NASSAU, The Bahamas – Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Hon. Perry Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, on Wednesday provided updates to the House of Assembly of The Bahamas on the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting which he will host next week.
The Meeting will be held on February 26 and 27 in Nassau. Prime Minister Christie told the House of Assembly that the meeting will continue the Community’s mandate which included working together to improve standards of living and work of the people of the Region; the full employment of labour and other factors of production; accelerated, coordinated and sustained economic development and convergence; expansion of trade and economic relations with third States; and enhanced levels of international competitiveness.
During his address to the House of Assembly, Prime Minister Christie also took the opportunity to congratulate Team Unity and new Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Hon. Timothy Harris, following victory at the polls held on Monday, February 16th.
‘The objectives of the fifteen member states that make up the Caribbean Community are well known to us and this geo-political alliance has served the Caribbean well over the years, especially through the principle of functional cooperation.’ – PM Perry Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM
Other agenda items for consideration and discussions are as follow:
1. Principles to guide the identification of CARICOM candidates for international positions.
2. The establishment of the CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors.
3. Revision of emoluments and proposed pension rules for judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice.
4. Financing of the CARICOM Secretariat and community institutions.
5. Audit of the Caribbean Knowledge Learning and Network Agency (CKLNA).
6. Reparations for native genocide and slavery.
7. Financing and composition of The Marijuana Commission.
8. Discussions on how the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) can support the development of agriculture in the Community.
9. Relations with the Dominican Republic.
