Prime Minister Holds Talks With Commonwealth Secretary General

The ongoing international food crisis and reforms of international institutions were among the main topics during the talks between Prime Minister, Bruce Golding and Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh, Sharma at Marlborough House on May 21.
During their discussions Mr. Sharma briefed Mr. Golding on the June 9 and 10 summits of leaders that has been convened to discuss the reform of international institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Mr. Golding and the Secretary-General shared deep concerns about the global food crisis, and they expressed the view that multilateral organizations should respond to the problem with a sense of real urgency. Both leaders noted, in particular, the adverse effects of the crisis on small Commonwealth states, which already suffers from inherent vulnerabilities.
Mr. Sharma briefed Mr. Golding about Pakistan, whose suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth was lifted by (CRAG) this month. He also gave the Prime Minister an update on the political situation in the Fiji islands, which was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth in December 2006.
In response to the Prime Minister’s concerns about the way ahead for Zimbabwe, the Secretary-General intimated that Jamaica and other CARICOM countries might provide observers for the expected run-off for the election of the President.
The Secretary-General thanked Jamaica for its support of the Commonwealth’s programmes, particularly the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC).