Major boost for service providers as Grenada hosts three major meetings

by Betty Ann Lazarus

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, February 15, 2011 - Grenada’s service industry is predicted to receive a major boost when regional Foreign Affairs Ministers and Heads of Government meet in St George's later this month.

Over 200 Officials are expected here for the Fifth Special Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers on February 23^rd, to be followed by the 22nd Intercessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community/ CARICOM, on February 25 and 26th.

In addition to the CARICOM gathering, The St George’s University is also staging its annual Clinical Conference, attracting approximately 300 visitors to the island on the final weekend of February.

 Indications are that several top hotels and guest houses are already reporting total bookings.

The events are expected to generate increase business not only for hoteliers, but also for taxi drivers, restaurants, supermarkets and tourist vendors.

The two-day regional Foreign Affairs meeting will discuss a range of issues, including consideration and approval of the 2011 to 2012 work programme and budget of the CARICOM  Secretariat,  and  current issues in the Middle East where Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was forced to resigned after two weeks of street protests against his 30-year rule.

When the Heads of Government meet on February 25^th, Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas will be making his debut as Chairman of CARICOM.

Prime Minister Thomas will be joined by Heads of Government from Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Foreign Affairs Minister Karl Hood says his Ministry is hard at work to ensure a smooth and successful meeting.

“We have an opportunity here to prove our capability since these two regional meetings will no doubt be a major boost for our economy,’’ he said. “We have to ensure that we deliver a professional service to our counterparts.’’

Agenda issues to be addressed by CARICOM include developments in Haiti; recommendations from the Prime Ministerial Sub Committees on the Caribbean Single Market and Economy; Health and Human Development; Climate Change; the Caribbean Court of Justice; and financial  stability with an examination of CLICO and British  American Insurance.

Top Officials from a number of regional institutions including the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB); Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB); Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Secretariat; University of Guyana; and the University of the West Indies are also expected in Grenada for the 22nd Intercessional Meeting of the Conference of Caribbean Heads of Government.