The Hummingbird - September Issue 2024 [vol.11, n.9]

Volume 11 - Issue 9

About us 4

CDR OPENING ECLAC Executive Secretary: Reconceptualize Economy for Improved Growth and Sustainable Development in the Caribbean…

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Keynote Address - SKN Prime Minister’s Vision for a Sustainable Island State

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CDCC OPENING ECLAC Executive Secretary: Road to Caribbean Sustainable Development not Easy, ECLAC Here to Support

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After 30+ Years, Multidimensional Vulnerability Index Accepted… Now to Implement It

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Caribbean Ministers Speak at the CDCC

Issued on a monthly basis, The Hummingbird offers insights into the latest projects, publications, technical assistance missions and research carried out by ECLAC Caribbean. In addition to these, sneak previews are provided of the most salient upcoming events, alongside enriching follow-ups to previously covered issues. With a view to featuring a variety of facets of Caribbean life and lifestyle, The Hummingbird also zooms in on cultural activities and landmark occurrences through an eye-opening regional round-up.

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor and Writer: Jabari Fraser Writer: Rachael Amanda Espinet Design and Layout: Liseanne Martin-Subero Please see our contact details on the back cover of this magazine.

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International Days

10 November World Science Day for Peace and Development 14 November World Diabetes Day 21 November World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Upcoming Meetings 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 Virtual Training in Gender Statistics for Turks and Caicos Islands 7 OCTOBER 2024 An Introduction To CGE Modeling focus upon trade and tax policy 11 NOVEMBER 2024 Virtual Expert Group Meeting on Human Capital Formation in the Caribbean

now on instagram!

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ECLAC Executive Secretary: RECONCEPTUALIZE ECONOMY FOR IMPROVED GROWTH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN…

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ECLAC Executive Secretary Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs recommends embracing a new vision for productive development policies in the Caribbean.

Executive Secretary Salazar-Xirinachs was delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of the Eighth Caribbean Development Roundtable (CDR) in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Over the course of two days, the CDR featured discussions among 23 Caribbean countries on the topics of confronting climate change; operationalizing the multidimensional vulnerability index; improving access to climate finance; improving productive development policy; and revisiting economic diversification in the Caribbean.

ES Salazar-Xirinachs said many countries in the region have strategies to address development gaps that often fail. “When we look across the Latin American & Caribbean region, we see three development traps: a low capacity to grow trap; a high inequality, low social mobility and weak social cohesion trap; and a low institutional capacity and weak governance trap. The key question is how to get out of these traps.” He suggests that the effective management of these transformations is essential. A major technical capability to be enhanced to facilitate this transformation is data and statistics. He also pointed out that the loss of highly skilled labour through brain drain, in the face of education and training systems which continue to underserve their populations, will need

what is the cdr? to be urgently addressed if the region is to achieve the high-quality learning and competencies needed to promote strong, knowledge-based economies.

“For confronting these and other challenges, at ECLAC we think it is essential to embrace a new vision on how to shape productive development policies.

These policies are crucial for promoting economic dynamism and transformation with three interrelated objectives: first, achieving a more productive economy, that is, a productive system that is more diversified and technologically sophisticated; second, a more inclusive one, in terms of more and better jobs; and third, a greener and more sustainable growth path, because it is also in PDPs that the tools for promoting the green and blue economies lie.”

ES Salazar recalled the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) at which Caribbean states highlighted the urgency of action for scaling up innovative climate financing and the importance of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) as a key tool in sustainable development.

“The diplomacy of small states can be very influential and powerful in all these and other fora and at ECLAC we are also ready and willing to support you on these financing and resource mobilization discussions, as well as on the challenges of productive development and others. The new geoeconomic and geopolitical realities require reevaluating diplomatic strategies, especially for small states, as you must now navigate a web of alliances, rivalries, and conflicting interests in a multipolar world. Do count on us in these efforts.”

The Caribbean Development Roundtable (CDR) is a premier forum for development discussion in the Caribbean.

