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13th Annual
Conference of Presidents and Governors General of the
Caribbean Community Officially Opens
Date Posted: October 06, 2008.
NASSAU, 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.
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.
“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.
