PORT OF SPAIN – Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning assumed the Chairmanship of Caricom on January 1, 2006. This would mean, the Prime Minister said, “he will be in greater contact with his Caribbean colleagues and will travel more within the region”.
His Chairmanship will run from January 1 to June 31, 2006. The leadership body of the Community, the Caricom Bureau, will comprise Mr. Manning together with outgoing Chairman, St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony and incoming Chairman Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Denzil Douglas. One of the functions of the Bureau is to facilitate implementation of community decisions, both at regional and local levels, in an expeditious and informed manner.
The New Chairman traveled to Guyana on January 10 for discussions with the Secretary General of Caricom, Edwin Carrington. The Caricom Secretariat is located in Guyana.
The meeting updated Prime Minister Manning on outstanding matters and on the agenda for the Caricom Inter-Sessional meeting to be held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on February 9 – 10.
The Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister will also to travel to Kingston, Jamaica to attend the inauguration of the Caricom Single Market on January 23.
