Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
US Ambassador presents “Letter of Credentials” to Caricom Secretary General
United States Ambassador to Guyana, D. Brent Hardt, yesterday presented his letter of
Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque holding up US Ambassador’s D. Brent Hardt’s letter of Credentials.
Credentials to Caricom’s Secretary General Irwin LaRocque at a simple ceremony at the Caricom Secretariat.
This makes the Ambassador the official Plenipotentiary Representative of the United States of America to the Caribbean Community.
Secretary General LaRocque said that the United States and CARICOM have enjoyed robust and friendly relations for many years.
He said that the relationship has evolved, changing and adapting, “as our respective domestic circumstances and geopolitics required.”
LaRocque said that the one constant has been the strength of the relationship and the goodwill which are manifested in various activities at several levels.
He said that they have taken note that within the last five months, three senior Cabinet members of President Barrack Obama’s Administration have come to the Region and have been engaged in discussions with the Community.
First was Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who met with our Foreign Ministers in Montego Bay, Jamaica, then Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano who attended the recently concluded Second Caribbean–United States Security Cooperation Dialogue, in Bahamas.
The latest visitor was Attorney-General Eric Holder who visited Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, just last week LaRocque said.
He noted that in all three visits the issue of Security featured prominently among the areas for discussion.
Ambassador Hardt in his address said that he is honored to have the opportunity to serve here with the Caricom.
He said that as was affirmed in Bridgetown, the US and the Caribbean are bonded together by “our social economic ties, shared history, and commitment to democracy, to achieve social justice.”
According to the US Ambassador the relationship is built on the solid foundation of the 1997 Bridgetown summit, where the Heads of Government and State had pledged to strengthen cooperation ties based on mutual respect.
Hardt said that as the representative of the United States of America, he is eager to work with Caricom to advance its goals and to expand partnership in the spirit of mutual respect.
One of these partnerships he said was the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative which is allowing them to intensify joint effort to meet and share security challenges.
He said that the initiative is to reduce illicit trafficking and to promote social justice. Hardt said that it’s a new and innovative way of security that seeks to address the root causes and consequences of crime and violence that threaten the social fabric and the economic vitality of the region.
He posited that young people within in the region deserve better opportunities and the US is committed to working with Caricom and host countries along with Non Governmental Organizations, individuals throughout the region.
He said that they believe that this work can serve to reinforce Caricom’s own social development action plan.
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