Policymakers, stakeholders and thinkers present and discuss development challenges and solutions in the Caribbean.

The CDR takes place every two years and precedes the Meeting of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee, ECLAC’s subsidiary organ for the Caribbean subregion.

The development recommendations from the CDR are reported via the CDCC and made available to countries via the resolutions of the Commission.

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Keynote Address SKN PRIME MINISTER’S VISION FOR A SUSTAINABLE ISLAND STATE

Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew delivered the keynote address on the challenges to resilient growth in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Recalling experiences in his country, like many Caribbean countries, PM Drew said “the path to resilient growth is neither straightforward nor simple.” He added, “a sustainable island state is one where every citizen enjoys a high quality of life today, while preserving these standards for future generations.”

He said a vision for a sustainable island state must be built on water security; energy transition; food security; sustainable industry; sustainable settlements; circular economy and social protection. “Security

FOR GLOBAL TOURISM RESILIENCE FUND

Prime Minister Drew made his position clear that the development movement must include buy-in from people, “Resilience is not something that can be imposed from above; it must be built from the ground up. We should continue to work together and chart a course where all of us will benefit and with one voice will have a profound impact.” Presenting on addressing the challenges to economic growth, he said, “For too long, we have relied heavily on our Citizenship

by Investment (CBI) programme. While this has been a valuable economic tool, it is not enough. We must diversify our economy to reduce our dependency on any single sector.”

Also speaking was Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Development Penelope Beckles-Robinson, the incoming chair of the Caribbean Development and Coordination Committee. She declared that this is the moment for bold, decisive leadership and innovative solutions to build Caribbean economies and strengthen resilience in the region. “As we gather here for this Caribbean Development Roundtable, it is essential that we carefully examine practical strategies to break down the barriers that hinder resilient growth and sustainable development SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE OF THE in the Caribbean.”

resilience is about protecting our borders and ensuring the safety of our citizens… We cannot build a resilient nation if our people live in fear. Security is the bedrock upon which all other forms of resilience are built.”

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This year’s CDR featured a wide range of Caribbean development topics. Follow the full discussions here:

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Confronting climate change through risk reduction and resilience-building in the Caribbean.

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Improving access to innovate climate finance: towards investment in adaptation and structural change

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Operationalizing the multidimensional vulnerability index and addressing data needs

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Scaling up and improving productive development policy for a more inclusive and sustainable future

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Revisiting economic diversification as the key driver of growth and development in the Caribbean

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The Low Growth Trap TRAP IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Low growth capacity is a major development trap in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and as it relates to productivity policies, a bottom-up approach is essential. This is the main position adopted by Executive Secretary Salazar in the new flagship report on productivity and the crucial role that policies play in overcoming the trap, to address the region’s productivity challenges.

ES Salazar and Chief of Production, Productivity and Management Division at ECLAC Marco Llínas, were presenting at the panel Scaling up and improving productive development policy for a more inclusive and sustainable future at the CDR. The thesis is titled Towards transformation of the growth and development strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean: the role of productive development policies.

In her opening remarks, Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles-Robinson made the point that Caribbean countries need to upgrade, diversify, and achieve transformative structural change in their economies. Minister Beckles-Robinson highlighted the importance of ECLAC’s paper Panorama of Productive Development Policies in Latin America and the Caribbean 2024, which she says serves as a critical reference for such an effort.

The ES noted that labour productivity in LAC has stagnated since the 1980s, in stark contrast to advanced and emerging economies where productivity has steadily increased since the 1960s.

Economic growth in LAC between 2014 and 2023 was even lower than during the “lost decade” of the 1980s, highlighting the region's dismal productivity

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performance. The ES notes that low levels of investment as a share of GDP, compared to both advanced and other emerging economies, are partly responsible for this stagnation.

Llínas supported the position with data from five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Together they represent 80 per cent of the region’s GDP. The analysis examined fiscal efforts detailed in Productive Development Policies (PDPs) focusing on instruments such as subsidies, tax incentives, financial instruments, and capital contributions. The methodology was based on the (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)'s Quantifying Industrial Strategies (QuIS). Despite various methodological challenges, the study revealed that Latin America and the Caribbean invest around 0.5% of GDP in PDPs, compared to 3.2% in OECD countries.

