Owen Arthur 'only surprise' as six Heads miss CARICOM Summit
By Rickey Singh
Guyana Chronicle
November 14, 2003
CASTRIES----Six Caribbean Heads of Government were yesterday absent for the two-day Special Summit of the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
But the only 'real surprise' turned out to be Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados, who was originally to have hosted the meeting, as agreed at last July's regular annual CARICOM Summit in Montego Bay.
A mixture of "illness" and "urgent matters" were advanced, without details, by CARICOM's current chairman, Prime Minister P. J.Patterson of Jamaica, for those absent.
The Prime Minister of St.Kitts and Nevis, Dr Denzil Douglas, commented to the media that the absence of the six CARICOM heads was to be regretted, as it could affect decisions on important matters that require unanimity among member states.
Absent on grounds of health problems were the Prime Ministers of St.Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves; Dominica's Pierre Charles and Montserrat's Chief Minister, John Osborne.
Not in attendance for other unspecified reasons were President Jean Bertrand Aristide of Haiti; Prime Minister Keith Mitchell of Grenada, currently in the middle of a general election campaign; and Prime Minister Arthur who is reported to have to deal with an "extremely pressing" matter of importance.
Those leaders on the "sick list" were not expected, and it is not unusual for President Aristide to miss special meetings, or even scheduled inter-sessionals of CARICOM leaders.
But without wishing to be identified for the record, a number of Heads of Government did not conceal their "real surprise", as they remarked, that Prime Minister Arthur, normally a regular and high profile participant for such meetings, was absent for the first time.
At least three Prime Ministers wondered aloud abut the "real reason", stressing that it was most unusual for such a development for the Prime Minister of Barbados who has lead responsibility for the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (SCME), who also requested a postponement of the Third Special Consultation on the CSME he was scheduled to host on October 30-31.
Prime Minister Patterson, in his chairman's remarks, expressed best wishes for the speedy recovery of colleagues who were absent for health reasons.
He also noted that those who could not attend for other and "urgent" reasons were, nevertheless, "well represented" by experienced colleagues with full authority.
Present for Barbados were Senior Minister, Bille Miller, long standing Foreign Affairs Minister; and Deputy Prime Minister and Attorney General Mia Mottley.
Without any of the customary ceremonies associated with meetings of CARICOM leaders, Prime Minister Patterson quickly moved into the first plenary working session, explaining to the media that a briefing would be held today on decisions taken on their 13-item agenda.
The plenary covered arrangements for the first phase of implementation of the Community's single market by year end; updates on plans to operationalise the CCJ, and also discussions on a likely mission to Washington next week by a delegation of CARICOM Foreign Ministers to meet with United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell.
A firm decision on the proposed meeting, which Washington has signalled could be just about an hour, is expected to be taken this afternoon before the leaders conclude their work agenda
Prime Minister Patrick Manning, whose government is involved in intense lobbying for Port-of-Spain as the secretariat base for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)---the capital city in CARICOM already identified as the headquarter for the CCJ---told the "Chronicle":
"We are making good progress at this meeting. I am quite optimistic about our arrangements for the CSME...So far as Trinidad and Tobago is concerned, we are actually in high gear to complete our readiness (for 2004)..:"
After deliberating in plenary for some four hours, the leaders adjourned shortly after 2 p.m. for a working lunch at the "Sandals Grande", newest and biggest of the Sandals chain of Resorts in the Eastern Caribbean.
They later went into a caucus of Heads plus one member each of their respective delegations, and were expected to be in session beyond 7 p.m.
*Meanwhile, President Bharrat Jagdeo, is scheduled to leave here by noon today for Brazil to participate in a high-level conference on "millennium development" goals, being hosted by the government of President Jose Ignacio daSilva Lula.
The Guyanese Head of State, who said he was "quite pleased with the strenuous efforts being made to achieve our goals", is expected to return home on Tuesday.
He also shared a media briefing with Prime Minister Denzil Douglast of St.Kitts and Nevis on HIV/AIDS at which he disclosed Guyana's success, through the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Company (GPC)to produce a cocktail of anti-retroviral drugs at the affordable cost of some US$200 a year for persons affected by the killer virus.