Hurricane Omar affects summit preparations

In a statement issued on Friday by the National Secretariat, Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to the United States and Organisation of the American States (OAS) Deborah Mae Lovell expressed regret for inconveniences caused but praised her countrymen for being able to successfully conclude the negotiations despite Omar brushing past the island on Thursday.

First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the OAS, Flor de Lis Vasquez Munoz, suggested that Omar’s passage provided delegates with a unique opportunity to look again at the Declaration’s paragraphs on natural disasters.

National Coordinator and Special Envoy to the Americas, Ambassador Luis Alberto Rodriguez shared these views and proposed that the next round of meetings be held in Washington DC from November 17 to 19.

Countries were also called upon at last week’s meeting in Antigua and Barbuda to submit comments on the energy security paragraphs of the draft declaration by October 31.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Information said the National Secretariat was in discussions with the Carnival and Princess Cruise lines to charter cruise ships to provide additional hotel room accommodations for persons attending next year’s Summit of the Americas and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Port-of-Spain. Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert first announced on September 27 that cruise ships would have to be used to provide additional accommodations for the summits.

Last week, Imbert announced a national highway beautification programme in time for the summits and to be continued on a permanent basis afterwards.

Nipdec closed the tenders for companies interested in providing 200 VIP transport vehicles for the summits last week.