Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation of Belize
Deputy Secretary-General
Your Excellency Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana
Madame Permanent Secretary
Your Excellencies, High Commissioners to CARICOM and the UK
Assistant Secretaries-General
Other Members of Staff of the Secretariat
I say often enough that, “it gives me great pleasure” – and I always mean it – but this time I must say that it gives me especial pleasure to welcome His Excellency Lawrence Sylvester to the family of High Commissioners to the Caribbean Community.
I say especial for many reasons. This is the first occasion on which a Minister of Foreign Affairs and indeed the relevant Minister of Foreign Affairs, who also just happens to be the Chairman of Community Council of Ministers, the second highest Organ of the Community, is present for such a Ceremony. Also Excellency, your accession to the post as Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, comes at a time when your country holds the chairmanship of the Community itself. And to add lustre to the occasion, are four of your colleague High Commissioners to CARICOM and one to the UK. Finally, it is also to be noted that, the new High Commissioner is also accompanied by two special invitees and friends whom we welcome with open arms. It is important to note that the two specially requested guests are from Guyana and Barbados, an indication of the Caribbean spirit which resides in the new High Commissioner. This truly represents a high mark for these ceremonies.
Excellency, your youthful appearance belies the wealth of experience you have had in Community Affairs. There are representatives who are readily identifiable, if not synonymous, with the Member State from which they come, into that category you fall. Your earnest pursuit of your country's interests through your unfailing contribution to all regional endeavours has been appreciated by us all at the CARICOM Secretariat for a long time now, and recognised throughout the Community's fora. I have personally had the pleasure of virtually seeing your Excellency grow from a junior officer, into one of today's strong regional pillars. This appointment by your Government indicates its own recognition of your development and underlines its commitment to the Region and its determination to be fully involved in the integration movement. Your Prime Minister the Hon. Said Musa said on assumption of the Chairmanship of CARICOM that one of his goals was to heighten his country's profile in the Community. This act today is a manifestation of that desire. Your appointment cements this commitment.
The vigour with which Chairman Musa has taken on the task, the conduct of the highly successful 13th Inter-Sessional Meeting in Belize City, the re-energising of the relationship between the Community and Central America, an act stimulated by Belize, prove that Belize is as central to the progress of the integration movement as any of our Member States. Indeed, the Community has transcended distance.
Excellency, very soon, we may very well have a sufficient complement of High Commissioners accredited to CARICOM, and there very well may be scope to bring all of you together as a Community Institution, in its own right to strategise how you can work as a team to help the Secretariat to push the integration process forward more rapidly. The Secretariat stands ready to assist you, Excellency, as well as your colleagues, undertaking the discharge of your most noble responsibilities.
Congratulations to you Your Excellency and may I propose a toast !
