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On the occasion of the official visit to St. Lucia by the Prime Minister of
Jamaica, the Most Honourable P.J. Patterson from July 1 – 2 2004, the Prime
Minister of St Lucia, Dr. The Hon. Kenny D. Anthony and the Prime Minister of
Jamaica held discussions on matters of mutual interest between their two
countries including bilateral relations as well as recent regional and
international developments.
They hailed this first ever official visit to St Lucia by a Prime Minister of
Jamaica and Prime Minister Patterson’s historic address to the Joint Sitting of
the St Lucia Parliament as a reaffirmation of the warm and fraternal relations
that have traditionally existed between the peoples and governments of Jamaica
and St Lucia. They therefore agreed to continue to work for the further
deepening of these relations and in that regard discussed issues relating to
education and the fight against the trafficking of illegal drugs in the
Caribbean. They agreed to strengthen mechanisms for further cooperation between
Jamaica and St. Lucia in the combating of the illicit drug trade.
They noted with satisfaction the private sector linkages that had developed
between St. Lucia and Jamaica, particularly in the field of tourism, and in view
of the meeting that had taken place between Prime Minister Patterson,
representatives of the Jamaican sector and members of the St. Lucia Private
Sector, called for the widening of these linkages and further collaboration
between the private sectors of the two countries.
The Prime Ministers pledged their support for the growth and development of the
regional integration process of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and in that
regard agreed to work assiduously with the other member states of Caricom to
bring the Caribbean Single Market and Economy to fruition by the target date of
2005.
They praised the recent progress that had been made towards the establishment of
the Caribbean Court of Justice and looked forward to its inauguration later this
year.
They also agreed to promote the continued discussion and search for suitable new
governance structures for Caricom that would lead to the strengthening of the
Caribbean Community to enable it to better fulfil its goal of the economic and
social advancement of the peoples of the region.
In reviewing recent regional developments, they once more expressed their regret
at the events that had led to the interruption of the democratic process in
Haiti and to the consequential departure of President Jean Bertrand Aristide
from office. Recalling that the members states of the Caribbean Community have
always steadfastly ascribed to the principles of democracy, democratic elections
and the rule of law and their efforts in the past to bring Haiti into the
democratic fold, they looked forward to the early restoration of the democratic
process in Haiti and the emergence there of a democratically elected government.
The Prime Ministers also discussed matters for deliberation at the forthcoming
Twenty-fifth meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean
Community in St Georges, Grenada 4 – 7 July, 2004.
Castries, St Lucia
July 2, 2004
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