Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who departs this afternoon for Suriname and the 43rd Caricom Summit, will return home next Wednesday.
The return date was confirmed by the Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday.
Rowley is leaving for the annual Caricom Summit following his return from Los Angeles close to midnight on Thursday. He was in the US for three weeks—undergoing medical tests—after attending the Summit of the Americas.
Rowley, who addressed a function in his Diego Martin West constituency yesterday, will speak at a media briefing at the Piarco International Airport this afternoon, prior to his departure for Suriname.
The summit begins tomorrow in Paramaribo. Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi is the incoming Caricom chairman.
Rowley’s team includes Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Amery Browne.
During tomorrow’s opening ceremony of the summit at the Assuria Event Centre, the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC) will be awarded to T&T music icon, composer/singer David Rudder, cricket legend Sir Vivian Richards, former Caricom secretary general Irwin La Rocque and former Barbados Foreign Affairs Minister/women’s rights advocate Dame Billie Miller.
Caricom Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett, who announced the awards, stated that it’s the first time the OCC is being awarded since 2012. Not all recipients will be present. The OCC is an 18-carat medallion and will feature a lapel pin of same design and a scroll of recipients’ outstanding achievements. They will also be able to work and acquire property in any member state.
T&T’s Browne said Caricom leaders are expected to continue their coordination of efforts toward treating with the pandemic and examining other emerging health issues.
Other specifics include the Single Market and Economy (CSME), Agri-Food Systems Agenda, security issues, energy security and climate finance. Reports are expected from leaders heading teams on issues including on food security (Guyana) and CSME (Barbados).
The situation in Haiti will also be examined, plus updates on border issues between Belize and Guatemala, and Guyana and Venezuela, Caricom’s Secretariat stated.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will attend tomorrow’s opening ceremony.
Leaders are expected to hold plenary session talks with the Secretary General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, exchanging views on matters of interest to the region.
Caricom ranks at the summit will be joined by the newly-elected leaders of Grenada, PM Dickon Mitchell, St Lucia PM Phillip Pierre and the Bahamas PM Phillip Davis.