(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, on Tuesday17 January formally commenced dialogue on staff matters with the executive of the CARICOM Secretariat Staff Association.

President of the Staff Association, Mr. Timothy Odle, signalled the Association’s “full support” to the Secretary-General particularly at a time when new initiatives were about to be rolled out within the CARICOM Secretariat, towards greater efficiency of systems of operation.

Mr. Odle told the Secretary-General, who was accompanied to the meeting by CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, that the Staff Association had intended to forge greater collaboration with the Secretariat’s Executive Management and the Staff at headquarters and in Member States, as the Staff Association Executive acts as liaison to management with regard to matters pertaining to staff welfare.

Mr. Odle placed on record the Association’s recognition of the sterling contribution made by Ambassador Applewhaite while she acted as Secretary-General of the Community. He highlighted the fruitful engagement she facilitated with the Staff Association and added that he anticipated those engagements would continue.

In his remarks, Secretary-General LaRocque commended the Staff Association Executive for its commitment to pay closer attention to the welfare of staff and noted that he was heartened by its pledge of support to his office. He stated that the Secretariat was undergoing a period of review with an expectation of change thereafter. Stating that he anticipated that those changes will be generally positive, Ambassador LaRocque said that the support of the Staff Association would be valuable during that period of transition for the Secretariat.

Secretary-General LaRocque expressed confidence that CARICOM Member States were firm in their commitment to the regional integration process and to the CARICOM Secretariat, the principal administrative arm of the Community. In this regard, he said he anticipated that together with the Staff Association, positive developments, which would redound to benefits for all involved, will be forged.

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