Georgetown, GINA, January 19, 2004

“Coming from where we were, we are grateful for where we are now,” said CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington today at the new Headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Accompanying the Secretary General was the Budget Committee now in Guyana for a first hand look at the building.
Chairman of the Budget Committee, High Commissioner to Caricom and Trinidad and Tobago Lorne Mac. Donough said, “This is a wonderful building and we are very grateful to the Government of Guyana.”
In terms of information technology for the new Headquarters, Carrington said that the Government of India was approached on the issue and has promised to assist. “We are hoping to meet them in March so as to plan on how to equip the building with the necessary equipment,” said the Secretary General.
Mr. Carrington said that there is adequate space in the building. He mentioned the Learning Centre and the Legislative Drafting facility is to be added to the Secretariat, and observed that these will be accommodated in the building.
The new Caricom Secretariat Headquarters is a gift from Guyana to the Community. It will cost approximately $ 1B.