CHOGM 2009 – Trinidad and Tobago
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
November 17, 2009 (CUOPM)
Law enforcement officers from the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis will be among 1,200 Caribbean troopers that will maintain a hawk-eye vigil during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in the Trinidad and Tobago capital.
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas will join 51 other leaders from Commonwealth nations for the November 27th to 30th.
According to reports from Trinidad, that country’s Trade and Industry Minister Mariano Browne told the media that the Trinidad and Tobago Government was making significant efforts to ensure the safety of all delegates.
Browne said that about 1,200 regional troopers sourced from Caribbean governments will supplement the local Trinidad and Tobago security forces. The troopers will come from Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados and the Bahamas.
The Caribbean troopers had also been part of the security force for the Summit of the Americas that was attended by US President Barack Obama and 32 of his counterparts from Organisation of American States earlier this year.
“Whether we like it or not, 2001 (9/11) has changed the security landscape for heads of states and we are not going to relax on our security,” Browne said, adding that approximately $40 million would be spent on arrangements for the CHOGM.
The ‘red zone’ areas for the summit will include the National Centre for the Performing Arts adjacent to the six-mile Queen’s Park Savannah. The official opening ceremony November 27 will take place at the centre.
The conference will then shift to the newly-constructed Hyatt Regency Hotel located on the downtown waterfront.