Mrs Hazel Manning and Mrs Kim Simplis-Barrow (Belize)

The Fifth Summit of the Americas
Securing our citizens’ future by promoting human prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability
Communiqué
April 18, 2009
Port of Spain

We, the Spouses of Heads of State and Government have affirmed our commitment to be role models and leaders by supporting our spouses with their day to day challenges. We have an important role for being advocates and champions for devising solutions and solving problems that affect all our families, and by extension our countries in our Hemisphere.

As a region, extending from Pole to Pole, we have a rich diversity of people and history that all contribute meaningfully to our individual identities. We recognise that our diversity is our strength. As one of this Hemisphere, we have a common vision of securing our citizens’ futures. We make the promise that through our collective actions we will improve the quality of life for all our peoples.

As we gather in Trinidad and Tobago, we understand the challenges that we all, as a people face. It is clear that we need to work together to reduce our vulnerability to the risk of losing that better future.

We affirm our commitment to promoting human prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability. The future awaits and we have no illusions about the enormity of the job at hand. We recognise that we need to share information so we can all learn from our individual efforts.
We of the Americas have experienced many successes, however many formidable challenges need to be conquered.

We have no choice but to boldly confront these challenges knowing the path will not be easy but we will prevail in the end. We do so by taking the following steps:

• Furthering Good governance by creating a strong framework to ensure a participatory democracy through reforming local government;
• The efficient management of our non-renewable energy resources and the economy;
• An efficient and effective health care system;
• The adequate provision of affordable housing for the population;
• The enabling of agro-industrial enterprises;
• The facilitation of entrepreneurial activity, creativity and innovation; and
• A robust, focused education system that has the modern capability of information and communication technologies.

We recognise that these actions will only succeed if there is a climate of democracy, good governance and respect for the rule of law.
We have noted the important initiatives underway in the Ministries of our respective Governments. Trinidad and Tobago envisages a Caribbean region that is free of drug abuse, HIV and AIDS, gang violence and other crimes.

Accordingly, Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the Caribbean are levarging support from international and region organisations ans are working cooperatively with the Inter-American Commissions.

We have identified education as an important pillar for development. In this regard, we recognise that the platform for a sound education and lifelong learning must be built at the early childhood level, being mindful that the family is the basic unit of society. This must be reinforced at all levels of education system, to give each child the foundation required to develop their thirst for knowledge, their creativity and their entrepreneurial skills.

The CARICOM Secretariat is working collaboratively with the OAS Department of Education and Culture to strengthen the platform at the early childhood level.

Another important pillar is the need for proper planning. As a region susceptible to natural disasters including hurricanes, storms, earthquakes the need for proper planning is paramount as we seek to optimize the use of our natural resources to ensure sustainable development. Yet, with this development there is harmony with the natural environment. The success of the Point a Pierre Wild Fowl Trust is a lesion that we all can learn where is an oasis of a wild fowl habitat in the middle of perhaps one of the older, yet modern, petroleum refinery industrial complex in this hemisphere.

This 5th Summit of the Americas has given us- the spouses of the Leaders of the hemisphere the opportunity to reinforce our shared vision of human prosperity and success of our peoples and the actions we must take as we support our leaders in their quest to achieve these noble ideals.