Deputy Secretary-General to Caricom: the Commonwealth is a trusted partner of the Caribbean

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Ransford Smith will visit Jamaica 4-7 July 2010 to attend a summit of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in Montego Bay.

He will brief leaders on progress in the implementation of mandates from 2009 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, including the launch of the Network of Electoral Management Bodies, a review of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the convening of the Eminent Persons Group. Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are current members of CMAG.

Mr Smith will hold discussions with Caribbean heads of government, including Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, focusing on matters of interest to the Commonwealth and the Caribbean.

“The Caribbean is a very important and valued region of the Commonwealth. One of the Commonwealth’s core strengths is addressing the varied concerns of small and vulnerable states,” Mr Smith said.

While in Jamaica Mr Smith will also visit a project on financial literacy, one of the Commonwealth’s success stories in the Caribbean, and implemented in partnership with the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (Carimac).

For media enquiries and to interview Mr Smith, please contact Ms Yvonne Chin on +1 876 404 6320 and y.chin@commonwealth.int.

Cathy Price Administrative Assistant Communications & Public Affairs Division   Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 20 7747 6386    Fax: Direct +44 (0) 20 7004 3771  General: +44 (0) 20 7839 9081 Web: www.thecommonwealth.org