The Fifth Conference of Heads of Government of Commonwealth Caribbean Countries opened this morning in the Ballroom of the Trinidad Hilton Hotel, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
His Excellency, Sir Solomon Hochoy, Governor General of Trinidad and Tobago officially opened the Conference.
Dr. The Right Honourable Eric E. Williams, P.C., Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, welcomed the delegates.
Replies were made by the Right Honourable Errol W. Barrow, Prime Minister of Barbados; the Honourable Forbes Burnham, Q.C., Prime Minister of Guyana; the Honourable Eric M. Gairy, Premier of Grenada, who as Chairman of the West Indies Associated States Council of Ministers, spoke on behalf of these territories; the Honourable L. Pindling, Prime Minister of the Bahamas; the Honourable Paul Southwell, leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla delegation; and the Honourable Robert Lightbourne, leader of the Jamaica delegation.
Election of Chairman
Dr. The Right Honourable Eric Williams, P.C., Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago was elected as Chairman of the Conference.
Matters for discussion
The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Caribbean Regional Secretariat presented a progress report on the steps which had been taken to implement the decisions of the Fourth Heads of Government Conference held in Barbados in October, 1967.
On the subject of the Establishment of the Caribbean Free Trade Association, the Delegate of Belize (British Honduras) the Hon. A. A. Hunter, indicated that his Government had recently agreed to take the necessary steps to become a member of the Association.
The representative of the Economic Council for Latin America informed the Conference of the progress which had been made by the team of experts recruited by his organisation and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in accordance with the decision of the Fourth Heads of Government Conference. He stated that the team of experts was now visiting the several Commonwealth Caribbean Governments on the preliminary stage of their enquiry and hoped to submit their report by the beginning of May, 1969. The Studies on which these experts are engaged relate to the following matters:
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(i) the principle of seeking to establish more industries in the less developed countries, the need to identify those industries and to devise special measures for securing the establishment of such industries in those countries;
(ii) the principle of providing special protection for certain industries and the location of such industries, having regard to the situation of the relatively less developed countries; (iii) the objective of a regional policy of incentives to industry, subject to existing commitments and bearing in mind the special needs of the less developed countries for preferential treatment; (iv) the feasibility of establishing certain regional industries. |
The representative of the University of the West Indies reported that the Study on Foreign Investment in the Caribbean region, the responsibility for which had been given to the Institute of Social and Economic Research of the U.W.I., had been initiated towards the end of 1968 and was continuing with the assistance of Research Assistants who were now visiting the Caribbean Territories for the purpose of collecting essential basic information.
On other aspects of the programme of regional co-operation which had been agreed at the last Heads of Government Conference, the Guyana Delegation stressed the need for urgency in convening a meeting of the regional governments to formulate plans for greater co-operation in the field of education with particular reference to examinations and the production of text books.
The Conference next turned its attention to matters relating to transport and communications within the region. The question of the establishment of a Regional Air Carrier was the only item discussed by the Conference under this head. The Trinidad and Tobago Delegation made a statement outlining the part which their Government continued to play in supporting the regional programme and expressed the hope that other Caribbean Governments would see the wisdom of lending their support to the concept of British West Indian Airways as the Regional Air Carrier.
The Honourable Lynden Pindling, the Premier of the Bahamas addressed the Conference and spoke of the experiences of his Government in operating a Regional Air Carrier for the group of islands of the Bahamas. He also submitted to the Conference a number of suggestions by which the Caribbean Governments could approach the matter of establishing and developing a regional air carrier.
When the Conference rose at 4.45 p.m. discussion on the Subject of the Regional Air Carrier had not been concluded. Discussion on this item will continue when the Conference resumes its sessions at 9.30 a.m. tomorrow.
FIFTH CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
Press Release No. 2
The Fifth Conference of Heads of Government of Commonwealth Caribbean Countries met for the second day at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel, and resumed discussions on the question of establishment of a Regional Air Carrier. These discussions lasted throughout the whole of the morning and afternoon sessions concluded with the acceptance by the Conference of the following resolution:
RESOLVED:
That the Conference recognising the special claims of B.W.I.A. to be the Regional Air Carrier, agrees that the Working Party established by the Fourth Conference of Commonwealth Caribbean Countries to consider the establishment of a Regional Carrier to be directed to submit its report to Governments not later than 1st May, 1969.
The Conference will proceed tomorrow morning with discussions on the establishment of the Commonwealth Caribbean Development Bank.
With reference to the Press Release on the proceedings of the Conference issued on Monday, 3rd February, the Secretariat wishes to point out that the reference therein to the agreement of the Government of Belize (British Honduras) to join the Caribbean Free Trade Association should read that the Legislature of British Honduras had passed a motion authorising the Government of that territory to explore suitable terms and conditions for possible entry into CARIFTA.
4th February, 1969.
