YouSaid · the spoken record

Ralph Maraj

lines on the record: 72
first: 1997-09-24
most recent: 2000-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“For example, the international financial institutions must become more sensitive to the development needs of countries and the world trading system must take into account the special concerns of the disadvantaged and the vulnerable. As we have already demonstrated, Trinidad and Tobago is willing to be an active participant in the concerted effort of the international community to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. We have always proven this since becoming a member of this body. We have participated, we have cooperated and sometimes, as with the International Criminal Court, we have led the way. We wish to achieve a humane global civilization. We wish to bequeath to the future a planet of prosperity and peace for all”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“As a pluralistic society, Trinidad and Tobago is proud of its record of harmony. In our country, as immortalized in our national anthem, every creed and race find an equal place. We have become well known as a rainbow society and at present we are seeking to create the institutions and the legal framework to even further deepen our world-renowned harmony. Whilst I have thus far emphasized the need for national action, we are fully aware that cooperation at an international level is absolutely necessary if we are 19 to deal effectively with the problems of our planet. In this global village, no country can survive on its own. Today's reality is globalization, borderlessness and integration at the international, regional and subregional levels. The United Nations, therefore, like all other international actors, has a pivotal role to play.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We therefore attach great significance to the convening of the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, and we fully support the very important preparatory work which will precede the Conference. The disease of racism, racial discrimination and religious intolerance continues to plague the world as we enter twenty-first century. This is an intractable cultural problem that can be ameliorated only through education and enlightenment. It is the expectation of my delegation that the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, to be held in South Africa at the end of August 2001, will produce action-oriented recommendations to eliminate this scourge. No effort should be spared to rid human civilization of this ugly affliction.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In July, 2000, Trinidad and Tobago, along with six other Governments, signed an agreement establishing a regional justice protection programme, which provides a framework for regional cooperation in the protection of witnesses, jurors and legal and law enforcement personnel. While we will continue to strengthen existing measures and to expand the spheres of cooperation, we wish to reiterate that this is a problem which the international community cannot successfully tackle without the necessary commitment of all States concerned. Another growing threat, which is closely related to the menace of the drug trade, is the illicit trade in small arms.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We have taken all measures available to us on the national, regional and international fronts to combat this menace to our society. The Government has, in this regard, established an agency to coordinate the overall efforts against drug trafficking and has entered into regional and bilateral arrangements for cooperation in combating this serious crime. Our strengthened legal framework has led to successes in the investigation and prosecution of crimes associated with drug trafficking. Legislative measures include the Dangerous Drugs Act, the Drug Court Bill, the Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Tribunal Bill and the Proceeds of Crime Bill. At the international and regional levels, cooperative efforts include a number of bilateral extradition and mutual legal assistance agreements.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In many developing countries, the rise in the level of violent crime is directly related to poverty and the deprivation suffered by individuals. This link between poverty and development on the one hand, and peace and security on the other, should not be minimized. Like most countries, Trinidad and Tobago is battling the phenomenon of crime. In addition to allocating increased resources to our protective services, to provide them with manpower, infrastructure and equipment to deal with crime, we are implementing social programmes to combat deviant behaviour, through the Ministries of Education, Culture, Social Development, Youth and Sport. Trinidad and Tobago continues to face the challenges of the illicit traffic in drugs. Due to our geographic location, we are used as a convenient transhipment point in the drug trade.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Our democratic tradition is buttressed by a very active civil society, involving strong trade unions, dynamic social and cultural groups and other non- governmental actors. We have an independent judiciary, and we have recently embarked on the modernization of our laws and legal system to keep our country in step with modern trends. Each Government has the duty to ensure the security of both its State and citizens. One of the serious threats to security is the escalation of the worst kinds of crimes within national borders in many countries. This battle against the criminal element is faced by all societies, on differing levels, but it is a battle to which Governments must, of necessity, allocate adequate resources if they are to maintain peace and foster development.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Every voice must be heard; every view considered; and every citizen must have access to the opportunities that their societies create. This should be the primary responsibility of every Government in every country. Government must also be based on the rule of law. 18 Each nation, therefore, has the responsibility to develop effective judicial and legal systems to both protect the rights of the individual and guard the nation against any usurpation of its democratic systems. We in Trinidad and Tobago are proud of our strong democratic traditions. Free and fair elections are held peacefully, regularly and on time. There is freedom of speech and of political association and freedom of the press.