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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Maxine McClean, greeting High Commissioner of The Bahamas, Picewell Forbes, prior to a recent courtesy call in the Committee Room of Parliament. (A. Miller/BGIS)

CARICOM cannot afford to solely rely on funding if the regional institution is expected to grow.

Furthermore, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean said that CARICOM needs to continue to identify what is feasible and what it can commit to given the circumstances of individual member states.

Speaking to High Commissioner of The Bahamas, Picewell Forbes, during a recent courtesy call in the Committee Room of Parliament, Ms. McClean pointed out that population support was also an important factor for growth.

"The new Secretary General, [Ambassador] Irwin LaRocque, is committed to engaging the people of CARICOM and one of the methods is to reach out through traditional and non-traditional media," she explained.

On the issue of funding, the High Commissioner suggested that consideration could be given to umbrella aid. "Negotiating as a region would be fine in different situations but you have to determine how aid is distributed," he noted.

In the area of tourism, the Bahamian envoy said his country was progressing with the construction of the largest luxury resort in the region – a multimillion dollar project on Cable Beach in Nassau which is expected to be completed in 2014.

Matters of alternative energy, legislation and casino gambling were also discussed.??

The Bahamas joined CARICOM in 1983.

shamkoe.pile@barbados.gov.bb

Author: Shamkoe Pil??

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