YouSaid · the spoken record

Kenny Davis Anthony

lines on the record: 47
first: 2003-09-24
most recent: 2012-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“We look forward to new avenues of relationships, a task in which the United Nations can be of great assistance to us. I wish to extend to the President the best wishes and support of my country and delegation for success in his task over the coming year.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“In the cacophony of regional conflicts that inevitably draw the attention and involvement of the major Powers, the problem of the survival of small countries in the environment of larger States has become more and more intractable. We in Saint Lucia, as members of the Caribbean Community, look forward to an enhanced cooperation with the countries of a continent in which a large proportion of our population finds its ancestry. We believe that it is possible to pursue this process through the United Nations development institutions in our sphere and on the African continent, and we propose that this be done. As is now well known, the traditional economic relations under the auspices of the Commonwealth system and the African, Pacific and Caribbean institutional relationships in the context of our trade with Europe are diminishing.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Saint Lucia looks forward to the President’s tenure in directing the work of the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly as one in which the upsurge of conflicts now characterizing our globe will be subjected to meaningful deliberations among our Member States. Our concern as small countries is that persistent conflicts in respect of issues and problems currently plaguing various regions of the globe can serve to distract our United Nations from devoting both attention and resources to persisting with solutions to the serious problems of economic transition and adjustment now characterizing international economic relations in particular.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Saint Lucia is therefore in full support of the conclusions of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil on the challenges and potential solutions to the climate crisis and interrelated factors, which continue to inhibit the achievement of a sustainable world capable of facilitating the activities of all countries, large and small. We are comforted by the words of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that we will secure a legally binding agreement to tackle climate change by 2015. With climate change, we cannot afford any unfinished business, for there is but one world. We also hope that there will be a strong commitment to technology transfer and building local human capacity to deal with climate change and attendant disasters.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It notes that “[the region’s] efforts to promote sustainable development and to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), are under severe threat from the devastating effects of climate change and sea-level rise.” In particular, it notes the “increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events” that have resulted in severe damage to the region’s resources and socio-economic base, and it emphasizes that “dangerous climate change is already occurring in all Small Islands and Low-lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS) regions, including the Caribbean, and that many SIDS will cease to exist without urgent, ambitious and decisive action by the international community”.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Within the Caribbean Community, the Liliendaal Declaration issued by Heads of Government in 2009 encapsulated our concerns as small island States subject to major dislocation as a consequence of the threat of climate change.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We look to a world in which the Millennium Development Goals are realized and in which the international community crafts a new post-2015 strategy to tackle the major impediments to growth as well as to promote the major creators of wealth and prosperity. A major issue is, of course, climate change. As expressed in the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and in the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States held in Barbados in 1994, small States are committed to seeing action taken on climate change and tangible support for the requisite adaptations and interventions needed at all levels.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“This means that development cannot be just about assistance and that small States require there to be some fairness and balance in the world economic space. From the point of view of the developing countries, the collapse of the Doha Round was a disappointing portent of the difficult times to come in the discussions between developed and developing countries. This trend was typified in our hemisphere by the lack of progress in the initiative for a free trade area of the Americas. At the same time, however, there were increasing indications of the emergence of countries in Asia, Africa and the Far East as competitors in global economic competition. We look to a future in which the United Nations and other global institutions become more targeted and differentiated in their interventions and policies.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“On top of that, we were further impacted by unilateral domestic measures which, showing insensitivity to such matters as our dependence on tourism, some major developed States implemented, making us an even less desirable tourist destination. Other islands that are highly dependent on international financial services are now suffering as a result of the attempts by some States to sully their reputations. Though we live in a beautiful part of the world, the reduction of foreign direct investment f lows due to the global economic crisis, and the recent announcement by the World Trade Organization that it has cut its forecast for global trade growth from 3.7 per cent to 2.5 per cent, can cause the outlook to look grim.