Economic turmoil, security and CARICOM’s restructuring take center stage at 24th Inter-sessional Meeting in Haiti

The need for the urgent restructuring of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its various agencies, regional security, particularly gang violence and trafficking in firearms and drugs, as well as the current state of indebtedness, and poor economic performance of some regional economies were echoed by CARICOM Heads of Government, who met at the Hotel Caribe in Port-au-Prince Haiti on Monday.

At the opening of the 24th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARCIOM), immediate past chairman of the 15-member grouping, Dr Kenny Anthony said the heads are meeting at a time when the many regional economies are in turmoil, and expressed the hope that the two-day meeting would examine closely the current state of economic affairs in the region.

President Donald Ramotar is greeted by Haiti’s President Mr Michel Martelly

Dr Anthony, who is the Prime Minister of St Lucia, urged that reform of the regional grouping should be wider than at the level of the Secretariat, and must include the various councils such as the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and Council for Human and Social Development (COSHOD). There should be heavy emphasis on the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), Dr Anthony stressed.

These positions were prior endorsed by Guyana and only recently Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, during an interview of the National Communications Network, said that the regional grouping must relook some of these agencies and see if they could be merged, to reduce cost and at the same time be more effective.

Current Chairman of CARCIOM and President of Haiti Mr. Michel Martelly was very outspoken as it relates to the free movement of skills and goods, a key pillar in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

“I begin by quoting the problem of movement of persons and goods. Our countries are in a paradoxical situation: so close but yet so far! Among many other factors, the lack of a dedicated transport system constitutes the heart of this problem… In regard to our production, too often, a good manufactured within the Community must pass through a country outside the Community before reaching their destination in another Member State. Under these conditions, the inter-community trade will fail to reach an acceptable level of growth,” President Martelly said.

Heads of Government at the CARICOM Intersessional Meeting in Haiti. President Donald Ramotar is 4th from right in back row

Speaking of trafficking of illicit drugs and weapons within the CARICOM countries he declared that, “The sovereignty of our countries is sometimes raped by powerful non-state actors engaged in illicit drug trafficking and who use our territory as transit points. Faced with this threat, we must strengthen our cooperation in order to defeat these criminal networks … Given our limited resources, it would be appropriate that we receive, in this struggle, the support of States affected by this traffic, including the equipment and implementation of development programmes for our agents.”

The President pleaded the cause of Haiti within CARICOM stating that, “I take advantage of this space to advocate in favour of my country, which for the informed observers, failed to take full advantage of its accession to the Community. Today, I would like to say that Haiti should be seen and treated as an opportunity. Despite its difficulties, it represents a good opportunity for the region, an opportunity for each CARICOM country.”

He said, “Our economy needs to be supported by productive investment to be viable… The Republic of Haiti intends to contribute to the achievement of Community objectives such as the improvement of production, productivity and international competitiveness. These objectives are achievable within the framework of internal market, fully integrated and liberalised.”

President Donald Ramotar, Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee at the CARICOM meeting in Haiti

Mr. Martelly said the work has only just begun and the country has a vast field to be cleared in all areas of functional cooperation of the Community to be on the same level as its partners.

“My objective in the coming months is to ensure, with the grandeur and prestige required the leadership of the integration process is the option to leave as a legacy a Caribbean Community strengthened in unity and solidarity, and even more dynamic, “concluded the President of the conference.

Secretary General of CARICOM Ambassador Irwin LaRoque in his remarks updated the heads on the ongoing reform at the secretariat and noted that already a review of the grouping’s security institutions was done.

The Secretary General was very vocal on the current state of regional economies, many of which he said are stagnant, as a result of the 2008 Global economic and financial crises.

“The excruciating debt burden is exacerbated by the policies of the International Financial Institutions which disqualify many of our Member States from concessionary financing because of criteria inappropriate to our circumstances. Those criteria are also being considered by other International Development Partners and, if adopted, could render our development efforts even more challenging.”

Those financial and economic burdens are intensified by the growing levels of crime in our Community, in particular the rise in gun-related violence. The threat posed to the stability of our Region by the prevalence of firearms cannot be underestimated, and the on-going wanton waste of human life is a continuing source of grief, he stated.

“The effort to combat this menace to our society will occupy the attention of this Meeting as the major item on the agenda. A part of that discussion will be an exchange of views with Mr. Eric Holder, the Attorney-General of the United States, a country which has been a major partner in the area of crime and security,” Ambassador LaRoque said.

Guyana’s delegation at the meeting was headed by President Donald Ramotar and includes Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Elisabeth Harper.

The heads were also addressed by Attorney General Holder.

Watch how cholera will show up in Guyana soon after Ramotar returns.

You think they should give him some Hoil of Horegano before he deplanes ( get offa de plane)?

Caribbean leaders conclude historic summit in Haiti

By JACQUELINE CHARLES, jcharles@MiamiHerald.com, Source - Miami Herald

PORT-AU-PRINCE -- Caribbean leaders concluded a two-day summit in Haiti by deciding to progressively introduce French as a second language in their 15-member regional trade bloc and to hone in on the challenges facing their vulnerable economies.

Caribbean Community leaders also pledged to hold a summit with the United States within the year to address deportees and other concerns while also issuing a strongly worded communiqué accusing another super power — the United Kingdom — of trampling on democracy in Turks and Caicos with its “constant infractions of democratic principles.”

In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended home rule for Turks and Caicos, a British Overseas Territory, for three years after allegations of corruption. The territory was recently admitted back into the bloc as an associate member.

“The overall state of political affairs remained less than desirable and the restoration of true democracy was still a far way off,” the communiqué said of the situation in Turks and Caicos.

Over two days, leaders of the bloc known as Caricom addressed a host of issues. But economics and crime dominated the discussions led by Haitian President Michel Martelly, who is Caricom chairman for the next six months.

A number of studies have warned that spiking violent crime is hampering Caribbean economies. The Caribbean Development Bank also has named seven countries to a watch list because of their debt, which global financial institutions say is slowing down growth.

“We need to have a big conversation about the future of our economies,” St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony told fellow leaders. “The biggest challenge right now is restoring growth to these economies; how do we get these economies to grow given the existing scenario of very high debt to [Gross Domestic Product] levels.”

Anthony conceded it’s not easy emerging from the economic crisis. One way in which his nation and five others in the Eastern Caribbean hope to, is by further deepening their economic partnership. They currently share the same currency and allow their combined nearly 700,000 citizens to move and work freely within the six nations.

Hoping that this model will serve as a locomotive for its own effort to create an integration process throughout the larger Caribbean, Caricom agreed to let any of its members join that Eastern Caribbean bloc if they desire.

“It will strengthen our economies,” St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said.

Caricom’s delay in allowing for the free movement of goods, services and skilled labor has raised questions about the future of the bloc, and the issue was discussed at the summit.

Even in Haiti, which is hosting the conference for the first time, some have questioned the benefits of joining the mostly English-speaking bloc.

“The integration of Haiti can only be in the best interest of Haiti and of each and every country that is part of Caricom,” Martelly said.

To that end, Martelly also defended pushing French over Creole, which is spoken by the majority of Haitians, as the bloc’s second language.

All Guyanese will rejoice if the whole PPP should buy a one way ticket to Hati..most important take Rev with them so he could get away from the n.igger indians...

Isn't Caricom and the Commonwealth for English speaking countries.  How come these French speaking and Portugeese speaking countries are now in it.  They would never let an English speaking country join their francophone and Portugeese association.  This is bull s---

They do speak English in Haiti as well. Many people are bi-lingual.

CARICOM’s restructuring, indebtedness dominate Haiti meeting

February 20, 2013, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source

The need for the urgent restructuring of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its various agencies, regional security, particularly gang violence and trafficking in firearms and drugs, as well as the current state of indebtedness, and poor economic performance of some regional economies were echoed by CARICOM Heads of Government, who met at the Hotel Caribe in Port-au-Prince Haiti on Monday.

