Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse has pledged to intensify relations with Caricom, saying that his government will “go for the challenge” of increasing economic activity with other community members.
Bouterse met outgoing Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington on Monday during his one-day state visit to Guyana.
“You will find my government more regionally oriented and our relations with Caricom will become more intensive,” Bouterse told Carrington.
According to a news release, Bouterse said that since Suriname joined Caricom in 1995, the country’s trade balance with fellow members of the community had moved from a deficit of US$50 million to a surplus in 2008. He said this was proof of the intensified economic activity between Suriname and the rest of the Caricom member states and said that much more activity could be achieved. He pledged that under his leadership, “we (Suriname) would go for the challenge.”
As Suriname’s President, Bouterse will have lead responsibility for Youth, Sport, Culture and Gender within Caricom’s Quasi-Cabinet. Carrington said that due to Suriname’s dynamism, it was a pleasure to see Suriname transformed from being the newcomer to one of the most active members of the community. He noted that Suriname now housed three of the community’s critical institutions; the Caricom Competition Commission, the Caribbean Regional Information and Translation Institute (CRITI) and the Caribbean Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA).
Bouterse, meanwhile, lauded Carrington’s contribution to the Caribbean and called him a champion of integration. “We regret your departure and will always be grateful to you for your endeavours,” the Surinamese President said. The President was accompanied by his Foreign Minister Winston Lackin and included in the delegation were the Ambassadors to Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, Manorma Soeknandan and Harvey Naarendrop respectively.
Earlier on Monday, during Bouoterse’s meeting with President Bharrat Jagdeo, discussions were held about recent developments within Caricom and both countries reiterated their sterling commitment to the achievement of goals and objectives of the integration movement. According to the joint communiqué issued after the meeting, views were shared about the implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), and agreed that as the only two contiguous states within the community, both nations, wherever possible, “will endeavour to hasten the implementation of the CSME commitments between themselves”.