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I must join my Caribbean Community (CARICOM) colleagues in lamenting the blatant and persistent misuse of the Caribbean Sea as a trans- shipment route for hazardous wastes. This continues to be a cause for major concern to the Governments of the region. We are not comforted by the assurances of compliance by those who use this route for economic gain. A single accident can threaten the very viability of our societies. Can the commercial benefit from using this route override its potentially horrendous consequences? Accidents can occur, and we again call for a halt to these shipments. No country can progress without democracy and good governance, which create the environment for progress and development, peace and security. All citizens must be included in the mainstream of national activity. All must be allowed to contribute.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We have established a Ministry of the Environment and an Environmental Management Authority. We have recently enacted legislation to empower this Authority. We have operationalized an environmental policing system, and we are now in the process of establishing a Green Fund, through which the industrialists in our country will contribute to financing programmes for protecting the environment. The Government is working in close collaboration with the international community on environmental issues and, in this regard, we are a State Party to all of the major Conventions concerning the environment. Trinidad and Tobago is actively involved in the development of national legislation to give effect to these international treaties.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are also convinced of the need for greater global partnership to develop an effective and more affordable vaccine against HIV/AIDS. The present HIV-related drugs should be made less expensive. We support the convening as well of a special session of the General Assembly to consider all aspects of this problem. Our planet continues to experience environmental degradation. The problem will never be solved unless there is international cooperation, especially on the part of industrialized countries, which are mainly responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases. We in the smaller countries, especially small island nations, are the most severely threatened. But even in a situation where we are victims, we do not absolve ourselves from responsibility. Trinidad and Tobago is already doing its part.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Under the proposed system, the Government will pay the contribution on behalf of those persons who cannot afford to do so. The ravages of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and its devastating socio-economic consequences constitute another of the major health-related challenges for the international community in the twenty-first century. The spread of the HIV/AIDS virus is of particular concern to the Caribbean, the second most seriously affected region. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago views this matter very seriously, and we have long embarked on a programme of action designed to combat this scourge. It is based on research and education and building partnerships with the public and private sectors, as well as actors in civil society.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In Trinidad and Tobago, health care is given high priority. The health budget continues to be one of the major areas of Government expenditure and, through a decentralized system of regional health authorities, health care is made accessible and affordable to all. The Government is constantly investing in human resources and physical infrastructure to meet the demands of the population. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has reduced the cost of medication for some chronic diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetes, asthma and arthritis. We are also ensuring that equipment for our physically challenged citizens is affordable. Every effort is being made to reduce the backlog of certain common surgical procedures. Next year, a National Health Insurance Pilot Project is expected to be instituted to cover every citizen.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Pre-school education has developed rapidly in Trinidad and Tobago, and 17 special education is also being given greater attention. In further recognition of the importance of education, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago recently embarked on a programme which will ensure free secondary education for every child of secondary school age, and this took effect with the opening of the new academic year 2000-2001. If people are not healthy, they can neither find fulfilment nor contribute to their country's development. The poor of the world need easier access to essential drugs and vaccines to reduce mortality and disability. It has to be a travesty that only one per cent of the budget of global health research is directed to diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis and malaria, all of which are concerns of developing countries.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“According to the United Nations Children's Fund report, “The State of the World's Children 1999”, 130 million children in the developing world are denied the right to basic education. Regrettably, almost two thirds of them are girls. This cannot continue. All children must have access to all levels of education. This must be a national objective in every country. United Nations declarations by themselves will not help. Since independence, Trinidad and Tobago has placed considerable emphasis on education, which continues to rank among the largest items of Government expenditure. The laws of Trinidad and Tobago provide that education is mandatory for all children between the ages of five to 12 years. Tuition is free at public and Government-assisted schools. We continue to improve our system.