Moreover, the reliance on tax incentives, especially in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, erodes fiscal capacity and misaligns with the new governancefocused vision that ECLAC promotes.

The flagship document concludes with over 80 recommendations aimed at scaling up and improving PDPs in the region. These recommendations are synthesized in seven key action items. They include increasing efforts in line with the new vision, strengthening governance, enhancing multi-stakeholder collaboration, and fostering cluster initiatives. The recommendations emphasize the need for internationalization, increased private sector engagement, and a focus on more inclusive and sustainable growth, addressing both social inclusion and climate change.

In the debate that followed the presentation,

panel discussants and meeting participants alike stressed the need for the inclusion of Caribbean focused data and research in the analysis, if the proposal is to properly reflect Caribbean realities along with those of Latin America. Another important perspective shared was the advantage of using an evidence based, mathematical model of the development path of regional economies to guide design of the productive development policies.

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ECLAC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: ROAD TO CARIBBEAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT NOT EASY, ECLAC HERE TO SUPPORT

ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs is warning that the road to sustainable development in the Caribbean is long and difficult, and is urging Caribbean countries, member States of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) to make full use of the research and development support that ECLAC provides.

ES Salazar notes that the Caribbean is on track to achieve only 20 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals’ targets by 2030. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 30th session of the CDCC in Port-of-Spain, as Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles-Robinson takes over the stewardship of the Committee for the next two years.

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Gathered at the 30th session of the CDCC were Caribbean ministers, ambassadors and development specialists discussing solutions to pressing development challenges.

ES Salazar notes that there are just over five years left to meet the 2030 Agenda. “The Caribbean has only 20% of its SDG targets on track for achievement; 33% moving in the right direction but too slowly for achievement, and 47% moving in the wrong direction. Furthermore, slow progress is recorded in sectors critical to your sustainable development like health and wellbeing, quality education and access to fresh water.

And then there are those indicators that lack the data for us to properly measure progress at all, indicators on key issues like gender equality and climate action.”

He notes that an important part of ECLAC’s work and technical cooperation over the years has been support for accelerating SDG implementation. ECLAC, the secretariat of the CDCC, has supported Caribbean countries in drafting national sustainable development plans and science, technology and innovation plans, as well as providing a range of other research and development support. However, ES Salazar-Xirinachs says there is another reality that makes the work difficult.

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T&T Elected Chair 2024-2026 OF CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE

Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, assuming the chairmanship of the CDCC, pondered the climate crisis, a central theme of the discussions this week. “The crisis is not some distant threat; it is unfolding before our very eyes, wreaking havoc on our economies, ecosystems, and the livelihoods of our people… Since those unaffected by our peculiar circumstances are unlikely to effectively champion our cause, the obligation lies with us to affirm our right to equally benefit from the providence of this earth.”

Minister Beckles-Robinson continued, “Let this session ignite a renewed commitment among us to stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow small island developing states, not just within our region, but across the globe. Together, we must confront the challenges before us and forge a path toward lasting, resilient prosperity.”

Outgoing Chair of the CDCC, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation of Suriname Albert Ramdin also focused on climate

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change, noting that damage and loss efforts must be made a high priority for the Caribbean. Looking forward to the upcoming COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan in November, Minister Ramdin said, “We cannot wait three or four years.

The urgency is imminent… Regretfully, countries will have to be frank. Making promises and pledges is not helpful if we don’t deliver on them. I regret that I have to be so frank about it, but it is in the interest of all to make sure that the resources are directed towards the real needs.”

Trinidad and Tobago will chair the CDCC for the period 2024-2026. Also elected to the Bureau of the CDCC were British Virgin Islands, Jamaica and Saint Lucia as vice chairs and Saint Kitts and Nevis as rapporteur. The Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee was established in 1975 and is in its 30th regular session.

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30 CDCC Meetings IN 49 YEARS Established in 1975, the CDCC was the brainchild of Cuban President Fidel Castro and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams. ECLAC Caribbean produced a short film commemorating the 30th meeting of the Committee. After a few consecutive meetings in the first few years of the CDCC, the committee now meets biennially. This is the script and the storyboard for the film CDCC 30. The film can be seen on the ECLAC Youtube Channel.

For almost fifty years, the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee has been supporting the countries of the region… Building a community of policy makers from around the region, opening the discussion forum on development for expert and human input… creating the setting for common positions and joint effort at multinational forums. The gatherings of the CDCC have been groundbreaking and productive. From its inauguration in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and that first meeting in Havana, Cuba in 1975…

The CDCC serves as a platform for the exchange of experiences and perspectives. As an intergovernmental body, the CDCC provides a forum for dialogue towards enhanced cooperation in support of the further development of the Caribbean. It is where science and research meet in a political forum for a sustainable and progressive outcome. Over the years, the CDCC has facilitated numerous agreements among members, covering trade, diplomatic relations and technical assistance.

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The establishment of the CDCC came at a watershed moment in how Caribbean development issues are tackled within the UN system. The CDCC meant thought, programmes and implementation for the Caribbean… and by the Caribbean… Needs, strategies and principles determined by the subregion itself. That progress and recognition culminated in 1984, when the Commission’s name was formally changed to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean… reflecting its broadened scope and increased relevance to the sub-region. The CDCC serves as a platform for the exchange of experiences and perspectives. As an intergovernmental body, the CDCC provides a forum for dialogue towards enhanced cooperation in support of the further development of the Caribbean. It is where science and research meet in a political forum for a sustainable and progressive outcome. Over the years, the CDCC has facilitated numerous agreements among members, covering trade, diplomatic relations and technical assistance.

Since the early nineties, the CDCC and ECLAC have been recognized as essential puzzle pieces in the implementation of development plans for small island states… In this forty-ninth year of existence, and thirtieth session of the CDCC, the agenda for Small Island States is more important than it has ever been. Islands and developing states around the world face a bleak future… the discussions following the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, once again, place the CDCC’s cooperation forum at the centre of discussion on future Caribbean development.

Dialogue on climate finance, the multidimensional vulnerability index, reform of the global financial system… the deliberations here will formalize and solidify national and regional positions for the Caribbean at COP29, the Summit of the Future and the UN General Assembly. The research at ECLAC Caribbean, CDCC’s secretariat provides the vital support to the vision of the Committee. The research, publications, missions, damage and loss assessments, are the data and information engines that keep the policy makers use to make informed decisions on the sustainable development of the region. As the CDCC enters its fiftieth year, its work and position in the regional development framework is now more relevant than ever.

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AFTER 30+ YEARS

NOW TO IMPLEMENT IT

On the weekend before the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), there was flash flooding in Antigua and Barbuda, the host country. This prompted the former President of the UN General Assembly, Ambassador Dennis Francis, to note that while the flash flooding was difficult, it was important that it occurred before the conference so that delegates could see that SIDS were not joking when they say the threat of climate-related disasters is an everyday reality.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the UN Dr. Walton Webson made this point to the 8th meeting of the Caribbean Development Roundtable on September 9 as he addressed the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI). The MVI is a long-advocated, newly-accepted rating tool to be implemented by the UN to holistically assess a country’s vulnerability, based primarily on economic and ecological factors. It promises to increase eligibility for development funding and concessional financing, especially during times of crisis such as climate-related disasters like hurricanes or other exogenous events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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He said the tools previously used did not adequately and comprehensively take account of the multivariate challenges and fundamental needs facingof the region. Too much emphasis is currently placed on per capita gross national income (GNI) to determine a country’s eligibility for concessional financing or development assistance. The MVI is intended to bring into sharper focus and make accommodation for those factors, particularly those beyond the control of SIDS, that affect the ability of small states to achieve sustainable development, such as the increasingly damaging impact of climate change. Many SIDS contribute only 0.2% of global carbon emissions while exposed to the worst effects of climate disasters. Much of the debt accumulation in SIDS highly vulnerable to natural disasters stems from the inability of these countries to access concessional financing for post disaster recovery and reconstruction.

“It is not good enough, particularly when recovering from shocks. In the region, debt servicing costs account for over 40 per cent of government revenue. The Caribbean’s inability to successfully access climate funds or grant funding for resilience building and economic restructuring further exacerbates our development dilemmas,” Webson said.

The MVI is a new international qualitative benchmark to measure structural vulnerability and the lack of resilience across multiple dimensions for sustainable development.

It can be used to complement the GNI per capita. The MVI will show the full story of the challenges countries are facing during recovery and reconstruction from any disaster.

The MVI consists of two levels: a universal level of quantitative assessment, looking at structural vulnerability and resilience using a common methodology for all developing countries which is presented by a summary index. Then there is the VulnerabilityResilience Country Profile (VRCP), which is a more detailed, tailored, individualized characterization of a country’s vulnerability and resilience factors including non-structural resilience. These national profiles are prepared by the individual countries.

The MVI is a universal measurement and accurately assesses developing countries, not just SIDS, regardless of size or GNI. It assesses environmental, economic and social dimensions of vulnerability. The vulnerabilities must be exogenous and not inherited factors.

“That’s important because many times the factors we thought were developed were not necessarily external shocks but internal conflicts,” Webson said.

The MVI must use publicly available, recognized, comparable and reliable data to assess a country.

However, Webson said this is where SIDS fall short because SIDS struggle with accurate data collection and statistics. To address data gaps, Webson said capacity building such as investment in training programs and technology is needed for SIDS and other developing countries to enhance statistical data collection.

“The UN system has some resources and we will be working with the statistical commission to help,” Webson said.

Training in non-traditional data collection including social media analysis, crowdsourcing data, and private sector data will also be offered. “By implementing comprehensive solutions in enhancing data collection and quality, we can improve our statistical capacities, resulting in a more accurate capture of our vulnerabilities and resilience.”

Anya Thomas, Economic Affairs Officer in the SIDS Unit for UN DESA, said the MVI finally creates a quantifiable report representing the stories SIDS have been telling for years.

“Finally, we have a quantitative international benchmark that measures structural vulnerability and lack of structural resilience, so we can finally quantify what developing countries have been talking about in a very abstract manner for quite some time.”

The MVI allows development assistance partners and national governments to focus on factors of vulnerability that can be addressed through law and policy and assess those that cannot. It can also guide country development and donor assistance policy.

The criteria for assessment are data availability, data quality, indicator selection transparency and indicator acceptability.

“The primary objective of the MVI is to provide a robust, acceptable, and simplified assessment of vulnerability that can be effectively operationalized by and for the benefit of vulnerable countries,” she said.

THREE KEY POINTS Purpose

of

the

MVI:

The MVI aims to provide a more accurate measurement of a country's vulnerability by assessing not just economic indicators like GNI but also environmental, social and structural vulnerability and resilience.

Impact and Goals of the MVI: The MVI aims to be a universal,

available and readable measure of vulnerabilities, providing guidance for national and international policymaking and helping SIDS better access climate and resilience funding.

Challenges in Data Collection for SIDS: Accurate

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data collection is crucial for the MVI, but SIDS often struggle with this. Dr. Webson stressed the need for capacity building and investment in training programs to improve data quality.

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SIDS AND THE MVI For over 30 years, SIDS have been advocating for a more comprehensive assessment of a country’s well-being beyond Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne co-chaired the High Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI).

High level panel on the development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index Final Report

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CARIBBEAN

MINISTERS SPEAK

AT THE CDCC

Several ministers and heads of delegation of CDCC countries took the time to discuss the importance of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee and how it has impacted development aspirations and work in their countries. From the margins of the meeting, Chair of the CDCC from 2022-2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Suriname Albert Ramdin reflected on his country’s chairmanship of the Committee; Associate Members repeatedly highlighted the common theme of more inclusive participation in international development and cooperation; and other country delegates spoke about the CDCC’s work almost fifty years after it was created.

