ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable W. Baldwin Spencer, left the country early Friday for Martinique for a series of meetings culminating in the signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement with that French Overseas Territory.

The Prime Minister’s visit is on the heels of the unanimous decision of the 54th meeting of the OECS Authority in respect of the application of Martinique and Guadeloupe for closer relations with the Sub-regional grouping.

The visit takes place following several weeks of negotiations and consultation between the Office of the NAO and the Regional Council of Martinique on the ”Declaration of Intention of Cooperation”.

The agreement recognizes the fact that Martinique “seeks to continue its insertion in the Caribbean” and “taking into account that close proximity of both Martinique and Antigua and Barbuda facilities regional cooperation and the establishment of privileged partnerships, the coordination of projects and activities that would facilitate closer ties and the exchange of experiences of common interests, inter alia, within the Programme INTERREG, IV “Caribbean” and the 10th European Development Fund Caribbean Regional Indicative programme”.

Prime Minister Spencer and the Hon. Serge LETCHIMY, President of the Regional Council of Martinique will initiate the agreement later today during a packed programme that will also involve meetings with His Excellency, Michel Prom, Ambassador of France to the OECS Member States and a representative of the French Development Agency.

Prime Minister is accompanied by His Excellency Dr. Clarence Henry, the NAO for the EDF Programme and Mr. Calvin Ambrose, the Executive Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute (ABHTI).

Prime Minister Spencer returns to the country on Saturday.

Finance and Economy Minister the Hon. Harold Lovell is the Acting Prime Minister in the absence of Mr. Spencer.