YouSaid · the spoken record

Billie Miller

lines on the record: 158
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 2003-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The most acceptable solution to the problem is cessation of the trans-shipment of nuclear material through the Caribbean Sea, since, on this issue, any risk is too high. In your address, Mr. President, upon the opening of the General Assembly, you called for action rather than inaction. This moment in global affairs will require courage and determination as we face the enormous challenges awaiting us. We may not be expected to complete the task, but then, neither are we at liberty to abstain from it.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It must seek through the available technology to empower the most vulnerable sectors of society and eradicate existing disparities within and among States. The issue relating to the passage through the Caribbean Sea of ships bearing nuclear material is still unresolved. We are, from time to time, presented with studies and analyses that seek to assure us of the safety of the ships and their cargo. Despite these assurances, we all know that there is no guarantee that international terrorism will continue to ignore such a significant target or that an unthinkable accident would not occur. A major explosion on board one of these ships traversing our region would threaten the survival of surrounding States.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The Mauritius review will present an important opportunity for us to take stock of new and emerging challenges and identify additional resources to advance implementation. The World Summit on the Information Society is conceived as a high-level dialogue leading to achieving a new kind of society, characterized by universal access to and use of information for the creation, accumulation and dissemination of knowledge. It implies the use of traditional and new technologies, especially information and communication technologies, as an essential tool for the enhancement of services and the promotion of dialogue among diverse cultures towards the attainment of a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. We support the principle that the new information society must serve the best interests of all nations and peoples.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“As de facto custodian of the name attached to the SIDS process, Barbados accords great importance to the convening of an international meeting next year in Mauritius to review the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action. We are convinced that the vulnerability and sustainable development challenges of SIDS, as expressed in the Barbados Programme of Action, in 14 Agenda 21, the Millennium Declaration and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation are now better understood by the international community. According to estimates, since 1994 small island developing States themselves have carried out approximately 70 per cent of the required actions and measures contained in the Barbados Programme of Action.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“To do otherwise would be to condemn the most vulnerable groups of our global family to the real threat of marginalization by a multilateral system that is supposed to provide benefits for all. It is vital that focus be restored to the Doha Development Agenda and its work programme on small economies. Next year marks the tenth anniversary of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. Out of that conference emerged the Barbados Programme of Action, which today still remains the essential blueprint for the sustainable development aspirations of all small island developing States (SIDS).”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The proposed convention would complement the work of the United Nations under the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, as well as the more recent Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. In this connection, we believe that the greatest lesson to emerge from the experience of Cancun is the clear understanding that strategies and solutions that ignore the concerns and needs of the developing world, or that fail to analyse the implications of those solutions for the most fragile and vulnerable, are doomed to failure. The special needs of small States that have no capacity whatsoever to distort world trade must be taken fully into account in fashioning the new rules of trade liberalization.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“While we are most appreciative of the vital work that has been done in this regard by the Financial Action Task Force, that body remains what it has always been, a task force with a limited role, and an even more limited membership of only 31 countries. An important step would be the adoption of an international convention against money-laundering, under the auspices of the United Nations. Such a convention would establish a genuine international consensus on the issue of money-laundering within the universal ambit of the United Nations, where the interests and concerns of all Member States would be fairly and equally served in a common endeavour against international crime.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“While we are encouraged by and supportive of recent proposals to strengthen the United Nations Ad Hoc Group of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, these efforts are insufficient to provide for a truly universal, transparent and legitimate intergovernmental framework to promote cooperation among all States on tax matters. Equally, Barbados believes that the all-important fight against money-laundering must now be waged by the international community as a whole, led by a genuinely representative international body, drawing its membership from all the countries of the world, within the family of the United Nations.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“In this regard, I wish to reiterate the call made at Monterrey by the Prime Minister of Barbados, The Right Honourable Owen Arthur, for the creation of a rules-based world financial authority to supervise today’s complex global financial and capital markets better than the Bretton Woods institutions can, and for an international tax organization to oversee global cooperation in cross-border tax matters. Despite a commitment made by all States at Monterrey towards the development of a universal framework to facilitate all-inclusive dialogue on matters pertaining to international tax cooperation, sufficient progress has not been forthcoming.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Reform must therefore extend beyond the confines of New York to reach deep into the operations of the international financial institutions, the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Financial Action Task Force on Money-Laundering and all other bodies that seek to prescribe the norms of behaviour for the international community without the full participation of that community in the decision-making process. If the International Conference on Financing for Development had one failing, it was its inability to conceive of a new system for financial governance to redress the deficiencies and imbalances of the past — a system that is durable enough to serve for generations to come.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We must resolve, during this session and henceforth, to take concrete actions towards making the Security Council more representative and transparent and towards ensuring that the General Assembly moves beyond the symbolic politics of passing resolutions to the hard work of negotiating change. 13 For it is a source of the greatest continuing concern to us that too many of the premier multilateral institutions — which are charged with the fundamental responsibility of shaping the rules by which global society is governed, whether in the area of peace and security, or trade, or finance and development — are constrained by structure and tradition to carry out their mandate in a manner that is patently devoid of democracy or transparency.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We should therefore seize this moment in time to recommit ourselves to making the United Nations more effective and efficient. Bold and serious reorganization initiatives, including the revitalization of the General Assembly, and the reform of the Security Council are urgently needed. We must also find effective coordination modalities to give new impetus to the follow-up to the major conferences and summits of the last decade, which, in most instances, have simply been reduced to standing items on the annual agenda of this body and rhetoric-filled resolutions reaffirming the status quo.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Barbados shares the view so eloquently expressed by the Secretary-General that: “The United Nations exists, not as a static memorial to the aspirations of an earlier age, but as a work in progress — imperfect, as all human endeavours must be, but capable of adaptation and improvement.” We are all accountable for its shortcomings and must all strive for its improvement. To the extent that the United Nations represents our collective effort at a mechanism for global governance, it is amenable to the benefits of good governance practices. For we believe that good governance is as important at the international level as it is at the national level. It is perhaps the single most important factor in promoting development, reducing inequalities and advancing the cause of peace.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“As members of this Organization, we are assured that our voice will be heard regardless of our size or economic power. Therefore, while we may not have the capacity to influence situations by way of exerting military, economic or even political power, we do cherish our right to express our opinions about any issue of concern to us, without let or hindrance. The United Nations is not a third party separate from the Member Governments but is rather the sum of its Members; it belongs to them and they share all the benefits, problems and collective responsibilities of ownership.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Since the end of the conflicts of European empire-building, our region, the Caribbean, has had a history of peace and stability, which is sustained through a simple but sure formula: celebration of our commonalities; tolerance of our differences; mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty; and adherence to the principles of democracy, good governance and the rule of law. We would wish to commend this formula to those who find the key to peaceful co-existence elusive. Barbados remains unwavering in its commitment to the precepts of multilateralism, and to the belief that no other international institution is better suited or equipped to meet the diverse demands for global peace, security and development than the United Nations.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“As we search for adequate collective responses to the non-traditional threats to human security, the task ahead will be to bring to bear a comprehensive, multidimensional approach to security, in all its aspects, and to reiterate the continued relevance of this concept to the global agenda. The challenges to small States in such an uncertain environment are numerous and at times overwhelming. We lack the financial dexterity to respond to economic crises as swiftly and decisively as is necessary. We have no military might and so our only avenue for handling traditional threats to security rests squarely within a multilateral framework, which resorts to military action only when, despite our best efforts, peace cannot be achieved through diplomacy.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We have witnessed increased instances of the pursuit of violence and retribution as first responses to the resolution of conflict, and we have experienced the relegation of diplomacy and multilateralism to afterthoughts. Some of the most intractable problems facing the international community, in the year 2003 and beyond, are the divisions, uncertainties and doubts that have emerged since the United States-led invasion of Iraq. Our duty as members of this family of nations is to ensure that we remain committed to the United Nations, as the only organization that can move us past the current cycle of retribution to a path of sustainable peace.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Amidst the turmoil and carnage that has become a dismal feature of the daily life of so many millions in 12 our global society, this assault on the United Nations was particularly startling in its cruelty and distressing in its intention. As our Secretary-General has affirmed: “This was the most deliberate and vicious attack against the United Nations in its history.” It is the cruellest of ironies that such an attack could have been conceived and carried out against an Organization in which we all have a stake, and one which epitomizes the principles and ideals to which we all ascribe, and whose primary purpose is peace. The global environment, over the past year, has teetered on the brink of chaos.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“On 19 August, the world was again plunged into shock and despair as we witnessed the heinous attack on the United Nations Office in Baghdad and the loss of life of United Nations personnel stationed there. A second attempt this week added to the toll of casualties. I extend to the United Nations family, as well as the delegations represented here, whose compatriots were the victims of that violent attack, the deepest condolences of the Government and people of Barbados. We pause especially to pay tribute to Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, an international civil servant and diplomat of the highest calibre. His death comes at a time when the world can least afford it. We join with Members in mourning his passing as we mourn all those who perished at his side in the service of the people of Iraq.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“I take special pleasure in congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session. The unanimous election of the smallest State ever to hold that post speaks not only of the confidence which Member States place in your own ability, but also of their recognition of the critical role which small States play in the multilateral process. We are delighted at your elevation to this high office, and we wish to assure you that, in carrying out your responsibilities, you will be able to count on the unequivocal support not only of Saint Lucia, but also of the entire Caribbean fraternity. I wish also to thank your predecessor, Mr. Jan Kavan, who very ably guided the work of the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly during a most trying and tumultuous year.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Today we revisit this place to recommit to a process which, admittedly, is not perfect, but it is all that stands between us and anarchy. It is still our greatest hope for peace, development and social justice. In our generation, we cannot be expected to complete the monumental task which lies before us, but neither are we at liberty to abstain from it.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Secretary-General Annan's personal presence in Barbados for the inauguration ceremony was interpreted by Prime Minister Arthur as a clear expression of his understanding that every part of the United Nations family matters and that the contribution of the small States of the Caribbean to the objectives of the Organization is not without significance. For in the words of the Secretary-General, small States have become the backbone of the Organization in terms of their support and encouragement for the multilateral process. The principles which guarantee a better quality of life for all peoples lie within our Charter. The global landscape has undergone tremendous change in the last 57 years, but the ideals of the Charter are indelible.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We have paid our contributions faithfully and have consistently supported the Organization's efforts to promote and protect human rights, to eradicate poverty and to cultivate a global culture of peace. A tangible demonstration of that commitment was made on 2 January of this year, when the Prime Minister of Barbados had the honour of officially handing over to the United Nations Secretary-General, for the exclusive use of the United Nations agencies operating in the Eastern Caribbean, a custom-designed common premises building, now known as United Nations House.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Our National Commission continues to support the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS, which is coordinated by the Caribbean Community Secretariat. Barbados is one of four English-speaking Caribbean countries selected to participate in the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training Initiative. The World Bank, of 31 whose programmes Barbados is a graduate, made special provisions for the securing of a $15.1 million loan to procure the highly active anti-retroviral therapy programme for HIV-positive Barbadians, free of cost at point of delivery. Barbados' commitment to the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter has been unwavering over its three and a half decades of membership in this Organization.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The HIV/AIDS pandemic rates with terrorism and narco- trafficking as one of the major new and emerging threats to human security. According to information provided by the Pan American Health Organization, there are currently 2.8 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the Americas. Of that number, 420,000 live in the wider Caribbean, accounting for over 2 per cent of its adult population. In response to the international Declaration of Commitment, Barbados has established a target of a 50 per cent reduction in the HIV/AIDS mortality rate and in the incidence of the disease over the next three years. We are also working towards the enactment of appropriate anti- discriminatory legislation by 2006.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Barbados welcomed recognition by the World Summit on Sustainable Development of the vulnerability and sustainable development challenges of small island developing States, and looks forward to a frank, comprehensive review of the implementation of the Barbados Plan of Action in Mauritius in 2004. The Summit made a commitment to the sustainable management of ocean space, and it is in this vein that Barbados will continue to work towards achieving international recognition of the Caribbean Sea as a “special area” in the context of sustainable development. For Barbados, our greatest resource lies in the creativity and resilience of our people. We are persuaded that the betterment of the human condition is the fundamental objective of economic progress.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Although they have created awareness and raised expectations, they have not delivered with respect to implementation, and most of their fiercely negotiated plans of action remain under-funded and under-executed. The promises and pledges of the past 15 years have not been fulfilled. It is high time that we review the utility of those costly processes and seek simpler, more effective structures to carry forward our development agenda. The dwindling resources available for developmental programmes are better used for development itself than for scripted dialogue to discuss the process of development. Fundamental changes are needed in the way that development is financed, and in the structure, operation and coherence of the global financial architecture. Monterrey must not become just another failed process.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We must return this Organization to its basic mandate, and seek to have its energies and focus redirected towards substantive action in the twin areas of peace and development. The unique attributes of the United Nations and its multilateral structure can serve to build consensus and promote cooperation in the search for solutions to the most pressing problems affecting human security. The international summits and global conferences, which have proliferated over the last decade, have been successful in mobilizing Governments and, to a greater extent, civil society, as well as sensitizing people to the most compelling development issues facing the planet.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is important to emphasize that the Barbados jurisdiction is more transparent and better regulated than many in the developed world, and certainly no less so than what obtains in the states of Delaware and Vermont, among others. My country fully intends to defend its reputation against those renewed, unwarranted, duplicitous and discriminatory attacks. In this post-11 September, post-Doha, post-Enron world, many of the assumptions about peace and progress in a globalized economy have been challenged. We have entered a prolonged international recession, whose consequences have impacted on all countries. It is trying times such as these that force policy makers at the national level to simplify, refocus and prioritize. It is opportune for us to undertake a similar exercise in respect of the United Nations.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“As I reminded the General Assembly last year, small countries like my own are not part of the problem, but we are committed to being part of the solution, in circumstances that place a disproportionate burden on our financial, human and administrative resources, already struggling to respond to the global economic recession. Regrettably, that burden has been further exacerbated by the words and actions of some lawmakers who now seek, through misguided zeal, to brand the operations of financial services centres, even the most transparent and well regulated, such as the Barbados regime, as havens for corporate tax evasion and for the laundering of terrorist assets.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Yesterday I deposited with the United Nations Secretariat the relevant instruments to make Barbados a party to the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. We have been prompt and responsible in fulfilling our obligations to the international community in that regard, despite the heavy financial strain that has placed on our national economy, already deeply 30 affected by the adverse impact of 11 September on its major productive sectors — tourism and financial services.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is, therefore, vital that, at this dangerous and uncertain juncture in world affairs, we reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and to the pre-eminent role of the United Nations in seeking to impose responsible behaviour through diplomacy and dialogue rather than through the use of force. In response to the events of 11 September and to the mandates of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), Barbados has deployed considerable financial and human resources to the anti-terrorism effort. In May this year, our Parliament adopted comprehensive domestic legislation, which entailed an amendment to our Constitution, to criminalize acts of terrorism and support or financing for such acts.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Small developing countries are beset daily by fundamental challenges to their economic sustainability. From our perspective, security has of necessity revolved around policies in support of social development, economic viability, good governance and the promotion of democracy. For us, military engagement is not an affordable option. For Barbados, as for all small States, the doctrine of non-intervention is of paramount importance for our survival. Pre-emptive unilateral action, no matter what the apparent cause, is a precedent that occasions in us the gravest discomfort.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Under the circumstances, we have little choice but to persist in the struggle to gain international acceptance for our demands for special and differential treatment to prepare our small economies to meet the challenges of globalization. Modern threats to international peace and security constrain the capacity for political and economic development and social progress. All nations share in the responsibility to respond to those threats, but we can only do so successfully through collective strategies, which address all aspects of the problem simultaneously. Diversion of resources and attention from the development agenda to the fight against terrorism cannot produce lasting results. As Dr. Brundtland warned in 1992, our global village may yet become a global jungle if States adopt unilateral measures to combat global problems.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We are equally alarmed by the growing danger posed to democratic societies and Governments by the modern transnational phenomena of narco-trafficking, organized crime, money- laundering, corruption and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. We are also aware of the potential for grave economic and social dislocation posed by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, environmental degradation and ecological and natural disasters. In addition, the inequitable application of the benefits of trade liberalization has created the very real prospect of increasing poverty and further economic disenfranchisement for the smallest and most vulnerable countries in the developing world.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“At the hemispheric level, we promoted dialogue on these issues among foreign ministers of the Organization of American States at our recent General Assembly session in Barbados, where we adopted the Declaration of Bridgetown on the multidimensional approach to hemispheric security. We believe that this approach to security is equally valid in the wider international context. As we are well aware, threats to world peace are no longer exclusively found in military conflict between opposing countries, where the enemy is recognized and a state of war formally declared. Today's greatest sources of instability and threats to national, regional and international security lie in areas where the enemies are often unidentified non-State actors with global reach. Terrorism is but one of those insidious new elements.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Tragically, the events 29 of 11 September 2001 eclipsed our millennium vision and brutally reshaped the global agenda. In the intervening year, we have been forced to re-examine our traditional notions of security and to come to terms with the reality of our growing political and economic interdependence. For no single nation can hope to have all the answers to the complex issues that confront us and no lasting solutions are possible except through collective effort. If nothing else, the lessons of 11 September have served to reinforce the value of multilateralism. For the past several years, Barbados has argued for a redefinition of the concept of security to embrace the new and non-traditional threats that have the greatest potential to cause harm to our citizens, destabilize our societies and erode the basic institutions of governance.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We know its every phrase and recognize its solemn commitment “to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom” as well as “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security”. These goals remain as relevant today, and yet, in many ways, as painfully elusive as they were in 1945. In January 2001, the international community ushered in a new century with the highest of expectations for the successful implementation of the millennium development goals, which we had just adopted. We were resolved to work with renewed vigour to eradicate poverty and hunger, fight the scourge of HIV/AIDS and disease, raise the level of human development and bring an end to debilitating economic and social injustices.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is my pleasure to join with preceding speakers in congratulating you, Sir, on your election to preside over the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session. Barbados pledges its fullest cooperation in the year ahead. I also take this opportunity to convey our deepest appreciation to Mr. Han Seung-soo for his leadership during a very challenging fifty-sixth session. We, too, wish to welcome the Swiss Confederation and look forward to the Democratic Republic of Timor- Leste's joining this family of nations. The Preamble to the Charter of this Organization expresses in the simplest yet most eloquent of terms the essential goals of multilateralism.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We are not expected to complete this task, but neither are we at liberty to abstain from it.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We look forward to similar levels of United Nations cooperation for other important programmes, in particular that of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), whose work is providing critical support to the region in an extremely volatile international economic and security environment. Two years ago, the Prime Minister of Barbados emphasized that we were leaving the twentieth century and entering the twenty-first conscious of the dangers, but excited by the prospects. Recent events must not be allowed to dampen our optimism. We must remain firm in the hope that humanity possesses the fortitude and determination to triumph in the face of extreme adversity, and that respect for diversity, human dignity and the sanctity of human life will prevail.