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The Caribbean Community has continuously made the point that many small States are deceptively classed as middle-income merely on the basis of per capita income. A country the size of Saint Lucia, with the vulnerabilities that we face, should not be subjected to such a measuring tool for determining whether a State can stand on its own. For instance, Saint Lucia experienced a category 2 hurricane in 2010 that caused damage totalling nearly 30 per cent of our gross domestic product. As in the case of other small States like ours, we were then forced to become even more indebted as we borrowed to replace infrastructure, such as arterial roads and bridges, without which our country’s economy would have faced further contraction.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“With few or no resources, diplomatic or otherwise, Saint Lucia can only speak with its moral courage, authority and convictions. Small islands are special places with special peculiarities that make us both unique and vulnerable. Still, we know that, if there is a willingness to support their growth and development, then small islands can be success stories. Consider for instance that our 15-member Caribbean Community has a combined population of 17 million and an economy of about $89 billion. The United States territory of Puerto Rico, itself part of the greater Caribbean, has a gross domestic product of about $100 billion. Those numbers clearly suggest that, given support in trade and investment, though we may be small, our economies could grow. They could find sustainability.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We also wish to place on record our continued concern about the practice of deporting seasoned criminals back to our small States, without any regard for the capacity of our internal security arrangements. In all this there is a sobering reality for the leader of any small State like Saint Lucia. Even as I have the distinction of standing here today, I know that many of the decisions that affect our world and my country are still made in the capitals of other countries, sometimes unilaterally and sometimes multilaterally by groups of 5 or 8 or 20 or 30. It is said that 80 per cent of the world’s trade and economic activity is accounted for by 20 countries. I can assure everyone that Saint Lucia, indeed all of the Caribbean Basin, lies beyond the limits of that geopolitical circle.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Meanwhile, we also have to contend with the reverse f low of guns which, owing to the narcotics trade, is finding its way into our jurisdictions. We cannot have internal peace in our islands if our young people are too easily being given guns. We raised the matter as one of great concern to our security at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, in April this year. It is now clear that the current policies to combat the consumption and trafficking of illicit drugs across and within borders have failed, creating yet another human tragedy of immense consequence. Lives are being lost either to guns or to the consumption of drugs. We remain resolute in wanting the whole matter of the drug trade to be reviewed. Collectively, we must craft new solutions to this problem.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is a country that was tormented into paying compensations to its former colonial master. That was an extraordinary and crude example of trade loss. Today the world’s first black independent country is the Western hemisphere’s poorest nation. It is still very much deserving of the support of the United Nations in overcoming its recent pains and indigence brought on by the earthquake of 12 January 2010. It should not be forgotten. Haiti is a member of the CARICOM family of nations, and so we pay due respect and regard to those countries in our hemisphere that came to the support and assistance of Haiti in its hour of need. We in the Caribbean continue to experience the challenge of our skilled population seeking to settle in regions to the north, where they are generally greeted with open arms.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I must take this opportunity to reiterate the conclusion of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as a whole, most recently in December 2011, that it is time to end the embargo imposed on the Republic of Cuba by the United States. Saint Lucia is part of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States and wishes to pursue the fullest measure of economic integration in the hemisphere, as an instrument of our own economic growth and in order to maximize economic and social cooperation in the area. Blockades and embargoes, in that context, are anachronistic and outmoded. In an era of globalization and economic liberalization they cannot be tolerated or justified. Another relic of colonialism is that of our Caribbean Community member, Haiti. The suffering of the people of Haiti can only be matched by their perseverance.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“As a part of that recognition, we support the Government of Jamaica in calls for the recognition of the impacts of the transatlantic slave trade and the need for a frank dialogue on the status of people of African descent. Furthermore, like Africa, we all need the opportunity to trade equally and fairly. We all know that the death of the Doha talks was due to the unwillingness of some nations to relent on large-scale subsidies on farming and agriculture. One of the injustices that is a relic of an era of fear and dispute long gone is the embargo imposed upon the people of Cuba, purely for purposes of political retribution and punishment.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“While one of the obvious building blocks for development is that of good governance — political structures that are ethical and not fuelled by greed and abuse — and while we can strengthen the rule of law, ensure property rights and hold fair elections, those measures by themselves do not and cannot secure democracy. While democracy has no place for dictators or demigods, it is still rather meaningless to a person with no food on the table. The dispossessed will have no passion and no will. The depressed will not vote, nor will the downtrodden. We cannot continue to ignore the age-old injustices of slavery, of forcing people into labour and of decimating their culture and identity. Many of us here today are the descendants of the survivors of slavery.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Saint Lucia welcomes the resolution of the longstanding dispute in the Sudan, the achievement of self-determination for the new State of South Sudan and its introduction into the community of nations. It is pleasing that that process has occurred in a context in which the States of the African continent have now themselves been creating new spaces in a bid to take advantage of the development of the continent’s resources in a changing economic environment. We cannot have global collaboration and cooperation, and start anew unless extreme disparities are reduced or eliminated. So it is necessary to determine the causes and respond purposefully in tackling the inequities that exist in the world.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“In that context, Saint Lucia welcomes the emerging dialogue and cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan. Such cross-strait dialogue and cooperation will surely facilitate global harmony. We look forward to a continued evolution of the ongoing peaceful rapprochement among the Chinese people as they search to unify their civilization. Saint Lucia also wishes to support the calls for Africa to gain its rightful permanent representation on the Security Council, as supported by the Presidents of Mali and South Africa. As we recognize the perils of conflict and warfare in Africa so too should we recognize the ability of Africa to bring peace to itself. The voice of one billion people and that of an entire continent should no longer go unheard.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Apart from our commitment to global and regional peace, we must also recognize that turbulence in the Middle East has the undoubted effect of distorting the price of the dominant global commodity, oil, and that those distortions harm the interests and development processes of large and small countries alike. The world desperately needs a peaceful Middle East. We express our hope for the continued evolution of peaceful and consensus approaches to issues of governance in that area. Saint Lucia believes that all efforts to promote peace and prosperity for everyone, while of course protecting the health of our planet, should be embraced. The Government of Saint Lucia is well aware of the determination of the Chinese people to unify their country, as signalled to the world when China took its rightful place in the United Nations.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We condemn all attempts at disparagement of religious prophets, deities, symbols or practices, and we appeal for tolerance and understanding. In the same vein, we deplore the brutal murder in Libya of the Ambassador of the United States, and we share that country’s pain and anguish. Religious intolerance is combustible and dangerous and ensnares even those nations far from the theatres of conflict. Saint Lucia is very conscious of the active attempts in the Middle East to develop new systems of governance, as recent systems appear, in some countries, to have outlived their usefulness for the majority of their citizens.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Saint Lucia therefore welcomes a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Syrian Republic and an immediate end to what is clearly carnage, a human tragedy. We continue to support the efforts of the Special Envoy and the Secretary-General in this body’s efforts to induce the parties to focus on coming to the table for negotiations, with a view to finding a path towards a resolution of the conflict that is acceptable to the majority of the people of Syria and takes into account the necessity of ensuring the welfare and interest of minorities in that State. We are, of course, also very concerned about the resort to violence in the Middle East, aimed at confronting either religious or ideological contentions.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Should the girl in Aleppo or Benghazi not be able to share the same opportunities and dreams and hopes as a boy in Arlington or Birmingham? No one expects a naive world, with utopian leaders. Nor do we suggest that our world will not have conflict, for disagreement is inevitable in all aspects of life. However, I ask that we have the courage to be bold about the world we want. I ask that we act when we know we can. I ask that those leaders who hold the seats of higher authority always remember the minorities, those who are easily forgotten, easily marginalized, easily wiped out. There should never be a season for injustice, never a season for corruption, never a season for poverty, never a season for brutality and never a season for torment.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Yet despite all this, the beauty of democracy is that we can embrace a common pursuit: the pursuit of happiness, prosperity and enjoyment of life. Our philosophies should therefore never destroy that pursuit; they should affirm it. Our faiths should never tear this apart, they should form and fashion souls of compassion, understanding and tolerance. For our ancestors, from Africa to Asia, from the Arctic to the Amazon, all knew conflict and what it cost in their lives. We know what it costs humankind right now. And we should all know that history has repeatedly shown us that warfare is not the best way to solve our problems. So then do we ignore the bombs and guns if they are not heard on our streets, in our cities and parks and playgrounds?”