(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana) As the Region reflects on the successes of the thirty six years of regional integration, all efforts should be combined to make integration within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) a priority.
This view was expressed by the Honourable Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, as she delivered remarks on behalf of the Government of Guyana at a Reception hosted by the CARICOM Secretary-General, His Excellency Edwin Carrington, to mark the 36th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas. The Reception was held on Friday July 24, 2009 at the headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat.
Describing CARICOM as “a Community with a shared vision for unity and prosperity for the peoples of the Region,” the Minister said that the Government of Guyana was heartened by its achievements. She said too that Guyana had recognised that the Community had “remained steadfast in pursuing the vision of the founding fathers of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.”
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett stated that the achievements of CARICOM should be ascribed “even greater magnitude” in the face of the challenges of the contemporary global environment.
She noted that the Region was faced with the “mammoth task of transforming the status quo to meet the ideals of a true and effective Single Market and Economy.”
“While we can boast of the creation of a Single Market, we are still to realise all the goals attached to the institutionalisation of the Single Economy. Our Efforts should therefore be channelled towards a cohesive and complete CARICOM Single Market and Economy that will allow us to compete in the global arena” she said.
“We must put aside all fears and reservations and become considerate of the ever-increasing need to fully harmonise if we are going to survive as small states in a changing and challenging global environment,” Minister Rodrigues-Birkett stated.
During Guyana’s Chairmanship of CARICOM, she said that it would commit to ensuring the implementation of the agreements of the Heads of Government, reached at the recent meeting of the Conference in Georgetown, Guyana.
“You can be assured of Guyana’s commitment to using its chairmanship to effectively ensuring the implementation of the commitments that have recently been made by the Heads of Government to deal with issues such as the financial stability of the region; the consolidation of the regional transformation of the agricultural sector; ensuring that the food security needs of our peoples are addressed; and ensuring that the Region’s position on climate change is effectively put forward in Copenhagen later this year,” Minister Rodrigues-Birkett stated
“We will strive with sister Member States and Associate Members of the Community for the achievement of the common purpose of providing a better quality of life for the citizens of CARICOM,” she added
The Minister lauded the dedication of the peoples of CARICOM, whom she said had, “played very critical roles in building and sustaining the regional integration process.”