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We are keenly aware of the important work the United Nations continues to carry out in the eastern Caribbean. We are pleased to provide tangible support for that work through the provision of purpose-built headquarters to house the seven agencies whose subregional offices are located in Bridgetown. We will continue to work closely with the agencies in developing a model partnership for eastern Caribbean development. In this context, we welcome the support of the United Nations Development Programme, in partnership with the International Monetary Fund and the Government of Canada, for the Caribbean Technical Assistance Centre, which was inaugurated 15 last week in Barbados.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Indeed, it would be an unfortunate irony if the global response to terrorism were conducted in such a manner — through the massive redeployment of resources from other priorities, such as the fight against narcotics trafficking, extreme poverty, disease and environmental degradation — as to further exacerbate the economic, political and cultural instabilities which are the primary breeding ground for terrorism. Small countries like my own are not part of the problem, but we are nevertheless required to be part of the solution, in circumstances that place a disproportionate burden on our financial, human and administrative resources, which had already been struggling to respond to the global economic recession. Barbados remains fully committed to the United Nations system and to the values it seeks to promote.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In these difficult times, we believe that there is much that can be learned from our experiences and much that can be done to promote the culture of peace and understanding, especially among the youth. In this regard, Barbados attaches importance to the early convening of the General Assembly special session on children and to a rededication of efforts to achieve the international development targets already set. We would do well to remember that, in the words of the Secretary-General, “none of the issues that faced us on 10 September has become less urgent”.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In the words of Professor Hilary Beckles, of the Barbados delegation: “The crisis of modernity that finds expression in spiralling racial hatred, xenophobia and related intolerance is not the sole burden of any one part of the global community, even though the victims of the crimes of which I speak continue to feel in the course of everyday life the kind of pain and anguish not easily imagined by others.” The citizens of the Caribbean are a transplanted people, who have forged from the crucible of slavery, colonialism and economic exploitation a vibrant, pluralistic, multiracial society built on tolerance and respect for ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We regret that in many respects the Conference did not get the serious high-level attention it deserved and that the treatment of its fundamental issues was less wide-ranging and definitive than we would have wished.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Barbados therefore stands ready to support a well-conceived response from the international financial community to the crisis at hand.” It is the mission of the United Nations to promote the peaceful coexistence and the political, social and economic welfare of the world’s peoples. It is in this context that we must recognize the significance of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and renew our confidence in the capacity of multilateral organizations to resolve differences and promote a sense of shared values. This Conference presented a unique opportunity for countries to take a proactive approach in defusing both historic and contemporary conflicts and in coming to terms with the injustices of the past and creating new understandings for the future.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It is clear, however, that responses at the national and regional levels alone will be inadequate to deal with the magnitude of this unprecedented situation. In the words of the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Right Honourable Owen Arthur: “the international financial community has traditionally required developing countries to rely heavily on policy responses to deal with economic crisis. But the situation that we face has not been caused by policy failure, recklessness or financial excesses by developing countries. “Policy responses without the commitment of real financial resources will therefore not suffice.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We welcome the agreement on drug patents, which represents a major victory for the efforts of developing countries to respond to their priority public health needs and is of great significance in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The impact of the 11 September events on the Caribbean has been immediate and severe. The economic repercussions have served to emphasize the extreme fragility and vulnerability of our small States in the international economy. The countries of the 14 Caribbean Community, whose economies are heavily dependent on tourism and financial services, have joined forces to coordinate a regional emergency response and recovery strategy to mitigate the effects of the crisis.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It is no secret that the efforts towards the creation of a new international trading system have resulted in bitter disappointment for the majority of developing countries, which have been severely disadvantaged by the imbalance of rights, obligations, benefits and concessions agreed at Uruguay, and by the failure of Seattle to address that imbalance. We hope that the Doha decision to launch a new round will lead to a meaningful resolution of these critical developing country concerns. We are convinced that sustained economic and social progress for the developing world will be achievable only within the framework of a fair, equitable and inclusive trading arrangement that gives due recognition to the differences in size and level of development of Member States.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)