CARICOM leaders could begin arriving in Port of Spain as early as today for an emergency summit tomorrow to discuss the way ahead after Hurricane Ivan, which last week devastated Grenada and then slammed Jamaica, after also impacting on St Vincent, Barbados and Tobago.
Grenada Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, whose official residence in St George's was not spared by the hurricane, is expected to chair the meeting, which is expected to be held at Crowne Plaza, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.
High on the agenda will be what assistance will be provided by Caricom to the affected member-states.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning, responsible for security matters in Caricom, has visited Tobago, Grenada and Jamaica to get a first-hand view of the damage done by the hurricane.
He has promised financial and other assistance to the member-states.
The special summit, which is expected to be attended by most of the leaders of the 15-member Community, other than Haiti, is being jointly co-ordinated by the Caricom Secretariat and the Trinidad and Tobago Government.
One Prime Minister of the Eastern Caribbean who initially floated the idea for the emergency summit, told the Express yesterday:
"The sole agenda issue would be a focus on a financial rescue operation for Grenada and Jamaica that have suffered massively from Hurricane Ivan," with priority going first to the urgent needs of the Spice Isle.
Seeking grant aid from the international donor community will be a major consideration for the Port of Spain emergency summit.
Manning, who agreed to host the one-day emergency meeting, was due back in Port of Spain last night from a hurried trip to Jamaica where he received first-hand assessments from Prime Minister PJ Patterson on the widespread destruction and loss of lives caused by Ivan.
It could not be confirmed whether Patterson would attend the emergency summit, or be represented by a senior cabinet colleague.
Caricom Secretary General Edwin Carrington disclosed in a brief telephone conversation yesterday that, as requested, the Secretariat was "immersed in arrangements" to help make the emergency summit happen tomorrow.
The Caribbean Development Bank, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation will be represented at the meeting.
