Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is scheduled to leave the island tomorrow, Wednesday, February 25, to attend the Twenty-Sixth Inter-sessional Meeting of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which gets under way in The Bahamas, from February 26 to 27.

As incoming Chair of the regional group, Barbados’ Prime Minister will be a member of the Bureau of the Conference for the period January 1 - June 30, and will Chair the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference from July 1 to December 31, this year.

During the two-day summit, which will be held at the Meliá Nassau Beach Resort, a central topic of discussion will be that of Leveraging CARICOM’s Human, Cultural and Natural Assets for the Economic Development of the Community.

In addition, the talks are expected to focus on financing for the CARICOM Secretariat and other community institutions; recommendations regarding the establishment of a CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors, and a review of work on the matter of Reparations for Native Genocide and Slavery, among other matters.

Relations with the Dominican Republic and matters of regional security are also key items on the agenda. Heads of Government will also take the opportunity to agree on steps that should be taken to better improve the decision-making process at CARICOM meetings, and will hold talks with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Dr. José Graziano Da Silva, on ways in which his organisation can support agricultural development in the Community.

The conference will be chaired by Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Perry Christie. The Barbados delegation will include Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite; and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean. During Mr. Stuart’s absence, Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy, will act as Prime Minister.

cathy.lashley@barbados.gov.bb