The Ninth Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was held in Castries, Saint Lucia, on 13-14 November 2003. The Most Hon P.J. Patterson, ON, Prime Minister of Jamaica and current Chairman of the Conference presided over the Meeting.
Heads of Government in attendance were: the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Hon Lester Bird; the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Hon Perry Christie; the Prime Minister of Belize, the Hon Said Musa; His Excellency the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Mr Bharrat Jagdeo; the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the Hon Dr Denzil Douglas; the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Dr the Hon Kenny Anthony; His Excellency the President of the Republic of Suriname, Dr Runaaldo Venetiaan; and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Hon Patrick Manning.
Barbados was represented by Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon Billie Miller; Dominica by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon F.O. Riviere; Grenada by the Minister of Labour, Sen. Lawrence Joseph; Haiti by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon Jean-Phillipe Antonio; Montserrat by the Acting Chief Minister, Margaret Dyer-Howe and St Vincent and the Grenadines by the Hon. Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, the Hon Michael Brown.
SIGNINGS
Five Heads of Government signed an Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions. This Authority, which came into effect with this signing will be responsible for maintenance of standards, securing international recognition for programmes, establishing an efficient system of regulation and maintaining the confidence of the peoples of the Caribbean in the quality of training offered by the Community in medicine and other health professions.
GOVERNANCE
Heads of Government received the reports of the Technical Sub Groups established by the Prime Ministerial Expert Group on Governance which was charged with proposing options for governance in the Community, as part of the effort to further deepen and enhance the integration process. These reports covered areas at the very heart of the process of strengthening of the capacity of the Community to implement decisions and address the issues of: the Establishment of a CARICOM Commission or other executive mechanism; Development of processes for strengthening the role of the ACCP; and Adoption of the principle of automatic resource transfers for the financing of Community Institutions.
To encourage widespread public participation in developing the new arrangements for governance, Heads of Government decided to release the reports to the Community at large so as to provide interest groups and individuals with an opportunity to make their reactions known.
CARICOM SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY
Heads of Government noted that eleven of the twelve Member States currently Parties to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas have the necessary arrangements in place to allow CARICOM nationals who are graduates, media workers, artistes, musicians and sports persons to seek work or to work without the need for work permits. The twelfth Member State expects to be in a similar position by 31 December 2003.
They also noted with satisfaction that all Member States were working towards meeting the December 2003 deadlines for the removal of legal and administrative restrictions on the Right of Establishment, the Provision of Services and the Movement of Capital. They were equally satisfied with the progress towards hassle-free travel as far as that related to common lines at immigration points that is lines which do not differentiate between host country and other CARICOM nationals. The use of embarkation/ disembarkation cards with a common set of information and the use of other documents other than passports for intra-regional travel were two other areas in which progress was recorded. In this last regard, they welcomed the information that Guyana had amended its legislation to provide for the acceptance of photo-IDs other than passports from all CARICOM Member States and that seven OECS countries were extending a similar facility to each other as a first step.
Conscious of the security implications for Hassle Free Travel, Heads of Government agreed that the study which has been commissioned on the security aspects of hassle-free travel should be accelerated. Finally it was agreed that In the meantime, Member States which are accepting forms of identification other than passports will continue to do so with the remaining Member States taking steps to complete similar arrangements as soon as possible.
As regards, the Third Special Consultation on the CSME, Heads of Government noted that this is now scheduled to take place during the first quarter of 2004.
THE CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE (CCJ)
With respect to the Caribbean Court of Justice – a vital pillar of the CSME – Heads of Government welcomed the appointment, in August of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC) and the Board of Trustees for the CCJ Trust Fund. They noted the dedication and speed with which these bodies had approached their tasks. Heads of Government now await a firm indication from the RJLSC regarding a date for the Inauguration of the Court.
The RJLSC is the body responsible for the appointment of the staff of the Court, including in particular, the President and the Judges. The Board of Trustees has oversight responsibility for the financial management of the Court.
ENERGY
Heads of Government received the recommendations of the Community Council in regard to the Advisory Legal Opinion on the issue of national treatment and non-discrimination in relation to access and pricing of natural resources, as these relate specifically to energy within the context of the CSME In accepting in principle, the opinion provided by the Secretary General, the Heads of Government agreed that due to the short time available for study of the opinion prior to their meetings, it should be referred to their legal officers for further analysis. They also agreed that the realm of the Opinion should be expanded to include the consideration of other relevant factors and that the expanded version be prepared in time for the next Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference in March, 2004.
On the broader issue of a regional energy policy, they noted the on-going work of the Task Force on Energy, established at the Fourteenth Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference in Port of Spain, last February. This Task Force will submit to the Secretary-General issues which will be addressed in the advisory Legal Opinion.