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Trinidad and Tobago has already taken action through an appropriate policy framework and other measures of reform. As a result, our economy continues to grow, and we are generating employment while keeping inflation low. We are making efforts to ensure that all our citizens benefit from the country's successes, and we are making strides towards the elimination of poverty and are today ranked very favourably in the United Nations Human Development Index. Education is the key. It is a powerful force for social change. It is a human right. It goes far beyond schooling. It assists in combating poverty, empowering women, promoting human rights and democracy and promoting international peace and security.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We should remember that we are the solution to our problems, and that if we are to be effective the partners of others, we must demonstrate a willingness to help ourselves. We must eliminate poverty. It is an indictment against humanity that in the twenty-first century more than a billion of the world's people are mired in the dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty. Each country must adopt those policies necessary to engender growth in their economies and to ensure that all their citizens have access to the opportunities that are being created. It now behooves the international community to take concrete and positive action to bring to fruition the commitment made by heads of State or Government in the Millennium Declaration: to reduce poverty levels by the year 2015.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I wish to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session. At the same time, I record my thanks and appreciation to your predecessor, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Namibia. We are meeting just after the historic Millennium Summit, which brought together more than 150 leaders of the world. Clearly, there is not much left to say. On the other hand, there is much to be done. Urgent action is needed; the time for implementation is now. National action is needed more than ever in all countries. The fact is that each nation has the primary responsibility for dealing with its own problems. It is not sufficient to make visionary statements and well- intentioned commitments. The will to bring about change in our societies must be demonstrated in all nations.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It remains for us the only Organization where every individual may be represented and every voice heard, and where every opinion or idea could contend. Trinidad and Tobago pledges to work with others to take this Organization back to the people, to ensure that it works among them, in our collective efforts to save the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Trinidad and Tobago believes that the United Nations must come to understand again that it has been made for people — real people with flesh and blood and dreams; people who suffer pain and long for joy; people in cars on the street, in houses and hovels, in the cold or in sweltering heat, labouring in fields or offices, giving birth in hospitals and elsewhere; real people, Sir, who may never see you in that chair or me standing here, and if they do see us through the distance of television may be surprised and even disbelieve that we are doing this for them. Is it not amazing how ritual and ceremony often become ends in themselves and either replace or obscure the real purpose? Trinidad and Tobago is heartened to sense that the United Nations is on a path of rediscovery of itself.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We believe that the struggle for economic and social justice must start with ourselves and that democracy in each country must be an ever-deepening process which eventually liberates every single individual from want and places him or her in a position to pursue his or her own fulfilment while respecting the rights of others. For us in Trinidad and Tobago everyone matters; every life is precious. This is the approach with which we come to the United Nations. All nations are important to us because every life in every country is precious.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The key question that the Member States of the United Nations face in the twenty-first century is whether the United Nations will become an Organization that can deal effectively with all forms of injustices to humankind. We recall your words, Sir, in your opening statement to the current session of the General Assembly: “The aspirations, hopes and expectations of the world's peoples are high as they anticipate the future. They yearn for a world that is peaceful, humane and prosperous for all. Without the United Nations, such an inclusive world, led by i n s p i r i n g leaders, cannot come about.” (A/54/PV.1) Trinidad and Tobago is committed to working with other countries of the world through the United Nations to fashion a global civilization that would, in the final analysis, be its own salvation and protection.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The international financial architecture must therefore be compatible with and complementary to real development. National Governments cannot be exonerated from their responsibilities. There are too many countries in the world whose major problem is the imperfections of their own Governments. Many who speak about marginalization are themselves alienating their own populations, and some who lament global poverty are themselves pauperizing their own citizens through their own inadequacies. We cannot call for a reformation without reforming ourselves. Do we all place our people at the centre of governance? Are we using our resources well and for the benefit of our populations who elected us to serve? We have a responsibility to re-invent our 8 governance at home as part of the global transformation that we demand.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The World Bank is now developing a strategy, which we hope will be approved by its board of Executive Directors, to reorient its assistance for small States on the basis of a strategic assessment of their vulnerability, constraints and needs. Other financial institutions and development institutions should adopt similar initiatives. The governance of the supranational global actors therefore has to be reinvented with human development and equity as imperatives. A new global partnership of developing countries must be forged with the financial institutions and the developed world to place financing for development on a sound and predictable level. The economic foundation laid by the policy prescriptions of structural adjustment remains questionable in terms of their potential to generate and sustain long-term economic growth.