French Caribbean seeks closer ties with Caricom
Saturday, February 18th 2006
The French Caribbean territories of Guadeloupe, Martini-que and French Guiana are seeking closer cooperation with Caricom, Vice President of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe, Marlene Melisse says.
Melisse said this cooperation would allow them to optimise on available resources and to assist in a number of priority areas identified.
Melisse visited Guyana yesterday and met Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington. She told the media at the Office of the Head of the EU Delegation to Guyana that her visit was in keeping with decisions taken at the first seminar on 'the Development of Regional Cooperation in the Caribbean through European Funds' held in Martinique in November last year.
At yesterday's meeting four main priority areas were identified: HIV/AIDS, inter-connectivity in terms of transportation and communication, natural disasters, and trade and investments. The knowledge of more than one language in the Caribbean region where at least four languages are spoken was also seen as important.
Melisse said her visit to Guyana made possible through the EC Delegation in Guyana had two purposes. In the first instance it was to discuss the modalities for strengthening cooperation between the French Overseas Departments and the EC Guyana delegation concerning the EDF/ERDF coordination and future EC-funded Caribbean regional programmes. Secondly, it was to discuss with Carrington the modalities of the cooperation framework with Caricom/ Cariforum.
The 24 million euros EC-funded Caribbean regional programme covers Guade-loupe, Martinique and French Guiana for the period 2000 to 2006.
The programme seeks to establish close coordination with the EDF to mobilise funds to help promote greater economic, social and regional cohesion of the French territories in the Greater Caribbean area particularly with neighbouring countries such as Guyana and Suriname. It also includes cooperation with Caribbean regional organisations such as Caricom and Cariforum.
Speaking about the number of common points identified in Martinique between Cari-com countries and the French territories and her visit to Guyana, Melisse said one of the areas in which both Guyana and other Caribbean territories, including the French, could benefit was through a weather radar network which would forecast natural disasters to which the Caribbean region is prone.
She said French Caribbean Territories are trying to strengthen their management capacity to minimise the effects during and after natural disasters would have occurred.
In terms of commerce and integration, she said it was important to know the environment in which they operate. (Miranda La Rose)
Saturday, February 18th 2006
The French Caribbean territories of Guadeloupe, Martini-que and French Guiana are seeking closer cooperation with Caricom, Vice President of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe, Marlene Melisse says.
Melisse said this cooperation would allow them to optimise on available resources and to assist in a number of priority areas identified.
Melisse visited Guyana yesterday and met Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington. She told the media at the Office of the Head of the EU Delegation to Guyana that her visit was in keeping with decisions taken at the first seminar on 'the Development of Regional Cooperation in the Caribbean through European Funds' held in Martinique in November last year.
At yesterday's meeting four main priority areas were identified: HIV/AIDS, inter-connectivity in terms of transportation and communication, natural disasters, and trade and investments. The knowledge of more than one language in the Caribbean region where at least four languages are spoken was also seen as important.
Melisse said her visit to Guyana made possible through the EC Delegation in Guyana had two purposes. In the first instance it was to discuss the modalities for strengthening cooperation between the French Overseas Departments and the EC Guyana delegation concerning the EDF/ERDF coordination and future EC-funded Caribbean regional programmes. Secondly, it was to discuss with Carrington the modalities of the cooperation framework with Caricom/ Cariforum.
The 24 million euros EC-funded Caribbean regional programme covers Guade-loupe, Martinique and French Guiana for the period 2000 to 2006.
The programme seeks to establish close coordination with the EDF to mobilise funds to help promote greater economic, social and regional cohesion of the French territories in the Greater Caribbean area particularly with neighbouring countries such as Guyana and Suriname. It also includes cooperation with Caribbean regional organisations such as Caricom and Cariforum.
Speaking about the number of common points identified in Martinique between Cari-com countries and the French territories and her visit to Guyana, Melisse said one of the areas in which both Guyana and other Caribbean territories, including the French, could benefit was through a weather radar network which would forecast natural disasters to which the Caribbean region is prone.
She said French Caribbean Territories are trying to strengthen their management capacity to minimise the effects during and after natural disasters would have occurred.
In terms of commerce and integration, she said it was important to know the environment in which they operate. (Miranda La Rose)
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