13th Annual Conference of Presidents and Governors General of the Caribbean Community Officially Opens

NASSAU, Bahamas – Bahamas Governor General His Excellency Hon. Arthur Hanna officially opened the 13th annual Conference of Presidents and Governors General of the Caribbean Community at the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino Monday, Oct. 6.

In his welcome remarks, the Governor General who serves as incoming chairman, told the nine visiting presidents and governors general that they are faced literally with the powerful effects of multiple “perfect storms”.

Some of these storms he said, result from internal factors – both natural and man-made, within the respective countries/regions, and some arise from factors outside the region.

Governor General His Excellency Hon. Arthur Hanna
“In each of our countries, we rely heavily on revenue from touristic dollars for much of our infrastructural and socio-economic developmental programmes. With the exception of Trinidad and Tobago, we are not oil producing communities; and our somewhat fragile economies are therefore buffeted by the vagaries of the global oil market,” said the Governor General.”

These factors, said Governor General Hanna, “will further challenge the abilities of each of our member countries to maintain and improve existing national services, and to effectively initiate and implement new ones.”

Outgoing conference Chairman H.E. Dr. Nicholas J. O Liverpool, president of the Commonwealth of Dominica in brief remarks, said all Heads of State represented have advocated and feel strongly about the unity of the CARICOM region.

“I therefore venture to suggest,” said the President of Dominica, “that we should use every opportunity to educate our population in an attempt to persuade them of the benefits of that unity – a concept which continually seems to elude us.”

Dr. Liverpool said he has never subscribed to the view that achieving unity among the Caribbean countries is an insurmountable goal. “I believe that we should take a long term view and continue to pass on the idea, “pure and unsoiled” to succeeding generations of West Indians until unity is achieved. We must unite in order to survive, as this is the only viable way forward in this cruel and dangerous world,” added Dr. Liverpool.

Having noted the path of Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Hanna and their effects on The Bahamas, Dr. Liverpool, on behalf of his colleagues extended sympathy in respect of any damage caused.

“We, particularly those who come from banana growing countries, feel your pain and we wish that the efforts at recovery in your salt industry will be speedy and complete,” said the President of Dominica.

Ten countries are participating in this year’s conference that is being held October 6-9.
They are the presidents of Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago, and the Governors General of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Rebuilding Societies”. Six outstanding Bahamian professionals are expected to make presentations: Dr. Gail Saunders, Mrs. Missouri –Sherman-Peters, Mr. Peter Pratt, Dr. Robin Roberts, Dr. Sandra- Dean-Patterson and Mrs. Patricia Glinton-Meicholas.