Prime Minister Perry Christie began Monday with a series of high-level meetings in Monterrey, Mexico, where he heads a delegation to the Special Summit of the Americas, comprising elected leaders of the hemisphere.

Mr. Christie first conferenced with Caribbean Heads of Government, then met with Mexican President Vincente Fox.

During that meeting, a pledge was made to follow up initiatives in health and in education. Also, the Mexican government indicated that it is in a position to offer scholarships to Caricom nationals including The Bahamas.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Christie met with the President of Costa Rica, the former President of which is being supported by Caricom nations to become the next Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS).

Afterward, Mr. Christie held a meeting with the President of Chile, in the pursuance of a joint Chile-Caricom initiative. The prime minister then joined other heads at a working lunch with Canada's Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Monday afternoon, Mr. Christie was expected to attend the signing of a joint communiqué with the president of the United States, the Caricom heads and the president of the Dominican Republic, reaffirming the objectives on the 'Third Border Initiative.' The initiative dates back to the 2001 Quebec summit on security, economic, and poverty reducing measures initiated by the US.

The Special Summit ends this afternoon.

Among the existing commitments made by the Summit are declarations for governments to assist with economic development and good governance by:

* Facilitating shorter start-up times for business with a minimum of bureaucracy;

* Improving access to capital for small business;

* Reducing the rate of infection from HIV/AIDS and improving treatment of the disease;

* and Improving the process of gaining clear title to land.

Also in attendence at the Monterrey Summit is Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell.

In addition to Minister Mitchell, the Bahamas' delegation comprises Philip Miller, undersecretary for Economic Matters in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Bahamas Ambassador to Washington Joshua Sears and Eugene Newry, first secretary at The Bahamas Embassy in Washington, DC.

Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt is acting prime minister during Mr. Christie's absence and Senator Dr. Marcus Bethel is acting as Minister of Foreign Affairs & The Public Service during Minister Mitchell's absence.

Caption: Prime Minister Paul Martin shares a moment of silence at a luncheon meeting with Caricom leaders in memory of the MOMENT OF SILENCE — Prime Minister of Dominica Pierre Charles who passed away recently, at the Summit of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico Jan 12. From left to right are Prime Minister of St. Vincent and Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of the Bahamas Perry Gladstone Christie, Martin, Prime Minister of Barbados Owen Arthur, Foreign Affairs minister of Guyana Samuel Insanally, and the Foreign Affairs Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Knolson Gift. (AP Photo/CP, Tom Hanson)

Posted: Tuesday January 13, 2004