Current Events

• 34th Model OAS General Assembly for High Schools (34th MOAS/HS)
  Washington, D.C., Wednesday December 2, 2015
  
  The 34th MOAS/HS will be held at the OAS Headquarters in Washington D.C. from December 2-4, 2015.
  
  The MOAS is a simulation of the OAS General Assembly designed to promote democratic values among the youth by familiarizing students, faculty and academic institutions with the work of the OAS and its Member States. It engages students in an active learning exercise where, through role-playing, they represent the diplomats and political officials of the OAS Member States.
  
  Requirements for participation:
  * Each of the 34 OAS Member States is represented by a delegation of 10 students. A Faculty Advisor must accompany each delegation.
  * The delegations attend the MOAS/HS on behalf of their high schools. Therefore a letter from an authority at each high school is requred to send a letter announcing the participation of the delgation from his/her institution, as well as the name of the Faculty Adviosor responsible for the delegation.
  * The participation fee per delegation is US$1,100.00 and includes online access to the MOAS Turtorial. This fee is non-refundable.
  * The registration package consists of: 1) a letter from the school authority 2) the registration form 3) the participation fee and 4) the instructions sheet signed by the Faculty Advisor. As soon as the registration package is received, high schools will be informed of their respective country assignments.
  * Participation in the Model Assembly will be limited to the first 34 high schools that complete their registration documents and participation payment.
  * The deadline for registration is October 16, 2015. However, the registration process may end earlier if the 34 Member States have already been assigned prior to that date.
  
  All information pertaining to the 34th MOAS/HS is available on the MOAS web page.
  
  
  
• Forum on the Future of the Caribbean
  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuesday May 5, 2015
  
  Regional and international leaders, including the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Ambassador Albert R. Ramdin, will gather in Port of Spain from May 5 to 7, 2015 to tackle challenges to Caribbean development and identify strategies for securing a sustainable future. The Forum on the Future of the Caribbean is being co-hosted by The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago in collaboration with international and regional organizations, including the OAS and UNDP.
  Forum participants - including Caribbean policy-makers, civil society and business leaders, and academic experts - will confront existing development paradigms. They will challenge each other to consider persistent development problems in new ways and identify approaches directed at widening opportunities and improving living conditions for all Caribbean citizens. Areas of focus include all dimensions of poverty, inequality, and resource mobilization, as well as the specific vulnerabilities of small - often high and middle income - Caribbean States. Ambassador Ramdin will deliver a keynote address on the subject, “Building Private Sector Partnerships beyond the Caribbean: Is this real or illusionary?”
  Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Honourable Winston Dookeran, in welcoming announcement of the Forum, said:
  “Business as usual cannot possibly meet the complex challenges of poverty, inequality and funding we now face in the region. We need disruptive thinking and bold action if we are to create a resilient and international Caribbean future. I believe we need to accelerate regional convergence and new models of diplomacy in a global setting and the Forum provides us a real opportunity to do just that.”
  Vice-Chancellor Designate of The University of the West Indies, Sir Hilary Beckles, sees the Forum as an occasion for renewing “our commitment to the fine tradition of public-minded academic research” at The UWI:
  “After fifty years of concerted effort Caribbean post-colonial development paradigms have climaxed and yielded poor to moderate results. This Forum is an opportunity for the region to dig in, unearth, and emerge with the energy required to structure new options and different approaches to economic growth and social empowerment.”
  Sessions for the Forum on the Future of the Caribbean will convene at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, on May 5 and at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain, on May 6 and 7. Live streaming for day one is available at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/uwi---st-augustine and for days 2 and 3, at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/forum-of-the-future.
  For further information please visit http://caribbeanfutureforum.com/, e-mail: [email protected] or telephone: (868) 623-7056 ext 256 or 295.
  
• Forum on the Future of the Caribbean: Disruptive Thinking. Bold Action. Practical Outcomes
  Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad, Tuesday May 5, 2015
  
  General Information
  Event: Forum on the Future of the Caribbean
  Event Date: 5 -6-7 May
  Location:
  5th May, Campus Principal, UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad
  6th May, Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, Trinidad
  7th May, Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, Trinidad
  Admission: by invitation or request
  For more information please here-mail: [email protected]
  Summary: A unique opportunity to inspire thinkers and leaders, to stimulate new, creative ideas and debate, and to build action around pioneering sustainable development solutions specific to the Caribbean.
  
  From the private sector to the academic world, from the young audiences to the mature minds, everyone is welcome to take part in this leading-edge event.
  
  Article
  
  The University of the West Indies in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The United Nations in Trinidad and Tobago is hosting a “Forum on The Future of the Caribbean: Disruptive thinking. Bold action. Practical outcomes.”
  
  The forum, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, brings together political leaders, academia, private sector leaders, young shapers, civil society and policymakers to engage in a vigorous debate and discussion under the name of: Disruptive Thinking. Bold Action. Practical Outcomes. Caribbean Heads of State and international thought leaders from the US, Nigeria, Malta, the United Kingdom and Chile will be among those present at the event.
  The Caribbean Forum is a further supported by the Organization of American States, CAF (the Development Bank of Latin America), the Caribbean Development Bank and the Association of Caribbean States
  The Caribbean region has been facing numerous economic, social and environmental challenges that threaten its long term sustainable development. In a world of rapidly emerging global processes, Caribbean competitiveness calls for the creation of a new convergence framework and innovative solutions to tackle these demands. Exciting and unexpected solutions must be found to re-ignite growth and address financial difficulties whilst balancing the social and environmental needs of all constituents.
  In this scenario, political leaders play a crucial role. Through their vision and decisive action, development goals can become a concrete reality.
  There are seven main Forum themes:
  1. Global Convergence: A Place for the Caribbean
  2. Location Strategies for the Caribbean: Convergence of Ideas and of Ideals
  3. Building the Resilience of Small States: A Strategic Vision for the Caribbean 2050
  4. Multi-dimensional Progress to Tackle Poverty and Inequality
  5. Solutions to Sustainable Development Issues in High and Middle Income Caribbean Countries
  6. New Diplomacy for Strengthening Financial Capacities and New Global Compact
  7. Global Diplomacy in the Caribbean
  
  
• CCJ symposium:Advancing the Case for Regionalism and Indigenuous Jurisprudence. Positive Dialogue to Promote Accession to the Cribbean Court of Justice
  Noor Hassanali Auditorium, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Wednesday January 21, 2015
  
  The Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine,
  in collaboration with the High Commission of Canada, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Toba-go, the International Labour Organization, the Organization of American States,
  the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations Development Program
  cordially invites you to the symposium
  on Wednesday 21 January 2015
  at the Noor Hassanali Auditorium, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
  from 1.00 pm to 6.00 pm
  Be a part of the audience as panelists discuss this trending topic.
  
  Panelists include:
  Mark Guthrie, Commonwealth Secretariat,
  Benoit Pelletier, Constitutional Expert, Canada,
  The Hon. Justice John Alexander Logan RFD (Australia)
  Reginald Armour S.C., the Law Association (Trinidad and Tobago),
  Ms. Safiya Ali, General Counsel, CARICOM Secretariat,
  Professor Rose-Marie Antoine, Dean, Faculty of Law, UWI, St. Augustine,
  The Hon. Justice Denys Barrow CBE, SC (Belize),
  Mr. Dante Negro, Director of the Department of International Law (OAS)
  Follow the hashtag #yestoCCJ and follow us on Twitter:
  UWI St Augustine: @UWI_StAugustine High Commission of Canada, T&T: @CanadaTandT
  ILO: @ilo OAS: @OAS_official UNDP Trinidad: @UNDP_Trinidad CCJ: @Caribbean Court
  
  Please RSVP to [email protected] by Friday January 16 2015.
  We look forward to seeing you there.
  CCJ Symposium: Advancing the Case for Regionalism
  and Indigenous Jurisprudence
  Positive Dialogue to Promote Accession to the Caribbean Court of Justice
• OAS/CICAD Sub-Regional Training Seminar for Judges and Prosecutors in Money Laundering Control, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, December 2-4, 2014
  Port of Spain, Trinidad, Tuesday December 2, 2014
  
  The OAS, through the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), organised, in partnership with the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), a Sub-Regional Training Seminar for Judges and Prosecutors in Money Laundering Control. The Seminar, supported by funding from the US Government, took place in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on December 2-4, 2014, with participants from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago. This was the first such workshop in and for the Caribbean.
  The objective of the Seminar was to strengthen the capacity of Caribbean Member States to combat money laundering and related offences, with specific reference to the legal framework of money laundering and organized crime, as well as the particularities of their investigation process, trial and sentencing.
  
  Participants were able to share perspectives and experiences, with a view to promoting discussion and knowledge sharing among different jurisdictions. The Seminar was a valuable opportunity for greater regional cooperation in information sharing and the development of best practices for purposes that include successful money laundering prosecutions and the forfeiture of proceeds of crime, in the context of the ongoing global war against well-funded, transnational criminal organisations.
  
• OAS Department of Sustainable Development Sustainable Cities Course, 2nd Edition, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, December 1-5, 2014
  Port of Spain, Trinidad, Monday December 1, 2014
  
  The OAS, through the Department of Sustainable Development of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, organised, in partnership with the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development of Trinidad and Tobago and with technical support from blueSpace, the Caribbean Network for Urban and Land Management at the University of the West Indies (UWI)-St. Augustine, a Sustainable Cities Course for urban and social transformation professionals. The Course, supported by funding from the US Government, took place in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on December 1-5, 2014, with the majority of participants from Trinidad and Tobago but also including participants from Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica.
  The Sustainable Cities Course provided 50 government officials, academics and members of the private sector and civil society involved in planning processes and urban development, with theoretical and practical knowledge of the different elements that contribute to the development of sustainable cities. Specifically, the Course:
  • Provided state of the art knowledge of the set of systems involved in the urban setting combining social and physical science approaches;
  • Analysed case studies and identified best practices; and
  • Provided a firsthand experience regarding the benefits of green infrastructure, energy efficiency demonstration projects and sustainable transport systems through field visits.
  For more information, please see: http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/DSD/Biodiversity/Sustainable_Cities/Sustainable_Communities/Events/SC%20Course%20Trinidad%202014/SCCourse2014.asp
  
• 3rd Annual Youth Conference of the Americas
  Washington D.C., Tuesday December 2, 2014
  
  The Organization of American States will host the 3rd Annual Youth Conference of the Americas on December 2, 2014, which will focus on the interrelationship between Education & Migration, and its influence on young people’s decision to migrate. The objective of the Conference is to underscore the need for cooperation among Member States in order to manage migratory trends of our youth in a holistic and balanced manner.
  
  From November 17 - December 2, 2014, you too can be a part of this year’s conference by visiting the Virtual Forum and sharing your thoughts on the topic. We look forward to hearing your ideas and experiences so that the OAS and Governments of the Americas may strengthen the work we do to support the young people of the Americas.
  
  The forum is moderated by Edgar Maestre of the Young Americas Business Trust. For more information on the OAS Youth Conference of the Americas 2013: Youth in Action, please visit www.oas.org/youth
  
• 33rd MOAS for Universities of the Hemisphere - Saint Kitts and Nevis
  St Kitts & Nevis, Tuesday March 24, 2015
  
  The 33rd MOAS for Universities of the Hemisphere will be held in Saint Kitts and Nevis, and is co-organized by the Office of the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS and the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports, Information Technology, Telecommunications and Posts of Saint Kitts and Nevis. This is the first MOAS held in an English-speaking Caribbean country and we invite all university students from the Caribbean to attend.
  
  The purpose of this MOAS is to promote democratic values among the youth of the Caribbean and of the Hemisphere, and to disseminate the mission and role of the OAS.
  
  
• Trinidad Sustainable Cities Course
  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Monday December 1, 2014
  
  
  
  For the announcement for this five day course, please copy and paste the link below
  https://www.oas.org/fms/Announcement.aspx?id=530&Type=2&Lang=eng
• OAS - International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia - May 16, 2014
  Washington D.C., Friday May 16, 2014
  
  Marking International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO-T), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), call on States to end discrimination and address violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals and those who advocate for their rights.
  In many parts of the world, LGBTI people face discrimination, stigmatization and acts of violence. Protecting and promoting the rights of LGBTI people to free expression, association and peaceful assembly is crucial to end their discrimination and address the appalling human rights violations inflicted upon them. These are not only basic rights, but they are also essential in allowing individuals to claim other rights in particular the rights to freedom from discrimination and equality before the law, and they can contribute to fostering public debate in society.
  We condemn acts of retaliation, intimidation, or harassment whether public or private based on a person’s manifestation or expression of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
  On the occasion of the 2014 IDAHO-T, we remind States of their obligation to protect, promote and fulfill universal rights without discrimination. The existence of societal disapproval of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities does not justify discrimination or violence against LGBTI people.
  Therefore, we are deeply concerned at the existence and recent adoption in several countries of laws that ban the dissemination of information about sexual orientation or gender identity issues and arbitrarily restrict the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
  We categorically reject arguments that such restrictions to the rights of LGBTI people are necessary to protect public morals, health or the well-being of vulnerable people. Rather, these laws encourage stigmatization, abuse and violence. Prohibiting access to health-related information is harmful to the physical and mental well-being of society at large.
  Defenders advocating for the rights of LGBTI individuals face serious challenges while exercising their work including threats, attacks, criminalization of their activities, and defamation campaigns. Moreover, LGBTI peaceful assemblies, rallies and parades are often prohibited and confined to venues out of public sight. In many countries, the safety of the participants to these events is often not adequately protected by law enforcement authorities. In addition, LGBTI advocacy groups are subject to excessive State supervision and face arbitrary and discriminatory raids, fines, extortion and closure.
  Despite an increase in the number of States that have repealed laws and abolished policies that discriminate against people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, 77 countries still criminalize consensual relations between adults of the same sex. Some countries also criminalize certain gender identities and expressions, affecting transgender people. Such laws violate international human rights norms, fuel violence and discrimination against LGBTI people, contribute to a culture of impunity and perpetuate hostile environments. These laws should be repealed.
  States must build a climate of tolerance and respect in which all people including LGBTI and those who defend their rights, can express their thoughts and opinions without fear of being attacked, criminalized or stigmatized. States must ensure the participation in public affairs of those who have traditionally suffered from discriminatory practices or policies.
  Accordingly, we call on States to renew their efforts to address this critical human rights issue at the UN Human Rights Council and in regional intergovernmental bodies and to comply with their human rights obligation to protect, promote and fulfill the rights of all without discrimination.
  
  
• Media Launch for 2nd Virtual Educa Caribbean Symposium
  Port of Spain, Trinidad, Friday April 4, 2014
  
  Trinidad and Tobago Education Minister announces major partnership at media launch for 2nd Virtual Educa Caribbean Symposium
  Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, at the media launch, on April 4, 2014, for the 2nd Virtual Educa Caribbean Symposium, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, on May 19-20, 2014, announced a major partnership with Samsung and local telephone company, Blink|bMobile.
  Speaking at the media launch of the 2nd Virtual Educa Caribbean Symposium, Minister Gopeesingh highlighted that teacher-training ICT workshops, conducted by internationally renowned experts, would assist in continuing to close the digital divide in the education system, by equipping teachers with the necessary skills to infuse ICT into the curriculum and enable students to thrive in the highly competitive global environment.
  Virtual Educa constitutes one of the most relevant endeavors by the Organization of American States (OAS) to promote human development through the use of ICT and innovation in education. This multilateral cooperation initiative has become a leading event in the Americas in innovation applied to education. In its second regional Caribbean edition, which follows 14 very successful editions of the International Symposium, the OAS aims to contribute to poverty reduction, tackling inequality and fostering social inclusion through access to quality education and decent work in the region.
  As announced by Minister Gopeesingh, students and teachers will also be able to experience the ‘21st Century Virtual Classroom’ in the Virtual Educa Exhibition Area, courtesy joint Platinum Sponsors, Samsung and Blink|bMobile. This is in anticipation of the roll-out of 20 pilot virtual classrooms in primary and secondary schools across the country, in partnership with Samsung. The Minister also urged other private sector companies to participate in the 2nd Caribbean Virtual Educa Symposium, calling on business to back education.
  The 2nd Virtual Educa Caribbean Symposium, hosted by the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the OAS and Virtual Educa, is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming education and developing methods of encouraging ICT innovation, entrepreneurship, creative thinking, inclusiveness and accessibility for all students in the education system in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It will have three components: a meeting of Latin American and Caribbean education ministers; a conference and workshops; and an ICT exhibition
• T&T national elected to OAS government procurement body
  Montevideo, Uruguay, Tuesday September 17, 2013
  
  Ms. Indrani Rampersad, Director of Contracts of the Central Tenders Board of Trinidad and Tobago, waselected as the Caribbean representative on the Executive Committee of the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement (INGP), at the 9th Annual Conference of the INGP, held in Montevideo, Uruguay, in September 2013.
  
  The INGP is a regional technical cooperation mechanism of the countries of the Americas, comprising the national directors of government procurement institutions, who are responsible for public procurement regulation, management and modernisation.The OAS acts as the technical secretariat for the INGP, which is also supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
  
  In order to help improve government procurement practices in the region and to build links between governments, civil society organisations related to government procurement and international agencies, the INGP aims to strengthen the capacity of OAS Member States to achieve greater efficiency and transparency in government procurement. For more information on the INGP, please visit www.ricg.org.
  
• Registration and Funding of Political Parties
  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Wednesday December 4, 2013
  
  The Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO) of the OAS Secretariat for Political Affairs supported a symposium convened by the Elections and Boundaries Commission of Trinidad and Tobago on "Registration and Funding of Political Parties", held in Port of Spain, on December 4, 2013. Mr. Alejandro Urizar, Chief of the Electoral Section of DECO, made a presentation on OAS Work on Political Financing and the OAS Model Law" and participated in two panels on "Registration of Political Parties" and "Financing the Operations of Political Parties".
  
• Major T&T Presence at Private Sector Financiers Meet with Grenada Government, OAS and International Experts on Caribbean Debt
  Grenada, Monday November 11, 2013
  
  Heads of some of the largest public and private financial institutions in the Caribbean gathered in Grenada over the past days, to meet with the Prime Minister of Grenada, Keith Mitchell; the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Ambassador Albert Ramdin and international financial experts retained by the Bertelsmann Foundation to critically examine the debt situation facing several Caribbean nations.
  
  Among the stakeholders attending the meeting were the Chairman of Guardian Holdings and Neal and Massey Ltd, Arthur Lok Jack; the Chairman of Republic Bank Ltd, Barbados National Bank and the National Bank of Industry and Commerce, Ronald Harford; Representatives of Sagicor; the Trinidad & Tobago Manufacturers Association; RBC Caribbean; Ansa Merchant Bank; the Governor of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Jwala Rambarran; KPMG; the International Institute of Finance; the IADB; the Kiel Institute for the World Economy; Investor S.A Casa de Bolsa and several others.
  
  The discussions focused on key areas including debt restructuring and sustainable growth strategies, public-private partnerships, international debt negotiation and other related issues.
  
  According to Grenada’s Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, the meeting was convened at a crucial time for Grenada, since the nation “is at a crossroads in terms of development.” Extending his appreciation to OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin for bringing together top regional and international stakeholders, Prime Minister Mitchell welcomed the initiative in Grenada, saying “practical solutions are needed for the fundamental problems confronting the country.”
  
  Describing the private meeting as “solution oriented,” Assistant Secretary General Ramdin pointed out that Caribbean countries make up a significant percentage of the OAS membership, and issues affecting the sub-region should be considered a priority. “Managing smaller economies in a globalized world presents unique challenges, and I believe we must collaborate to find solutions. There can be no real progress, if our people don’t have jobs or opportunities for growth, or if our countries are almost crippled by debt,” said Ambassador Ramdin.
  
  Ramdin, who worked with the Executive Director of the Bertelsmann Institute, Annette Heuser to bring in international experts added, “By sharing technical expertise, lessons learned, best practices, and facilitating healthy and transparent public-private partnerships, we can see a return to growth.”
  
  
  For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.
  
  
• Building Democratic Classrooms
  Couva, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuesday November 5, 2013
  
  The Department of Human Development, Education and Employment of the Secretariat for Integral Development of the Organization of American States, through the Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices, held a two-day teacher training workshop on “Building Democratic Classrooms” in collaboration with the Curriculum Division of the Ministry of Education of Trinidad and Tobago. The workshop was held at the Rudranath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre, Mc Bean, Couva, on November 5th and 6th, 2013.
  55 teachers from primary and secondary schools, curriculum officers and stakeholders in education participated in the workshop.
  The workshop is one of the initiatives implemented within the framework of the professional development component of the Inter-American Program on Education for Education for Democratic Values and Practices. This Program was adopted at the IV Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education, which was held in Trinidad and Tobago, in August 2005. The Program reflects the commitment of OAS Member States to the role of education in the promotion of democratic principles and practices and to the strengthening of a democratic culture in the Hemisphere, as stated in the articles 26 and 27 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
  This workshop is based on the online course “Education for Democratic Citizenship in the Caribbean: a Distance Course for Educators” which is currently being offered through the virtual classroom of the Educational Portal of the Americas. This course was first piloted from 2008 to 2010 via the University of the West Indies Open Campus. 250 classroom teachers from Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago participated and developed knowledge and skills to support a democratic environment in their classrooms.
  The Ministry of Education of Trinidad and Tobago has welcomed this collaborative exercise, as Character and Citizenship Education is one of its major thrusts.
  For more information about this workshop, please contact Romina Kasman at [email protected] or [email protected]
  
• OAS Awards Scholarships to train 15 officials in Electronic Government:
  Trinidad and Tobago, Friday September 27, 2013
  
  Following up on the Awards on Excellence in Electronic Government, issued through the Network of Electronic Government of Latin America and the Caribbean (Red GEALC), to Trinidad and Tobago through ttConnect – iGovTT, in the category of m-Government in November 2012, the Department for Effective Public Management (DEPM) of the OAS has facilitated training for 15 officials in Electronic Government, through a course “Design and Implementation of e-Government Strategies”. The training aims at strengthening capacities of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in the development and implementation of electronic government strategies for more open, efficient and transparent public administration that is centered on delivering services effectively to citizens.
  
  The RedGealc, led by DEMP/OAS, began in 2003 and brings together the directors of e-government of all the member countries of the OAS. Since 2005, the Network has also counted on the support of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and since 2007, it presents biennially the Awards on Excellence in Electronic Government (excelGOV Awards). The winners in each of the categories of each edition undertake a technical visit to Canada to participate in a knowledge exchange exercise on the Canadian experience in e-government and also receive e-Gov training scholarships. In the 2012 edition, the winners were Mer-Link of Costa Rica in the category “e-government centered on the citizen” and ttconnect Mobile in the category “m-government.” The courses are implemented and certified through the Virtual Campus of DEPM/OAS. For more information about DEPM/Virtual Campus courses please visit: www.campusvirtualoea.org
  
• Youth-In Entrepreneur Agribusiness Lab
  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Monday August 19, 2013
  
  The Youth-IN Entrepreneur Agribusiness Lab Trinidad and Tobago is a workshop facilitated by experts fro The Golda Meir Mount Carmel Internation Training Centre with the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem. This workshop aims to provide a space that will foster an interactive and engaged learning experience for young agribusiness entrepreneurs which in turn will improve the success rate of the translation of business ideas to successful agribusinesses.
  
  This workshop is part of Youth-IN Entrepreneur, a program started by YABT in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Israeli Government aid agency MASHAV.
  
  
• Seminar on the OAS Report: The Drug Problem in the Americas
  University of the WEst Indies, St. Augustine, Monday July 22, 2013
  
  Seminar on the OAS Report: The Drug Problem in the Americas
  Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
  July 22, 2013
  
  The Institute of International Relations (IIR) of The University of the West Indies (UWI) at St. Augustine, the National Drug Council of the Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago and the Organization of American States (OAS) Office in Trinidad and Tobago are collaborating to convene on July 22, 2013, at the IIR, a Seminar on the OAS Report: The Drug Problem in the Americas.
  
  The OAS Report, a result of a mandate of the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, in April 2012, aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of policies applied in the Americas and highlights the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges in the implementation of those policies. There are two separate but interconnected reports:
  
  • An analytical report, which surveys the current drug policy landscape by drawing on existing expertise and synthesizing lessons learned and a spectrum of policy options; and
  • A scenarios report, which aims to map out potential outcomes of several sets of policy options.
  
  The Inter-American Drug Control Commission (CICAD) of the OAS acted as the technical secretariat for the Report, which is divided into the following chapters consistent with the different areas of the problem targeted by the study:
  
  a) The relationship between drugs and public health;
  b) The relationship between drugs and economic and social development;
  c) The security challenges as reflected in the nexus between drugs, violence and organized crime;
  d) Production and supply of plant-based and synthetic drugs, pharmaceuticals, and chemical precursors; and
  e) The alternative legal and regulatory approaches to the drug problem.
  Each chapter provides baseline analysis of the current state of play in the hemisphere, examines best practices and promising new approaches being pursued by different countries, and outlines challenges and obstacles to improved results. Based on the findings of the Analytical Report, an exercise was undertaken to identify diverse approaches to the problem. To that end, potential scenarios were developed, capable of providing the Heads of State and Government of the Americas with courses of action for tackling the drug problem.
  The Seminar will feature two panels (“An Overview of the Drug Problem in Trinidad and Tobago” and “The Report: Rethinking National and Regional Strategies”). The Opening Ceremony will be addressed by Senator the Hon. Emmanuel George, Minister of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago, Prof. Rhoda Reddock, Deputy Principal, UWI-St. Augustine, and Ms. Angela Crowdy, Acting Assistant Executive Secretary, CICAD. Amongst the confirmed participants are: Prof. W. Andy Knight, Director, IIR, Prof. Emeritus Norman Girvan, Senior Fellow, IIR; Justice Geoffrey Henderson; Mrs. Wendy Ann Wattie, Programme Coordinator, National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme (NADAPP); Senior Superintendent Vernly Gift, Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau; Dr. Randy Seepersad, Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, UWI; Mr. Steve Richards, Programme Manager, Rebirth House; Mr. Callixtus Joseph, Regional Crime and Security Strategy Coordinator, CARICOM IMPACS; and Ms. Antoinette Lucas-Andrews, Director, International Relations Unit, Ministry of National Security.
  
  The Seminar a public event directed at Government officials, the diplomatic community, University faculty and students, and civil society, to sensitise stakeholders to the drug problem as it affects the country, the region and the hemisphere as a whole. More information on the OAS Report and the Report itself may be accessed online at http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-194/13.
  
  For further information, please contact the OAS Office in Trinidad and Tobago at (868) 622 9272 and [email protected]
  
• OAS Secretary General Travels to Trinidad and Tobago for CARICOM Meeting
  Port of Spain, Trinidad, Friday July 5, 2013
  
  The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, travelled to Trinidad and Tobago, from July 3 to 5, to attend the 34th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), .
  
  During his stay in Trinidad and Tobago, the Secretary General attended the opening of the event at the Diplomatic Centre in Port of Spain and the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas on July 4, 1973, which established CARICOM as a regional integration body. In addition, Secretary General Insulza briefed CARICOM Heads on the recently released Report on the Drug Problem in the Americas (Analytical Report - Scenarios Report), which was prepared by the OAS under his supervision, pursuant to a mandate from the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, and held bilateral meetings with Caribbean leaders.
  
  Since his election in May 2005, Secretary General Insulza has participated in all of the annual summits of CARICOM Member States.
  
  For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org
  
  
• Call for proposals from the Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices
  Washington D.C., Sunday June 30, 2013
  
  The call is for a "Portfolio of Experiences on Student Participation and Leadership". For more information please see the link below.
• CIM Roundtable "Women and Drugs in the Americas: A Working Analysis"
  Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española en La Antigua, Guatemala , Monday June 3, 2013
  
  Place: Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española en La Antigua, Guatemala
  Date: June 3rd, 2013
  Time: 3:15 pm
  Agenda
  
  The gender dimension of the issue of drugs has barely been addressed in research and recently- produced reports. Claims by the media, paired with the scarce data available, suggest that in recent years, the participation of women in the international drug industry has increased significantly.
  
  The incorporation of differentiating criteria in the analysis of the situation of women and men in the drug industry is the starting point for strengthened institutional responses and public policies that aim to address and prevent this social problem. Of particular importance in this sense is to understand why, and how, from a perspective of human rights and development, women get involved in the world of drugs and what interventions – in terms of both development and treatment – are necessary to ensure that they have safe and feasible alternatives.
  
  Seeking to further analyze this topic, the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), a specialized agency of the Organization of American States (OAS) that promotes and protects women’s rights and gender equality, will be holding a Roundtable entitled: “Women and Drugs in the Americas: A Working Analysis” in the framework of the XLIII OAS General Assembly.
  
  The Roundtable, jointly organized with the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), and the support of the Government of Spain, will be held in the Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española in La Antigua, Guatemala on June 3rd at 3:15pm. The discussion will include representatives from governmental and international bodies, academia and civil society in a multi-disciplinary dialogue on the nature and extent of women’s participation in the cultivation, production, distribution and utilization of drugs in the Americas. See agenda.
  
  For more information, please send us an email to [email protected]
  
  
• Visit to Trinidad and Tobago by ASG Albert Ramdin
  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Friday March 15, 2013
  
  OAS Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Albert Ramdin, paid an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago, on March 14-16, 2013, and held high-level meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Winston Dookeran and the Minister of National Security, Hon. Jack Warner.
  
• IACHR Announces Trinidad and Tobago Forum on the Strengthening of the Inter-American System of Human Rights
  Institute of International Relations, UWI, St Augustine, Friday September 21, 2012
  
  September 14, 2012
  
  Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) announces the Trinidad and Tobago Forum on the Strengthening of the Inter-American System of Human Rights, which will take place September 21, 2012, at the University of the West Indies St. Augustine, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. This forum is co-organized by the IACHR and the Institute of International Relations, University of the West Indies (UWI).
  
  The Forum will be opened by the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, the Hon. Anand Ramlogan, SC; IACHR Commissioner Tracy Robinson; and the Director (Ag) of the Institute of International Relations (IIR) at UWI, Dr. Anthony Gonzales. Commissioners Rose-Marie-Belle Antoine and Dinah Shelton will make presentations on the relevance of the Inter-American system of Human Rights, the strengthening process, and the implications for the Caribbean region. Among the panelists will be: Judge Margarette May Macaulay, of the Inter American Court of Human Rights; Dr Hans Geiser, of the IIR; Mr. Colin Robinson, from the Coalition Advocating for the Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO), Dr. Arif Bulkan, of the Faculty of Law at UWI and Mr. Douglas Mendes, SC, attorney-at-law. The moderators will include Sir Dennis Byron, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice and Dr. Michelle Scobie of IIR.
  
  The Forum of Trinidad and Tobago is one of a series of sub-regional events on the strengthening of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which are taking place place between August and September. These events are part of a profound study that the IACHR diligently conducts with the purpose of reviewing and improving its norms, policies and practices for a better protection of human rights of all persons in the region.
  
  The Forum will start at 9:00 a.m. (local time in Trinidad and Tobago) at the Institute of International Relations, University of the West Indies St. Augustine. It will be Webcast.
  
  A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this matter. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in a personal capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
  
  
  
  
• Trinidad and Tobago Comes Full Circle: Opening Drug Treatment Court Pilot Project in September 2012. OAS Drug Treatment Court in the Caribbean in action
  Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuesday September 11, 2012
  
  One year ago, nearly to the day, at the opening of the 2011-2012 Law Term, Chief Justice Ivor Archie announced an initiative to establish the first drug treatment court in the country. This required a multi-sector approach involving various levels of the government represented on a Steering Committee convened by the Chief Justice, comprising the Judiciary, the Magistracy, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Ministry of National Security including the Police and the National Drug Council (NDC), the Ministry of Justice - including Probation Services, the Prisons Service, the Legal Unit and the Forensic Sciences Centre and the Ministry of Health.
  
  The first pilot Drug Treatment Court is slated to be launched on the 11th of September. OAS Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Albert R. Ramdin will join the Chief Justice and the Ministers of National Security and Justice, as well as representatives from the different government agencies involved at the launch, along with Justice Kofi Barnes (Chair of the Canadian Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals CADTCP), Ms. Beverly Reynolds (representing the CARICOM Secretariat), and Mr. Cyril Joseph, Acting High Commissioner of Canada to Trinidad and Tobago.
  
  In introducing the concept of Drug Treatment Courts as an alternative to incarceration for drug dependent offenders last year, Chief Justice Archie noted that the experience in the hemisphere and particularly in Jamaica had shown that the approach ultimately leads to significant reduction in the number of repeat offenders, and a resultant decrease in the number of prisoners and persons appearing before the Courts. According to the statistics of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service arrests for drug related offences exceed 5,000 annually, with implications for backlogs in the Court system, cost of incarceration, recidivism, and public health. Drug Treatment Courts have proven successful in other countries (Jamaica, United States, Canada, Chile, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, and the UK).
  
  Throughout 2011 and 2012, Trinidad and Tobago has participated in various international activities (information and training workshops, exchanges of good practices), carried out by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), of the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security, as part of the OAS Drug Treatment Court Program for the Americas. This has been possible thanks to the financial support and contributions of the Government of Canada through the Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (ACCBP). It has been through these activities that judges, prosecutors, defence attorneys, police and probation officers, treatment providers, as well as policy makers involved in this process, were able to observe, analyse, and study the model in various countries were the DTC is already operational. This has been possible thanks to the support of different organizations, like the CARICOM Secretariat, together with experts from Canada, the United States, and Jamaica.
  
  CICAD will take this opportunity to meet with the Steering Committee to work out an action plan for 2012-2014, outlining the steps that Trinidad and Tobago would take to implement, monitor, and evaluate the DTC project. On the occasion of the launch of this first DTC, a Memorandum of Understanding between Trinidad and Tobago and the OAS will be signed between the Minister of National Security, Hon. Austin Jack Warner, and the OAS Assistant Secretary General, formalizing the commitment to the project by both sides.
  
  For more information about this initiative, contact [email protected]
  
• Meeting of CEOs and Chairmen of Central America & the Caribbean: “Opportunities for Business, Trade and Investment”
  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuesday May 15, 2012
  
  TOP BUSINESS INTERESTS FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN MEET IN OAS/ MTI MEETING
  
  Over sixty of the top businessmen from Central America and the Caribbean met behind closed doors in Port of Spain, Trinidad this week to discuss new opportunities for expanding business between the two regions, potential for partnerships and challenges to trade.
  
  Among those gathered in the closed door meetings, were representatives of top conglomerates, public and private companies and business families, government representatives and ministers, including the CEO of the Panama Canal, Representatives of Ansa McAl, Neal and Massey, Guardian Holdings, Demerara Distillers, Grupo Unicomer, Cabcorp, Bridgestone, regional airlines, manufacturers and producers associations and banks. Also present at the meeting were the Secretaries General of SICA, CARICOM and the ACS.
  
  The gathering, which represented billions of dollars in business interests from both regions, was also addressed by the President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, during a closed meeting a day earlier.
  
  Convened by Organization of American States Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin and hosted by the government of Trinidad and Tobago through the Minister of Trade and Industry Stephen Cadiz, the meeting identified opportunties for investment and partnerships in several countries. Obstacles to business including transnational business registration laws, visa restrictions, port congestion problems, taxes, duties and tariffs were also discussed.
  
  According to Trinidad and Tobago Trade Minister, Stephen Cadiz, "This gathering proves that investment capital is available, so options and opportunities must be generated. We are, therefore making a solid commitment to working together to overcome these challenges to business. We need to do more and smarter business in this current global economic environment."
  
  High ranking OAS official Albert Ramdin said the vision behind the meeting is to use international trade and business diplomacy to "generate more opportunities for employment, increase earning potential, economic growth, alleviate poverty, and improve security." According to Ramdin, "If we hope to improve the quality of life for citizens of both regions, we need to be practical and proactive. Central America and the Caribbean face similar challenges. If businesses succeed in these regions, it means a better standard of life for people."
  
  The first meeting of CEO's of both regions was held in El Salvador last year, and resulted in the strengthening of business partnerships and new investments. The Port of Spain meeting is expected to result in more strategic investments. The government of Guatemala has invited Assistant Secretary General Ramdin to host the next meeting in that country.
  
  Office of the Asst. Secretary General
  Organization of American States
  17th Street & Constitution Ave
  Washington, DC, 20006
  
• OAS prepares T&T officials for Drug Treatment Court
  Toronto, Canada, Monday February 27, 2012
  
  In an OAS initiative, an eleven-member delegation from Trinidad and Tobago has joined delegations from The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica, to be trained this week in Toronto, Canada, on the workings of drug treatment courts (DTCs). The more than forty Caribbean delegates include judges, prosecutors, defence attorneys, treatment providers and other professions in the healthcare and justice fields.
  
  “The OAS is supporting the model of drug treatment courts in the hemisphere as an effective and efficient tool to treat violators who are addicted to drugs and achieve a reduction in drug consumption, lower crime rates and help to reduce the criminal population in the region,” said Ambassador Paul Simons, Executive Secretary of the OAS Inter-American Commission for Drug Abuse Control (CICAD).
  
  The activities, under the auspices of CICAD and the Canadian Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals (CADTCP), began on Monday, February 27 and conclude on Friday, March 2. CICAD and the CADTCP are in the process of signing a cooperation agreement that will allow this effort to continue over the next two years.
  
  In the first half of the week, participants are attending a practical training programme that includes a visit to a DTC to observe a real case. They will later visit healthcare institutions for people with drug addictions, where they will have the opportunity to observe the treatment protocol used. Afterwards, they will have first-hand experience of a real session before a hearing, where cases are followed up on and progress is evaluated.
  
  In the second half of the week, the delegates will attend the Fourth Conference of the CADTCP, where they will have the opportunity to present the problems they face, as well as attend workshops on the subject and interact with hundreds of DTC experts from Canada.
  
  The OAS, through CICAD and the OAS Office in Trinidad and Tobago, is supporting the establishment of a DTC in Trinidad and Tobago in 2012.
  
• IPO Americas Workshop in Preparation for Carnivals and Festivals
  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuesday November 29, 2011
  
  The main aim of this workshop is to establish common regional guidelines for the security planning of Carnivals and Festivals, focusing in evaluation, coordination, prevention, and risk analysis. Its format will combine three days and a half of technical presentations by international experts and national delegations with breakout sessions intended to promote an exchange of information as well as regional and national experiences related to the security planning of Carnivals and Festivals. It will include study visits to Carnival sites to witness first hand efforts of security for a major event as well as the security infrastructure implemented during these events. It is being organized in collaboration with CARICIOM IMPACS.
  
  This workshop is a component of the larger project Security for Major Events which seeks to establish and promote a permanent mechanism of cooperation involving all OAS Member States with particular regard to security planning and the protection of Major Events. It draws on the extensive experience and well-established regional networks of OAS/SMS/CICTE and UNICRI materialized in the National Focal Points network (NFPs). The main aim of this Project is to boost new mechanisms and tools and to facilitate, through the CICTE/UNICRI’s “IPO Americas” joint initiative, a broad cooperative international framework for the protection of Major Events, enhance community safety and the prevention of crime and terrorism.
  
• III Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security (MISPA)
  Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Thursday November 17, 2011
  
  The highest authorities responsible for public security in the region will gather in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on November 17 and 18 for the Third Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security in the Americas (MISPA III), a forum created by the OAS in 2008 to foster dialogue and advance effective cooperation at the hemispheric, subregional and national levels to reduce crime, violence and insecurity in the region.
  
  In follow-up to the decisions adopted by the member states in the Commitment to Public Security in the Americas (MISPA I, 2008) and the Consensus of Santo Domingo on Public Security (MISPA II, 2009), this third meeting will focus on knowledge-sharing, technical assistance and exchange of practices and lessons learned in the area of police management.
  
  By building on their respective countries’ experiences and expertise in the area of police management, national authorities will engage in a dynamic and results-oriented dialogue to strengthen institutional capacity and foster greater south-south collaboration in three key areas: 1) modernization of police institutions within a democratic framework; 2) police professionalization and training; and 3) cooperation on police information systems and enhanced use of technology.
  
  
  
  Approved draft agenda » http://scm.oas.org/doc_public/ENGLISH/HIST_11/CP27455E04.doc
  Informational bulletin » http://www.oas.org/dsp/documentos/Mispa3/Boletin_eng.pdf
  Documents » http://www.oas.org/dsp/english/cpo_mispa3_preparatoria.asp
  
  For more information, please contact the Department of Public Security ([email protected]) or visit the DPS website: www.oas.org/dps
  
• Implementing Drug Treatment Courts as an Alternative to Incarceration for Drug Dependent Offenders Workshop
  Hilton Trinidad, Port of Spain, Tuesday October 18, 2011
  
  With OAS Support, Trinidad and Tobago to Launch the Country’s First Drug Treatment Court in 2012
  October 21, 2011
  
  Trinidad and Tobago will launch the country’s first Drug Treatment Court in 2012, to include technical assistance, training and cooperation from the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS).
  
  The Minister of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago, John Sandy, said his country “needs to find different and innovative alternatives to improve citizen security.” In response to that need, the Drug Treatment Courts have emerged as a multi-disciplinary practice policy marrying prevention policies, treatment and justice, and have shown results in other countries of the hemisphere to reduce crime and with it, the recidivism rate, the prison population and drug dependency.
  
  This strategy includes the establishment of drug treatment courts where an individual’s recovery is closely supervised by a judge with the power to reward progress and rebuke relapses. To this end, the judge uses a team of prosecutors, defense lawyers, health professionals, social workers and police to rehabilitate and reintegrate individuals back into the community.
  
  The OAS is working with a number of organizations to identify innovations and good practices in addressing the needs of drug-dependent offenders, both through drug treatment courts and other holistic approaches that treat the individual, his or her family, work, health and social wellbeing as a whole, while still ensuring that the community’s security concerns are met.
  
  Other countries of the region to initiate pilot projects or similar developments with support from the OAS include: Bahamas, Jamaica, Argentina, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.
  
  The announcement was made by the Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago, Ivor Archie, during the opening ceremony of the training workshop "Implementation of Drug Treatment Courts as an Alternative to Incarceration for Drug Dependent Offenders," held October 18 to 21 in Port of Spain. The workshop was attended by more than 70 judges, prosecutors, treatment providers, defense attorneys, probation and police officers from Trinidad and Tobago and The Bahamas, who learned about the experiences of countries that have already implemented treatment drug courts as an initiative to promote a comprehensive approach to treatment and the drug problem in the region.
  
  For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.
  
  Reference: E-913/11
  
  
  
  
• 4th Biennial Meeting of Caribbean National Observatories on Drugs
  Kapok Hotel, Trinidad, Tuesday September 13, 2011
  
  This Office also facilitated the organization of the 4th Biennial Meeting of Caribbean National Observatories on Drugs.
  
  The meeting was held on September 13-16, 2011.
• Regional Certification Mechanism Meeting of the Training and Certification Program PROCCER—Caribbean
  Kapok Hotel, Trinidad & Tobago, Monday July 25, 2011