PM Meets Caricom Sec Gen

Office of the Prime Minister

Factory Road

St. John's ,

Antigua, W.I.

Tel: (268) 462 4956 Fax: (268) 462 3225
e-mail: pmo@candw.ag

Photos & story by:
Norman 'Gus' Thomas
Press Attaché to the Prime Minister
Cell: (268) 464 2500
E-mail: norman.thomas@antigua.gov.ag

MEDIA RELEASE # 52/04

PRIME MINISTER SPENCER AND CARICOM's SG MEET

St. John's: April 8th, 2004.....Prime Minister, Baldwin Spencer, this morning met with and held discussions on a number of regional issues when the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr. Edwin Carrington, accompanied by Ms.Undine George of the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, paid a courtesy call on Mr. Spencer.

Dr. Carrington congratulated Mr. Spencer on his appointment as Prime Minister, noting that, "CARICOM is pleased to see the strong constitutional democratic process at work in Antigua and Barbuda, where you had, as it were, an earth shattering change. Yet, the society remains at peace, calm and balanced. This says a lot for us, for all of us as Caribbean people," Dr. Carrington said. In addition he indicated that, the report he received from the CARICOM Observer Mission which monitored the general elections held last month, which brought Mr. Spencer's United Progressive Party (UPP) into office, was a very good one. The Secretary General also assured the Prime Minister that CARICOM stands willing and ready to assist Antigua and Barbuda whenever the need arises.

Dr. Carrington (left) and Attorney General Justin Simon

PM Spencer Meets Caricom Sec. Gen. Dr. Edwin Carrington

In welcoming Dr.Carrington, Prime Minister Spencer thanked him for his words of congratulation and assured him that Antigua and Barbuda is indeed happy that CARICOM was able to have a team come and witness the process. "All of those things would have helped," he said.

He told Dr. Carrington that his administration has had to hit the ground running as there is not much of a cooling off or honeymoon period.

"We have to be grappling with all sorts of things almost instantly, but we believe that we will be able to deal with the challenges."

Both men also discussed a number of other important regional issues including Haiti, Trade, the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), Free Movement and International Affairs, among others.

Sitting in on the meeting was Antigua and Barbuda's Foreign Affairs Minister Harold Lovell, Attorney General Justin Simon, Minister of Finance Dr. Errol Cort and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Colin Murdoch.