(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat yesterday welcomed Sir George Alleyne, Director Emeritus of the Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation, on a visit to interact with the staff of Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP).

Sir George informed that his session with the PANCAP staff entailed discussion on issues of best practice and the Partnership’s structure and function. He commented that PANCAP had done well and that its communications programme had proved to be effective.

“Whenever you have a new organisation there is often a challenge to communicate its work. They have done well,” said Sir George.

Following his meeting with PANCAP staff, Sir George paid a courtesy call on CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, during which they discussed the progress of the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Region and continued collaboration between The Secretariat and the University of the West Indies of which Sir George is Chancellor. Sir George was later guided on a tour of the CARICOM Secretariat headquarters building by Ambassador Applewhaite.

In the Documentation Centre, Sir George was given an overview of the Secretariat’s component of the Digital Library of the Caribbean Project. Head of the Centre, Ms Maureen Newton, indicated that her department would be digitising selected collections of archived materials, commencing with those of cultural and historical value. The first set of materials to be digitised would be those on CARIFESTA; to be followed by those relating to the Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA).

Sir George described the headquarters building as “most impressive”, as he admired the woodwork, fittings and furniture, made in Guyana with Guyanese materials.

During the tour the Deputy Secretary-General took the opportunity to introduce Sir George to many of the staff.

Sir George also spent some time visiting with the Director of the CARICOM/UWI Project, Ms Myrtle Chuck-a-Sang. He commented that CARICOM and UWI had a happy history of collaboration, adding that this was most encouraging for the continued strengthening of both organisations. Contact: