CM SPEAKS AT OVERSEAS CARIBBEAN TERRITORIES MEETING

 Thursday, November 17 – Chief Minister Honourable Dr. D Orlando Smith is attending a meeting of the Overseas Caribbean Territories Association (OCTA) in Martinique November 17-18.

The Chief Minister, who is also Chairman of the Ministerial Conference of OCTA, will address the meeting on “Strengthening the Regional Integration of the Overseas Territories in the Caribbean,” along with other issues. He is listed to speak four times during the two-day meeting.

The meeting’s objectives are to consolidate the process of regional dialogue amongst the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories; to brainstorm on regional cooperation in the Caribbean Area through co-financing of European Commission Development Cooperation Instruments and the European Regional Development Fund; and to initiate the procedure for the identification and subsequent preparation of projects and programmes to be considered for funding under European Commission resources.

This week’s meeting is being held in preparation for an Overseas Caribbean Territories-European Union Forum in Brussels next month.

Private Secretary to the Chief Minister, Miss Desary Cameron, is attending the two-day meeting in Martinique along with the Chief Minister. Minister for Communication and Works the Honourable J. Alvin Christopher is acting as Chief Minister.