CARICOM Summit Ended in St. Lucia on High Note

Caribbean Community Heads of Government concluded last week their 26th annual summit in St Lucia on a high note of optimism, stressing the "triumph of unity" against a backdrop of sharp differences over critical issues.

These include West Indies cricket, petroleum demands and supplies and modalities of conducting their own business.

For all the earlier controversies sparked off during their various caucus sessions, attendants agreed that Prime ministers Owen Arthur of Barbados and Keith Mitchell of Grenada would join CARICOM´s chairman, Prime Minister Kenny Anthony of St Lucia, at a mutually agreed time, in seeking a resolution to the current dispute involving the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players Association.

In the same breath, Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago is to be the point man in representing the Community, as a whole, in coming talks with President Hugo Chavez and his PETROCARIBE oil program.

Last but not least, a consensus was reached on the need to overhaul the conduct of Heads of Government meetings to reflect some of the complaints and reservations that have been expressed.