Caricom offers to mediate Venezuela crisis

The OPM said Caricom issued a statement after a closed door session.

The Caricom statement reaffirmed the body’s principles of adherence to the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy, and non-intervention in the internal affairs of states.

Caricom Heads of Government urged all parties in Venezuela to “commit to engage in renewed dialogue and negotiations leading to a comprehensive political agreement with established timetables, concrete actions and guarantees to ensure its implementation for the well-being of the nation.” The OPM statement said, “The regional body is proposing to facilitate constructive dialogue between the relevant parties in Venezuela.

The Chair of the Conference, Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr the Honourable Keith Mitchell has been mandated to write to these parties making the offer.”

CHILDREN GETTING FAT The session also received a report on the progress of the 2007 Port of Spain Declaration to stop the epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris, in delivering the report, said the region’s development is undermined by NCDs and the cost of their treatment.

“The report identified diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful alcohol use as the main risk factors. It recommended that Caricom focus its effort on dramatically reducing tobacco consumption across the region through legislative action, taxation and public health campaigns.

“On the issue of obesity, the report identified 30 per cent of young people in the Caribbean as obese and called for an intervention to save the next generation. Dominica and Barbados were lauded for their taxation regimes which targets sugary and salty foods.” In the same session, Rowley asked Caricom’s stance on West Indies cricket.

“I would like to recommend that we again empanel a committee on cricket and re-engage that issue and pursue it, in spite of the frustration, to bring some kind of resolution. I do not think that it is helpful for us to concede that we no longer have an interest. “Having given this recommendation, as a former member of the committee I would like to make myself available and to encourage my colleague from Grenada to come back to the committee, so that we can have a team of members to stay engaged on the matter of West Indies cricket.” Outside the forum, Rowley met with US State Department officials for talks on issues of mutual interest including trade and security.

Regarding security, the US said it could provide more support to Trinidad and Tobago and pledged to do so. Rowley stressed the need for a strengthened partnership, specifically in the areas of training, equipment and information sharing.

Yesterday Rowley also took the opportunity to attend an observatory tour of Sandals LaSource Grenada, of which Sandals is expected to open a similar resort in Tobago. discovered was that mangroves were being depleted which is a serious problem because with concerns about climate change and CO2 emissions, mangroves capture 60 percent of CO2 emissions and mangroves are very good at sequestering and storing CO2, in addition to which they provide habitats for migrating birds and represent an effective coastal barrier agent.