Rowley meets Modi at Caricom-India summit

THE Prime Minister joined with his Caricom colleagues in assuring India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the region’s commitment to strengthening ties with India.

The commitment was made on November 20 as Dr Rowley and regional heads of government met with Modi and the Indian delegate at the summit in Guyana’s capital, Georgetown.

A statement on the Office of the Prime Minister’s Facebook page said that Modi announced seven pillars of support for Caricom at the summit.

Areas highlighted for co-operation were capacity building, agriculture, renewable energy, information technology, cricket and culture, ocean economy and maritime security, medical and healthcare.

Modi identified the provision of cargo and passenger ferries to enhance the region’s connectivity, cancer treatment equipment, the establishment of drug testing labs, an increase in the number of technical scholarships and training for the region’s women cricketers as some of the specific areas for collaboration with Caricom.

Rowley along with other Caricom leaders thanked Modi for his government’s generosity and affirmed their commitment to continuing to strengthen this relationship.

Rowley said India is among Trinidad and Tobago’s oldest friends with diplomatic co-operation spanning several decades. He proposed the establishment of a standing committee of Caricom and India to ensure that the proposed initiatives are implemented.

Both he and Modi met on November 20 for bilateral discussions focused on deepening and strengthening ties between the two countries in cybersecurity training, digital transformation and national security.

Caricom heads of government and India’s prime minister last met in 2019 in the margins of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where they discussed co-operation modalities in renewable energy and climate change through a US$150 million credit line from India.

Also at the meetings yesterday were Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne, Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC and Minister in the Ministry of Legal Affairs Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal.

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