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Policies developed and promoted by international financial and monetary institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must have as their ultimate goal the transformation of societies aimed at achieving a higher degree of social equity and justice within the global economy. The World Bank and the IMF must apply a set of criteria broader than per capita income when considering finance and development assistance, in view of our susceptibility to external economic shocks and natural disasters. We are heartened by the highly successful Commonwealth ministerial mission on small island States undertaken by the Heads of Government in July 1998, from which an agreement has been secured for the establishment of a Commonwealth/World Bank task force.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Developed countries must demonstrate an unequivocal commitment to opening their markets to exports of developing countries to enable them to achieve sustained levels of economic development. The disconnection between developments in the WTO and the development process at the national level in developing countries must be arrested. The rules-based system of the WTO, which aims to promote free and fair trade, must do just that. The idea of the level playing field, we must remember, is a dangerous myth, and if it is allowed to hold sway it will further the pauperization of hundreds of millions of people all over the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In that process, we must recognize that a special category of States face peculiar disadvantages arising from the policy actions of the international community. These are the small and vulnerable States, of which the States of the Caribbean region make up a significant part. For these countries, the need to maintain the provisions for special and differential treatment in the present WTO Agreement is fundamental. The liberalization of international trade under the WTO is a dynamic force for accelerating growth and development. The challenge for the next Ministerial Conference is to ensure resolute progress towards an open, free and fair international trading system in which benefits are equitably distributed.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Seattle this year, the South Summit, the special sessions of the General Assembly to follow up of the World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women and, indeed, the Millennium Assembly next year, provide ideal opportunities for the international community to respond to this coming crisis of mankind. In the upcoming WTO Seattle meeting, it must be recognized that many of the measures which were supposed to be put in place in the new global trading system ushered in by the Uruguay Round have not been realized. Giving effect to those matters must therefore be the priority in any new round of WTO negotiations. In other words, implementation of commitments already made must be the emphasis.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“No fortress, whether economic or military, will be strong enough to insulate any country from the effects of such a situation. Some may not like it, 7 and some tend to forget it; but it is one world that we live in, one globe that we share. We should take a lesson from nature itself, whose hot winds emanate from the Sahara in Africa, become hurricanes in their journey across the Atlantic and eventually devastate and desolate countries as far away as the Caribbean and North, Central and South America. In this era of globalization, we have excellent opportunities to put in place new and innovative global structures that would make possible global solutions to ensure the social, economic and cultural security of the individual.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Albert Camus, one of the distinguished writers of modern times noted that, “Probably every generation sees itself as charged with remaking the world. Mine, however, knows that its task will not be merely to remake the world. Its task is even greater: to keep the world from destroying itself.” There is no doubt that the task in the new century is to save the world from self-destruction, and the question is, what type of economic arrangement will ensure that salvation? Surely it cannot be one in which the few feast at the table, leaving mere crumbs for the majority. No one can be insulated from the catastrophe inherent in such a situation. Disease, terrorism, the drug trade, human enslavement, child labour and ecological disaster will continue to be produced by a world bereft of economic and social justice.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We have seen the adoption of several instruments, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee fundamental human rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. These reflect the commitments and obligations of the international community to improving the quality of life of the individual in the various sectors of society. But we must not pay lip-service to the principles enshrined in the international instruments that we have adopted; there is too much of a trend of paying lip-service. We need to take concrete action now.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is because of this recognition that we have today the most recent instrument, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This Statute is the result of a call made in 1989 by Mr. Arthur N.R. Robinson, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, for the international community to renew its focus on the question of the establishment of an international criminal jurisdiction to deal with these atrocities, and also with crimes associated with the illicit drug trade, all of which have such a heavy impact on a Government's ability to address the fundamental needs of its citizens. In addition to the establishment of the International Criminal Court, there is hope in the fact that the United Nations has made advances in the area of human rights.