P.M. to Guatemala summit with Clinton

The Minister of Sugar Industries and Local Government, and Latin American Affairs Florencio Marin represented Belize at a CARICOM Heads of Government conference in Suriname last week. High on the meeting’s agenda was the United States’ imposition of sanctions against the European Union Banana Import Marketing Regime. The CARICOM Heads issued a statement condemning the action, saying it threatened the economic survival, social and political stability of banana producing countries in the region. The Heads noted that the sanctions call into question a partnership agreement reached with U.S. president Bill Clinton who agreed to help promote Caribbean banana exports during a regional meeting in 1997. Minister Marin and the other delegates also met with representatives of the Caribbean Youth Conference, including Belizean Joseph Card. On his return from Suriname, Minister Marin stopped in Jamaica where he signed an agreement for Belize to purchase the Libertad Sugar Factory. In other government news, the Prime Minister Said Musa left for a Central American Summit with U.S. President Bill Clinton today. The leaders of the five nations of Central America and the Dominican Republic will attend the meeting on Thursday in Guatemala City. The Prime Minister is accompanied by the Minister of National Security Jorge Espat.