KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Bruce Golding, will head Jamaica’s delegation to the Fifth Summit of the Americas from April 17-19 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The delegation leaves the island on Thursday, April 16.
The Summit is being arranged by the Organisation of American States (OAS), under the theme “Securing Our Citizens’ Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability”. The working session will begin on Saturday April 18 with bilateral discussions to be followed by the First Plenary Session which will address the topic of ‘Human Prosperity’. The region’s heads will continue discussions over a working luncheon which will examine the topic of ‘Environmental Sustainability’.
Plenary Session Two will address ‘Energy Security’. This will be followed by Plenary Session Three on ‘Democratic Governance and Public Security’. These agenda items were decided during the summit follow-up at the last gathering of leaders in Mar- del -Plata, Argentina in 2005.
On Sunday, April 19, the Heads of State/Government will be in retreat after which it is expected that the Declaration of Commitment for Port of Spain will be signed. The Summit will end on Sunday afternoon with a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre in Port-of-Spain.
Prime Minister Golding will return to Jamaica on Sunday, April 19 to receive the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, who will be on a working visit to Jamaica from April 19-20.
Accompanying Prime Minister Golding to the summit in Trinidad will be Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr Kenneth Baugh and other officials from his Ministry, Ambassador Anthony Johnson who is also Permanent Representative to the OAS, and other Government officials. During Mr. Golding’s absence Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw will be in charge of the Government.
