WASHINGTON, DC – The Organization of American States’ Assistant Secretary General, Albert R. Ramdin, speaking at the United States Congress Wednesday (Oct. 8) evening hailed visiting Grenadian Prime Minister Tillman Thomas’ commitment to democracy and renewed his call for a structural approach to natural disaster mitigation. He also used the congressional event to support the case for temporary protected status for some 20,000 undocumented Haitians.
Ambassador Ramdin was speaking at a dinner honoring Grenada Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, who was selected last July upon the victory of his National Democratic Congress in elections monitored by the OAS. The Prime Minister was keynote speaker at the 6th Annual Congressional Dinner with the Caribbean Community, organized by the Inter-American Economic Council and held at the House of Representatives Building.
“We cannot imagine—those who have not seen it—what it means to live in the city of Gonaives, where there is nothing left but mud on the streets and in the houses,” declared Ramdin in his remarks detailing the massive challenges currently faced by that Haiti, especially after it was ravaged by four major hurricanes in quick succession recently. He therefore urged the Congress to also suspend deportations to Haiti, as requested by Haitian President René Préval. October 8 was observed as International Day for Disaster Reduction.
Ramdin argued that “Haiti needs all the support it can get” because on top of all major challenges in strengthening democracy, employment-degeneration, political stability, crime, illegal drug trafficking as well as the food crisis and the energy crisis, comes a major environmental crisis, unleashed by the string of natural disasters. He also praised the US Congress for approving a package for 100 million for the Caribbean nation. The Assistant Secretary General offered as well that with respect to the relationship between CARICOM and US Congress, and OAS stands ready to assist in whatever way it can.
Prime Minister Thomas for his part, shared his perspectives on the strategic partnership between the USA and the Caribbean. “There is no doubt that progress on USA–Caribbean relations has been made, particularly at the 2007 Conference on the Caribbean,” said Prime Minister Thomas, referring to the meeting that brought the Caribbean heads of government to the US capital last year. He listed among achievements a renewed US attention to the region; commencement of negotiations on a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement; revitalization of the Trade and Investment Council; and increased US priority on regional security.
“But, while we are pleased with this measure of progress, much more is needed,” the Grenadian Prime Minister argued. He said that as a starting point, the region itself has recognized the need to deepen and strengthen its integration movement because “this is absolutely critical to improve and consolidate our negotiating resolve and capacity necessary to enable a more meaningful engagement with economic groupings, institutions and countries.”
Prime Minister Thomas declared optimism about CARICOM-USA relations, and restated his government’s commitment to “a strong partnership with the United States for the mutual advancement of our people.” He also stressed that the US “must appreciate our need for flexibility in arrangements and agreements that will accommodate our peculiarities” while calling for a new policy approach emphasizing more sensitivity and fairness towards the Caribbean.
In remarks on behalf of the Congressional Caribbean Caucus, Co-Chair Donald Payne (D-NJ), who also Chairs the Africa Subcommittee and is a member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, reiterated there is a tremendous amount of concern that calls for much more assistance to Haiti. He expressed understanding about the need for better outreach to the Caribbean countries, and said the Third Border Initiative recognizing the region as the third border to the USA, must be addressed more substantively and strategies found to grapple with issues such as deportations.
The evening’s affair to honor the Grenadian leader was presided over by Barry Featherman, President & CEO of Inter-American Economic Council, with Grenadian Ambassador Denis Antoine and Consul General in New York Derrick James among those accompanying Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.
