(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Community Council of Ministers which met in Georgetown on Wednesday, 10 February 2010 made preparations for the upcoming Twenty-First Intersessional Meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Roseau, Dominica.

Matters that are to be placed before the Heads of Government at the Intersessional Meeting scheduled for 11-12 March 2010, include the report on the status of implementation of the CSME, and Contingent Rights which were both considered at the just-concluded Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development; the Air Passenger Duty imposed by the United Kingdom (APD) on flights out of the UK; and climate change, particularly in the context of follow-up to the Copenhagen Meeting held in December 2009.

The Council approved the Secretariat’s work programme and budget at the 2009 level. This marks the second consecutive year that there has been no increase in the Secretariat ‘s budget. The decision was taken in light of the fact that Member States were still grappling with the effects of the global economic and financial downturn.

The Council also gave its imprimatur to the implementation plan and the costing of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the single integrated agency aimed at addressing the public health needs of the Community. The recommendations for the plan and costing were made at the Fifteenth Special Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development held recently in Trinidad and Tobago. CARPHA, which is expected to become fully operational in 2014, is to be hosted by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Council was also apprised of the steps being taken to establish the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) in Suriname.

The Community Council is the second highest Organ in CARICOM. It has primary responsibility for the development of Community strategic planning and co-ordination in the areas of economic integration, functional co-operation and external relations. The Council consists of Ministers responsible for Community Affairs and any other Minister designated by CARICOM Member States.

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org