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Throughout this century, we have been shocked by news and television images of the harsh realities endured by the victims of such horrors in Europe, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia, to name a few. And, sadly, we have realized that the very scientific and technological advances which were intended for the service of humanity can be turned to evil ends in the service of the destruction of humanity. Nevertheless, in the midst of one of the darkest chapters of the twentieth century, there is hope in the fact that such evils have stirred the conscience of the international community to strengthen the rule of law, to address situations such as these and to ensure respect for fundamental human rights.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“As we span the far reaches of history, and especially in this century, we see that very often the individual in society has been the victim of political and economic forces beyond his control. He has suffered the horrendous consequences of ethnic, cultural and religious intolerance. It is the individual and the family that have suffered the most from the devastating effects of wars, genocide and ethnic cleansing. In our century alone, we have witnessed the tragedy of two world wars, which have resulted in the loss of a countless number of lives, the separation of families and the loss of hope for many. We have seen the untold human misery and pain of the Holocaust, the injustices and suffering of apartheid and the callousness of regimes which have unleashed acts of unspeakable horror on their citizens.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Twenty per cent of the world's richest countries share 86 per cent of the world's gross domestic product, 82 per cent of exports of goods and services and 68 per cent of foreign direct investment. If there is any demonstration of the inequality that exists and how most human beings have been marginalized as we approach the end of the twentieth century, the following is a striking example: the assets of the three richest people are more than the combined gross national product of all of the least developed countries; the assets of the 200 richest people are more than the combined income of 41 per cent of the world's people; and a yearly contribution of 1 per cent of the wealth of the 200 richest people could provide universal access to primary education for all. There is an even darker side to the picture.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The number of malnourished is 840 million people, nearly 20 per cent of whom are children. One of the most tragic situations as we approach the end of the century is that 70 per cent of the world’s poor are women. From 1990 to 1997 the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS more than doubled, with the majority of victims in the developing world. Ironically, in this much-heralded information age, 75 million people are estimated to be illiterate, with the majority also in the developing world. In addition to the problem of illiteracy, the education system in most developing countries is producing unskilled and unemployable young people. 6 Five billion of the world's 6 billion people live in the developing world, but most of the resources are concentrated in the developed countries.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The central planning of Communism was disastrous, suffocating human development by stifling initiatives and freedoms and creating oppressive authoritarian regimes. The Big Government of the centre-left era was bungling and bureaucratic, killing entrepreneurial initiative and generating a dependency syndrome, and was imperfect in its delivery as the major social and economic actor. Now we are in the era of the market, of deregulation and borderlessness, and the question still is: what have we achieved? At the turn of the century, we have 1.3 billion people in the category of the poor, earning less than $1 dollar per day. More than 880 million people lack access to health services, 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation and 1.5 billion people are not expected to survive to age 60.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In their enlightened self-interest, nations also come together to serve that end by trying to create a better world, one in which their own citizens can interact with others and benefit from relationships in the pursuit of their fulfilment. At both the national and global levels, the human being is supposed to be at the centre of the purpose, processes and policies of governance. It is the foundation of democratic civilization to create the conditions that give the individual the opportunity for fulfilment. We need to assess our nations and our world in the light of that original intention as we approach the twenty- first century. The present global picture proves that much went wrong during this century. The economic models of the century have failed to create economic and social justice.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“I wish to congratulate you on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its final session of the twentieth century and would like to assure you of the fullest cooperation of the delegation of Trinidad and Tobago as you discharge the duties entrusted to you by the Member States of the United Nations. We would also like to commend your predecessor, Mr. Didier Opertti of Uruguay, for the very capable and distinguished manner in which he guided the Assembly’s work during its fifty-third session. There is only one real purpose to government. It is to serve the people, to protect them and to improve the quality of their lives.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We all need to work steadfastly to improve the image of the United Nations from one of goal-setting to one which facilitates prompt action by Members in a manner that is consistent and wide-ranging and takes into account the special needs of the most vulnerable among us. It is incumbent on all Member States to imbue our Organization with a renewed sense of self-confidence, faith and optimism and to work in a global partnership to achieve the goals and ideals of the United Nations. We owe this legacy to present and future generations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In a similar vein, the United Nations, with the diversity of its membership, must harness individual and collective strengths to advance the interests of all Members of the Organization as we move into a new millennium. In this regard, Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the ongoing discussions aimed at reforming the membership and working procedures of the Security Council. It is our hope that this process will result in a Council whose composition more accurately reflects the wider membership of the General Assembly and whose working procedures are more open and inclusive than has previously been the norm.