George Talbot has been accredited as Guyana’s new ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque received Talbot at a virtual accreditation ceremony on Wednesday.
A CARICOM press release noted that with his appointment, Talbot becomes a member of the CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors, as a Special Representative of his Head of Government. His responsibilities as a Member of the Committee will include assisting in advancing the implementation of decisions of the Organs of the Caribbean Community at the national level.
The release said Guyana’s lead role in CARICOM’s food production and food security was highlighted during the ceremony as the country holds lead responsibility for Agriculture, Agricultural Diversification, and Food Security in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet. President Irfaan Ali had earlier this year presented to his colleague Heads of Government a Food Production and Food Security Agenda outlining in detail the strategy and action plan for transforming CARICOM’s the agriculture sector.
“The Secretariat looks forward to working closely with you and your colleagues on this most important initiative,” Secretary-General LaRocque told the new Ambassador.
Ambassador Talbot, in his remarks, welcomed the renewed focus on food and nutrition security as a regional priority, including the work being done by a Special CARICOM Task Force, recently established under the Chairmanship of Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.
“The decision … to establish a Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security bodes well for our collective efforts to realise the economic potential of the Region’s agri-food sector and to reduce the food import bill,” he said.
The release added that the Secretary-General praised Guyana’s provision of tangible support to sister CARICOM Member State St. Vincent and the Grenadines as the country “faces the wrath” of an explosive La Soufrière volcano.
Ambassador Talbot iterated Guyana’s commitment for the “immediate, medium and long term.”
“I renew this commitment in unison with the entire Caribbean Community whose rallying in the face of this volcanic challenge is a prime example of integration in practice – a Community there for each other in times of challenge and need,” he was quoted as saying.
