The Pan Caribbean Partnership for HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) has received much commendation for its tremendous success in the fight against the pandemic at its Fourth Annual General Meeting, which opened in Barbados, Thursday, 21 October 2004.
Hon. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health Barbados in opening the meeting iterated that “a partnership such as this [PANCAP] allows us to pool scarce financial, human and other resources and develop programmes which are particularly sensitive and which helps to honestly and critically examine the objectives and goals and to evaluate whether we are reaching our targets”. He charged the delegates to “remember those that are the true beneficiaries of our programmes and work together to ensure that we deliver on our promises to them”.
Amb. Lolita Applewhaite, CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General in her remarks declared that the Partnership has justified its existence. She referred to the many achievements of PANCAP, including those of resource mobilization and strengthening of the institutional capacities of individual partners to respond to the fight against the spread of the epidemic.
The Deputy Secretary-General applauded the role of the CARICOM Secretariat, particularly the PANCAP Coordinating Unit in bringing the Partnership to this stage, singling out, Ms. Cynthia Eledu former Advisor of PANCAP Coordinating Unit and Dr. Edward Greene, Assistant Secretary-General Human and Social Development. Amb. Applewhaite thanked Ms. Eledu for her indelible contribution, remarking that her early retirement has certainly left a void.
Amb. Applewhaite also thanked Dr. Greene for his contribution and congratulated him for his insightful and instructive leadership.
Founder and Regional Coordinator of the Caribbean Regional Network (CRN+) of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Ms. Yolanda Simon in her remarks referred to the work of the Partnership and the goodwill that existed. She advised that the Partnership should let the beneficiaries know what is being done on their behalf.
Sir George Allen, UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS for the Caribbean, in delivering the keynote address stated that PANCAP represented a great vision especially given its achievements thus far, and its global recognition earned in a mere three years. Referring to the unique characteristics of the Partnership, he declared that there is no sense of crises about PANCAP.
Sir George also spoke on the issue of leadership in the Partnership and the need for structures and processes to guide its work. He remarked that a fundamental ingredient for leadership is trust, and that the exercise of leadership by any one partner was for the greater good of the collective. Sir George noted the critical role of information and communication in this regard.
Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Chairman of PANCAP, in his statement read by Hon. Douglas Slater of St. Vincent and the Grenadines recognized the role played by Prime Minister Arthur of Barbados in the birth of the Partnership. He alluded to the challenges faced by the Region in combating the disease, adding that the battle needed a collective rather than individual approach.
Mr. Louis Loures, Assistant to the Executive Director, UNAIDS making remarks on behalf of Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director, stated that globally, PANCAP is a pioneer in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He urged the partnership to tackle the issue of access to treatment calling on donor partners to agree on a common financial reporting system to ease the burden on recipients of grants. In the final analysis the objective is to be part of a process to accelerate the regional response to HIV/AIDS, he added.
This fourth meeting witnessed the expansion of the Partnership to include four more members: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
Natasha Williams, Barbados Junior Calypso Monarch Delegates entreated delegates to a special rendition entitled “Condomise”, the lyrics of which promoted prevention through abstinence and the use of condoms.
The ceremony, chaired by Dr. Edward Greene concluded with the presentation of gifts to Ms. Cynthia Eledu for her contribution to PANCAP and to Dr. Patricio Marquez, Lead Health Specialist, European and Central Asia for his invaluable service to Barbados and to the Region.
Contact:
Volderine Hackett
vhackett@caricom.org
