MemberPress ReleasesSt. Vincent and the Grenadines

CONSULTING WITH THE PEOPLE OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES ON THE WAY FORWARD FOR CARICOM

The sixth National Consultation of the Region’s Civil Society will get underway tomorrow in Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines capital, bring together a cross section of the local population to elaborate a people’s vision of the Caribbean Community.

The Forum is expected to attract private and public sector interests, persons involved in human resource development, representatives of the trade union movement, religious organisations, farmers, and women and youth groups including secondary school students.

Renwick Rose, Co-ordinator of WINFA and Convenor of the Organising Committee, says that there has been an overwhelming response from the local Civil Society Organisations. “Over 100 persons have already registered for Thursday’s Forum. Although we acknowledge the interest of a variety of groups and organisations, we are particularly impressed by the response from the religious fraternity,” reported Rose.

“Expectations are running high”, he added, “as we anticipate great dialogue among participants on the various issues for discussion, among them Human Resource Development, International Competitiveness and the CSME and Justice and Governance.”

The national organiser explained that the St Vincent Forum will focus specifically on arriving at a final document to present to the Regional Forward Together Encounter planned for November 12-13, in Barbados.

It is hoped that the Consultation with Civil Society in St Vincent and the Grenadines will serve as a catalyst or springboard for the development and consolidation of a National Civil Society Grouping to collectively advance the cause of regional integration.

The Opening Ceremony will be addressed by Ms. Jacqueline Joseph, Director of Human Development, Mrs Shantal Munro-Knight, of the Caribbean Reference Group (a regional umbrella grouping on trade issues) and Mr Rose himself.

This sixth Consultation is part of the process in which CARICOM has been engaged since June, as a gestation to the Regional Conference in November as it attempts to institutionalise regular consultation with Civil Society in the developing a new economic model for the Region. So far consultations have been held in Jamaica, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, Belize and Trinidad and Tobago. It is hoped that all Member States would have hosted consultations, prior to the Regional Encounter, in order to ensure maximum input on the way forward for the Community.

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