St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas left here on Tuesday to attend the Third CARICOM-Spain Summit in Madrid, Spain.
The May 10th and 11th meeting will also be attended by several Prime Ministers from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Political, economic and social issues are down for discussion and include the institutionalisation of future meetings and common actions at regional and international levels, cooperation between CARICOM and Spain and that European nation's assistance in the soon to be established CARICOM Regional Development Fund and with the Caribbean Development Bank and the future participation of the European Investment Bank and Special Fund for Development.
The Spanish President, His Excellency Jose Luis Rodriguez- Zapatero and Caribbean leaders will also discuss a future cooperation agreement to be approved at the next meeting of the CARICOM-Spain Joint Commission to be held in Jamaica in September this year.
Internship programmes in the field of tourism, encouragement of alternative agricultural production to serve the tourism industry, restoration and preservation of cultural patrimony, social and educational programmes and the teaching of the Spanish language in Caribbean schools are on the agenda and were discussed during the recent visit to St. Kitts and Nevis by Spain's Ambassador to this Federation, His Excellency Jesus Silva.
The CARICOM Single Market and Economy, Spain's experience with the European Regional Fund, the EU-Latin American and Caribbean Summit, programmes for the restructuring of agricultural production in banana and sugar and possible investment opportunities of Spanish groups in different sectors in the Caribbean will also be discussed.
Caribbean leaders will also meet with the Secretary General of the Iberoamerican Community, His Excellency Enrique Iglesias and attend official functions hosted by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, and the President of the High Council of the Chambers of Commerce of Spain.
Prime Minister Douglas is accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Her Excellency Ambassador, Roslyn Hazelle; Ambassador at the Brussesls-based Embassaies of the Eastern Caribbean States and Missions to the European Communities, His Excellency George Bullen; Miss Shelly Ross-Chadderton of the Brussels Embassy and Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Erasmus Williams.
