Salutation
Welcome

This project that we will see presented today marks the culmination of discussions begun just one and a half years ago. In November 2003 the CARICOM Secretary-General, Mr. Edwin Carrington, accompanied the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, the Hon. K.D. Knight, on a six-day visit to India in response to an invitation from that country's government. The highlight of that visit was the signing of an Agreement establishing a Standing Joint Commission on Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination between CARICOM and the Government of India (known as the CARICOM/India Joint Commission). At that time, also, the Indian government gave an oral commitment to assist with the computerisation of the CARICOM new headquarters building.

In September of 2004, the then newly arrived High Commissioner H.E. Avinash Gupta, gave his commitment to follow this matter through, and so it was that in February 2005 a team from TATA Infotech arrived in Georgetown to ascertain the IT needs of the Secretariat. The TATA Infotech team came via Paramaribo, Suriname where they gave a presentation to the Community Council, on the occasion of the 16th Inter-sessional Meeting of Conference of Heads.

The Secretariat has been working ever since then with the TATA Infotech team. This collaboration continued by teleconference when the team returned to India in March and has now resumed with their return to Georgetown. The CARICOM counterpart project team has been having a very rewarding experience working with TATA Infotech, which is known worldwide for its expertise in IT, but is working in the Region for the first time. We look forward to benefiting, not only from the actual computerisation of our new headquarters, but also from the transfer of knowledge that will take place under this project.

The CARICOM Secretariat staff will be moving in to the building in stages between 15 and 30 July and the TATA Infotech team assures me that the installation of IT will be ready by then. For its part, the Secretariat is working hard to ensure that its own responsibilities and commitments are met so that the project is successfully completed and on time.

I should like to extend our appreciation to the Government of India for this tangible expression of collaboration with CARICOM. We look forward to cooperation in other areas.

I wish to thank TATA Infotech for their commitment and close collaboration on this project. This commitment was further illustrated with the visit of the Senior Vice-President and the Vice President for the Americas last week.

Thank you.