It was well thought out and executed with the remarks by President Bharrat Jagdeo and the welcome speech by Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington containing strong messages for the strengthening of the community and delivered with missionary zeal.

An appeal not for the first or second time by the Secretary- General for the meaningful involvement and support of the Caribbean media cannot be over-emphasised.

It was heartening to see the Secretariat continuing to recognize those employees who have served over the years with distinction and dedication at the headquarters in Georgetown. Secretary- General Carrington was one of the recipients.

The escorting of the awardees on stage by staff for the presentations which were made by the President, Prime Minister Sam Hinds and his wife Mrs. Yvonne Hinds was a touch of class.

Throughout the proceedings it was evident, at least to me, that there was a good rapport between the Guyanese Head of State and the Trinidad-born Secretary-General. From their presentations the impression was they were both singing from the same song sheet with lyrics by the leaders of Caricom, whose one-minute television clips were shown on a wide screen, convincing viewers of their commitment to the process.

On the entertainment side of the programme once again the two appearances of the National Dance School were as usual, professional and entertaining.

The fusion of African and Indian drumming by young men from the two main ethnic groups in this country was a joy to behold, leaving a message worth remembering.

The Windsong with music and lyrics by Beverly Reynolds and employees of the Secretariat and sung by the composer herself was well received.

The high point was the appearance on stage of Paul Keens Douglas who was the special guest and his contribution was the icing on the cake.

With the exception of a slight mix up in the availability of a microphone for the celebrated Trinidad-born raconteur lasting a few seconds, the multi-faceted programme was flawless. The Master of Ceremonies for the night was Leonard Robertson, the public relations officer in the office of the Secretary General. Take a bow Leonard!