ALBERT RAMDIN

SURINAME'S MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, CDCC CHAIR (2022-2024) First of all, it was an honour to chair the CDCC. It’s an important policy, debating, dialoguing instrument for the Caribbean.

Over the past two years, since we became chair, we focused very much on the challenges in the area of climate change and resilience building. We just came out of COVID-19 and rebuilding your economy is critically important. Those were two topics that were really critical for us. Those challenges remain as we go forward on our new chairmanship under the leadership of the Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and those discussions will continue.

Part of our efforts was to connect the Caribbean with the rest of the Americas, especially the countries in Central America and the wider hemisphere, Latin America in general. That is important in the context of creating more opportunities for us from an economic standpoint. Tourism is a critical area for economic activity and revenue generation, so all these issues have been discussed over the past two years. It is an ongoing agenda. It is an evolving agenda.

The CDCC’s relevance in my view is critical because policymaking requires solid analysis, statistical information, data analysis and collection in the first place, so we point to many of our constituencies. We need to work on that, but that information is needed to draft, to craft, the new policies that will take us further. This, the past two days, we have seen critical new elements being put forward. I am pleased to see the new executive secretary of UN ECLAC under which the CDCC falls, is setting out new directions for analysis, but also the focus on some new areas of attention. For instance, the productivity levels in our economies need to expand.

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EASTON TAYLOR-FARRELL

JOCELYN CROES

PREMIER OF MONTSERRAT

DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS, ARUBA

Very exciting, very good discussions. I think the future for ECLAC looks good. Based on the last three days of discussion, we are advancing the process of helping member states to deal with any issues they face. The associate member states have long been lobbying for greater assistance from the CDCC. I think we are getting there. The inclusivity is now greater over the last two meetings, this year and last year, and even for this year, we find there is more accommodation of the associate member states. In fact, if you look at the discussion we had this afternoon, where we were asked to identify the issue that affects us most. It’s the same thing for all of us, whether you are an associate member or an independent member state, we have the same issues, whether it’s climate change or data shortage, the same issues affect them. I think we can benefit significantly, and I think the attitude is there to help us as associate member states to advance our progress. Of course, we are aware that ECLAC is limited in what they can do for us because we don’t benefit from their mainstream funding. What we are lobbying for is the UN to allow ECLAC to be able to use some of their mainstream funding. What we would benefit from is just some side funding. We are hoping that if the UN can change its policy, then we will be able to benefit more from ECLAC and the CDCC.

Being here is extremely important for us as more and more we realize that we need to be more engaged with the region because we share the same realities; we share the same vulnerabilities, and there is no other way than working together to achieve our common goals.

It's always about our people, and I think that essence is forgotten in all these discourses, why we do this, and we share the Caribbean Sea and the people share the benefit of support from the UN system. However, the UN system doesn't approach all the citizens in the Caribbean in the same way. I think for us, as an associate member, it's important to be here, to be part of the discourse and to see how we can better approach our development challenges together with our peers.

I think the message is loud and clear. The associate member states need new assistance. Not necessarily finances, but even technical assistance. We have issues with climate change, the issue of accessing climate financing. I think if we can access those technical resources, the technical assistance, then we are on our way.

You know the associate membership is a difficult situation, but to be honest, it is the only opening we have to the UN system on our own. I think there's a lot of misconceptions about associate members. They think and the multilateral organizations have the perception that we are all equal as associate members. The truth is very different. For instance, in our case, we’re precluded from receiving development systems from the Netherlands.

COVID has made that clear for us. Climate change is here.

Perhaps we're blessed that we have not been as affected as the rest of the region, but we are being more and more affected. Having a tourism-based economy, you just need a little storm that destroys all our vital infrastructure, and there we go. We’re as vulnerable as ever to our external shock, despite bouncing back from covid. So yes, it is imperative for us to have a seat at a table as associate members, but also being treated equally because our people are all equal. We cannot distinguish between people based on the constitutional status we have.