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Trinidad and Tobago is a cosmopolitan society in which the human rights of each individual are constitutionally guaranteed. We endeavour to achieve the cherished ideal of a truly democratic nation, in which all persons live together in harmony, with equal opportunities for all, in order that each individual may contribute to the process of national development. In this context, one of 9 the primary goals of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has been to seek to wider participation in the decision-making process through a strengthened local government machinery in a manner that will promote the empowerment of local communities in the pursuit of development efforts and the promotion of good governance.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In the social sector, the Government has focused on rationalization and restructuring of the social service delivery system; expanding access to education for the school-age population; rationalization and strengthening of the health services through the health sector reform programme; regularization of squatter communities; restructuring of the unemployment relief programme to allow for skill acquisition through on-the-job training; the establishment of a community development fund to provide financing for the delivery of basic social services and infrastructure to the poor and vulnerable population groups and communities; and the provision of institutional support for the strengthening of non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations to assist in this regard.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In the area of macroeconomic policy, we have proceeded to liberalize the trade and exchange regimes to foster enhanced competitiveness; streamline the incentive framework; privatize State-owned enterprises to promote increasing levels of private investment; promote entrepreneurial activity through, among other measures, a venture capital regime; and to modernize and strengthen intellectual property legislation to encourage investment and the transfer of technology.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Trinidad and Tobago has also ratified several international conventions relating to the environment: the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer; the 1994 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; the 1994 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal; and the 1996 Convention on Biological Diversity.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Recent steps to promote sustainable development in Trinidad and Tobago in the area of environmental management include: the establishment of an environmental management authority and drafting of a national environmental policy; the development of environmental standards; the preparation of a water resources management strategy; the development of a national parks and watershed management project; and the commissioning of a study to assist in establishing a policy framework and facilities for the management of oil and hazardous wastes.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Agenda recognizes the fact that economic development, social development and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development, and are the basis for the achievement of a higher quality of life for all people. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago attaches great significance to this issue. We are therefore pursuing economic, social and infrastructural development in a sustainable way which avoids environmental degradation, conserves our natural resource endowment and helps to build and maintain a long-term national capacity to support rising standards of living for the population, as well as opportunities for self-actualization.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“To this end, Trinidad and Tobago, in response to the plight of the Government and people of Montserrat, has pledged financial and technical assistance, medical and other relief and engineering personnel, and has been involved in the establishment of a CARICOM village in the northern part of the island of Montserrat — a decision that was taken at the recent conference of CARICOM Heads of Government. Within our available resources, Trinidad and Tobago will continue to be of assistance. The special concerns of small island developing States were also incorporated in the recently adopted Agenda for Development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We commend this initiative and are confident that this new relationship will be of benefit to the people of the Caribbean region. The volcanic eruptions in Montserrat bring to the fore the vulnerability of small islands to natural disasters. This phenomenon and other environmental problems have received increased recognition since the 1992 Rio Conference on Environment and Development. Trinidad and Tobago shares the anguish felt by the citizens of the Caribbean island of Montserrat, which is fast becoming uninhabitable. CARICOM member States have responded within their limited capabilities to the disaster, and we will continue to provide logistic and other support.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Barbados Declaration and Programme of Action have as their overall objective the management of environmental problems, the management of our vital natural resources and the improvement of human-resource capability and institutional requirements for sustainable development of small island States in the overall context 8 of Agenda 21. We look forward to the full support of the United Nations and the international community when the comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action takes place in 1999. A new phase of international cooperation for the Caribbean region was heralded in May 1997 at the first meeting of the secretariats of CARICOM and the United Nations, from which emanated a work programme for the implementation of special projects.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)