PRIME MINISTER MIA MOTTLEY is in St Kitts leading a delegation to the 30th Inter Sessional Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government.
Sixteen items are on the agenda for the summit, which will take place today and tomorrow at the St Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino in Basseterre.
In a special session, leaders will look at the Multilateral Air Services Agreement,
proposals for a ferry service, and a single security check for intransit passengers. This issue was mandated for discussion at last year’s 18th Special CARICOM Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.
Another major agenda item is the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, for which Barbados has lead responsibility Mottley and her counterparts are expected to reach common ground on capitalisation of the CARICOM Development Fund, the protocol on contingent rights, the agreed categories for the free movement of people legislated or administratively implemented in respect of the new categories in all member states, and to have the public procurement régime finalised for signature.
When regional leaders meet in caucus, they will seek to find solutions to security issues, especially funding for security institutions and matters related to the Caribbean Court of Justice, specifically the Judges’ Pension Rules 2017.
Other agenda items include border issues between Belize and Guatemala, and Guyana and Venezuela; blacklisting; and the Caribbean Community Administrative Tribunal.
Other members of Barbados’ delegation include Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Dale Marshall; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Dr Jerome Walcott; permanent secretaries Alies Jordan and Simone Rudder; Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong; and Chief Research Officer Paula Byer. During Mottley’s absence, Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development George Payne will act as Prime Minister. (BGIS)
Please see also Page 8.
MIA MOTTLEY (FP)
