Gonsalves outlines agenda for caricom

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has outlined the central items that he hopes to focus on for the next six months, during his chairmanship of CARICOM.{{more}}

In a letter to the secretary general, Irwin La Rocque, Gonsalves highlighted some of the issues that are currently plaguing the member states.

These include climate change, energy, citizen security, regional air and sea transport, the regional economy, implementing community law on the freedom of movement of CARICOM nationals, final resolution of the BAICO and CLICO issues, the battle against chronic non-communicable diseases, education and ICT, external trade agreements, an OECS “carve out” in CARICOM and a better coordination of foreign policy.

“There are, too, issues which we cannot reasonably avoid for focused attention,” Gonsalves said in his letter, dated January 14, 2014.

He noted that the issues surrounding that discussion would include the quest for reparations for “Native Genocide and Slavery”, the decriminalization of medical marijuana and possible further legislative reform in respect of limited quantities for religious and recreational uses, the denationalization of persons of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic and the facilitation of improved Cuba-USA relations.

“Criss-crossing all of these matters is the state of community governance in CARICOM. I do not need to rehash the constellation of considerations here; I note simply that this is a hardy perennial which we must swiftly resolve if sustainable progress is to be made on the priorities which I have identified,” the new CARICOM chair said.

In his letter, Gonsalves expressed his confidence in the Caribbean Community to move forward and build on the efforts of predecessors, such as the last chairperson, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago.