Prime Minister Christie is in New York to
participate in a high level dialogue during the 2015 integration segment of the
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations on
Monday, 30th March 2015.
Under the theme “Achieving sustainable development
through employment creation and decent work for all,” Prime Minister Christie
will deliver the country and region statement as the Chair of CARICOM and is
expected to pay particular attention to the status of the Millennium Development
Goals within the context of human development.
Stressing the significance of this high level dialogue
was Foreign Affairs Minister the Hon. Fred Mitchell, the lone Minister
accompany the Prime Minister to New York:
“We’ve come to the point where we have to assess
Millennium Development Goals. This is 2015 so each country is being asked to
assess it and that’s the reason why this high level dialogue is taking place in
New York and the Bahamas Prime Minister as Chair of CARICOM is there to put the
position for CARICOM and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of CARICOM
as to where we are in terms of the issues of sustainable development and the
Millennium Development Goals and what further goals we have to set beyond the
2015 agenda.”
Speaking more specifically about the interest of The
Bahamas, Minister Mitchell said that “the big focus for The Bahamas and CARICOM
generally is human development so he (Prime Minister Christie) expects to have
discussions with the Director General of the International Labour Organization
at lunchtime up in New York.” Topics to be discussed include strategies to resolve
the issue of youth unemployment “and give them a sense of hope and engagement
in the economies of our countries.”
Prime Minister Christie is expected back home late
Monday
evening.