Press release 157/2007
(1 July 2007)

The Rt. Honourable Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community and Mrs. Arthur
Your Excellencies the Presidents of Guyana and of Haiti
Other Distinguished Heads of Government and Representatives of the Member States and Associate Members of the Caribbean Community
Honourable Ministers
The Speaker and Other Members of Parliament
Congressman Charles Rangel, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the US House of Representatives and Special Guest of the Community
Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States, and Other Distinguished Heads and Representatives of International Organisations
Ambassadors Accredited to the Caribbean Community
Members of the Diplomatic Corps of Barbados
Chancellor of the University of the West Indies
President of the Caribbean Development Bank
President of the Caribbean Court of Justice and Esteemed Heads of Other Regional Organisations and Institutions within the Community
Specially invited guests
Representatives of the Media
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

A very warm welcome to you all on this first day of July (in the year of our Lord) 2007, to this Opening Ceremony of the 28th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). As Secretary-General of the Community, it is my special fortune, privilege and pleasure to so welcome you this afternoon in this most historic of settings – the Courtyard of the Parliament of Barbados - the third oldest Parliament in the Western Hemisphere.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the face of such history, the Caribbean Community cannot but celebrate its tradition of democracy which this setting symbolises. The light which emerged in 1639 in Barbados, has shown the way for the rest of the Community and contributed in great measure, to our Region’s justly deserved, globally acknowledged democratic reputation.

The functioning of that democratic process has seen the re-election of one Head of Government and the election of two new Heads of Government, since the last Regular Meeting of the Conference in July 2006.

His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana, last August won an overwhelming victory at the polls. We congratulate you Mr. President. President Jagdeo has been a critical and long standing figure in this Supreme Organ of the Community. As Lead Head of Government with responsibility for Agriculture, he is currently grappling with one of the most critical change items in Caribbean economy and society - the transformation of Agriculture.

In December, the democratic process provided us – surprisingly some may say - with the opportunity of congratulating today, a newly elected Head of Government of the Community, the Rt. Hon John Compton, OCC, who though not with us in person today, is represented by the Acting Prime Minister, the Honourable Stephenson King. A venerable and outstanding Caribbean leader, we wish Prime Minister John Compton, a speedy return to good health. To his predecessor, Dr the Honourable Kenny Anthony, we extend our thanks for his great contribution to the development of our Community.

Finally, in May of this year, that same democratic process brought us a leader no stranger to this august body of Caribbean leaders. I refer to the Right Honourable Hubert Ingraham, newly elected Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas . As a leader well known for ‘saying what he means and meaning what he says’, we congratulate him and all look forward eagerly, to benefiting from his forthright views on the way forward for the Community. In doing so, may I also take this opportunity to thank his immediate predecessor, the Right Honourable Perry Christie, for his valuable contribution to the strengthening of the Community.

In expressing our expectations of those joining the Conference of Heads of Government – the Community’s Supreme Organ - it is most fitting that tribute be paid to the Outgoing Chairman of the Community, Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines for his bold, dynamic and path-breaking leadership of the Community during his term, which ended yesterday. His vision for and commitment to the Community have been exemplary. His unique perspective is nowhere more exemplified than in his view of the role of the Chairman of the Supreme Authority of the Community. He sees it as a case of two heads – his and his successor’s – being better than one! This vision has gained the support and ready acceptance of the new Chairman and I suspect will continue to be so perceived when the new Incoming Member of the Bureau, who is coincidentally none other than the newly elected Prime Minister of The Bahamas, succeeds him in the Chair.

Barbados’s assumption of the leadership of the Community comes at a time when that country is already amply demonstrating its capacity to guide the fortunes of our Community in many areas. The vigour and vision needed to establish the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), has been provided by the Honourable Prime Minister and it is fitting that, as the Community pushes on towards putting in place the framework for the Single Economy, Prime Minister Arthur is at the helm of the Community.

Further, two of the largest and most complex Community undertakings in the last six months have had the hands of Barbados at the wheel.

