Gonsalves

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) says it will be approaching today's 'Conference on the Caribbean' as the start of a new process of engagement between the region and the United States.

More than 100 Caribbean officials are scheduled to be in Washington, D. C. for the conference, to be held there starting today and ending on Thursday, and 700 persons have already registered.

According to a statement from CARICOM, the high point is expected to be a meeting between the Heads of Government and United States President George W. Bush tomorrow.

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and chairman of CARICOM, said last week that the region was seeking to establish a 'mature partnership' with the U.S. and to craft new and better language through which to articulate that partnership.

The CARICOM chairman said the three-day conference represents an encounter between two civilisations - one econo-mically dominant but with challenges; the other seeking to find its voice with a sense of purpose and maturity.

"The United States of America meets the Caribbean in this encounter where we share many issues, many concerns," he said.

CARICOM Secretary-General, Edwin Carrington, said the landmark event was not merely a government-to-government opportunity for dialogue, but rather spanned a broader grouping that included fora to cater for experts, the private sector and the diaspora, all targeting a more secure neighbourhood.