Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman, Dr. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, has expressed the view that the Third CARICOM-SICA Summit should be remembered as the catalyst that served the key purpose of connecting the Caribbean and Central America for the benefit of the people of both Regions. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Summit in San Salvador, El Salvador, the headquarters of the Central American Integration System (SICA) on Friday , Prime Minister Douglas said the time was propitious for both Regions to come together to explore realistic and practical means of co-operation for their mutual benefit.
“It is vital in this regard, that we look closely at measures which will encourage and facilitate greater interaction between the people of our two Regions at all levels, governmental, commercial, cultural and social,” the CARICOM chairman said.
Dr. Douglas cited successful commercial ventures which had been undertaken by the private sector on both sides in the two Regions in the fields of telecommunications, air transportation and the distributive trade sectors.
The Prime Minister listed some of the common challenges faced by the two Regions including the global crises and vulnerability to natural disasters.
“And if these challenges were not enough we now have to face the epidemic of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) that threaten the quality of life of our human resources in both our Regions,” the Prime Minister pointed out.
The CARICOM Chairman said that the two Regions, because of the ingenuity, creativity and resilience of their peoples, which were exemplified in the vibrancy of their cultural norms, also had the capacity to face and overcome the obstacles that these challenges put before them.
“This meeting is taking place in a global environment of constant change and transition. Survival in such a context demands a commonality of ambition and vision to ensure the strategic positioning of our Regions in the hemispheric and global arenas, through effective cooperation and collaboration,” the Prime Minister reminded his fellow leaders.
“Colleague Heads of State and Government, you would agree that given aforementioned issues and challenges, development is more effectively pursued through strategic alliances with like-minded countries,” Dr. Douglas stressed. (CARICOM Secretariat )