Ross Sheil, Staff ReporterPRIME MINISTER Portia Simpson Miller will address Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders for the first time when they meet in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis tomorrow until Friday at the 27th Annual Heads of Government Conference.
Mrs. Simpson Miller, who is the only female leader in the regional grouping, will assume responsibility for CARICOM's external relations, a portfolio that has been held by Jamaica beginning with her predecessor P.J. Patterson. Anthony Hylton, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, told The Sunday Gleaner that it would be up to the Prime Minister to decide whether she could balance the regional portfolio responsibility with her national responsibilities as head of government. "Jamaica has the assignment and there is no indication from her of discontinuing. She will have the opportunity to experience first hand, what is a collage of heads of governments and get a feel of the CARICOM process," said Mr. Hylton.
The heads of governments will have to agree on the contentious issue of whether to support Venezuela for Latin America and the Caribbean region's non-permanent two-year seat on the United Nations Security Council, which becomes vacant in October. Mr. Hylton declined to comment given that the decision is to be taken en bloc. The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party has strongly opposed supporting Venezuela, given the bad relationship between its President Hugo Chavez and U.S. President George Bush whose administration has
lobbied countries in the region against
supporting the bid.
Minister Hylton noted that at the 27th CARICOM summit, Haiti would officially return to the councils of the regional grouping, having been suspended since the ousting of previous President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004. The Haitian
delegation will be led by President René Preval, who was elected earlier this year. Mr. Hylton acknowledged that the
inclusion of Haiti, the region's most populous and poorest country, would present a challenge for CARICOM and Jamaica to assist the country in its development.
JAMAICA TO ENGAGE HAITI
"For Jamaica, it's very important, with Haiti being one of the closest countries and the instability there has affected us whether it is refugees or guns and contraband smuggled into this country. The relationship has tremendous potential, and Jamaica would like to engage Haiti in a deeper bilateral arrangement," he said.
An official signing ceremony is scheduled during the Basseterre meeting to mark the official entry of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) into the six-month old CARICOM Single Market (CSM). The widening of categories of labour eligible for free movement within member states will also be part of wider discussions designed to prepare for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), an economic union, which is due in 2008.
Karl Samuda, Opposition Spokesman
on Foreign Affairs and Trade, addressing Parliament recently in his Budget speech, stressed that while the JLP supports the CSM, it does not fully support the single economy component (CSME), which is due for completion in 2008. Mr. Samuda said that the necessary coordination of exchange rates, interest rates, tax regimes, laws and common currency would have "vast cost implications."
However, James Moss Solomon, president of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce believes the recent decision to establish the Caribbean Business Council to represent trading interests within the region, is a strong indication of growing private sector readiness for the single market and economy.
