India’s High Commissioner to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr. Prakash Joshi today mooted a CARICOM- India Joint Commission. The Indian envoy was at the time presenting his credentials to CARICOM’s Secretary-General, Mr Edwin Carrington at the Community’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.
The High Commissioner, who is also accredited to Guyana, Dominica,
St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia, noted that such a move would serve to further strengthen the relationship between the two sides and provide a mechanism for greater cooperation on mutual issues.
In welcoming Dr. Joshi to the Secretariat, Secretary-General Carrington drew attention to the fact that the Caribbean has historically enjoyed a close and cordial relationship with India based in large measure on ethnic and cultural ties. He stressed that the Caribbean has always attached great importance at national and regional levels to relations between the countries of the Caribbean Community and India.
The CARICOM Secretary-General pointed out that the presentation of Dr. Joshi’s credentials came at a critical time in the regional integration movement as the Community was embarking on a process of strengthening its cooperation arrangements with its traditional partners as well as establishing similar arrangements with new partners.
“In this regard, the Asian region has been one of special interest to the Community. Indeed, we conceive that apart from India, countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan have been successfully grappling with many of the challenges of development which increasingly are confronting us. After all, many of them have justly earned the title of ‘Asian Tigers’. In the present global environment, CARICOM Member States with their small and medium-sized economies are faced with no less formidable challenges of development and can certainly benefit from the lessons learnt by those who have been journeying before them on this path, ” said the Secretary-General
Mr Carrington also noted India’s much lauded and internationally recognised pioneer work in International Information Technology (IIT). He added that this was one area for possible cooperation that the Community is desirous of actively exploring as the Region is moving towards the development of a skills and knowledge-based society.
In accepting the warm welcome from the CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Joshi too noted the close and historical ties between India and the Caribbean, and stressed that there were similarities between both parties.
The High Commissioner drew attention to the fact that India like the Caribbean is exposed to natural disasters and pledged India’s support on this issue for the Region in international fora.
In thanking the CARICOM Secretary-General for drawing attention to India’s work in Information Technology, the High Commissioner added that India looks forward to lending some expertise in this area to Member States as well as the CARICOM Secretariat itself.
