Prime Minister Dean Barrow, our gracious host, and incoming Chairman, fellow Prime Ministers, Secretary-General Laroque, Ministers, Ambassadors accredited to CARICOM, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Distinguished guests

I am especially pleased to be here on my first visit to Belize, and to be able to savour the charming manner and warm hospitality of the government and people of this great country, often described as the potential bread basket of the Caribbean.

When last we gathered together, in Conference, I had the honour to host you in Barbados in July, 2015 for our 36th Regular Session.

I have, since then, had the honour of presiding over the Caribbean Community as its Chairman, through a remarkably busy period for the world and for our Community between July 01, and December 31st, 2015. The last time that Barbados performed this role was some 8 years ago, in 2007.

I have taken the liberty of putting at your disposal in writing a brief note outlining some of the key developments of that period – a modest attempt at something like a Chairman???s report. I will not therefore detail to you here all that has been done during my incumbency, as that report will be circulated.

In so doing, I hasten to give you this undertaking. In preparing this brief report, I have been careful to heed Winston Churchill???s famous description of an unwelcome report which he said ???by its very length, it defends itself against the risk of being read.??? I hope that my report, at least by virtue of being brief, will steer clear of that risk.

I should like, however, to take this opportunity briefly to share with you a few reflections in connection with the period July-December, 2015.??I have frequently stated my deep conviction that our decision-making must be orderly and rigorous.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart’s full address at the opening ceremony of the 27th CARICOM Intersessional meeting in Belize may be found by clicking here.

Author: Prime Minister's Office

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