PM BARROW CONFIDENT IN STRENGTH OF CARICOM

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) wrapped up their Twentieth Intersessional Meeting in Belize City, Belize, on Friday evening with host Prime Minister, the Hon. Dean Barrow expressing confidence in the strength of the Community and the political will exhibited to overcome difficulties to reach the “glorious destiny of Caribbean integration.”

Prime Minister Dean was among a troika of Heads of Government who, along with CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington briefed the media Friday afternoon at the Radisson Fort George Hotel. The Hon Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the Hon Dr. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, also addressed the media.

Prime Minister Barrow said that the difficulties Member States faced with regard to the integration movement were put squarely on the table and not “swept under the carpet”.

The Heads of Government, PM Barrow said, were leaving the Meeting with complete solidarity and determination to demonstrate the continued political will to overcome those differences.

He said he was satisfied that the Region’s destiny was in good hands.

The Community Chairman noted that the meeting was characterized by “an extremely heavy agenda” that included matters that provoked wide-ranging comprehensive discussions and important decisions, among them the global financial and economic crisis and the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement.

With regard to the global financial and economic crisis, the Heads of Government have agreed that a Community approach should be applied to minimize its impact. Heads of Government, he said, were particularly keen on the reform of the global financial architecture.

With regard to external economic trade negotiations, the Heads of Government endorsed the establishment of a Unit to coordinate the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). They confirmed that the assistance of the Unit was available to all Members of the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) which were signatories to the Agreement.

The Heads of Government also held discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic who represented his President on issues relating to EPA implementation and on his country’s relations with CARICOM.