Tuesday, November 24 – Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago later this week.
Honourable O’Neal told the Department of Information and Public Relations he willingly accepted an invitation extended to him by host Prime Minister, Honourable Patrick Manning.
According to the invitation letter sent to the Premier, he and his wife are invited to attend the “Opening Ceremony, the reception and some other social events of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Programme.”
Honourable O’Neal said “It was kind, generous and considerate of Prime Minister Patrick Manning to send me a personal invitation for myself and my wife. I was made to understand that it was not transferable.”
The Premier clarified that he will not be attending the meeting as a delegate but as a guest. “I will be able to meet several of the Commonwealth Heads of Government and I think I will enjoy that because you read so much about these people and these meetings, and it will be good to meet some of the people who help to make the history of the Commonwealth,” he said.
The theme for the November 27 to 29 meeting is “Partnering for a More Equitable and Sustainable Future”. In his invitation letter, Prime Minister Manning stated that the theme is based on the “Belief that sustainable development is the responsibility of all, and that its implementation requires strong partnerships at all levels.”
He further stated that, “It reaffirms that equity and sustainability are mutually reinforcing goals and that any form of development that leaves much of humanity behind, would be ultimately untenable.”
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is held every two years and brings together leaders of the 53 Commonwealth countries to discuss a range of common issues as well as agree upon collective initiatives and policies. The Commonwealth is described on its official website as a “voluntary association of 53 countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development.”
British Virgin Islands News