CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has extended congratulations and best wishes to H.E. Mr. Nelson R. Mandela, former President of South Africa, who celebrated his ninetieth birthday on 18 July 2008.

The congratulatory message was extended to the former President, by the Hon. Baldwin W. Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.

“Your dignity, magnanimity, generosity of spirit and active espousal of the major issues of our time have made you not only a global icon in the areas of peace, reconciliation, human rights and racial equality, but also the conscience of mankind, a beacon of wisdom and a tower of spiritual strength,” the Chairman said.

Please see below the full text of the message:

“The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) joins the international community in extending its warmest congratulations and best wishes to you on the occasion of your ninetieth birthday, which will be celebrated on 18 July 2008, and recalls with great pleasure your gracing of their 25th Anniversary celebrations on the occasion of your visit to Saint Lucia in 1998.

There is perhaps no figure in our time whose name is more revered, whose courage is more celebrated or whose compassion, leadership, integrity and good example are more admired than yours.

Your dignity, magnanimity, generosity of spirit and active espousal of the major issues of our time have made you not only a global icon in the areas of peace, reconciliation, human rights and racial equality, but also the conscience of mankind, a beacon of wisdom and a tower of spiritual strength.

The Community expresses its gratitude to you for your outstanding contribution to restoring the critical importance of ethical and spiritual values as a counterbalance to the material in the functioning of the international community, and in so doing enhancing the quality of life of mankind.

As you celebrate this extraordinary milestone of triumphant life, the People and Governments of the Caribbean Community are honoured to extend to you, their most sincere and fraternal birthday wishes and to wish you many more happy years.”

BALDWIN W. SPENCER
CHAIRMAN OF THE CONFERENCE
OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT
OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY