Caribbean News Now!

by Caribbean News Now Staff

SAN PEDRO, Belize -- Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow on Thursday handed over the presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA) to the president of Guatemala, Alvaro Colom, at the tourist island of San Pedro in Belize.

Barrow in his remarks said that SICA has been the engine in mechanisms that drive development of the region.

Belize Prime Minister, Dean Barrow

He added, "It will be timely for us to reassert at this meeting our ultimate commitment to the integration movement, to enter into the record our revitalized dedication to the development in harmony of our countries and to restate our unswerving resolve to make sure that individually and collectively, we uplift our peoples to improve their quality of life and rid our societies of all traces of poverty and inequality."

In taking over the presidency of SICA, Colom said he had strong hopes that the role of SICA will progress with the cooperation of all member countries.

He added, "I am certain that with all the presidents of Central America and the situations of Central America, we will continue to build a Central America that is already a little Caribbean."

The San Pedro Daily reported that the Central American leaders also dealt with border issues that Nicaragua and Costa Rica are facing with each other.

The vice president of Costa Rica Alfio Piva Mesen said, "We need to have an important relationship together that will be worth it and it is important that we work together. It does not make sense that because of a small problem that you risk the life of a Nicaraguan or a Costa Rican."

Barrow said, "During the course of the ministerial meetings, Minister Aroldo Rodas, the foreign minister of Guatemala made the point during the discussion about the problems between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, that the manner in which Belize and Guatemala attempt to live together as good members even as we acknowledge the existence of the dispute, the existence of the problem could serve or should serve as a model for the way in which states with differences between them ought to proceed."

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