Articles

Back to articles index

PRESS RELEASE
July 2004

JOINT STATEMENT

BY

THE PRIME MINISTER OF ST. LIUCIA

AND

On the occasion of the official visit to St. Lucia by the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honourable P.J. Patterson from July 1 – 2 2004, the Prime Minister of St Lucia, Dr. The Hon. Kenny D. Anthony and the Prime Minister of Jamaica held discussions on matters of mutual interest between their two countries including bilateral relations as well as recent regional and international developments.

They hailed this first ever official visit to St Lucia by a Prime Minister of Jamaica and Prime Minister Patterson’s historic address to the Joint Sitting of the St Lucia Parliament as a reaffirmation of the warm and fraternal relations that have traditionally existed between the peoples and governments of Jamaica and St Lucia. They therefore agreed to continue to work for the further deepening of these relations and in that regard discussed issues relating to education and the fight against the trafficking of illegal drugs in the Caribbean. They agreed to strengthen mechanisms for further cooperation   between Jamaica and St. Lucia in the combating of the illicit drug trade.

They noted with satisfaction the private sector linkages that had developed between St. Lucia and Jamaica, particularly in the field of tourism, and in view of the meeting that had taken place between Prime Minister Patterson, representatives of the Jamaican sector and members of the St. Lucia Private Sector, called for the widening of these linkages and further collaboration between the private sectors of the two countries.

The Prime Ministers pledged their support for the growth and development of the regional integration process of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and in that regard agreed to work assiduously with the other member states of Caricom to bring the Caribbean Single Market and Economy to fruition by the target date of 2005. 

They praised the recent progress that had been made towards the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice and looked forward to its inauguration later this year.

They also agreed to promote the continued discussion and search for suitable new governance structures for Caricom that would lead to the strengthening of the Caribbean Community to enable it to better fulfil its goal of the economic and social advancement of the peoples of the region.

In reviewing recent regional developments, they once more expressed their regret at the events that had led to the interruption of the democratic process in Haiti and to the consequential departure of President Jean Bertrand Aristide from office. Recalling  that  the members  states of the Caribbean Community have  always steadfastly ascribed to the principles of democracy, democratic elections and the rule of  law and their efforts in the past to bring Haiti into the democratic fold,  they looked forward to the early restoration of the democratic process in Haiti and the  emergence there of a democratically elected government. 

The Prime Ministers also discussed matters for deliberation at the forthcoming Twenty-fifth meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in St Georges, Grenada 4 – 7 July, 2004.

Castries, St Lucia

July 2, 2004