The Third Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was convened on Wednesday, February 19, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, Kingston, under the Chairmanship of the Rt. Hon. Dr. Kennedy Simmonds, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis. The following Heads of Government/Heads of Delegations were also in attendance:
The Rt. Hon Erskine Sandiford, Prime Minister of Barbados; the Rt. Hon. George Price, Prime Minister of Belize; His Excellency Hugh Desmond Hoyte, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana; the Rt. Hon. Michael Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica; Hon. Reuben Meade, Chief Minister of Montserrat; the Rt. Hon. James Mitchell, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Hon. Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago; Hon. Dr. R. Williams, Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Industry, Antigua and Barbuda; the Hon. Joan Purcell, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Women’s Affairs, Grenada; Hon. George Mallet, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Saint Lucia; Mr. R. O’Neal, Acting Chief Minister, British Virgin Islands.
STATUS OF ACTION ON THE SIX AREAS RECOMMENDED BY THE WEST INDIAN COMMISSION FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION
The Heads of Government reviewed the position in the Community concerning the six areas in respect of which the Twelfth Meeting of the Conference has accepted the West Indian Commission’s recommendation for immediate action.
(a) Travelling in the Region
They received a Report from the Prime Minister of Grenada in relation to the matter of travelling in the Region, and noted that to date the necessary legislative or administrative action had been taken by the Governments of Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica St. Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia, to permit CARICOM nationals to enter their territories through a common line along with local citizens and with documentation other than passports. They welcomed the indication by Trinidad and Tobago of plans to implement measures shortly and of other Member States to act on the matter by the next Meeting of the Conference. The Heads looked forward to all Member States completing early the implementation of all aspects of the West Indian Commission’s recommendation in this area.
(b) Free Movement of Skills
With regard to the area of free movement of skills, in which the President of Guyana was asked to provide leadership, the Heads noted the enactment of legislation by the Government of Guyana introducing arrangements with effect from March 30, 1992, allowing free entry of UWI graduates into that country to live and work. They noted that a number of other Member States have signified positively their intention to implement the proposal of the President of Guyana that as a first step in the free movement of skills, the necessary national measures to be immediately instituted to allow graduates of the UWI and the University of Guyana to move freely within the Region to live and work. Member States also expressed their commitment to implement the measures in respect of entertainment and media workers after the clarification of some issues of definition that have arisen.
(c) Steps Towards a Common Currency
On the matter of identifying and embarking upon steps towards a common currency, the Heads received a report from the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, indicating that the relevant technical issues are under study. They noted that the efforts in process in this regard include a technical seminar of regional financial and monetary experts scheduled for Port-of-Spain on March 13-14, 1992.
(d) Enlarging Investment
With respect to developments on the matter of Enlarging Investment, the Prime Minister of Jamaica tabled for consideration a draft set of principles for the proposed Caribbean Investment Fund, which was developed by technical experts working under his leadership. The Heads approved the draft principles as the basis on which the Community would invite regional and extra-regional private commercial interests to submit proposals for establishing the Fund, and agreed on the specific steps to be taken towards the creation of the Fund. The Prime Ministers of Barbados, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago were requested by the Conference to constitute a Committee to complete the negotiations.
The Heads also gave their approval to efforts of the OECS countries to create an intermediating institution which would facilitate access to the CIF by those countries.
(e) Advancing the CARICOM Single Market
The Prime Minister of Barbados presented a report to the Conference on the subject of creating the CARICOM Single Market. The Heads of Government noted the adoption by the Council, at its Thirty-Eighth Meeting, of an overall work plan and time-table for the creation of the CARICOM Single Market. The Heads of Government welcomed the further progress that has been made in recent times to remove barriers to intra-regional trade, and looked forward to full implementation at an early stage of the Common External Tariff and the revised Rules of Origin for intra-CARICOM trade.
(f) Mobilising for International Negotiations
With regard to Mobilising for International Negotiations, for which the Prime Minister of Jamaica was asked to provide leadership, the Heads of Government noted the positive developments that had taken place in this area since their last meeting, They welcomed the progress achieved in the negotiations for one-way duty free access of CARICOM goods to the Venezuelan Market, and looked forward to the signing in the near future of a CARICOM/Venezuela Agreement giving effect to this objective.
