BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, May 5th 2011 (CUOPM) – The new Chairman of the CARICOM Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), St. Kitts and Nevis’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Sam Condor has called for paradigm shifts, on both the methodology and the outcome sought, if the Caribbean is to ensure that future generations do not decry the current generation for myopia.
Addressing the opening ceremony at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino on Wednesday, Minster Condor noted the extensive discussions on a number of pressing matters including Security concerns.
“We do have the opportunity to adopt, adapt and to strategize on best practices suited for every Member State. What we do know is that none of our individual concerns operate in a vacuum, that they affect us all; and that a coordinated approach is the only way we will defeat the Security challenges that we face,” said Mr. Condor, who noted that a request was put forward by St. Kitts and Nevis at the June 2010 UN Meeting, that a High Level Conference on Inter-Personal Violence and Citizen Security be held prior to the next OAS General Assembly.
“You would recall that immediately following, during a press conference in Barbados, Her Excellency Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State to The United States, highly endorsed that idea. She in fact went further, to pledge some US$124 million over these two years to the Region, to train and professionalise Security forces; boost anti-trafficking efforts, strengthen legal institutions, promote citizen- safety partnerships and to enhance education and employment development. The question is, where are we in terms of draw-down on these Funds?” he asked.
He noted that in keeping with his own thoughts on paradigm shift in methodology; and with regard to the Retreat theme set for this COFCOR:- “ Promoting the Community’s Foreign Policy interests through strategic partnership with new States and, or emerging economies”----- I say this.
“We may wish to reflect on the sentiments expressed at a CARICOM –Brazil Summit last year; which were, that ‘it is high time to realise that besides an eastern and northern border, the Caribbean also has a southern border; and that beyond that border, there is a great potential of markets,technology and culture.”
We must then improve upon, or devise, where applicable, strategies to engage those Nations of goodwill, who may be far apart in terms of geography, but very close in terms of productive bilateral exchanges that could redound to our mutual benefit,” said Condor.
He also referred to the issues of Non Communicable Diseases, and the High Level Meeting that precedes the UN General Debate, to focus on.
“The very fact that this High Level Meeting will occur, speaks to the strength of CARICOM’s coordination within the International Community,” said the Deputy Prime Minister, who said there is need for encouragement “in the knowledge, that when we set goals, we can achieve enormous success that will benefit our individual and collective interests. St. Kitts and Nevis remains committed to this process, and we are heartened to be the Chair of COFCOR as we move forward on these important initiatives.”
As Chairman, he pledged to undertake to steer the deliberations of the meeting in such a way as to ensure that everyone’s views areheard anddiscussed.
“It is true that at times, we are called upon to make hard decisions on the role and significance of Regional and International Organizations. We have also to determine our relationships with countries near and far, inclusive of allies, and those countries with which we are not yet fully engaged. And we would no doubt deliberate extensively on the structure and organization of our Community and the pursuit of strategies to strengthen them,” said Minister Condor, who noted it was almost forty years ago that“our predecessors felt the need for our countries to forge an alliance through our common bonds.”
“That alliance has produced great fruit, and it has allowed us, as Foreign Ministers, to protect our realm from divisions amongst ourselves; from dilution of our culture and heritage; from disregard of our societal bonds; and from any other negative bi-product of globalization. I am indeed most proud of our accomplishments. In the final analysis, colleagues Ministers, delegates, all, this is a work in progress, which needs always to be sustained. We however are the products of an admirable Region and people, and we will strive to make them all proud of the work that we do,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Condor.
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