Commonwealth Caribbean Government and Opposition Leaders Meet

Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, opened the meeting.

Three Prime Ministers and other key political party and civil society leaders from twelve Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean are meeting in the Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from 25 to 27 July 2005 to discuss how governments and opposition parties can work together to strengthen the democratic process in their countries and the region. At the meeting, which was opened by Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, the leaders are highlighting best practice and making proposals for future action.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon will be visiting Trinidad and Tobago during the workshop, which he will address on 26 July.

The Opening Session of the workshop, on Monday, 25 July, took place in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, Port of Spain, and was open to the media. Speakers at the Opening Session included:

Hon Patrick Manning MP	Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago
Hon Basdeo Panday MP	Leader of the Opposition, Trinidad and Tobago
Hon Barendra Sinanan MP	Speaker, House of Representatives, Trinidad and Tobago
Mr Matthew Neuhaus	Director, Political Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, representing the Commonwealth Secretary-General
Mr Niall Johnston	Director of Programmes, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Ms Charmaine Atkinson-Jordan	Programme Manager, Foreign Policy and Community Relations, CARICOM, representing the CARICOM Secretary-General
Mrs Sheilah Solomon	Co-ordinator, Citizens' Agenda Network, Trinidad & Tobago

The workshop has been organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, in co-operation with the Citizens' Agenda Network, a Trinidad and Tobago non-governmental organisation. 

Note to Editors:

A similar meeting between government and opposition leaders was held in Maputo, Mozambique, in January 2004 for the thirteen Commonwealth countries which are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This was organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in conjunction with the SADC Parliamentary Forum. The Commonwealth Secretariat and CPA plan to have a similar workshop for Commonwealth Pacific countries later this year.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General will be available for interviews on 26 July 2005. For further information contact Mwambu Wanendeya on + 44 77 30 90 00 20.