prime Minister of Barbados, the Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur, is slated to update his colleagues on the status of CSM implementation. Among the issues specific to the CSM is that of the establishment of the Regional Development Fund, which is intended to cushion Member States from any fall out from the implementation of the new economic arrangement.
CARICOM Heads of Government are also set to take a hard look at the upsurge in criminal activity across the Region, with a view to shaping a new framework for crime and security. In this regard, the conclusions of the Special Meeting of Regional Ministers responsible for Crime and Security and Law Enforcement recently convened in Trinidad and Tobago, will be put to The Conference for review.
In light of the European Union’s (EU) sugar reform proposal and its expected negative effects on sugar producers from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, The Conference is also geared to craft a Regional response to the EU. In addition, Guyana’s President His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo will lead discussions on the Region’s agricultural transformation programme earmarked to bring about economic diversification in the Region’s hard-hit agriculture industry.
Meanwhile, as the Community seeks to promote health as a critical component of economic development in the Region, issues related to creating a healthy Region would be put to Heads of Government. To this end, The Conference is expected to deliberate on the recommendations of a Report prepared by CARICOM Health Ministers, which highlights the prevalence of obesity, HIV/AIDS and violence and injury across the Region.
At the Saint Lucia Meeting, Heads of Government will also be updated on the current situation in Haiti. During their meeting, The Conference is also expected to exchange views with several agencies, and discuss the Region’s approach to upcoming meetings. These include the Meeting Association of Caribbean States Summit late July, the Summit of the Group of Eight (G8) and the CARICOM-Cuba Summit billed for December 2005.
