PANCAP can build on success in curbing spread of AIDS

UN Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean Professor Edward Greene said he was confident about the ability of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) to build on past successes to reverse or eliminate the spread of AIDS, during his inaugural visit to the Secretariat of the Partnership.

Greene visited the office one day before the regional partnership celebrated its 11th anniversary, and made a number of recommendations, a press release from the Caricom Secretariat said. “These included amending the Partnership’s current communication strategies, rationalising resources and implementing a “governance” arrangement, based on shared partnerships and collective leadership,” it said. He also indicated that his focus as UN Special Envoy would be on the UN mandate ‘Getting to Zero’ and recommended that PANCAP move to implement the recommendations of the Declaration of the 10th Annual General Meeting, which included revving the Champions for Change Initiative. This, he said, was critical for addressing the difficult conversations as the Partnership boosted its prevention efforts.

In welcoming Greene, Director of the PANCAP Project Co-ordinating Unit Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland called attention to his distinguished academic background, his sterling contribution to the region and his ability to bring life to ideas through partnership building, negotiation and his own personal goodwill. She also identified and lauded Greene’s recent contribution as Assistant Secretary General for Human and Social Development at the Caricom Secretariat, his involvement in the development of PANCAP as well as the newly launched Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).