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Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie will be represented at the summit. - FILE
THE BAHAMAS was expected to inform CARICOM heads in St. Lucia yesterday that it is unable to sign the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The move will effectively end its participation in the arrangements of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Although the announcement was made in a statement released by The Bahamas Information Services Monday night, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell aired the decision to Bahamians a month ago.
The meeting also includes sessions on the pending reform of the United Nations Security Council and various regional issues.
Headed by Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, who is representing the Prime Minister, The Bahamas' delegation on Saturday departed the capital for Castries, St. Lucia.
The delegation also comprises Minister of Works Bradley Roberts; Leader of the Official Opposition Alvin Smith; Bahamas Ambassador to CARICOM Leonard Archer; Bahamas Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dr. Paulette Bethel; Caribbean section of the Inter-American Development Bank representative Jerry Butler; Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Philip Miller; Bahamas Commission on Trade representative Raymond Winder and aide to the Leader of the Opposition Gilbert Kemp.
In addition to announcing its rejection of the CSME yesterday, The Bahamas will brief Heads of Government on the status of the U.N. reform effort, especially Security Council reform.
The Bahamas' Ambassador at the UN, Paulette Bethel, is expected to join Minister Mitchell in this briefing. Following the formal opening of the conference on Sunday, the main action so far by the Heads has been to listen to an update on the regional preparedness for CSME.
Reprinted from the Nassau Guardian
