The four-day summit of the 15-member community is expected to deal with an extensive agenda, according to Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon.

Speaking at weekly media briefing yesterday, at Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, he said, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, the body that was established to prepare and monitor the preparations, has comprehensively addressed all aspects of the event.

Luncheon said the group put in place the appropriate plans, including rehearsing their execution and all sections of Government and State, with identified roles in the conference, have been active in the preparatory stage.

The Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) said the Heads and their delegations began arriving yesterday and the grand opening takes place at the National Cultural Centre from 17:30 h, to be broadcast live in Guyana and on the regional airwaves.

At the opening session, the panel of speakers will include the outgoing Chairman, Prime Minister Dean Barrow of Belize; incoming Chairman, President Bharrat Jagdeo; Prime Minister Tillman Thomas of Grenada and CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Edwin Carrington.

The business sessions, from tomorrow, will be held at Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

Luncheon informed that the State reception, which was originally to be at State House, also in the city, will now be hosted at Buddy’s International Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara, in response to expressed concerns over the inclement weather.