On the economic development front, Grenada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Oliver Joseph, attended the 10th UK-Caribbean Forum today.
Grenada Foreign Minister anticipated the forum as one that would deal with crucial issues in today’s World that’s shrouded with the troubles of the COVID pandemic.
REPORT
The two territories, CARICOM and the UK, are not divorced from the effects.
Foreign Secretary, Domnic Raab, starting his address noted the friendship which exists between the two regions, and, for Joseph that’s already endorsed, but more germane to the relationship, are the issues of building resilience in view of the pandemic, which can be directly linked to a disaster hazard for the devastating impact it’s having on the economies of small states.
This, as well as the region’s thirst for development funding, matters which prompted Oliver Joseph to look forward to the forum with much anticipation.
His general belief is that it would be results-oriented.
Prior to the start of the forum, Joseph did make the point that as partners, speaking about the relationship between the Caribbean and the UK, there are a number of matters that need addressing, and he was optimistically confident, the meeting would be fruitful.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also shared similar sentiments, mentioning the fact that the diaspora population is indicative of the kind of relationship which exists, and it’s time for tackling pertinent issues.
He sees the people of the Caribbean making an invaluable contribution to every aspect of British life.
They have built their lives and made their homes in the UK, making the UK stronger, more vibrant, and more successful as a nation.
And, according to him, this is why the UK is acting urgently to put right the mistakes that led to the Windrush scandal.
He says the UK wants to keep building the links with Caribbean countries and the fact that there have been four new diplomatic posts in the Caribbean in the last 18 months… in Antigua/Barbuda, the Bahamas, Grenada, and St Vincent and the Grenadines…underlines their commitment to the region.
The British Foreign Secretary noted, however, COVID-19 remains for now the first order of business, along with Economic recovery, which is being hit a hard blow by the pandemic and the issue of climate change.
