THE Prime Minister was confident that as he hands over Caricom's chairmanship to Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Caricom is in a better place to deal with the covid19 pandemic and begin the process of post-pandemic recovery.

Dr Rowley made his statements at the virtual opening of the 42nd regular meeting of the Caricom Heads of Government meeting on Monday. The two-day meeting ends on Tuesday.

Rowley, who holds the national security portfolio in Caricom's quasi-cabinet, chaired Caricom from January to June.

He recalled during his tenure "our countries have been faced with uncertainties on many fronts, from virus to vaccines to variants.

"Through it all we have rallied and we now stand on a somewhat fallow ground as a result of the co-ordination and collaboration of our member states, associate members and our institutions.

He said Caricom faced the covid19 pandemic frontally.

"Our own stance on equitable vaccine access, which we articulated early in January, anchored our region's actions and continues to resonate globally, especially among developing countries."

Rowley recalled as chairman, he wrote "to specific heads of third states, to request vaccines from their surplus supplies.

This clarion call, as well as strategic engagement and advocacy with high-level office-holders in key capitals and international institutions, has resulted in offers of vaccines from various channels."

This has put the region, he said, closer to our goal to inoculate as many of our citizens as possible. To ensure that we are protected from devolving mutations of the virus and to enable us to return safely and sooner to bolstering livelihoods."

He thanked Caricom countries which shared covid19 vaccines with Trinidad and Tobago and other member states.

"Your gracious acts of good neighbourliness during what has been a challenging time is deeply and sincerely appreciated. In dealing with this pandemic, it would have been unimaginable for any of us to face it alone."

Rowley said Caricom's caring and spirit of community have allowed the region to deal with challenges posed by covid19 and the effects of natural disasters such as the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent and the Grenadines, flooding in Suriname and Guyana and help Caricom countries affected by the recent passage of Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Elsa.

He said the unequivocal position taken by Caricom with respect to a border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana earlier this year "went a long way to bringing us to a place where the heat has been abated."

Rowley thanked outgoing Caricom secretary-general Irwin LaRocque for his invaluable service to the region over the last decade. He reiterated his congratulations to secretary-general designate Dr Carla Barnett and said he looked forward to working with her.

Rowley extended condolences to Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on the recent passing of her younger brother Warren.

LaRocque praised Rowley for his astute leadership of Caricom over the last six months, and

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