Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr Kenneth Baugh, who will preside at the meeting, underscored the importance of this meeting. "This is an extremely important and timely meeting.

We are expecting productive deliberations, especially at this period of pressing challenges for our region, heightened by the global economic recession," said Baugh.

Recommendations from the meeting will be submitted for consideration at the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Guyana between July 1 and 4.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is expected to deliver the keynote address at today's opening ceremony.

Other speakers will be Baldwin Spencer, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Dr Edwin Carrington, secretary general of CARICOM, and Dr Baugh.