CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Guyana
There are serious matters on the agenda before CARICOM leaders meeting in Guyana in the thirtieth Heads of Government Conference. While the issue of immigration is dominating the discussions, it is a critical time for the region and the future of CARICOM. Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says while it may be true that each government has its sovereign right to determine its own domestic policy, leaders must be mindful of the message sent to the Caribbean people. News Five obtained this report from CMC News
Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica
“CARICOM is all about setting aside the concerns of a national government. I believe that, I think the prime minister of Antigua was candid in his approach to laying out from the Antigua government the challenges they’re having. It’s important for us to examine them. I don’t think we can just run the truck over them. You understand? We need to engage them and find out how can we assist in addressing some of the challenges which they have.”
“If we’re gonna be looking at one aspect of the single market, which is the free movement and we fail to look at the issue of trade and other issues which other countries were saying they’re having challenges or benefiting from, we have been very careful that we don’t mash up this CARICOM family.”
“We’ve come under tremendous pressure by some quarters, especially the media, for remaining silent on the issue, especially in regards to Barbados. It is not my style to-it is against the standing orders of my Parliament to criticize another CARICOM country. I don’t believe in shouting across the Caribbean Sea at another head. I think we need to sit down, examine the concerns which we’re having, and just see how we can move forward.”
Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
“But you know Trinidad and Tobago always runs that risk. I don’t care how you put it, somebody will always say something that is offensive and that’s a hazard of the occupation. You just wear that on your shoulder and you move on. Be not deterred. The governance issues are very important because of the free movement of people in the Caribbean and how we handle that is very important on the agenda. The current economic situation of the entire Caribbean, especially the OECS; we are not sure that everybody is as sensitized about those matters as they should be and therefore what has to be done about it. You know one country mentioned yesterday that for every dollar they get, about fifteen, sixteen cents goes to that service. Two countries said that yesterday. Serious matters.”
More coverage of the summit will be broadcast on this station on Sunday morning at eight o’clock. Also on Sunday, our programming will include the Miss Y Pageant will be aired on Sunday night at eight.
