Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma begins a three-day visit to Belize on Tuesday, 15 May. It will be his first. Mr Sharma will hear first-hand how the small Caribbean nation has been coping with the challenges posed by the global fuel, food and financial crises. He will also explore how the partnership between Belize and the Commonwealth can be deepened.

The Secretary-General is expected to meet with Prime Minister Dean Barrow and various members of the Belize cabinet. He will also attend a board meeting of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.

Mr Sharma, who arrives in Belize from Mexico City after meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderón, Chair of the Group of 20, will brief Prime Minister Barrow on the outcome of his discussions with the G20 Chair. The discussions are in the context of consultations which G20 chairs now customarily have with the Heads of the Commonwealth and La Francophonie ahead of G20 summits. They provide the opportunity to strengthen the global legitimacy of the G20 and ensure that the views and particular concerns of small and vulnerable economies like Belize are heard ‒ even if those states are not seated at the G20 table.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General will also update Prime Minister Barrow on the Commonwealth Secretariat's institutional reform agenda following a report from the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group in 2011.

Speaking about the importance of local and international partnerships ahead of his trip, Mr Sharma said: "In today's complex world, governments and international organisations should not expect to have all the answers to building healthy economies, creating jobs for their citizens and dealing with the impacts of the global financial crisis and climate change."

Mr Sharma added that there was a big dividend to be paid from investing in trustworthy and mutually beneficial partnerships at both the local and international level. He said it was also crucial to ensure that women and youth ‒ a prime resource for many small countries ‒ are fully engaged in these partnerships.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General noted that small developing countries like Belize are particularly vulnerable because of their small domestic markets, over reliance on a single sector, high levels of indebtedness and the threat of natural disasters like hurricanes which can set back years of progress with a single blow. He said these countries need to build their resilience and for that local and international partnerships are needed on board.

"The Commonwealth has an enviable record of working shoulder to shoulder with our Caribbean members to provide specialist skills where they are needed, in helping to develop policies to tackle new challenges, providing forums where Commonwealth countries can network, and in learning from each other and advocating on behalf of developing countries on the international stage," the Secretary-General said.

The Secretariat supports collaboration between the Government of Belize and the CARICOM Climate Change Centre in the capital of Belize, Belmopan.

Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

Commonwealth Meeting In Belize

A major regional meeting is being held at the Princess Hotel and Casino in Belize. The Caribbean Local Economic Development forum opened at the Princess Hotel and Casino and closed just a short while ago.

IT focuses on the role of local government in Local Economic Development as well as enabling micro, small and mediums sized enterprises in the Caribbean.

This is the first CARILED forum being held in Belize, and it has drawn some big names, including Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma and Ministers of various Commonwealth countries. Minister of Local Government, Godwin Hulse outlined the main purpose of the forum:

Hon. Godwin Hulse - Minister of Local Government
"Improving the lives of the citizens and those we govern, both in their basic living conditions and their economic well-being, is then the goal. To this end, we must continue to promote democracy and decentralization of authority. The Central Government may devolve considerable authority to the local authorities, dependent on the capacity of such authorities, to manage the responsibilities. This program this morning is about that, but the concept of a local government managing the economic development is as far-fetched as getting to the moon for small countries. And so the CARILED Program, which we are talking about this morning, aims to do just that. How do we get local authority involved in the economic development, which would bring more taxes and jobs, etc. in in the area?"



Zenaida Moya - Chairlady, Commonwealth Local Government Forum
"Actually, it's the first time that we've gotten the opportunity to host the Commonwealth Local Government Forum. I was told, in the Caribbean, we are only the second country, next to Jamaica to ever be hosting the Commonwealth Local Government Forum meeting. What the CARILED project will aim to do, and aim to foster, is to improve on the local economic development in each municipality through an expanded relationship between private sectors, and the city and town councils. The business community has been the backbone to the growth and development of Belize City. And we see the CARILED project as one in which we will bridge this further partnership. TLJEF is one of the associated Commonwealth organizations, which means that we have access to Commonwealth heads of government meetings and policy debates at the highest Commonwealth level. Indeed, it adds significant weight to our work here in the Caribbean, as we take forward CARILED, that heads of State in the Commonwealth have endorsed the CARDIFF consensus, and have formally acknowledged the local government's role in local economic development. The CARDIFF consensus recognizes the important role of local government in local economic development. It defines local economic development as a process which brings together different partners in a local area to work together, and harness local resources for sustainable economic growth and development."

Phillip McPhee - President, Bahamas Local Government Association

"As the newly elected president of the Caribbean Associates of Local Government, I wish to pledge the full support of local government to partake in the Caribbean towards this noble venture. CARILED brings together the interests of people at the community level and local government. Moreover, it brings medium and small business enterprises together. Considering that this is a 6-year program, we look forward to the achievement, involving and the partnership with the FCM through CARILED, CALGO, the significant body of local government."

Closing Ceremonies started at 6:30 this evening.

Channel 7



Link Copied to Clipboard
March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Cayo Espanto
Click for Cayo Espanto, and have your own private island
More Links
Click for exciting and adventurous tours of Belize with Katie Valk!
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 345 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums44
Topics79,199
Posts500,011
Members20,460
Most Online7,413
Nov 7th, 2021



AmbergrisCaye.com CayeCaulker.org HELP! Visitor Center Goods & Services San Pedro Town
BelizeSearch.com Message Board Lodging Diving Fishing Things to Do History
BelizeNews.com Maps Phonebook Belize Business Directory
BelizeCards.com Picture of the Day

The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members
and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5