(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Efforts are already underway to ensure the effective participation of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the World Exposition 2010, to be held in Shanghai, China, from May 1 to October 31, 2010, under the theme: Better City, Better Life.
The First Preparatory Meeting of the National Coordinators of Member States for Expo 2010 Shanghai took place at the Headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana, on Monday January 26, 2009.
In his capacity as Commissioner-General of CARICOM for its participation in the World Exposition, CARICOM Secretary-General Edwin Carrington emphasised the importance he has placed on the need for a “meaningful and dynamic CARICOM presence” at the event.
He told the coordinators that the People’s Republic of China was providing “considerable resources” to the Community for it to maximise the opportunities presented by the event. China has committed US$650,000 to each participating Member State and an additional US$325,000 to support the CARICOM Secretariat in coordinating the participation, Secretary-General Carrington revealed.
In light of the current global economic and financial crisis, he said that this offer by China, which amounted to US$10 million, was “truly generous”- a gesture for which the Community was “highly appreciative”.
So far, 10 Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago had indicated their commitment to participate in the Exposition. The Secretary-General said that efforts will be made to secure the commitment of the other Member States, namely, Belize, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Beltrade, a statutory agency from Belize is represented at the meeting.
Describing the World Exposition 2010 as “the signal event to usher in the second decade of the 21st century”, he told the coordinators that they must help their respective countries embrace the myriad opportunities this “enormous market” would provide.
