The American Ambassador has questioned the consistency of the voting record of the CARICOM group on democratic and human rights at the United Nations.
But Larry Palmer praised Barbados and St Lucia for their stance – something he said was noticed by the United States.
Speaking on Wednesday at a Rotary Club South dinner meeting at Accra Beach Hotel and Spa, he said some of CARICOM’s 14 United Nations members had taken a peculiar stance on the rights issue.
“Every year the United States, Great Britain and its partners in the EU [European Union] and Canada join forces to show their solidarity at the United Nations and every year there are Caribbean nations that vote in ways that appear inconsistent with the strong democratic traditions and values so evident at home.
“In the 2011 vote to promote human rights and condemn horrific conditions for the people of Iran, North Korea and Syria, the nations of CARICOM abstained from voting as often as they supported the human rights resolution,” Palmer said. (CA)
