Media Center

Press Release

INSULZA HOPES TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION BETWEEN OAS AND CARICOM

Organization of American States’ (OAS), Secretary General José Miguel Insulza has completed a three-day official visit to Antigua and Barbuda. During the June 29-July 2 visit, the Secretary General, held a summit meeting with Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer and other members of his Cabinet. In the discussions, Insulza and Spencer reviewed the relationship between the OAS and Antigua and Barbuda, with specific focus on the area of cooperation and collaboration between the Organization and the twin island nation, as well as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Secretary General Insulza stressed his strong desire to strengthen the contribution and presence of CARICOM at the OAS and “the level of contribution that the Organization can make to CARICOM and to Antigua and Barbuda in particular.” For his part, Prime Minister Spencer, noting that the concept of development tended to lag behind democracy and human rights —areas of importance to the OAS— supported the call for a discussion on the development agenda, articulated by the Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Albert Ramdin.

During his stay, the Secretary General participated in the official launch of the Customs Automated Services (CASE) Systems Project, with Prime Minister Spencer, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Finance and the Economy, Errol Cort, and Jamaica’s Minister of Finance and Public Service, Audley Shaw. The result of a tripartite agreement signed by Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and the OAS in July 2007, CASE is designed to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability of customs services and increase government revenues from imports.

Insulza also visited the Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Centre (GARDC) at Mercers Creek. Within the past five years, the Centre has been the recipient of OAS funds for the execution of two projects aimed at strengthening the linkages between agriculture and tourism in Antigua and Barbuda. GARDC, which was recently selected as a Partner of the OAS Trust for the Americas program Partnership in Opportunities for Employment through Technology in the Americas (POETA), is conducting training sessions in computer literacy, enterprise training, job-readiness and life skills development designed to equip youth-at-risk for employment. The Secretary General expressed his pleasure at the achievements of the Centre and congratulated Executive Director, Ms. Roberta Williams, for the important contribution being made to youth development.

The Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General both attended the opening of the 29th CARICOM Heads of Government Conference on July 1, and participated in a breakfast meeting/interaction between CARICOM Heads and the OAS on July 2. The meeting reviewed hemispheric issues, such as Haiti, crime and security and the Fifth Summit of the Americas.

Reference: E-262/08