International relations was one area looked at during the just concluded 28^th Inter-sessional Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the importance of the long standing relationship between the Community and the United States of America was emphasized in light of the new administration in the US.

Addressing a press conference to mark the end of the Meeting, Chair of CARICOM, President David Granger said the grouping was looking forward to continuing the fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship with the new U.S administration.

President Granger said the region has a very cordial and respectful relationship with the United States of America and he recalled that former US President Bill Clinton’s visited the region in 1997 for the US-CARICOM Summit Meeting in Barbados.

President Granger also referred to a visited by President George Bush and most recently, one by President Barrack Obama to Jamaica in 2015. President Obama had also attended the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad in April, 2009.

President Granger said that the region is looking forward to continuing those cordial relations with President Donald Trump. He added that traditionally, the Caribbean has been regarded as the fourth frontier of the United States and the region was sure that the US understands the strategic significance of the Caribbean.

He noted that the role of the United States is appreciated.

Presently, there are ongoing relations between the US and the region, relative to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), Trade and Economic relations and for the Guyanese Head of State, there is no anticipation of any significant disruption under the new administration.

“We have to wait and see, but we did take a decision to embark on an engagement with the present administration”.

The President does not foresee any change in the CARICOM-US relation.

Incoming Chair of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. Keith Mitchell said, “the harsh reality is that we all are aware of what is taking place in the United States, there has been a change of administration”.

Dr. Mitchell said, he thinks even with the Republican Party in power in the United States. there is some uncertainties and he added that it will have to be accepted that there are uncertainties. He noted that the region and the world will have to adapt a “wait and see attitude”.

.Dr. Mitchell feels that there must be a clear understanding that the uncertainty that exists cannot continue and will have to settle.

He too highlighted that historically, the region had very good relationship with the United States Government more so, during Republican Administrations.

He noted when Grenada was destroyed in 2004, the largest disbursement of aid at that time came from the United States Government under George Bush.

Dr. Mitchell summed it up saying that the region’s borders are too close with the United States for them to risk uncertainty or problems in the region’s direction and therefore the whole issue of immigration must be seen as crucial, not only for the region but also for the United States.  

Several CARICOM nationals were taken into custody recently in New York as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.  (by Handel Duncan)

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