OPENING
OF CARICOM SECRETARIAT HEADQUARTERS
BUILDING TO TAKE PLACE IN GUYANA
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February
17, 2005
CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana |
On
Saturday, 19 February 2005 Heads of Government of the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will assemble in Guyana
for the opening of the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters
Building.
In addition to the Community’s Chairman and President
of Suriname, His Excellency Drs. Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan
and Guyana’s President His Excellency Bharrat
Jagdeo, a number of other officials will be in Guyana
for the historic event. The Secretary-General of the
Community His Excellency Mr. Edwin Carrington and other
dignitaries, including former Secretaries-General of
the Community, as well as current and former staff of
the CARICOM Secretariat will also be in attendance.
The President of Chile will lead his country’s
delegation to the event.
In a ceremony organised by the Government of Guyana,
there will be speeches by three Heads of Government,
namely the Chairman of the Community, the host President
and The Most Honourable Percival J. Patterson, Prime
Minister of Jamaica. The CARICOM Secretary-General will
also deliver a speech and there will be a statement
by a Special Envoy of the Government of Japan. The government
of Japan was instrumental in the realisation of the
headquarters building. There will also be a cultural
programme and music by the Guyana Police Force Band.
The road towards the construction of permanent headquarters
for the CARICOM Secretariat took a significant turn
on Wednesday, 25 February 1998 when five Heads of Government
of the Community and CARICOM Secretary-General turned
the sod as a symbolic start for the building of the
headquarters. The Heads of Government were, the Rt.
Hon. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada; Her
Excellency Janet Jagan, President of Guyana; Rt. Hon.
Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados; Hon. Basdeo
Panday, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and; Dr.
the Hon. Kenny Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia.
At the sod turning ceremony, Secretary-General Carrington
said he was pleased that the first step to build the
headquarters was taken during the silver jubilee of
CARICOM, adding that the construction of the complex
would enhance the institution's efficiency and its preparedness
to enter the Twenty-first century.
On 17 April 2002 the contract for the construction of
the building was signed and construction commenced shortly
thereafter.
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