Antigua: Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, who gather in Suriname later this week for their Inter-sessional summit, will discuss a number of issues including a report on the future direction of the regional integration grouping, according to a CMC report.
A CARICOM Secretariat statement said the “crisp agenda” for the March 8-9 summit “has among its priorities, the Landell Mills review of the CARICOM Secretariat and the strategic direction of the 15-member Community.
The report titled, “Turning around CARICOM: Proposals to restructure the Secretariat” had been commissioned by regional leaders at their summit in Jamaica in 2010.
The CMC report stated the CARICOM Secretariat said that the Inter-sessional summit, which will be chaired by President Desi Bouterse, will also discuss recommendations contained to restructure the grouping’s principal administrative body, the Guyana-based Secretariat.
“To facilitate a robust discussion, the Community Council of Ministers will meet on Wednesday prior to the Heads of Government Conference to discuss the Report in detail and make recommendations for the Conference to consider.”
The statement said that the restructuring of the CARICOM Secretariat will be done within the context of the Community’s vision, strategic direction and priorities.
The CMC report continued: “The ongoing discussions on this issue began at last year’s Inter-sessional meeting in Grenada and continued at a special retreat last May in Guyana as well as at the 32nd Regular Meeting of the Conference in St Kitts and Nevis last July. “
Among the other issues for discussions during the two-day summit include the high crime and violence rates in the region.
The CMC report said that the thorny issue of the governance of cricket at the national, regional and international levels is another agenda item. Discussions will be conducted against the backdrop of a continuous public debate on the matter.
“Issues of sustainable development, including climate change, joint economic ventures for the establishment of CARICOM enterprises; regional air transportation and matters affecting Community relations, particularly CARICOM support to Haiti will also occupy the attention of the Community’s leaders,” the Secretariat said.
It noted that a special guest at the summit will be Chile’s President, Sebastián Piñera Echenique, the Pro tempore President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
Chile will host the next summit of the European Union and Latin American and Caribbean (EU-LAC) countries early next year, the CMC report concluded.
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