SG toasts to health, strength and sustenance of the Community
REMINDING of the difficulties the Caribbean Community faces presently, even in light of the numerous achievements the region has made over its 36 years as an integrated body, CARCIOM Secretary-General Edwin Carrington on Friday evening toasted to the health, strength and sustenance of the Community.

At a reception which saw officials from all corners of Caribbean as well as Guyana’s political, business and diplomatic spectrum toasting to the Community’s continued achievements in observance of its 36th anniversary, the Secretary-General urged the gathering to embrace the hope which the integration movement embodies and to pledge continued commitment to the struggles of regional integration and development for generations to come.

“In reflecting on our 36 years as an integration movement, the longest surviving among developing countries, and arguably second only to the European Union in its ambitions, I share a measure of pride in our achievements and excitement for our future,” Mr. Carrington remarked.

Pointing to the declaration signed by Heads of Government 20 years ago in Gran Anse, Grenada, which charted the path for the advancement of the integration movement and the course the Community should follow to confront the many challenges of the era, securing too its place in the globalised world, Mr. Carrington said that document has been the blue-print for the construction of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

Noting that the CSME is the region’s most ambitious endeavour to date, he added, “ In transforming the Community to meet the grand design of the visionaries of Gran Anse, the Treaty of Chaguaramas has been revised and today, thanks to the herculean efforts of many, we are living the reality of a Single Market, albeit in its infancy.”

The Secretary-General observed that this achievement has been accompanied by the creation of a number of supporting institutions, most notably the Caribbean Court of Justice.

“The journey towards the achievement of the Single Economy will certainly require even greater commitment and resolve by us all. So also will be the ultimate dream of the creation of a Community for all.”

In that pursuit, the region is already benefitting through increased functional cooperation, in key areas such as Education, Health, Security and the Environment, Mr. Carrington stated.

“These achievements are by no means, however, a signal that all is well with the state of the integration movement; critical aspects still remain to be finalised and we must pursue them with vision and determination”.

Expressing heartfelt thanks to the Governments and people of the Community, Community institutions and agencies, as well as the staff of the CARICOM Secretariat, the Secretary-General pointed to the dedication and commitment of these individuals and institutions in building and in serving a Community for all.

Minister of Foregin Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, in a toast to the regional body during an address to the gathering, conveyed the Guyana Government’s appreciation of the achievements the Community has made over the years and its steadfastness in pursuing the vision of the founding fathers of the Treaty.

She noted, “These achievements are ascribed even greater magnitude in the face of the several challenges that we face in the contemporary global environment”.

The Minister remarked that the mammoth task has been in transforming the status quo to meet the ideals of a true and effective Single Market and Economy.

“While we can boast of the creation of the Single Market, we are still to realise all of the goals attached to that as well as to the institutionalization of the Single Economy.

“Our efforts should therefore be channelled towards a cohesive and complete CARICOM Single Market and Economy that will allow us to compete in the global arena,” she offered.

Acknowledging the work and contributions of Caribbean men and women over the past 36 years in building and sustaining the regional process, Mrs. Rodrigues-Birkett observed that there is more work to be done for the benefit of the present and future generations.

She noted that now is a time to reflect on the many successes of the region, combining too the region’s efforts to make integration with the Community a priority.

The Minister said, “Guyana is privileged to have assumed the chairmanship of CARICOM at this juncture, when the Region’s response to issues such as Climate Change and the global financial and economic crisis are of critical importance.”

Minister Rodrigues-Birkett also assured of Guyana’s commitment to using its chairmanship to effectively ensuring the implementation of commitments recently made by the Heads of Caribbean Governments to deal with issues such as the financial stability of the region, the consolidation of regional transformation in the Agriculture sector and food security, as well as ensuring the region’s position on Climate Change is effectively put forward in Copenhagen later this year.

“Earlier this week (last week), President Jagdeo was pleased to be able to play a positive role as Chairman of CARICOM in bridging the gap between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players Association.

“It is our hope that we can preserve the spirit of West Indies cricket which has through the years been able to identify us as ‘one proud Caribbean’,” the Minister said.