(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) His Excellency Michel Martelly, President of Haiti and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has placed the lack of a dedicated transport system at the heart of the problems related to the free movement of persons and goods.

Delivering the feature address at the Opening Ceremony of the 24th Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Monday, President Martelly made the link with transportation, free movement of persons and goods, and regional unity.

Heads of Government will discuss the matter of movement of persons within the Community during the two-day meeting at the Karibe Hotel.

“Our countries are in a paradoxical situation: so near and yet so far! Among many factors, the lack of a dedicated transport system is the heart of this problem. In fact, for some of our fellow citizens, travelling within the Community is an odyssey,” he said.

The President also warned that intra-regional trade would fail to reach “an acceptable growth level” if goods manufactured in the Region must transit non-CARICOM Member States before reaching their destinations in another Member State.

President Martelly told his audience that the creation of the Community was primarily to mobilise people of the Region around common values and a common goal.

“While being aware of certain limitations, our integration process will only reach the harmony necessary for its completion when our fellow citizens learn to know and appreciate each other and have the opportunity to work together. This is the price of the unity and solidarity for which we are all struggling.

“It is the same for the issue of language. Our diversity is our wealth. The culture of others is part of the heritage of us all. Integration is also the possibility for the Other to express its uniqueness. Our Community is a Tower of Babel that needs to be valued. This issue, in my opinion, is important. For this reason, I would ask for it to be granted interest,” President Martelly said.