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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Caribbean government and opposition leaders to meet

21 July 2005

Three Prime Ministers and other key political party and civil society leaders from twelve Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean will meet in 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 will be opened by Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, the leaders will highlight best practice and make 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, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Monday 25 July, will take place in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, Port of Spain, and will be open to the media.  Speakers at the Opening Session will include:

Hon Patrick Manning MP Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago
Hon Basdeo Panday MP Leader of the Opposition, Trinidad and Tobago
Hon Barendra Sinanan MPSpeaker, House of Representatives, Trinidad and Tobago
Mr Matthew NeuhausDirector, Political Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, representing the Commonwealth Secretary-General
Mr Niall JohnstonDirector of Programmes, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Ms Charmaine Atkinson-JordanProgramme Manager, Foreign Policy and Community Relations, CARICOM, representing the CARICOM Secretary-General
Mrs Sheilah SolomonCo-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 South 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.  

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
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Email: info@commonwealth.int