(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Senior Diplomatic Representatives in Washington DC, spearheading preparations for the historic Conference on the Caribbean scheduled for June 19-21, 2007, have accelerated the pace and scope of consultations with stakeholders and strategic partners in the US and the Caribbean; this, in keeping with a commitment to comprehensive inclusion and participation in the historic three-day event.
The Conference, being convened during Caribbean American Heritage Month under the theme ‘Conference on the Caribbean: A 20/20 Vision‘, is organized by the CARICOM Caucus of Ambassadors in Washington with the assistance of the CARICOM Secretariat, the Inter-American Development Bank, (IDB) the World Bank and the Organisation of American States (OAS).
The Conference is being held against the background of the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and positive efforts towards the creation of the framework for the Single Economy by 2008
Among its aims are to deepen the relationship between the US and CARICOM by addressing key issues including those related to trade, competitiveness and investment; deepen and broaden the dialogue between the Governments and people of CARICOM and the Government and people of the US and enhance the image of the Caribbean in the United States.
The United States is the Region’s closest developed country neighbour, its major trading partner and home to the largest number of migrants from the Caribbean. The Caribbean is generally referred to as the United States’ ‘third border’.
During the three-day event, President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet CARICOM Heads and Foreign Ministers. The meeting with President Bush is scheduled for Wednesday June 20. The substantial discussions are intended to establish the highest political commitment on behalf of both sides to a consensus-based programme that will stimulate growth, development and enhanced security in the Region.
In recognition of the important role the five million-strong Diaspora plays in the development of the Caribbean Region, the Conference structure is three-pronged to facilitate Government to Government, People to People, and Government to People interaction.
Already, consultations have been held with the Caribbean Diaspora in Washington, New York, Harford, Philadelphia and Miami. Other meetings are shortly to be held in Boston, Houston and Atlanta. St Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Ellsworth John, Chair of the Caucus of CARICOM Ambassadors, Grenada Ambassador Denis Antoine, Dean of the Caucus of Ambassadors. Barbados Ambassador Michael King, Chair, CARICOM Caucus Working Group of the Diaspora Forum and Dialogue and Ms. Fay Housty, Executive Director, Foreign and Community Relations, CARICOM Secretariat, are among the officials who have been addressing those fora.
The aims of the Diaspora forum are to define the challenges and opportunities of those communities; to examine the effect of financial resources of the Diaspora on development; to harness the skills, knowledge and professional networks to address the development challenges and investment opportunities in the Region and to chart the way forward.
Youth empowerment and youth programmes, crime and security and deportees and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy have been the recurring issues at the meetings with the Diaspora.
The Caribbean will also be showcased by way of a gala presentation featuring renowned Caribbean artistes, as well as an Art and Photographic Exhibition. The Region’s private sector has also been invited to host a mini Trade Exposition that will highlight products and match investors with Caribbean businesses.
The Conference represents the first time that policy-makers, the International Financial Institutions, the academic community, private sector and the people of the Caribbean and the United States will interface in one Conference to examine the growth and development of the Caribbean Community from a regional perspective.