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“A world, as is said in southern Africa, that is imbued with ubuntu. Each year for the past seven decades, we have sat here as equals, everyone with a voice, everyone with a say. Our size, whether defined by geography, population or both, has no relevance, albeit only temporarily for the purposes of this discourse and dialogue. And even while some have sat here longer, we can all embrace a commonality that is not transient or mutable. But even so, we can at times forget that behind every country’s representative are real people with real lives, who seek cherished moments despite their sea of despair. And let there be no doubt that, even when our leaders come here to speak, we will have, in all our own countries, differences of opinion, of philosophy, of faith.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“And whatever the f laws and failures of mankind, we still are blessed to be given a world from which we can seek life and livelihoods. It is difficult to imagine at times that even in the face of turmoil, decimation and acts of brutality and calamity, humankind has progressed over the millennia. That is what must give us hope and confidence for the future: that we have been through this before and have come through colossal tragedies, unexplainable disasters, world wars and famine, and still we are here. Our civilization continues to thrive. However, we can only succeed if we recognize and celebrate our shared humanity. This, therefore, must be a world that continuously affirms all human lives, a world that recognizes our collective endowment, that celebrates our ingenuity and our enterprise.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I would first like to congratulate Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at this year’s session. I also wish to place on record Saint Lucia’s thanks to Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser for his contribution as President of the Assembly at its sixty- sixth session. I would like to underscore the words of the President, of which we should be continually reminded, concerning the fact that peace is not merely the absence of war. Indeed, poverty and prejudice are the flint and tinder for violent feud and furore. And so we embrace your suggested theme, for while in the Caribbean we generally know peace, we are aware of the real struggle of humankind to achieve peace in the face of disaster, injustice, inequity and conflict. Beyond this Hall lies a beautiful world.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“This cannot and should not be our legacy to future generations, who will judge us not by our words or espoused principles, but by the actions we employ to render this world fit for human habitation.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Our presence here, however, is a manifestation of our belief that humanity demands conscious renewal — renewal to guarantee that the international community resists war, remembers the poor and is prepared to give tangible meaning to the Charter, to which we all subscribe as responsible members of the world community. But there can be no renewal if faith in the United Nations system is not also restored and retained. The United Nations must remain as the moral epicentre of world politics. Any re-conceptualization of the architecture of global governance that excludes the United Nations will leave the world weaker, more divided, vulnerable and less secure.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We believe that this General Assembly presidency is both symbolic and strategic — not just for ourselves, but for this Organization and the revitalization of its development agenda. That a small developing country should aspire to and attain such high office is a testament to the magnanimity of this noble institution. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that global equity and universal democracy remain meaningful constructs of the world community. Our voice can be ignored or it can be heeded, but it will not be silenced. The choice of an appropriate response rests with this community.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“In the words of the Secretary-General, it is time for the United Nations to bring to a close this colonial chapter of history. We therefore welcome the cooperation that the Special Committee of 24 on decolonization has recently been receiving from the administering Powers of those Territories and the advances that have consequently been made in the work of the Committee. 29 We further welcome the negotiations that have just begun, for the first time, between the Special Committee and the United Kingdom on the process of decolonization in the Caribbean. We look forward to continued cooperation with the administering Powers so that the goal of self-determination for all of these Territories can be achieved in less than a decade.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It is Saint Lucia’s earnest plea that the distortions in farm trade about which — despite their prevalence — discussion is conspicuously avoided, will be treated in a manner reflective of the redistributive priorities of this Organization. We are therefore determined that a more inclusive and transparent global governance system should hold as sacred the goals and aspirations of those of us in the developing world who strive against all odds. Among the most vulnerable countries in the world today are some of the territories that are on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. These countries, the majority of which are small island States in the Caribbean and the Pacific, have yet to exercise the right to self-determination.