March 3rd has been set as the date for the convening of the 2007 Summit of Heads of the Rio Group to be hosted here in Guyana.

A Government Information Agency (GINA) release yesterday said that the date was revealed by head of the Rio Group pro-Tempore Secretariat, Ambassador Rudy Collins at an inter-agency meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

GINA stated that a meeting of national coordinators slated for February 28 will precede the meeting of foreign Ministers on March 1.

Heads are expected to arrive one day before the big summit, and a cultural extravaganza, GINA said, is set for the evening of March 2 which will culminate with a dinner to be hosted by President Bharrat Jagdeo at State House. Jagdeo has appointed a ministerial oversight committee to prepare for the high level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, which according to Collins meets every Friday. GINA said Collins indicated that during Guyana’s chairmanship, strengthening internal cohesiveness of the 19 member grouping was a priority to ensure that the body continues to be a voice of relevance in the internal sphere.

This is the first time that a member state of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is chairing the group.