CARIBBEAN regional integration must go ahead since the core of Caribbean sustainability lies in its more profound economic, financial and even political cooperation.
This was stressed by Ambassador

Robert Kopecký, Head of Delegation of the European Union in Guyana, last Thursday, in a message in observance of Europe Day, the day 63 years ago when the then French Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Robert Schuman presented the  Schuman Declaration to create a new form of organisation of the states in Europe which eventually became the EU.
He made the point during a presentation at a reception in honour of Europe Day at his Bel Air Springs residence.
President Donald Ramotar was among the invitees.
Ambassador Kopecký hailed the development cooperation and the stronger every day diplomatic, political and trade components between the EU and the Caribbean.
In this relation, he said the Joint Caribbean – EU Partnership Strategy adopted in November last year is of guidance.
Its five priority areas: regional integration and cooperation in the wider Caribbean (including the European Union Member States’ Departments and the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), reconstruction of Haiti, climate change and natural disasters, crime and security and finally joint actions in bi-regional and multilateral fora and on global issues have been identified jointly.
This, he said, has created a solid base of incomparably more structural partnership than used to be in the past, as the future involves  EU and the wider Caribbean  working  together on areas of mutual challenge and opportunity.
He said that the interdependence of the two regions on the international political scene is a very important element in maintaining very good relationships.
“One example, namely security, is an area where we will be working on very closely as the transnational crime and its collateral effects are causing significant difficulties in both sub-regions. And the latest example in this field, a joint action when ratifying the Arms Trade Treaty in the UN is an example par excellence.”
He disclosed that vivid discussions are underway regarding the focal sector for the EU’s bilateral cooperation with Guyana and Suriname, as well as for a  more boosted regional cooperation for the next multiannual financial framework called the 11th  European Development Fund to be implemented between the years of 2014 -2020.
He stressed,”But even if the EU is the biggest donor worldwide, regionally and even locally, and even if there are other important donors and partners to support the Caribbean, these actions have to be considered as supplementary, since  the core of  Caribbean sustainability lies in its more profound economic, financial and even political cooperation.
He stressed: “This (integration) is the only way to rationalise the limited funds and build common market for goods, capital and labour, for generating the meaningfulness of creation of bigger and therefore more competitive companies within the region and attracting relevant competitors from the outside. This is how the relentless global market economy of nowadays works.”
He said that the efforts of such sustained engines of the Caribbean regional integration, like President Donald Ramotar or CARICOM Secretary General Irwin LaRoque, have to be appraised and supported and not challenged.
“The Caribbean regional integration must go ahead, and as I already said last year, Georgetown must become the Brussels of the Caribbean!”
The EU has no Capital, but Brussels in Belgium hosts the official seats of the European Commission, Council of the European Union, and European Council, as well as the European Parliament of the EU.
In commemoration of Europe Day, May 9, the doors of the EU in Brussels are open to the public,allowing citizens to get a first-hand look at the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council of the European Union, the Commission, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, and the Office of the Ombudsman.