The Cricket World Cup 2007 has come and gone but has left among others, a legacy of unprecedented co-operation in the area of security. To a significant degree, the Region has to thank the committed and insightful leadership of the Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados , the Honourable Mia Mottley.

And, less than two weeks ago, at the Conference on the Caribbean in Washington D.C, USA , the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas at the closing session, was moved to describe the four-day Conference as “an overwhelming success” and to add that “ Washington may never be the same again.”

His assessment was met with universal endorsement by those who participated and for that, the Prime Minister, the Secretary-General and all the participants acknowledged the leadership by Barbados ’s Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Honourable Dame Billie Miller. The Region owes her a very special debt of gratitude for its achievement in that regard. For it was certainly her dogged determination and persistent advocacy which charted the path to that unique and unprecedented Community gathering in Washington – a gathering at which the Caribbean was warmly welcomed not only by the President and governmental authorities of that great nation, but by our own Diaspora as well.

Ladies and Gentlemen, much has been said and much will be discussed as a follow-up to that landmark event. Immediately following therefrom however, we have the honour and pleasure to have with us here today, as the Special Guest of the Community at this very ceremony, the Honourable Charles Rangel, Chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee of the United States Congress; friend of the Caribbean; and Host to the Region’s representatives on their visit to the Congress, during that recent Conference in Washington D.C. We are honoured Sir, that you found it possible despite your very, very busy schedule to accept our invitation to be with us on this historic occasion, one which your presence makes even more so. We welcome you most warmly and we look forward to a valuable exchange with you as you enjoy the delights of Barbados .

Heads of State and Government, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the level of co-operation now being exhibited by our Community provides an adequate foundation and an important guide to the main theme of this week’s Meeting of the Conference - Functional Co-operation. As you know, our Community stands on four grand pillars - Economic Integration, Foreign Policy Co-ordination, Functional Co-operation and Security Co-operation. Some of the Community’s greatest successes have been in the area of Functional Co-operation in the fields of health, education, disaster management, for example and serve as a constant reminder to what can be achieved in other fields, such as regional transportation and Climate Change.

These are issues which touch on the everyday lives of our people and therefore areas in which our Community must demonstrate that integration has meaning and relevance for every man, woman and child within its Member States and its Associate Members.

This thought is at the forefront of the ideas which will be brought to the table over the next three days, as the leaders grapple with the various items on the Agenda of this Meeting - ranging from Functional Cooperation, through Single Market and Economy, matters of Governance of the Community, to Security, to external trade - all in an effort to find ways and means of improving the quality of life of all the people of the Caribbean Community.

To achieve this, there are challenges which must be overcome. The successful operation of the Single Market and Economy hinges in large measure, on the efficiency of the new institutions necessary to ensure a fair and equitable market and distribution of the benefits. These institutions, such as the Competition Commission and the Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), must be adequately resourced otherwise we run risks such as the creation of monopolies on the one hand -which affects prices and choices to the consumer - and on the other, unregulated quality of goods - which affects both the domestic consumer and the ability to export goods out of the market.

Further, the lack of adequate support for intra-regional transportation strikes at the heart of one of the fundamental principles of a Community – the co-mingling of its people. Unless there is sustainable support for this process, the dream of an integrated Caribbean Region risks remaining just that – a dream.

Finally, as we seek to pursue the creation of a mature regionalism - in this year of the commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade - we must ensure that, where differences remain among Member States, these are resolved quickly to avoid small differences resulting in huge losses for us all.

Given these challenges and in the context of the goal of a viable, prosperous, secure and humane Caribbean Community, success in the deliberations of the Conference of Heads of Government at this Meeting in 2007, will be a most fitting accomplishment for a Community marking its 34th anniversary.

To achieve these ends Mr. Chairman, we reaffirm our unstinting support to you as you embark on the task of leading the Community in these historic and challenging times and wish you the greatest possible success.

I thank you.

Contact: piu@caricom.org