CARICOM Development Fund on the way
July 3, 2008
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, July 2, 2008 - The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will tomorrow launch the much talked about CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) to provide financial and technical assistance to disadvantaged member states and sectors, as the region moves towards the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
The start up coincides with the 29th CARICOM Heads of Government Summit which officially began in Antigua last evening.
Meeting ahead of the opening, CARICOM finance and trade ministers attending a special joint meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and the Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP) agreed on a US$60 million start up figure for the CDF.
Details of how and where the monies will be spent are yet to determined. Countries like Guyana do need much help in the education and health sector among many others. This is a great step for the development of the region. But with quite a number of countries involved, discussing and agreeing on priorities might bring about unforeseen problems. We will just wait and see if this is another meeting that nothing actually comes out of but occurs annually, because it seems to me that heads of state and ministers throughout the CARICOM meet every week or so, wasting tax payers dollars with no real goals attained.
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Andrew
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7 Responses to “CARICOM Development Fund on the way”
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hhhmmm…I can’t believe this. Caricom about to take tax payers money and redistribute through the Caribbean. wow! What’s the problem with Guyana? Bauxite, gold, diamond, timber, fisheries, hydropower potential, possible offshore oil deposits, beautiful touristic landscapes, vast forest resources (flora and fauna), laterite, silica sand, balata, rice, and sugar. Seems to me we have all we need naturally. Not sure why we need handouts from little islands. This is pathetic! Much food is stored up in the tillage of the land of the poor, but it is being destroyed for lack of judgement! Goodness, somebody needs to be perturbed about this. Guyanese sitting on all this wealth and waiting for their government to develop it. Well, if the government can’t perform its basic legitimate functions such as national security (against other nations and enemies from within), I’m not sure how we expect them to address the illegitimate functions.
Spoken like a true philosopher! Discuss the reality of the recent 20 year history of Guyana and then discuss what is the problem in Guyana, Kofi. I don’t get it man! Don’t sit over the keyboard and try to deliver your rendition of Mid Summer NIght Dream. You need to take some coures in basic economics and social psychology.
What are you implying by your suggestion that I take courses in basic economics and social psychology very? Guyana’s past is well-known; our political history is stained with corruption, massacre, racism and ethnic strife. We’ve suffered tremendously at the hands of both the British and Americans due to their intervention, but at the same time, we have suffered at our own hands through the administration of people like Burnham. Now the PPP is in power and I think they feel strongly about that because the party feels as if it has always been prevented from power due to the US and Britain.
However, my sentiments go beyond our politics. In my view, Guyanese, people of the land of Guyana, have never been given the opportunity to determine the destiny of their own country and that of their own lives. We have developed a dependency on govt and others. We have lost self-reliance. We need a mindset change in Guyana. Citizens have to feel empowered to address the issues of their lives and the issues of the country. My question is “when will Guyanese rise to seize control of their own destiny and their own country?” When are we going to say that partisan racial politics has no place in Guyana; that our first allegiance is to Guyana, then to our political parties; when? I believe it can be done.
Hi Koki,
Your point echos to what we having been discussing at Baiganchoka.com
As noted in the response section of your article, I openly invite you to a formal/informal discussion on the subject so we as one people of Guyana can discuss the issue in an uncensored manner. Let me know! How can we get the message across if it not for individuals like you who are willing to implore others to change by coming out and voicing themselves.
When will you decide to stand up kofi? You speak of others. You left Guyana and now you speak from the commentary booth. Way to change the world! Way to go freedom fighter!
John I think you’re misunderstanding me. I did not leave Guyana. I’m pursuing education. I’m still a permanent resident and citizen of Guyana. I have my green passport and do not hold permanent residency in any other country. I think being formally educated allows me to pursue a certain course of action in the near future in Guyana. For now I work through groups with interest in Caribbean development to assist at home. I volunteer with two organizations here in the US (in Florida) that represent the interest of the Caribbean diaspora. They also send resources to Guyana to assist with education and so forth. We also do work to alleviate hurricane impacts in Caribbean islands. When my formal schooling is completed (less than a year), I hope that this effort can be increased.
Andrew, I send a message via the contact page and didn’t get a response. May be you want to check again. I’ll send another message.