Guyana hosts CCSP 2010

Guyana, which has been playing an important leadership role at all levels of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), yesterday hosted its leg of the CARICOM Civil Society Projects 2010. The project, implemented by the CARICOM Secretariat with support from the European Union, in collaboration with the Governments of CARICOM,  is facilitated by the Caribbean Policy Development Centre and intended to heighten awareness within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of the potential of Civil Society to contribute to the development agendas of Member States and the wider Caribbean Community.
Among member-states where consultations have already been held are St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts & Nevis, St Vincent and The Grenadines.
Yesterday’s forum, at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir East Coast Demerara, saw participation from a wide cross-section of the country’s civil society and was anticipated to be quite interactive.
Among those in attendance were Dr Roger Luncheon in his capacity as Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme; Minister of  Foreign Affairs, Ms Carolyn Rodrigues- Birkett; Adviser to President Jagdeo on Governance, Ms Gail Teixeira, who served as the Chairperson; Ms Cecelia Babb, Consultant, Caribbean Policy Development Centre;  representatives of  insurance companies, businesses, importers, exporters, religious bodies, and women’s groups, CARICOM Secretariat, Guyana Association of Lawyers and  regional administrative heads, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs , among others.
The consultations, which began in member states in mid-June 2010, aims at encouraging Civil Society’s active participation and engagement in the Caribbean integration process, including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), through  the heightening of the awareness of the opportunities for such groups to contribute to a common development agenda.
To this end, the project seeks to develop coordinating mechanisms to provide the involvement of Civil Society in regional issues, and to identify opportunities for dialogue between CARICOM decision makers and civil society on key national and regional issues.
It will too, assist Civil Society Organizations in identifying opportunities to partner with governments in the development process.
Daniels, in her remarks, explained that a regional consultation will follow the ongoing national deliberations  also to be held in Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica and Montserrat.
The entire process, which should conclude in December, will, after reviews and scrutiny, put out a regional strategic framework which is acceptable to the entire region.
The end result will see a register of civil societies in the region being compiled with the information placed on a website to serve as a repository for demarcating who does  what and where.
The CPDC consultant noted too, that in each of the countries where consultations have so far been conducted , there have been  different outputs and kinds of conjectures, hence the end result of  the project would be anxiously awaited.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett, in remarks which set the tone for the day’s interactive session, posited that the time is opportune to forge ahead with regional integration, since the global economic  and financial  position has demonstrated not only how connected small nations are, but their vulnerability.
Such vulnerability has doubled times over when the hazards of natural disasters such as hurricane are taken into consideration,  and the fact that many of the nations in CARICOM are dependent on sectors which are now faced with challenges never seen before as a result of new global trading arrangements and  “heavy-handed measures” taken elsewhere.
And, according to her, the fact that more endowed nations have moved towards integration makes the case for integration even more critical.
It is for this reason that it is important to seek the views of civil society at different stages of the process  which, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett  reminded Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, have always recognized civil society and the role it plays in achieving viable regional integration.
She further stressed that it would be foolhardy to believe that regional integration could be achieved without the involvement of civil society.
And, in alluding to Guyana’s check-list  as it relates to this country being compliant with the provisions of the CSME and what remains to be done, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said she is not oblivious to criticism, cynicism and frustration that permeates discussions in the Region regarding the subject of regional integration.
According to her, there are many areas where the Caribbean Community must act as a region if together the peoples are to benefit, and the question is “have we as a region done enough to realize the goals of  regional integration”.
On this note, the Foreign Minister questioned where is the reciprocity  if Guyana is to put in place the six month stay for CARICOM nationals, which it has already done, and other member states do not.
Also, how will the process move forward if Guyana and a few other states agree to the right to free primary education and basic health for children in passage of contingent rights and others do not.
The presentation of an overview of the CSME by Mr. David Lord, Deputy Programme Manager, CARICOM;  the CSME Progress Report on Guyana by Ms Candida Daniels, Director (ag) and  Mr. Sherwyn Naughton Foreign Trade Officer; and the Jagdeo Initiative by Specialist Ms Johan David concluded the addresses and remarks before the business sessions.

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