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BENITO WHEATLEY

ALVA ROMANUS BAPTISTE

SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE PREMIER OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, CIVIL AVIATION AND DIASPORA AFFAIRS, SAINT LUCIA

Well, we had the Caribbean Development Round Table for the first two days. That was very interesting. They got into the mechanics of development and the challenges we face across the Caribbean. Of course, ECLAC contributed with their reports to give us some more context for what those challenges are. It's useful to us at this moment because we have to make decisions about our future. It's a pivotal moment. We had the ABAS, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, in Antigua in May. We have to operationalize it. We have to implement it. We also have the Summit of the Future coming up later this month which will talk about a new International Financial Architecture and changes in the international system that needs to be made for the world to be more equitable.

I think the discussions over the last few days have been quite rich. I think emerging out of those meetings are really substantial recommendations that could instigate concrete responses within the decision-making bodies of member states, so there is no doubt in my mind that the meetings over the past three days were just excellent.

It provided an opportunity for people to exchange and discuss ideas in a very progressive way; in an atmosphere that lent itself to constructive discourse and practical commitments.

We've made good progress on the inclusion of the associate members in the activities of ECLAC and the UN system. It's taken a while but we're getting there. Many associate members either have a political status issue because they're not independent or a per capita income issue because they have a high GDP. This is the challenge that we face. Where ECLAC can help is with greater technical assistance and also helping the international system to recognize that despite our political status, despite our per capita income, we have challenges that must be addressed.

We've been trying to coordinate the various associate members so we work more closely together to advocate on this issue. We have advocated in different forms, but it's much more powerful when the collection of associate members speaks with one voice and together. So that's one thing. At the level of the UN system, we are working with UN agencies to look at developing a road map on how we can gain access to development finance and climate finance.

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No doubt, its central objective is to promote and strengthen economic and social cooperation and integration, there are great ideas emerging out of it, exchange of information and I think we achieved that, so it is a series of meetings that could lead somewhere positive in the future. One of the recommendations I made at the meetings is for UN ECLAC to actually engage the member states and see how those recommendations could be mainstreamed in our development affairs. As you know, we embrace sustainable development, and we are keen on pursuing avenues to finance that development.

I think a lot of that emerged out of our discussions over the past three days and this is why I found it quite useful to the member states because they were quite practical, quite relevant and they are applicable to what we want to do and what we want to achieve at the national level.

CAMERON WATHEY

STUART JOHNSON

DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN RELATIONS, SINT MAARTEN

CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRIME MINISTER, SINT MAARTEN

It's important that we know the UN systems and we are aware of the resources available to us as associate members of ECLAC, but also of the UN systems on the whole. We are an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Essentially, we are represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands at UN entities, but that does not necessarily mean we don’t have access to other resources. We want to ensure we are taking full advantage of our membership here at ECLAC, particularly networking with other Caribbean islands, both members and associate members.

Well, you know Sint Maarten is re-engaging here at these sessions of ECLAC, and CDCC in particular, because Sint Maarten has not been an active participant for a number of years. It's of paramount importance that as Sint Maarten, we redefine our membership and expose our membership to the benefits that it has from the organization…

I think it is beneficial to ECLAC to have associate members be represented in an official capacity, including working groups and representation on panels more so, and more representation on the CDCC so we are aware of our issues and our unique status within the Caribbean as associate members, regardless of our political status.

One thing the Sint Maarten delegation highlighted in particular, is the amplification of the voice of the associate members… It is important that associate members are recognized, given the platform, and support and assistance in all facets that are there for our associate membership.

And, you know, in a spirit of camaraderie, Sint Maarten also nominated St Lucia, the Honourable Minister from Saint Lucia, Mr. Baptiste, for one of the three Vice Presidents’ chairs that are there. important going forward, I think, is also to the representation of the entire ECLAC. Also represents the Caribbean region, its physical location in terms of its highest bodies to the Executive Secretary and otherwise must be of the Caribbean region in itself. And I think that is something that going forward, it's a change of the status quo; it's a challenge to the status quo.

