(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr. Edwin Carrington has issued a call for all persons in the CARICOM Region to strive to control the scourge of HIV/AIDS, and to give hope to persons living with the disease.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has secured the sum of US$81 million in USAID Assistance to undertake its regional development priorities in Trade Competitiveness, HIV/AIDS and the reconstruction of Grenada.
The funds, which make up part of a five-year programme, mark another important stage in what is described as a "strong, substantial and strategic relationship between USAID and the CARICOM Region."
A new group of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Youth Ambassadors, selected from among their peers across the Region, will participate in a four-day strategic planning workshop beginning Saturday 31st July 2004 in St Kitts and Nevis. The young persons will be inducted into the Ambassadorship Programme at a function scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in Bird Rock in the twin-island state.
SALUTATIONS
I bring you greetings on behalf of my Chairman, Dr Yitades Gebre who could not be here today at this important meeting and sends his regrets.
The Third Annual General Meeting of the Pan-Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) was held in Georgetown, Guyana on 12-13 November 2003, under the Chairmanship of the Hon. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Minister of Health, Republic of Guyana, assisted by Deputy Chairperson, H.E. Ms. Dolores Balderamas Garcia, Ambassador/Chairperson National AIDS Commission, Belize.
OPENING CEREMONY
The Opening Ceremony was chaired by Dr. Edward Greene, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.
Dear Participants of the Third Annual PANCAP Meeting,
First of all, I wish to express my best wishes and solidarity with you in your continuing leadership in the response to AIDS. I am sorry not to be able to be with you in person.
It is indeed an honour for me to Chair this opening session and PANCAP III and even moreso a pleasure to extend greetings to you all on behalf of the Secretary General and staff of the CARICOM Secretariat and the PANCAP Coordinating Unit.
Permit me to take this opportunity to make some general remarks as well as to update this gathering on the progress of PANCAP and so indications for the future.
The Context of PANCAP: Creating Global Partnerships for development
I send you all very fond greetings and best wishes on the occasion of the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS. PANCAP as it is affectionately known, is a very special mechanism endorsed by the Heads of Government of CARICOM as a pillar of the Nassau Declaration which emphasised that the “health of the region is the wealth of the Region".
The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy; Dr. Edward Greene, Assistant Secretary General, Human and Social Development, Caribbean Community Secretariat; Dr. Morris Edwards, National HIV/AIDS Coordinator; PANCAP/CARICOM officials; participants; Distinguished Guests:
Under the theme Many Partners Building One Initiative the CARICOM–led Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) holds its Third Annual General Meeting on 12 and 13 November in Georgetown, Guyana.