PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar is in neighbouring Suriname, participating for the first time as Guyanese Head of State in the 23rd Inter-sessional Meeting of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). At the forum in Paramaribo, the anticipated emphasis will be on the much called for reforms at the level of CARICOM, Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon said yesterday.
Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, he said: “Direct action on issues of implementation, resolution of the reality of reform when it came to implementing decisions is among the matters of focus at the meeting.”
He said talk about reform is intended to motivate the CARICOM Secretariat and participating States to the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and the people in the Caribbean Commmunity about implementing decisions and minimising defaulters.
According to the HPS, it is expected that meaningful efforts would be made in that regard at the Inter-sessional Meeting.
The two-day discussions among the CARICOM Leaders will begin with statements by the Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque; Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Denzil Douuglas and Immediate Past Chairman  of the Conference of the Heads of Government, Mr. Desire Bouterse, President of Suriname and current Chairman of the Community.
This morning, the Heads of Government will take part in a fitness walk in keeping with their support for the ‘wellness revolution’ which was spawned by the Declaration of Port of Spain that emerged from the CARICOM Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases, held in Trinidad and Tobago in 2007.
An exhibition marking International Women’s Day, today, too, will feature at the meeting, highlighting the theme of the observance ‘Empower Rural Women –End Hunger and Poverty’.
The Inter-sessional Meeting, itself, is themed ‘Healthy Women, Wealthy Region’.