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Saint Lucia calls for Members to resist attempts to dilute the development agenda through cuts and freezes of regular and core budget allocations. Saint Lucia reiterates the need for reform of the system of global economic governance so as to allow for fair trade and special and differential treatment for developing countries. The current global governance system has failed many small States by eliminating commodity protocols and the quota and price preferences that sustain small economies. Unfortunately, they have been replaced by the conspicuous indifference of neo-liberal economic practice. This has contributed to the decimation of many Caribbean economies.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Saint Lucia therefore wishes to propose that during this session we review all the draft resolutions before us, and determine which need to be consigned to the record books and which merit the continued attention of the Assembly. We need to restructure the time frame, as well as the working methods, of the Assembly and its Main Committees, so as to make more productive use of an entire year, rather than engaging in a three-month frenzy of activities. Furthermore, we should consider making the agendas of the Main Committees and the Assembly more relevant to the general debate. It is our view that these should flow from the themes enunciated at the general debate. The United Nations must not compromise its role in global economic governance and development.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We must conquer delay, procrastination, repetition and inaction. Many years have passed since deliberations on the reform of the Security Council began; and yet there is no end in sight. Consultations on the revitalization of the General Assembly first began 13 years ago, and on that issue, too, there is no end in sight. For some reason, the United Nations seems to enjoy operating in decades. We create decades for our programmes, and when we fail to take action in a particular decade, we simply declare another decade. And so the cycle continues — for decades. This body can no longer afford the luxury of “decade syndrome”, compounded as it is by bureaucratic operations bound by tradition and habit. We must be extremely proactive on the question of the revitalization of the General Assembly.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“If the status quo denies opportunity, freedom and fulfilment to those who hunger and dwell in despair, the appeal of chaos and extremism as an avenue to change becomes that much more attractive. If, on the other hand, we perceive that the world order works in the interests of all of us, there will be a universal commitment to sustain that order. Consequently, it is imperative that the international community jointly address economic injustice and political exclusion as common enemies of us all. Your assumption, Sir, of the presidency of this institution at this time, as a representative of a small island developing State — one of the smallest Members of the United Nations — is both a tribute to the democratic principles of the United Nations and a signal of the need to conclude the process of revitalizing the work of the General Assembly.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
““Muscular unilateralism” and the emerging doctrine of diplomatic unilateralism cannot be the preferred approach to serious global issues. Exceptionalism within the international system is certain to fragment international cooperation, making it 28 less likely that countries will forgo aspects of national sovereignty in the interest of the common good. It has become abundantly clear that the international community will not succeed in its war against terrorism if it fails to address root causes. The current war on terrorism is designed to capture, confine or eliminate existing terrorist networks without addressing the causes of terrorism. Terrorism does not stem simply from the arrogance and madness of a few dictators and misguided fanatics; it is also the result of deep-seated inequity and, sometimes, bigotry.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“But, ultimately, the strength of the United Nations must come from the political will of the Member States — a political will that must accept that everyone should adhere to, abide by, and implement all the decisions taken and resolutions adopted by the Organization. We cannot, in the name of national interest, observe only some resolutions and expect to have a strong United Nations. The United Nations cannot be strengthened if we do not have the political will to accept that its activities cannot be dictated by the agendas of a few powerful States. It must embrace, in equal measure, the concerns of the small and the weak that are the majority of its Members. No single State, by virtue of its economic or military might, should determine, on its own, the obligations and responsibilities of the rest of humanity.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Saint Lucia therefore calls for the completion of the efforts at reforming the Security Council to better reflect the realities of this new century and to make it more representative — more democratic, legitimate and transparent. The existing veto system is too easily influenced by national interests to address serious issues afflicting humankind. If a coalition of the willing could be assembled for war, then surely we can also gather a coalition of the willing to address the problems of poverty, disease, illiteracy, hunger, and trade imbalances. There can be no sanitizing of one corner of the globe while contagion, despair and desperation fester elsewhere. There is no security for the one while insecurity plagues the other.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“More importantly, the United Nations has been a devoted guardian of individual rights and freedoms. Saint Lucia maintains that the United Nations, precisely because of its diversity, is the only organization with the political and moral legitimacy to deal adequately with global issues. This universal body — this United Nations — has no other choice but to heed the lessons of the past and the wisdom of the ages in its attempt to better serve humanity. When our predecessor organization, the League of Nations, was discarded as irrelevant, we witnessed the advance of disorder and human catastrophe on a scale never before envisioned. If we stand idly by now, while this time-honoured institution is rendered irrelevant and toothless, we will have commissioned an epitaph for humanity.