The Heads regarded as a positive initiative the convening in Honduras in January of the first ever CARICOM/Central America Ministerial Meeting and the agreement reached at that meeting on the establishment of permanent institutional arrangements to pursue co-operation between the two regions. They were gratified that CARICOM views continued to be represented in the Forum of the Rio Group; and they were pleased at the successful establishment of a CARICOM/US Trade and Investment Council, and at the preparations being undertaken on the CARICOM side for negotiation of trade and investment issues under the umbrella of the Council.
Preparation by CARICOM for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
Heads of Government considered a Report from the President of Guyana on the work undertaken within the Region to prepare a CARICOM position for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), an event that will be of enormous practical importance for CARICOM countries, individually and collectively. They expressed satisfaction at the soundness of the work that is being done in this area under the leadership of the President of Guyana and looked forward with confidence to the regional position being fed into the preparatory process for UNCED and into the UNCED itself. The Heads were pleased that during the course of their deliberations they had the opportunity of having dialogue with Mr. Maurice Strong, Secretary-General of the UNCED, on the outlook for the World Conference.
Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians
The Heads of Government received with satisfaction a Report from the Prime Minister of Barbados that work on the proposal for the establishment of an Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians, which was first agreed at their Tenth Meeting at Grand Anse, was now at the state where this important new Institution could become a reality at an early date. In this connection, they welcomed the tabling of the Inter-Governmental Agreement establishing the Assembly, and the signing of the Agreement during the course of their meeting by Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford on behalf of Barbados and President Hugh Desmond Hoyte on behalf of Guyana, and noted that the Agreement is open for signature by other Member States.
Regional Security Scheme
The Heads of Government noted the progress made by the Ministerial Committee established to design a regional security scheme for the Caribbean Community. They endorsed the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee that the proposed regional security scheme should incorporate the existing Regional Security System for the Eastern Caribbean with links by means of co-operation agreements with other Member States of the Caribbean Community. They requested the Ministerial Committee to pursue its mandate in order to finalise the structure of and other arrangements for the operations of the expanded Regional Security Scheme for adoption by the Conference.
CARIFESTA V and the 1992 Regional Trade Fair
Heads of Government, at the instance of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, exchanges views on problems that have arisen in connection with the staging of CARIFESTA V and the Regional Trade Fair that have been scheduled to be held in Trinidad and Tobago in August and October, 1992, respectively. The Heads expressed their understanding of the particular constraints being faced by Trinidad and Tobago in relation to these planned events. At the same time they were deeply conscious of the importance of CARIFESTA to the regional community of artists and creative workers, as well as to the regional public as a whole. Accordingly, they agreed that CARIFESTA would be staged on a re-defined basis during the week of 22-28 August as proposed by Trinidad and Tobago. They accepted the offer of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to host a symposium on the future form of CARIFESTA during the week of CARIFESTA activities. They also noted that the Council had decided not to proceed with the staging of the Regional Trade Fair in Trinidad and Tobago.
Intra-regional Television Hook-up
Heads of Government received a report on the progress of the work of the Technical Team, convened by Trinidad and Tobago, on the implementation of its mandate for intra-regional coverage in the Caribbean.
They welcomed the agreement for enhanced television coverage of major regional events in 1992, which will be realised through consultation with telecommunications providers and the broadcasting entities.
Heads also endorsed the proposals of the Technical Team, led by Professor St. Clair King of the Faculty of Engineering, UWI, to work towards the completion of the project.
West Indies Shipping Corporation
The Heads of Government reviewed the grave situation that has affected the West indies Shipping Corporation (WISCO), resulting in the cessation of the operations of the Corporation, causing difficulty and inconvenience to intra-CARICOM exporters and importers. The Heads approved proposals from the Transporation Ministers Sub-Committee for action that would bring a long-term solution to the problems of WISCO. A principal feature of these proposals involves the early privatisation of the Corporation.
International Changes of Concern to the Region
The Heads of Government were conscious that since their last Meeting in July 1991, the transformation of the international political and economic order had continued apace. Along with the rest of the world they have witnessed the collapse of the effort to maintain the integrity of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the break up of the USSR into a Commonwealth of Independent Republics, with each Republic, particularly Russia and the Ukraine, exhibiting its own distinctive pattern of international relations.