HIV/AIDS
Heads of Government welcomed the decision by the Global Fund for HIV/Aids, TB and Malaria to provide grants totalling US $40 million to the Caribbean to aid in the fight against HIV/Aids in the period 2004-05.
They also welcomed the initiative by a pharmaceutical company from Guyana to produce anti-retroviral drugs under a patent from an Indian company. This initiative will bring significant savings to those in need of the drugs.
The Heads of Government commended the work of the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis who is the Head of Government with responsibility for Health, Human Resources and HIV/Aids in the CARICOM quasi-cabinet arrangements
EXTERNAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS
Heads of Government received an update on negotiations in the three theatres in which the region is involved – the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU) as well as within the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Preparations for the FTAA Ministerial Meeting, in Miami, 20-21 November 2003 were discussed, and the Heads of Government reiterated the Region’s position for the provision of Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) for the smaller economies and took the opportunity to reaffirm their support for Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago as the site for the headquarters of the FTAA. They urged that the process of selection be conducted by voting in keeping with the democratic traditions to which all member nations in the FTAA process adhered.
Heads of Government agreed that the Caribbean will launch in February 2004 negotiations with the EU for an EPA. The negotiations which have to be concluded by the end of 2007 will result in new trading arrangements with the EU.
Outlook for WTO Negotiations – Post Cancun
Heads of Government reviewed the outcome of the WTO Minjsterial conference in Cancun, Mexico and considered the Region’s approach to the resumption of negotiations scheduled for 15 December 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland at a meeting of the WTO General Council mandated by the Cancun Conference.
Heads of Government welcomed the upcoming meeting between Caribbean Trade Ministers and the Director General of the WTO which will take place in Georgetown, Guyana on 28 November 2003. The meeting will provide an opportunity for Ministers to become acquainted with the views of other regions as well as to sensitise the Director General to the perspectives of the Region with regard to the basis for the resumption of the negotiations in the WTO.
CARIBBEAN-US RELATIONS
Heads of Government considered the report from their four colleagues who met with the President of the United States in New York on 24 September 2003 and commended the positive manner in which the meeting was held. They expressed their willingness to meet with United States President at a mutually convenient time.
In the meantime, they welcomed the opportunity presented by the visit of a representative group of Foreign Ministers drawn from COFCOR to Washington on 17-18 November 2003 to advance the interests of the Region and looked forward to receiving the report of that meeting.
The Foreign Ministers are expected to meet with the Secretary of State, the National Security Adviser and the Treasury Secretary during their visit.
UPCOMING MEETINGS OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE TO THE REGION
Heads of Government reviewed a series of upcoming meetings of major importance to the Region. Among these were the biennial meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) scheduled to take place in Abuja, Nigeria, 5-8 December 2003 and the Special Summit of the Americas scheduled for 12-13 January in Mexico.
In proceeding to Nigeria, the Heads of Government will meet with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in London on 2 December to exchange views on matters of importance to CARICOM/UK relations as well as those of common interest on the agenda of CHOGM.
2007 CRICKET WORLD CUP
Heads of Government received an update from the West Indies Cricket Board with respect to the Cricket World Cup 2007 to be held in the Americas. In order to ensure that the event is a success worthy of the highest standards of the Caribbean people, the Heads of Government agreed to establish mechanisms to assist in the smooth organization and preparations for the event.
To assist in accomplishing this goal, they decided to reconfigure and reconstitute the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket to expand its mandate and membership. A technical working group was also established to assist in the effective undertaking of this task.
The Heads of Government also urged those Member States who wished to be involved in the process to adhere to the various deadlines set for the successful staging of CWC 2007.
Haiti’s Bicentennial Anniversary (1 January 2004)
January 1, 2004, marks Haiti’s Bicentennial Anniversary as an independent republic. To celebrate this seminal occasion in the history of the Region, a series of events is planned for the year by the Government of Haiti including a programme scheduled for the anniversary date. Heads of Government agreed that the Community would be suitably represented.
Observance of CARICOM-Cuba Day (8 December)
During the visit by CARICOM Heads of Government to Havana, Cuba on 8 December 2002, on the occasion of the Thirtieth Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and four CARICOM Member States, it was agreed that Cuba and CARICOM would mark 8 December of each year as CARICOM-Cuba Day.
In this regard, the Heads of Government agreed that an appropriate statement will be issued by the Chairman of the Conference on behalf of the Community. Other events are also proposed for the date. The Heads of Government also referred to the Council for Foreign and Community Relations the task of determining other means of celebrating this event in future.
DATE AND VENUE OF FIFTEENTH INTER-SESSIONAL
The Fifteenth Intersessional Meeting of the Conference will take place on 24-25 March, 2004 in Antigua and Barbuda.
APPRECIATION
Heads of Government expressed great appreciation to the Government and people of Saint Lucia for hosting the meeting at such short notice and for the excellent arrangements put in place.
