“CARICOM and the Commonwealth: Collective Responsibility in the 21st Century” is the theme of the Conference being hosted by The University of the West Indies and the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Conference takes place on February 16 - 18, 2011 starting 9 am daily at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre, UWI, Mona. 
 
The event underscores the role which the Caribbean Community plays within the Commonwealth and the wider international community as an example of an integration entity that seeks to improve the welfare of its people while maintaining the political, cultural, religious and democratic freedoms of its member states.  The realization of this objective would require an in-depth examination of the performance of CARICOM in such areas as fostering peaceful cooperation, regional and global security and supporting measures aimed at the sustainability of the environment, human rights, equity, fairness and good governance. 

The Conference will address five broad issues namely: The Changing Environment, External Negotiations, Functional Cooperation, Governance, Constitutional Issues and Institutional Development and People Centred Development. Prime Minister of Grenada and Chair, CARICOM, the Rt. Hon. Tillman Thomas will deliver the opening address at the Conference while the Most Hon. P.J. Patterson, former Chairman of CARICOM will make the closing address.  Discussions on these issues will be lead by moderators and panellists Chancellor, Sir George Alleyne, Chancellor, UWI, Sir Shridath Ramphall, Chancellor Emeritus, UWI and  Former General Secretary of the Commonwealth, Professor Clement Sankat, Principal, UWI, St. Augustine, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Principal, UWI, Cave Hill and Dr. the Hon. Kennedy Anthony, Leaser of the Opposition, St. Lucia. Panellists on the occasion include: Professor Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor, UWI, Professor the Hon. Gordon Shirley, Principal, UWI, Mona and Ambassador Ransford Smith, Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Secretariat. 

Such examination would also require a determination of how to re-calibrate CARICOM’s relationships and responses with the emerging powers of China, Brazil, India and Russia; and how to rebalance its responsibilities with the OAS as well as with Canada, Mexico, the United States of America and others even as it deepens its engagement with other regional and international organizations to generate sustainable growth for the people of the region.  The Conference will address these and related issues. 
 
All are invited to attend. For more information please telephone Allison Fung at 927-2406.