They were saddened by the disintegration of the Republic of Yugoslavia caught up in the vortex of violent civil strife and the continuing tense situation prevailing among rival nationalities in that country. Heads therefore expressed the hope that an expeditious solution will be achieved in Yugoslavia in the interest of peace and democracy.
On the other side of the global balance sheet the Heads have followed with deep and abiding interest the continued consolidation and strengthening of the European Economic community both in terns of its own internal arrangements as well as in terms of its expansion to embrace the countries of the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) to constitute an even wider “European Economic Area”.
They have also followed keenly the further progress made towards the transformation of trade and economic relations in the Western Hemisphere, the hallmarks of which are the envisaged North America Free Trade Area (NAFTA) and ongoing development in the context of the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative (EAI).
Heads of Government agreed that these developments are accelerating the emergence of a new international order to which the Region must adapt with the utmost urgent concern.
Certain of these developments entailed increased competition for the attention of the traditional supporters of the Region’s development efforts. They agreed that appropriate strategies must be devised in a timely manner aimed at maintaining the Region within the focus of attention of traditional donor countries and agencies.
Heads of Government were of the view that the global changes taking place also served to underscore the compelling need for the Region to employ its collective voice more effectively in international fore in order to adequately respond to the changes themselves, as well as to influence, where possible, the direction and pace of these changes.
In this context Heads agreed that the ongoing transformation of the international environment also provided the Region with an opportunity to call upon the major powers concerned to garner and effectively utilise for international development, the peace dividend which is anticipated to flow from the winding down of the arms race.
The Middle East Peace Process
Heads welcomed the launching of the Middle East peace process as an important element in the relaxation of international tension. They expressed the hope that the process would unfold on the basis of the principles of equity and of respect for the legitimate interests of the parties concerned.
Haiti
The Heads of Government were pleased to receive a briefing from the OAS Secretary-General on the situation in Haiti.
Heads expressed deep concern at the persistence in power of the illegal military regime in Haiti following the overthrow of President Aristide. They regretted the failure of all efforts so far to achieve the restoration of the constitutional President of Haiti and reaffirmed their commitment to the maintenance of economic sanctions and of diplomatic initiatives to restore the legitimate Administration of that country.
They noted with concern that as a result of the continuing political situation within Haiti, now waves of refugees are taking to the open sea to escape repression. They expressed their grave concern at the plight of the refugees and urged that their status as refugees be respected internationally.
The Heads reiterated the commitment of the Caribbean Community to work with the wider international community, in particular the OAS, towards the resolution of the political crisis in Haiti.
South Africa
Heads noted with satisfaction that, since their last Meeting in July 1991, certain important advances had been registered in South Africa towards the establishment of a non-racial democratic society in that country. In particular, Heads were encouraged by the agreement of the parties in South Africa to the establishment of a non-racial interim government.
Notwithstanding these positive developments, however, Heads of Government emphasised that vigilance should be maintained by the international community in order to ensure that the process of change within South Africa continues along its progressive course. In particular, Heads expressed very serious reservations on the suggestion advanced by President de Klerk in January 1992 to retain a “white veto” within the reformed South African parliament.
On the matter of sanctions, Heads of Government supported the continued imposition of international economic sanctions against South Africa at least until the proposed interim government will have been installed to manage the transition from the prevailing apartheid system to a genuinely non-racial society.
Events in Venezuela, 3-4 February 1992
Heads of Government condemned the attempt by a dissident group of the Venezuelan Military to overthrow the democratically elected government of President Carlos Andres Perez. They expressed their relief at the successful suppression of the revolt, and welcomed the triumph of constitutional order in Venezuela. They were pleased to reiterate the solidarity of the Caribbean Community with democratic Venezuela, and looked forward to the continued positive development of relations between that country and CARICOM.
Identification of Candidate for Appointment as CARICOM Secretary-General
Heads of Government considered the report submitted by the Search Committee that was established to identify a candidate for appointment to the position of Secretary-General when the present incumbent Mr. Roderick Rainford demits office. They were pleased to approve the recommendation of the Committee that Dr. Edwin W. Carrington, a national of Trinidad and Tobago and former Secretary-General of the ACP Group be appointed to the position of CARICOM Secretary-General with effect from August 1992.