At the opening of the 24th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARCIOM), immediate past chairman of the 15-member grouping, Dr Kenny Anthony, said the heads are meeting at a time when the many regional economies are in turmoil. He expressed the hope that the two-day meeting would examine closely the current state of economic affairs in the region.

President Donald Ramotar is greeted by Haiti’s President Mr Michel Martelly

Dr. Anthony, who is the Prime Minister of St Lucia, urged that reform of the regional grouping should be wider than at the level of the Secretariat, and must include the various councils such as the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and Council for Human and Social Development (COSHOD). There should be heavy emphasis on the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), Dr Anthony stressed.

These positions were endorsed by Guyana and only recently Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, during an interview with the National Communications Network, said that the regional grouping must reassess some of these agencies and see if they could be merged, to reduce cost and at the same time be more effective.

Current Chairman of CARCIOM and President of Haiti, Michel Martelly, was very outspoken as it relates to the free movement of skills and goods, a key pillar in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

TRADE FAILS
“I begin by quoting the problem of movement of persons and goods. Our countries are in a paradoxical situation: so close but yet so far! Among many other factors, the lack of a dedicated transport system constitutes the heart of this problem… In regard to our production, too often, a good manufactured within the Community must pass through a country outside the Community before reaching their destination in another Member State. Under these conditions, the inter-community trade will fail to reach an acceptable level of growth,” President Martelly said.

Speaking of trafficking of illicit drugs and weapons within the CARICOM countries, he declared “The sovereignty of our countries is sometimes raped by powerful non-state actors engaged in illicit drug trafficking and who use our territory as transit points. Faced with this threat, we must strengthen our cooperation in order to defeat these criminal networks … Given our limited resources, it would be appropriate that we receive, in this struggle, the support of States affected by this traffic, including the equipment and implementation of development programmes for our agents.”

The President pleaded the cause of Haiti within CARICOM stating that, “I take advantage of this space to advocate in favour of my country, which for the informed observers, failed to take full advantage of its accession to the Community. Today, I would like to say that Haiti should be seen and treated as an opportunity. Despite its difficulties, it represents a good opportunity for the region, an opportunity for each CARICOM country.”

He further stated, “Our economy needs to be supported by productive investment to be viable… The Republic of Haiti intends to contribute to the achievement of Community objectives such as the improvement of production, productivity and international competitiveness. These objectives are achievable within the framework of internal markets, fully integrated and liberalised.”

Mr. Martelly said the work has only just begun and the country has a vast field to be cleared in all areas of functional cooperation of the Community to be on the same level as its partners.

“My objective in the coming months is to ensure, with the grandeur and prestige required, the leadership of the integration process is the option to leave as a legacy… a Caribbean Community strengthened in unity and solidarity, and even more dynamic,” the President concluded.

Secretary General of CARICOM Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, in his remarks, updated the heads on the ongoing reform at the secretariat and noted that already a review of the grouping’s security institutions was done.

BURDENS
The Secretary General was very vocal on the current state of regional economies, many of which he said are stagnant, as a result of the 2008 Global economic and financial crises.

“The excruciating debt burden is exacerbated by the policies of the International Financial Institutions, which disqualify many of our Member States from concessionary financing because of criteria inappropriate to our circumstances. Those criteria are also being considered by other International Development Partners and, if adopted, could render our development efforts even more challenging.”

Those financial and economic burdens are intensified by the growing levels of crime in our Community, in particular the rise in gun-related violence. The threat posed to the stability of our Region by the prevalence of firearms cannot be underestimated, and the ongoing wanton waste of human life is a continuing source of grief, he stated.

“The effort to combat this menace to our society will occupy the attention of this Meeting as the major item on the agenda,” Ambassador LaRoque stressed.

Guyana’s delegation at the meeting is headed by President Donald Ramotar and includes Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Elisabeth Harper.