Bahamas Information Services

11/28/2005



VALETTA, Malta- The 2005 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opened here Friday with calls for united action against poverty, forced migration, terrorism and to rebuild countries devastated by natural disasters. Fifty-three countries representing five continents and 1.8 billion people converged at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in the Maltese capital of Vallettato chart the course for the further development of the most vulnerable.

The conference is being held under the theme, Networking the Commonwealth for Development. Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie is heading The Bahamas delegation at CHOGM. He is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service the Hon. Fred Mitchell, Minister of Tourism the Hon. Obie Wilchcombe and other government officials.

CHOGM is being held against the backdrop of many small Commonwealth Member-States, particularly in the Caribbean, struggling to save their crumbling economies in agriculture and trade. They are seeking more assistance in this regard, particularly from the European Union. Head of the Commonwealth Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, in her keynote address, underscored the importance of networking, despite the diverse cultural backgrounds of each country.

The Queen said it is fitting that Commonwealth leaders are meeting in Malta, a country that has historically been a bridge between the diverse civilizations that touch the Mediterranean Sea. The world we live in is marked by diversity, and through being accommodating, compassionate, tolerant, and respectful of others, the Commonwealth can exploit its diversity as a source of great strength, she said. We are a colourful spectrum of nations, faiths, cultures, and people. Individually we are different and distinct; collectively, we can be strong and effective.

The Queen said this has been well illustrated in the Commonwealth's response to the many natural disasters that have touched millions in recent times floods, hurricanes and cyclones. Last year's terrifying tsunami washed away lives and livelihoods across the Indian Ocean and more recently, we have witnessed the dreadful earthquake and aftershocks in southern Asia, she said. At times like these, there has been an outpouring of concern and generosity as we have struggled together first to save lives and then to rebuild. These times of trial have brought us together as they have also shown how vulnerable we can be alone and yet how much more we can do together.

The Queen paid tribute to emergency workers who assisted in rescue and recovery efforts, and other Member-States which donated funds in support of their fellowmen. She also noted that determined and collective action can assist in tackling challenges such as the scourge of terrorism, and expressed thanks for the support following the Londonbombings in July. In his address, host Prime Minister the Hon. Lawrence Gonzi, said that the people of a small islands, who possess no resources but themselves, who have always thrived when connected to the rest of the world, can readily appreciate the promise held up by a properly networked world.

Underdevelopment appears unrelenting. Poverty resists eradication. Differences in life expectancy remain too wide to be just. Too many people are forced, by various pressures, to m igrate from their homelands, he said. In such a context, it might seem that the new communication technologies will serve, not to emancipate and connect people, but to divide more radically than ever, the poor from the better off. He noted that some important global responses are being made to these challenges, such as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals the G-8 countries debt relief to eliminate poverty and the World Summit on the Information Society, which has highlighted the provision of low-cost technology.

In this context, Prime Minister Gonzi called on the Commonwealth to be the catalyst that manages global relationships by networking in all of its forms. The best reply, the most robust response to poverty and forced migration is surely to give people faith in their future, faith in that they also are included in global thinking about networks for development; faith that human civilization cares for their future and for their well-being, he said. The opening ceremony was also addressed by Commonwealth Secretary-General the Rt. Hon. Don McKinnon, and His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria.