Press release 94/2004
(19 June 2004)

Chairman, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, International Trade and Transport of Antigua and Barbuda Honourable Ministers, Secretary General, Representatives of the CARICOM Secretariat, Distinguished Delegates, Members of the Media.

On behalf of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, it gives me great pleasure to welcome delegates to Port of Spain and to the Fourteenth Meeting of the Community Council of Ministers. As you are aware, Trinidad and Tobago did not hesitate to host this Meeting when the request was made by the Secretariat.

As we meet to deliberate on issues and to prepare for the Heads of Government Meeting in July, we cannot help but reflect on the challenges, which have faced us over the years and our resilience in dealing with them. Our joint effort has resulted in improved welfare for our peoples and progress as a Region. As the forces of globalisation drive us closer together, our continued collaboration and integration are inevitable, and indeed necessary.

I urge you, Colleagues, to recommit to the integration progress and to forge steadily ahead as we work to implement the provisions of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The need to be CSME-ready cannot be over-stated. Trinidad and Tobago, you will recall, is working assiduously to meet its commitments and I appeal to other Member States to do the same.

As we prepare for the upcoming Conference of our Heads of Government and reflect on the wide-ranging Provisional Agenda, we should be proud that as a Region we have progressed on many issues. I would like to suggest, colleagues, that we carefully consider the matters before us, some of which will require in-depth discussion, such as the situation in Haiti, the budget of the Secretariat and the inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice. I am confident that we will deal with all matters with efficiency and diligence.

Colleagues, I take this opportunity to express every good wish that our deliberations will be successful and that our decisions will redound to the benefit of all our peoples. I look forward to an interactive and candid dialogue as we commit ourselves to make progress through the Agenda before us.

Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.