Jamaica Gleaner
Published: Saturday | December 12, 2009
Home : Business
Préval to chair CARICOM next year
HAITIAN PRESIDENT René Préval is set to take up the post of chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) next July, in a bid to forge closer ties with the regional bloc.

The announcement was made during the end-of-year press conference via video-conferencing, hosted by the CARICOM secretary general on Thursday.

A number of concerns were highlighted by a Haitian journalist during the conference.

The journalist stated that citizens in his country were the only Caribbean nationals required to have a visa to travel to CARICOM states.

He also wanted to know why The Bahamas was the only member of CARICOM that had appointed an ambassador to Haiti.

Steven Mac Andrew, CARICOM specialist, said that free movement within CARICOM was not a dream but a reality.

"Heads of government have taken a decision that Haitians travelling on a diplomatic passport or official passport do not need visas to enter the other member states of the Caribbean Community," he said.

Commenting further, Mac Andrew said in 2010, the country would become part of the CARICOM trade regime.

He said the issue of having an ambassador in a particular member state was a national choice and not a CARICOM requirement.

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com

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