Official Mission to Jamaica
The Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), His Excellency Ambassador Alfonso Múnera Cavadía, accompanied by the Political Adviser, went to Jamaica on Official Mission and met on Thursday 3rd September, with The Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, Prime Minister, ON, MP: The Prime Minister gave the ACS Delegation a warm welcome, recalling the Secretary General´s tenure as Ambassador during the period 1999-2003. The Prime Minister lauded the role and effectiveness of the ACS, its revitalization and increased visibility, while underscoring the urgency for the Caribbean of the great challenge being posed by Climate Change. The Prime Minister then expressed her empathy with Sister Isle Dominica at this difficult time.
The Secretary General also met with Senator the Honourable Arnold J. Nicholson, QC, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade.
Ambassador Múnera’s meetings centred on the 1st Symposium of the Caribbean Sea Commission, carded for November 26-27, 2015 and the fact that it will focus on very current and urgent threats facing the Caribbean Sea like Climate Change, Rising Sea Levels, the Sargassum Weed and damage to the Coral Reefs, as well as shared experiences with other Commissions like the Helsinki Commission and that of the Black Sea. It was noted that the approach to this and most other challenges facing the Caribbean Region, should be combined collaborative efforts.
The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Jamaica´s appreciation and support of the Association. He endorsed Secretary General´s indication that Ministers of Foreign Affairs be invited to the Symposium having regard to the absolute need for a collective response and collaboration by all stakeholders, and signalled his willingness to attend.
Further, the Secretary General was received by Professor Hilary Beckles, recently appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. Their conversation centred on the need for synergy and collaboration between the ACS and UWI, with the latter driving the discourse of the Greater Caribbean. The many challenges could be overcome by multi-lateral diplomacy and joint projects. Reference was also made to the fact that the United Nations has declared this the Decade of People of African Descent.
The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.