When Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and her regional counterparts meet during their CARICOM summit this week, coronavirus (COVID-19) and its effect on the region will be one of the key items on the agenda, along with the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines.
The Thirty-Second Intersessional Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which will be led by chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley, runs today and tomorrow via video conference.
A statement from Government on Tuesday said Mottley and fellow Heads of Government are expected to pay particular attention to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (for which she has lead responsibility), including its implementation and issues related to the CARICOM Development Fund.
They are expected to receive the Final Report of the Commission on the Economy. Regional leaders will also try to deepen their engagement with the private sector, labour and civil society; find common ground on security matters; seek ways of Advancing the Regional Agenda on Food and Nutrition Security, and look at the Framework for a Joint Tourism Policy for CARICOM.
CARICOM Heads will also address the change of the US administration, the Caribbean Economic Recovery and Transformation (CERT), and consider the Eighth Biennial Report on Adequacy of the Caribbean Court of Justice Trust Fund.
In addition, leaders will receive updates on border issues between Belize and Guatemala, and Guyana and Venezuela; seek ratification of draft decisions coming out of the Forty-First Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM (October 2020), and the Thirteenth Special Emergency Meeting of the Conference (January 2020). They will wrap up talks by choosing a date for their regular summit, which will be held in Antigua and Barbuda. (BGIS)
