The dignitaries are in town. Barred roads, heavily armed police, motorcades, blaring sirens and a protest accentuated this fact as the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) opened in Georgetown yesterday.

Trade unionist Lincoln Lewis (right) and social activist Mark Benschop (second from right) led a protest yesterday against the government outside the National Cultural Centre during the opening ceremony for the Caricom Heads of Government conference.

Thirteen Prime Ministers, One President, a Secretary-General and many other persons converged at the National Cultural Centre for the Opening Ceremony, and to witness as an elder statesman of the Caribbean, the Honourable Percival Noel James Patterson, the former Prime Minister of Jamaica, being conferred with the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC). When he walked on stage, the large crowd knew that it was witnessing a special moment and cheered. Patterson, as part of the award will be able to acquire land in any Caricom state and will receive a special travel document.

Earlier, sirens blared as the visiting Prime Ministers arrived to a red carpet welcome and steel-pan music. Police were out in their numbers and manned barricades as a small group of about 15 persons staged a protest on Mandela Avenue, just outside the Chinese Embassy. Chanting ‘Jagdeo must go’, among other slogans, the group, which included trade unionists, among others walked in a circle on the road and had to be cautioned by police to move off as vehicles passed.

At the Cultural Centre, the leaders, each led by a child, were ushered inside to the sound of drums, rather like medieval knights being led to a joust. Only it wasn’t and against the backdrop of a depiction of Guyana’s most famous attraction, the Kaieteur Falls, the ceremony began.

They spoke of Guyana’s generous hospitality, the “outstanding qualities” of Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo and the Grand Anse Conference, twenty years ago.  Then Prime Ministers, Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, arrived and their representatives were ushered off the stage.

“I feel very much at home here and it is wonderful to be back in Guyana”, outgoing chairman of Caricom and Prime Minister of Belize, Dean Barrow said as he recalled how many years ago, he  was struck by the similarity of the architecture of Georgetown and Belize. He quoted V.S. Naipaul.

At various points, as statements were repeated, some of the Heads, stared at something, looked up; bent forward, leaned back in the chair.

Loud snores emanated from one male in the audience; his colleague yanked the tissue covering his face and he left, probably to wash his face.

It was noted that Caricom states are “exceedingly democratic” and all the leaders were elected and the audience gave a cheer for democracy.

Antiguan Prime Minister, Baldwin Spencer spoke on immigration and received loud cheers from the audience and the Heads. President Jagdeo noted that people are disenchanted at the slow pace of the integration movement.

When Percival Noel James Patterson, aged and seemingly a little frail, walked on to the stage, it was time for more cheers.
He shook hands with the leaders, hugged Gonsalves and current Jamaica Prime Minister, Bruce Golding and in a strong, steady voice and in a nod to his accomplishments, revealed that he had been infected by a “regional virus” and it was too late to find any cure. “This is a day which I will always treasure and never forget”, the statesman assured.

In the capital city of Caricom, under the July night, the elder statesman voiced what he noted was a widely held belief…that this Conference will determine whether Caricom states swim safely ashore or drown separately in the Caribbean Sea.