Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is in Caracas, where she attended Friday's opening of the inaugural summit of the 33-member Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
She returns home on Saturday. During her brief visit she was listed to deliver a speech at the opening session of the summit as well as hold bi-lateral discussions with her CARICOM and Latin American counterparts.
CELAC is considered an important forum to advance economic co-operation and strengthen regional ties. The host, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, envisages it as an alternative to the Organisation of American States (OAS).
The countries of CELAC have nearly 600 million people and comprise the world's number one food exporter. They have a combined GDP of about US$6 trillion - roughly a third of the combined output of the United States and Canada.
Leaders from 33 Latin American and the Caribbean states are attending the two-day conference. They will examine the global financial crisis, put forward mechanisms to stimulate economic development and discuss joint efforts to tackle drug trafficking.
Among the leaders attending is the Cuban President Raul Castro. When he arrived in Caracas Friday he said his brother, former President Fidel Castro, is watching the summit closely.
Persad-Bissessar hopes to promote increased South-South co-operation as the region moves to strengthen its global influence.
"I do believe the establishment of CELAC, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, is on the cusp of forming a geopolitical revolution," she told the local media before leaving for Caracas.
The Prime Minister said now is the time to address the challenges that face the countries in the southern hemisphere.
"These challenges include a time when the world is a global financial uncertainty and it is important for us to come together, for us to overcome the financial challenges, the health challenges and of course to see to the empowerment of women and girls."
Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar is acting Prime Minister until Persad-Bissessar's. Ramadhar is also the leader of the Congress of the People (COP).
Read TIME commentary on CELAC
She returns home on Saturday. During her brief visit she was listed to deliver a speech at the opening session of the summit as well as hold bi-lateral discussions with her CARICOM and Latin American counterparts.
CELAC is considered an important forum to advance economic co-operation and strengthen regional ties. The host, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, envisages it as an alternative to the Organisation of American States (OAS).
The countries of CELAC have nearly 600 million people and comprise the world's number one food exporter. They have a combined GDP of about US$6 trillion - roughly a third of the combined output of the United States and Canada.
Leaders from 33 Latin American and the Caribbean states are attending the two-day conference. They will examine the global financial crisis, put forward mechanisms to stimulate economic development and discuss joint efforts to tackle drug trafficking.
Among the leaders attending is the Cuban President Raul Castro. When he arrived in Caracas Friday he said his brother, former President Fidel Castro, is watching the summit closely.
Persad-Bissessar hopes to promote increased South-South co-operation as the region moves to strengthen its global influence.
"I do believe the establishment of CELAC, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, is on the cusp of forming a geopolitical revolution," she told the local media before leaving for Caracas.
The Prime Minister said now is the time to address the challenges that face the countries in the southern hemisphere.
"These challenges include a time when the world is a global financial uncertainty and it is important for us to come together, for us to overcome the financial challenges, the health challenges and of course to see to the empowerment of women and girls."
Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar is acting Prime Minister until Persad-Bissessar's. Ramadhar is also the leader of the Congress of the People (COP).
Read TIME commentary on CELAC
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