BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HEADS of State of the CARICOM region have gathered today (Mar. 10) in Kingstown, St. Vincent for the start of the 25th Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
High on the agenda for the Heads of States are discussions on the decriminalisation of medical marijuana. Discussions are also expected to include Human Resource Development in the Community, Information and Communications Technology for Development, Economic Growth and Sustainable Development and Climate Change.
According to a CARICOM release published on its website, “the Heads of Government will receive preliminary reports from a Commission on the Economy and a Transportation Commission, as well as the use of marijuana for medical purposes and on the issue of reparations and native genocide”.
Heads of Government from 14 Member States and two Associate Members are gathered in St. Vincent and Grenadines for the two-day summit which will conclude tomorrow.
CARICOM informed that Suriname’s President Desiree Bouterse would be absent from the meeting as she would be in attendance of the inauguration ceremony for Chile’s President Michelle Bachele.
Over the weekend members of the Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP) met to have a first look at reports from the Commission on the Economy before it was sent to the HOS. Also the Prime Ministers Sub-Committee on CARICOM’s Single Market and Economy (CSME) discussed the latest developments on its implementation.
Today’s Opening session at Buccament Bay Resort would see remarks from CARICOM Chairman, Dr the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, immediate past Chair, the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is one of the Heads of State who would be in attendance of the Summit.