FIFTH CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
Press Release No. 3
CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
The Fifth Conference of Heads of Government of Commonwealth Caribbean Countries today approved a resolution to the effect that immediate action should be taken towards the establishment of the Caribbean Development Bank at the earliest possible date in 1969 pursuant to decisions already taken.
The resolution also states that in concluding arrangements for the establishment of the Bank account should be taken of the declared intention of the Government of Jamaica to notify to other Commonwealth Caribbean Governments its decision with regard to participation in the Caribbean Development Bank by 31st May, 1969.
The resolution directed the Secretary-General to take such action including the convening of all necessary meetings to ensure compliance with the resolution.
SHIPPING
The Conference considered a progress report of a Sub-Committee appointed pursuant to the decisions of the Fourth Heads of Government Conference in connection with the expansion of the West Indies Shipping Service. The Conference agreed that a Committee comprising either Ministerial or Official representatives of Commonwealth Caribbean Governments should participate in a meeting to be held towards the end of February, 1969, with representatives of international shipping companies who have indicated their interest in the operation of a feeder service involving the ships of the West Indies Shipping Service.
The Conference also agreed to accept Guyana as a member of the West Indies Shipping Council subject to terms and conditions to be worked out between the Council and the Government of Guyana. The Conference further agreed that the special difficulties facing Associated States, with regard to the inequality of freight rates for cargoes entering the Caribbean at varying points, should also be discussed with the representatives of the international Shipping Companies in February, 1969, and decide on the further action to be taken by Caribbean Governments with a view to achieving the objectives of a reduction in those rates.
REGIONAL NEWS SERVICE
The Conference next considered an interim report by the UNESCO Mass Media team which visited the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries in November, 1968. The Conference agreed: –
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(i) that a Conference of Officials should be held in April at a place to be determined and that this Conference should consider:
(ii) that the Canadian Government should be told of this meeting and should be invited to agree that the proposed Conference in Ottawa of Canadian/Commonwealth Caribbean Officials to consider the CBC’s feasibility study of the Caribbean Broadcasting Project should be held at a convenient date thereafter. |
During the afternoon session the Conference gave its attention to matters arising from developments at the University of the West Indies.
5th February 1969.
FIFTH CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
Press Release No. 4
At the final day’s meeting of the Heads of Government Conference agreement was reached on the official opening of the Commonwealth Caribbean Regional Secretariat (C.C.R.S.) headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana on 9th March. This ceremony will be followed by a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA) on March 10th through 12th.
The Conference discussed at some length the Secretary-General’s Report on the activities of the C.C.R.S. for the past year as well as the work plan for 1969.
Accommodation for the C.C.R.S. and the Secretary-General was also considered by the Conference and the Guyana delegation affirmed the commitment of the Guyana Government to provide at cost to itself suitable accommodation for the C.C.R.S. while the cost of accommodating the Secretary-General would remain a cost to borne by the Governments of the region.
The Government of Guyana also accepted that suitable accommodation for both the C.C.R.S. and the Secretary-General was a matter for urgent consideration and solution. Approval of the C.C.R.S. budget for 1969 was referred by the Conference to the next meeting of the CARIFTA Council of Ministers to be held in Guyana in March.
Dealing with the study on Rationalisation of Agriculture for CARIFTA territories, the Conference agreed that the C.C.R.S. should proceed with arrangements for a study on the rationalisation of agricultural production within the region with special reference to the needs of the less developed territories.
The Conference discussed the granting of Immunities and Privileges for the C.C.R.S. it was agreed that:
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(i) the Government of Guyana should prepare and circulate a paper on this subject early enough for Governments to brief their representatives on the CARIFTA Council of Ministers;
(ii) the question of Immunities and Privileges be discussed at the next meeting of the CARIFTA Council of Ministers in March. |
A paper presented by the Guyana delegation calling for the establishment of a Caribbean School of Industrial Studies was accepted by the Conference with the modification that the C.C.R.S. should be asked to explore how existing facilities in certain Commonwealth Caribbean Territories could be more fully utilised.
The Conference directed its attention to participation by the CARIFTA territories in the Japan World Exposition 1970 and agreed that it would be advantageous to all territories to do so on a co-operative basis.
On Wednesday afternoon and again today the Heads of Government discussed common problems of security in the Commonwealth Caribbean. The Conference heard from the Prime Minister of Guyana an account of recent developments in Guyana’s relations with Venezuela. The Conference was gravely concerned over the most recent threats posed to Guyana’s territorial integrity and at the most recent instances of interference in her internal affairs as reported by the Prime Minister. The Conference considered that this situation constitutes a serious danger to the peace of the area and deplored any action of an aggressive or hostile nature calculated to further endanger a peaceful resolution of outstanding difficulties. Participating Governments pledged to do all in their power to ensure a settlement of the controversy by peaceful means and in accordance with agreed procedures.
