Tuesday, February 23, 2010
CARICOM Chairman calls for strategic partnership during turbulent times
The Dominican.net Newsdesk
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit speaking at the opening of the CARICOM summit in Cancun, Mexico called for the forging of "a new and dynamic level of strategic partnerships" between developing countries and small vulnerable economies that could help them address the common challenges they now face.
Prime Minister Skerrit told the gathering that “as developing countries and small vulnerable economies, we find ourselves caught in a turbulent era battered by a series of hard-hitting economic punches and a multitude of fast curveballs in the environmental and social arenas.
The economic foundation has shifted unexpectedly and swiftly beneath us, creating financial shocks and instability which have had varying degrees of impact on each and every one of us.”
He therefore called for “innovation, creativity and a fresh approach to strategic thinking…, which obliges us to forge a new and dynamic level of “strategic partnership” that will compound our individual efforts in regional and international fora to address these ‘common challenges’.”
The historic Mexico-Caricom Summit has reinforced a long standing relationship between the region and Mexico. The Summit was convened to pursue key areas of cooperation including common challenges in trade and development, climate change and Haiti.
Skerrit expressed surprise that the Summit had taken so long saying: “that this is an inaugural meeting is quite surprising given our long years of co-operation and the fact that one of our Member States, Belize, shares a border with your country.
I have no doubt, however, that this will be the first of many such future encounters, as what we are witnessing here today is the result of an expressed intent to deepen and intensify the goodwill, friendship and spirit of cooperation that have characterized our relationship over the past 35 years.”
He also expressed the hope that the Summit would explore the opportunities created by the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), in an effort to further boost the Region's trading and investment links with Mexico.
“Mexico will no doubt be aware of the efforts which the Caribbean Community has been making with regard to the CSME, the flagship of our regional integration movement, which is intended to provide the springboard to facilitate CARICOM’s integration into the hemispheric and global environment through more competitive production thereby enhancing our trading relations.
In our discussions today, we hope to explore the opportunities created by the CSME which could boost our trading and investment links with Mexico.”
With regards to Haiti, Skerrit stated that “CARICOM is steadfastly committed to working alongside our Member State, Haiti, an integral part of our family, to ensure that the assistance which is rendered to that nation in the aftermath of the tragic and devastating effects of the January 12 earthquake goes beyond immediate relief efforts.
It must focus on facilitating the medium and long term recovery, reconstruction and development of that country in a sustainable manner.
This catastrophe must be seen as an opportunity to bring about the renaissance of Haiti and not simply to bring it to where it was before this disaster struck.”
On climate change, he called it “an issue which, as the recent Copenhagen meeting showed, is of tremendous importance to all countries.” Prime Minister Skerrit noted that CARICOM was looking forward to further dialogue on that proposal.
Skerrit also lauded Mexico for initially pursuing diplomatic ties with CARICOM in 1974, noting that the dialogue was pursued in "true pioneering spirit" and it was an "historic and deeply appreciated achievement."
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit speaking at the opening of the CARICOM summit in Cancun, Mexico called for the forging of "a new and dynamic level of strategic partnerships" between developing countries and small vulnerable economies that could help them address the common challenges they now face.
 Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Chairman of CARICOM. |
Prime Minister Skerrit told the gathering that “as developing countries and small vulnerable economies, we find ourselves caught in a turbulent era battered by a series of hard-hitting economic punches and a multitude of fast curveballs in the environmental and social arenas.
The economic foundation has shifted unexpectedly and swiftly beneath us, creating financial shocks and instability which have had varying degrees of impact on each and every one of us.”
He therefore called for “innovation, creativity and a fresh approach to strategic thinking…, which obliges us to forge a new and dynamic level of “strategic partnership” that will compound our individual efforts in regional and international fora to address these ‘common challenges’.”
The historic Mexico-Caricom Summit has reinforced a long standing relationship between the region and Mexico. The Summit was convened to pursue key areas of cooperation including common challenges in trade and development, climate change and Haiti.
Skerrit expressed surprise that the Summit had taken so long saying: “that this is an inaugural meeting is quite surprising given our long years of co-operation and the fact that one of our Member States, Belize, shares a border with your country.
I have no doubt, however, that this will be the first of many such future encounters, as what we are witnessing here today is the result of an expressed intent to deepen and intensify the goodwill, friendship and spirit of cooperation that have characterized our relationship over the past 35 years.”
He also expressed the hope that the Summit would explore the opportunities created by the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), in an effort to further boost the Region's trading and investment links with Mexico.
“Mexico will no doubt be aware of the efforts which the Caribbean Community has been making with regard to the CSME, the flagship of our regional integration movement, which is intended to provide the springboard to facilitate CARICOM’s integration into the hemispheric and global environment through more competitive production thereby enhancing our trading relations.
In our discussions today, we hope to explore the opportunities created by the CSME which could boost our trading and investment links with Mexico.”
With regards to Haiti, Skerrit stated that “CARICOM is steadfastly committed to working alongside our Member State, Haiti, an integral part of our family, to ensure that the assistance which is rendered to that nation in the aftermath of the tragic and devastating effects of the January 12 earthquake goes beyond immediate relief efforts.
It must focus on facilitating the medium and long term recovery, reconstruction and development of that country in a sustainable manner.
This catastrophe must be seen as an opportunity to bring about the renaissance of Haiti and not simply to bring it to where it was before this disaster struck.”
On climate change, he called it “an issue which, as the recent Copenhagen meeting showed, is of tremendous importance to all countries.” Prime Minister Skerrit noted that CARICOM was looking forward to further dialogue on that proposal.
Skerrit also lauded Mexico for initially pursuing diplomatic ties with CARICOM in 1974, noting that the dialogue was pursued in "true pioneering spirit" and it was an "historic and deeply appreciated achievement."
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// posted by TheDominican.net @ 12:30 PM
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CARICOM or CARICOM an institution that appears incapable of getting anything done!!!
# posted by 
: February 23, 2010 6:35 PM
: February 23, 2010 6:35 PM Links to this post:
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