Decisions Taken at Heads of Government Conference to be Made Public
By: , July 2, 2018The Key Point:
Photo: Adrian Walker
Secretary-General, CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (left), addresses a press conference on the upcoming 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, at The Jamaica Pegasus in New Kingston, on Monday (July 2). Also pictured is Ambassador LaRocque’s Advisor, Leonard Robertson.The Facts
- This was disclosed by Secretary-General, CARICOM, Ambassador Erwin LaRocque, during a press conference at The Jamaica Pegasus in New Kingston on Monday (July 2).
- “We intend to publish the decisions of the Heads of Government… . That’s a start in being more transparent in terms of what the Heads have decided going forward, and I think we will continue (with) that,” he said.
The Full Story
Decisions taken by delegates attending the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Montego Bay, St. James, will be communicated to the public following the event.
This was disclosed by Secretary-General, CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, during a press conference at The Jamaica Pegasus in New Kingston on Monday (July 2).
“We intend to publish the decisions of the Heads of Government… . That’s a start in being more transparent in terms of what the Heads have decided going forward, and I think we will continue (with) that,” he said.
Ambassador LaRocque said CARICOM recognises that “there is need for more information dissemination, and there is need for more data on what we are doing,” hence the need to publish the decisions.
He noted that this move is also in a bid to engage more young persons in developments pertaining to CARICOM.
“Our social media outreach is another important platform for interacting with the youth, but a lot more needs to be done; I recognise that fully,” he said.
The Secretary-General informed that he will be meeting with CARICOM youth ambassadors today to interact with them, an activity he does regularly.
The CARICOM Youth Ambassador corps comprises persons from each member State. They are charged with promoting a number of issues on behalf of the committee in their respective countries and region-wide. These include the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), HIV/AIDS, climate change, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The Meeting of the CARICOM Heads will be held from July 4 to 6. It will be hosted by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who assumed Chairmanship of the Conference on July 1.
Among the key agenda items are crime and violence, disaster management and climate change, and the CSME.
The Conference of Heads of Government, which consists of the Heads of Government of the Member States, is the supreme organ of the Caribbean Community and determines and provides its policy direction.
Jamaica’s hosting of the conference this year is in keeping with the regular system of rotation within CARICOM. Prime Minister Holness’ tenure will last until December 31, 2018.
The meeting is to be streamed live at www.jis.gov.jm/CARICOM.