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Saint Lucia joins the international community in expressing sympathy to their families, and we reiterate our profound respect to those international workers who are so willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to extend humanitarian assistance, security and comfort to those in peril and in need. In this environment, it is essential that we maintain a United Nations which steadfastly adheres to its original core values. Saint Lucia will resist any attempt to de-legitimize the United Nations system. Any strategy which claims to embrace peace, security and justice and yet excludes the United Nations belies a flawed and unreal conception of world affairs. This Organization has been instrumental in the preservation of the nation-State within a framework of binding relationships among Governments.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Religious intolerance, tribal aggression and civil war continue to ravage many parts of our planet. Among the victims are the poor, the marginalized and the vulnerable — often women and children, who play no part in the making of war but find themselves stripped of their human dignity and basic human rights. Terrorist attacks in Bali, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Baghdad add to our symptoms of impending rupture. The arteries of conscience are becoming hardened by the frequency of wanton violence, yet on occasion there are incidents that shock our sensibilities. The murder of Sergio Vieira de Mello and other United Nations colleagues reminds us of the mindless horror at the heart of that darkness.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“By now, it should be clear to us 27 all that poverty issues are inseparable from human rights issues, as are environmental issues from economic and political development issues. National security and international stability can be realized only where there is justice. It was the prophet Isaiah who reminded us that if mankind is brought low, everyone will be humbled. Yet if we, the international community, retreat from the ideals of the creation of a greater humanity, we would also be retreating from the core values and principles enshrined within the United Nations Charter. More importantly, we would be tacitly endorsing the return and consolidation of a global uncivil society — the symptoms of which are already manifest within our global society.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Indeed, Secretary-General Kofi Annan was moved to state that: “It is uncertain whether the consensus and the vision that the Millennium Declaration expressed are still intact.” Saint Lucia therefore calls on the international community to heed the appeal of our Secretary-General to seek balance between the imperatives of military security and human security. In the interest of redistributive justice, global peace and security, the developed countries must not renege on their commitments to the developing world in the areas of trade, debt relief and aid. The Millennium Declaration goal of halving global poverty is receding into nothingness, but it can be rescued if developed countries make good on their pledges. Moreover, we might challenge ourselves beyond merely halving global poverty, by aspiring to its virtual elimination.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“If it is a task of Herculean proportion, then we will face it with equal confidence, certain that the rebuilding of our broken humanity is a matter which we encounter in the company of equally resolute and undaunted partners. Since the end of the cold war, the legitimacy, credibility and relevance of this time-honoured institution have never been so questioned as they are today. The United Nations Millennium Declaration was designed to revive the dying pulse of all humanity but has itself become comatose.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We stand as one Member of this Organization, proud of the legacy and the vision that we can offer the world. We assume this role because we wish to offer that vision to the world — because it is larger than our 238 square miles and larger than our population of 159,000 people. It is a vision we wish to place at the service of humanity. It is our hope that Saint Lucia’s presidency will offer a fresh perspective, an alternative view, and a different, but not discordant, voice to the heart of the Assembly. As such, the people and the Government of Saint Lucia express both their appreciation and their determination to the members of this international community — appreciation for the faith and trust bestowed upon us with the presidency of this institution, and determination that we shall not fail it, but be judged equal to the task before us.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It is neither pride nor the prospect of privilege that moves us to assume the Presidency of the United Nations General Assembly but a certain determination that is the unspoken strength of islands. Nor is it merely that we are honoured — though indeed we are — but that we also feel worthy, as worthy as any other member of this community and determined to make our contribution to the progress of humanity and the welfare of the world. Saint Lucia recognizes and appreciates that this Presidency became a reality only with the support of the Latin American and Caribbean family. Our preoccupation is not with size, sovereignty or power but with people, and by this measure we are not small, nor are we just an island, for we do not stand alone.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)