[Salutations]

It’s good to be back in Miami for what has become, for many of us, an annual commitment to working together to confront the challenges to development and to take advantage of the opportunities for development in the Caribbean and Central America.

I commend the Trustees and executive leadership of Caribbean-Central American Action for their continuing commitment to this cause and I thank them for honouring me with the invitation to address such a distinguished gathering this evening.

I have noted with interest the theme of this year’s Conference, “A Region Poised for Growth”. Of course we all expect and hope to delete the word “poised” the next time we meet !

I have noted the extensive program put together for this Conference, with a focus on specific sectors such as Agribusiness, Energy, Apparel Manufacturing, Financial Services, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Tourism and Transportation, as well as on “Regional Strategic Imperatives”, namely, Education, Disaster Responsiveness, Energy Security, Corporate Social Responsibility and Transportation Security, just to mention the principal elements of this program.

It is, as one would expect, a topical, comprehensive and stimulating agenda, which will no doubt result in provocative discussions and hopefully guide us all on what needs to be done to promote social and economic well being in the Americas.

It is in this context that tonight I like to share with you a few of my thoughts on the common challenges facing the small economies of the Caribbean and Central America. I hope that these ideas will inform the discussions to follow and contribute to your strategies for crafting a collective response.

It should be clear to all of us by now that the best way to deal with threats or challenges, whether they be social, economic, environmental or security-related, in the Caribbean and Central America, is to make the small economies of the region stronger, sustainable and better able to withstand external shocks. In this regard I believe that creating employment and promoting investment are critical to any strategy to strengthen vulnerable economies in transition. The most immediate task for the leaders and principal policy makers in the Caribbean and Central America is to expedite the development of a comprehensive forward looking agenda and agree collectively within each region on a strategic approach for implementation.

I believe that one immediate and solid basis for pursuing this strategic objective is provided by the shared interests and common values of the USA and the countries of the Caribbean and Central America.

Obviously, it is in the strategic interest of the USA and the Caribbean and Central America to continue to build and sustain such a relationship; this engagement should not only take place in times when domestic agendas require a friendly climate and response, clearly a more structural engagement is necessary on the basis of established mechanisms that deliver.

One such concrete response on the part of the United States, for example, would be to deliver on the promise of creating wealth in the smaller countries by dealing with the trade imbalance, by restructuring the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), by facilitating economic diversification and supporting, where appropriate, the transition towards financial and other services.

I am therefore particularly pleased to note that Representative Charles Rangel, a long-time friend of the Caribbean and Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee of the US Congress, in anticipation of the expiration of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) in September 2008, has requested that the US International Trade Commission (USITC) undertake a study to help the Committee identify ways that US trade and development policies can best help the Caribbean Basin and strengthen the region's ability to compete in the global economy.

Of more direct relevance to many of you is the fact that the USITC will invite the public to submit comments and attend hearings to help inform its study. This is a direct route to the development of legislation to shape the future of US trade policy in the Caribbean Basin. I therefore encourage you all, entrepreneurs and policymakers, to ensure that your views are heard and to make specific suggestions for improving trade relations with the US and the region’s own competitiveness, sustainability and economic development.

14 CARICOM nations, 6 Central American Republics and the Dominican Republic are members of the Organization of American States; that is almost two-thirds of the membership. These countries and their shared interests ensure that the focus is maintained on development as one of the pillars of the OAS, along with democracy and multidimensional security. Each pillar is equally important and mutually reinforcing.

In this context, the OAS General Secretariat has been working assiduously with Member States to advance concrete partnerships to integrate environmental considerations into development, poverty alleviation, and social and economic policies.

I myself have been calling for a new paradigm for development in the Americas, which combines governance, economic, cultural, social and environmental issues.

I believe that we need a more holistic, comprehensive and results-oriented development paradigm that focuses on providing opportunity, equality, and equity to all in our societies.

I therefore continue to advocate an approach based on the interdependence of building viable economies and establishing comfortable levels of equity and security, taking into account the diversity in size and levels of development in our Hemisphere.

In my view it is clear that we need:

• to provide consistent, stable, enforced and transparent rules for the private sector to invest and generate productive employment.
• a healthy and well-educated work force that can live in peace and achieve prosperity. We need social safely nets for the neediest in our societies to fulfil our commitment to community.
• the full engagement of civil society.
• to build awareness among the youth, to involve them, and to give them hope for the future.

To achieve all this, I suggest that we need a new socio-economic contract among governments, the private sector and civil society.

We must work together towards a brighter future. We must invest in the future. In this regard, we have to find ways to promote policies, partnerships and action that focus particularly on investing in education and youth.

A combination of good governance, rule of law, sound economic and social policies, a strong and transparent public service and an engaged citizenry, constitutes the foundation for consolidation and growth.

If we are to be successful, much will depend on a sense of collective commitment and shared responsibility in helping to build and maintain environments that support development, social equity, justice, democratic governability, peace and security, and ultimately, to provide hope and opportunity for all.

In this respect, I believe that the hemispheric community needs to address simultaneously political and development priorities.

At the OAS we are considering more effective institutional arrangements to reflect this need and I am pleased to inform you that Member States are now looking seriously at a proposal of the OAS leadership for reform and restructuring of our development mechanisms, including through the creation of a Permanent Committee on Development as part of the Permanent Council, in order to integrate more fully the issue of development into the policy agenda of the OAS.

Finally, since I have been afforded the privilege of preceding the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honorable Bruce Golding, allow me to say that it was an honor for me to head the OAS Observer Mission to the 15th General Election in Jamaica, on September 3 last, at which Mr. Golding was elected.

As I reported to the OAS Permanent Council, the elections were extremely well organized and transparent, and every effort was made to promote the participation of all citizens.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica, headed by Mr. Danville Walker, did an excellent job under sometimes difficult circumstances. And the Jamaican people are to be congratulated on their peaceful and orderly participation in this vital democratic exercise.

Prime Minister Golding and his Cabinet have hit the ground running and I once again extend, on behalf of the OAS and my own self, best wishes for a successful term of office.

I thank you all for your attention and I take this opportunity to wish you all a peaceful, healthy and joyful holiday season and the best wishes for the New Year.