–among key topics to be discussed as Prime Minister of Belize arrives in Guyana

TRADE, food security and other critical issues are expected to take centre stage as President Dr. Irfaan Ali and other senior government officials engage Belize’s Prime Minister, John Antonio Briceño, who arrived in Guyana along with First Lady, Rossana Rossana Briceño, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Eamon Courtenay, on Tuesday evening.

This engagement which follows the 43rd CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Suriname, is expected to conclude with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two nations.
The Prime Minister and his team, along with Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service, Brian Glynn, were welcomed to Guyana with a cocktail reception hosted by President Ali and First Lady Arya Ali, at State House.

The event was attended by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, other senior government officials, and representatives of the diplomatic community and private sector.
President Ali has said time and again that regional integration is a fundamental pillar of economic development.

In March this year, Heads of Government adopted a protocol to create opportunities to further the principles, goals and objectives of the community through enhanced co-operation.
The “Protocol to Amend the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas Establishing the Caribbean Community, including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, to allow enhanced co-operation among Member States and to address related issues” was approved at the Inter-Sessional Meeting in Belize.

“It provides for groups of at least three member states to seek to establish enhanced co-operation among themselves, in areas where they feel the targeted objectives cannot be attained within a reasonable period by the Community as a whole.  Approval to pursue the enhanced co-operation will require the support of two-thirds of the membership of the Community,” CARICOM said.

The regional body noted that decisions adopted in the specific areas of enhanced co-operation will only be binding on the participating Member States and the rights and obligations created will be solely for those Member States and their nationals.

Established areas of enhanced co-operation will, however, be open to other Member States, subject to compliance with the conditions of participation and the decisions already adopted.