Regional leaders agree to closer socio-economic cooperation

Friday, August 15, 2008 – Regional leaders who attended yesterday’s mini summit in Trinidad and Tobago last night signed a declaration to establish a framework for closer cooperation towards of a single economy by 2011 and political integration two years later.

This was disclosed in a joint communiqué issued last night following discussions held between Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Patrick Manning, Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Stephenson King, and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The summit also included Foreign Affairs Minister of Barbados Christopher Sinckler and his Guyanese counterpart Carolyn Rodrigues.

The leaders having underscored the importance of reliable and cost effective air and sea transportation to the region hope to press ahead with efforts aimed at forging greater collaboration between LIAT and Caribbean Airlines to achieve enhanced connectivity. They also agreed that three LIAT shareholding countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines along with Trinidad and Tobago and the management of Caribbean Airlines meet during the last week of August to discuss cost saving measures and enhance cooperation between the regional airlines.

The communiqué also reported progress towards the establishment of a fast ferry to service the Southern Caribbean, which they hope will have a positive impact on food security and food prices.

The invited Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers expressed the view that considerable progress had been made at the meeting and thanked Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Patrick Manning for his initiative and the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago for the warm hospitality extended to them.

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