By Al Edwards

Last Tuesday at the official Residence of the Embassy of Spain in Norbrook, St Andrew, the visiting Minister of State for Latin America and the Caribbean, His Excellency Juan Pablo de Laiglesia presided over the conferment of the Order of Civil Merit of Spain on His Excellency Dr Edwin Carrrington, Secretary General of CARICOM. The conferment was authorised by His Majesty the King of Spain.

Secretary General Carrington was recognised for his years of service to CARICOM and to the process of regional integration in the Caribbean, a process that has received the support of Spain. The honour represents also the esteem in which he is held for ensuring the strengthening of the relations between Spain and CARICOM.

Speaking at the ceremony in Kingston, Carrington said: “It is with great humility that I accept this award from the Kingdom of Spain. I do so, on behalf of the people of the Caribbean (CARICOM and CARIFORUM), whom I have the privilege to serve.

“Although the relations between Spain and the Caribbean began as far back as the 15th century, for us in the Caribbean Community, the relations took on a new life with what was the first ever institutional contact between a Spanish Head of Government and CARICOM when the Prime Minister Mr Jose Maria Aznar met in Port-of-Spain, in 1999, with the CARICOM Head of Government. The co-operation has gone from strength to strength with Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero and CARICOM leaders fully engaged in the process having met regularly and due to meet again in May.”

The end of the last century saw terrorism and AIDS become major world challenges and these two scourges confronted Dr Carrington when he began his tenure as Secretary General of CARICOM. But his academic and professional experience ensured he was up to the task of finding solutions to confront them. He has had a long association with a number of intellectuals, among them PJ Patterson and Ken Baugh, who had studied West Indian economic development and Caribbean integration. Dr Carrington is regarded as one of the leading voices of CARICOM and one of the region’s foremost academics.

Dr Carrington has acquired valuable experience as the Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Secretariat, where he had responsibility for managing that tri-regional body and mobilising resources for it. He has also served as a technician in the CARICOM Secretariat and studied the experience of Europe, seeking to intensify and deepen its own integration.

Speaking on Tuesday night, Dr Carrington further said: “The decision by Spain to appoint an ambassador to the Caribbean Community in 2007 has served to energise the relations between the two sides, establishing as it did a point of ready contact. I use the word ‘energise’ as it accurately describes the activities of the current Spanish envoy to the Community, Ambassador Jesus Silva, whose role can be termed as one of accelerated positivism!

“As we look towards the next summit in May, we can look back with satisfaction at what has been accomplished in the past 11 years and seek to ensure that the level of co-operation is heightened and that the May 2010 Summit becomes the catalyst in that regard.

“On a personal note, it is always satisfying to be recognised for whatever small contribution one has made, particularly in advancing co-operation between states.

“In that regard I cannot forget my involvement in an European Community – African, Caribbean and Pacific States (EC/ACP) Ministerial Council in supporting the entry of Spain and Portugal into the EC/ACP relations, after they became members of the EU. This was during the ACP Presidency of the late Dame Eugenia Charles, then Prime Minister of Dominica.

“During my many years at the ACP Secretariat in Brussels, my personal relations with Spain were not all work. I spent many pleasant days in Spain, most memorably in La Pacheca in San Pedro.”

Photo: JRB

Caption: Dr Edwin Carrrington, Secretary General of CARICOM (right), makes a point in discussion with Spanish Ambassador Jesus Silva and Deputy Prime Minister Ken Baugh on Tuesday at the official Residence of the Embassy of Spain in Norbrook, Kingston. Carrrington was conferred with the Order of Civil Merit of Spain.