MINISTER MITCHELL TO TOUR THE CARIBBEAN

October 20, 2004

Minister Fred Mitchell, accompanied by His Excellency A. Leonard Archer, High Commissioner to CARICOM, will depart for Kingston, Jamaica on 21^st October 2004, for a two-day visit with the Bahamian community there, including students at the University of the West Indies and the University of the Northern Caribbean (formerly the West Indies College). 

On 23^rd October, they depart Jamaica for Barbados to join CARICOM Foreign Ministers in a Retreat which will run from 24^th  to 26^th  October.  The focus of the Retreat will be a review of all matters presently before CARICOM and the formulation of policy initiatives on issues such as Haiti and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).   The Retreat will be followed by a one-day meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR). 

On 27^th  and 28^th  October, the Minister and High Commissioner will visit the Dominican Republic to discuss with Government officials important bilateral issues such as fisheries, Haiti, an ambassadorial appointment to Santo Domingo and matters relating to CARIFORUM, the Caribbean trade bloc that interfaces with the European Union.