We've seen in particular a focus on the Latin American aspect, but as West Indians, as true core Caribbean people, we also must be at the forefront of all facets of the organization.

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ES SALAZAR-XIRINACHS MEETS WITH T&T MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

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As part of his mission to ECLAC’s Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs met with Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Senator Dr Amery Browne, at the ministry in Port-of-Spain. They signed the Agreement on the hosting of the Thirtieth Ministerial Session of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee and associated meetings.

ES Salazar-Xirinachs discussed invited Minister Browne to ECLAC's Fortieth Session in Peru in October. Minister Browne assured the Executive Secretary of Trinidad and Tobago's continued support to ECLAC's Caribbean Office in Trinidad and Tobago and the continued relevance of ECLAC's work to the country.

STAFF AT CARIBBEAN OFFICE MEET ES SALAZAR As the hectic work from the CDCC meetings wound down, some 40 staff members at ECLAC Caribbean had the opportunity to meet ES Salazar in a closer setting. Staff took advantage of the longawaited opportunity to introduce themselves to the Executive Secretary, detailing their work, areas of specialty and even sharing concerns. ES Salazar spoke about his past professional experience and shared his vision for the regional Commission.

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UN Country Team MEETS AT ECLAC

ES Salazar-Xirinachs also met with the UN Trinidad and Tobago Country Team, led by Resident Coordinator Joanna Kazana, and hosted by ECLAC and Director Diane Quarless. Team members introduced themselves and made brief presentations about their portfolios. He said promoting economic dynamism and transformation requires rethinking and reimagining the possibilities of Caribbean economies in a whole-society approach. Heads of agencies or representatives from UNDP, ILO, IOM, UN Trinidad and Tobago, PAHO/WHO, FAO, UNIC, UNDSS, attended the meeting and took the opportunity to discuss synergies and collaborations.

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THE KITCHEN Crab and Callaloo Trinidadian style What you will need: • • • • • •

Dasheen bush (Taro Leaves) Ochro/okra Pimento peppers (chopped) Garlic cloves (crushed) Hot peppers Brown sugar

• • • • • •

Cloves (crushed) Cubed pumpkin Green seasoning Coconut milk Crabs Salted meat (optional)

How to Make it: Step 1: In a heavy pot heat coconut oil till melted.

Step 2: Add in your garlic and onions, green onions and other aromatics and saute until onions are opaque, Step 3:Add in your sliced-up ochro and saute for about 5 minutes to remove some of the slimy texture that it gives off.

Step 4: Add in coconut milk and pumpkin and let that start to boil, then add in chopped-up dasheen leaves.

Step 5: Lower heat to medium add in your remaining ingredients, cover pot, and let everything simmer till the coconut milk is reduced to half the amount, and everything is tender.

Step 6: Once completed you can use your swizzle stick to get it to a great consistency that you like.

Step 7: Taste for salt and pepper.

Preparation notes

How do I add in pig tails?

When cutting up your dasheen bush, if the stems are bending and not snapping, don’t use them.

Tough stems usually mean the dasheen is old and will give your callaloo a bitter taste.

If you want to include pigtails in your callaloo you will need to prep it before use.

If you don't have coconut milk but have coconut milk powder on hand, follow the instructions on the packet to make the milk needed

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Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place the pigtail in the water and boil till the tails are tender and salt is removed. Once this is done, you can chop up the tails into suitable pieces and add the prepared pieces of pigtails to the pot when you add in the coconut milk.

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CONTACT US CONTACT US

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, 1 Chancery Lane, P.O. Box 1113, Port of Spain,

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago.

1 Chancery Lane, P.O. Box 1113, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.

MEDIA 1CONTACT Telephone: 868 224 8000 Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: registry@eclacpos.org

E-mail: eclac-media-pos@eclac.org

MEDIA CONTACT

Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: media-pos@eclac.org

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