Commonwealth Secretary-General Designate Patricia Scotland to address Caribbean conference

Scotland said it is “an impressive privilege” to participate in the conference
Scotland said it is “an impressive privilege” to participate in the conference

29 March 2016 – The Right Honourable Patricia Scotland QC, who later this week takes office as the sixth Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, will today give an opening address to the 15th Conference of Presidents and Governors-General of the Caribbean region in Antigua and Barbuda.

In a special video message released earlier this morning, the Secretary-General Designate says it is “an impressive privilege” to participate in the conference. “The Caribbean is where the world meets and having an opportunity to speak to all of the Governors-General and the Presidents is going to be a real opportunity for all of us to talk about what will make a difference for the region,” she states.

Patricia Scotland QC takes over as Commonwealth Secretary-General from Kamalesh Sharma, who steps down on 31 March after eight years of service. The Secretary-General Designate was nominated by Dominica, the country of her birth, and selected by the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth at their Heads of Government summit in Malta last November. When she takes office on Friday 1 April, she will be the second Secretary-General from the Caribbean and the first woman to hold the post.

“I am hugely proud that the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth have entrusted me with the role of Secretary-General and I am determined that I will do everything in my power to make sure that our region is proud of what we are together able to achieve,” Patricia Scotland QC says in her video message.

On her first day in office, 1 April 2016, the new Commonwealth Secretary-General will visit Dominica and open the new Disaster Rehabilitation Centre on the island following the devastation caused by tropical storm Erika.

The 15th Conference of the Presidents and Governors-General of the Caribbean region is held in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, from 29-31 March 2016. Patricia Scotland QC will address both the opening day of the conference as well as the final day, on Thursday 31 March, on the eve of taking office.

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26 Comments

  1. awa
    March 30, 2016

    Open the new Disaster Rehabilitation Centre??Could somebody tell me where this Rehabilitation Centre is located

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      March 30, 2016

      I do not wish to appear as a modern day know it all, but I think since you ask I cannot resists commenting: And so here is the definition of rehabilitation from a medical, and scientific point of view. Rehabilitation is the process of restoring a person’s ability to live, and work as normally as possible after a disabling injury, or illness.

      The main purpose is help the patient achieve maximum possible physical, and psychologic fitness, and regain the ability to be independent. It offers assistance with the learning or relearning of skills needed in everyday activities, with occupational training, and guidance and with psychologic readjustment.

      Rehabilitation (rehab) is an integral part of convalescence. Proper food, medication, and hygiene, and suitable exercise provide the physical basis for recovery; the patient is encouraged to be physically and mentally active, to the extent recommended by the health team.

      Nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and…

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        March 30, 2016

        Continue:

        Nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and vocational training are used extensively in the rehab of the severely injured or handicapped person’s.

        In terms outside of medical science; the therm simply means to restore to a former capacity, or reinstate; or restore to good repute, such as reestablishing a good name. Rehabilitation is also defined as to present, or use again in another form without substantial change or improvement.

        Be reminded when one is sent to jail, that is supposed to be rehabilitated, unfortunately they becomes hardened criminals: when the jail birds are released form jail they simply continue business as usual.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      March 30, 2016

      In a sense I missed quoted anyway: in regards to the location: Nevertheless you see the sort of garbage these people come with talking crap that they think will impress the uneducated. There cannot be a rehab center without all that I related.

      I did not read all of that woman’s nonsense, but as I said she and Skerrit deserves each other, along with their ignorant supports who are unable to distinguish the truth from fiction, and a lie! Perhaps the question should be what in their term is a rehabilitation center!

  2. Caretaker
    March 30, 2016

    Me: Any one who came to me direct needs help and this is what I am good at, you sound unhappy. Let us speak Dominican’s language. 1. you don’t judge a book by its cover.2.you don’t have to be a woman to earn a child. 3. you don’t have to suck salt in da because we have outside kitchen.4. if a shoe pinches you change it. and finally you reside in a district and you don’t make progress you move away to somewhere else, this goes to everything, if it does not work for you ,give yourself a chance change it.We respect the chair you sit on and not the person. I hope this open your eyes a little.blessings

  3. Papa
    March 30, 2016

    What a waste of time. Talk is so cheap now . talk away broness because that’s all we will get from you

  4. Just Me
    March 29, 2016

    and with all dem nonsense taking place all you expect not to be in calypso. we need a calypso show for pentecost. jus doh ask de mon singnor from alphonsus to judge

  5. Expat
    March 29, 2016

    Cry me a river you UWP advocates.

  6. Floridian diaspora
    March 29, 2016

    Lady because of you all marine life has been messed up. We have extracted all the salt form the ocean now all the fish is dying. Where do you recommend we suck next?

    • Tickle us
      March 29, 2016

      She will be carrying bags of salt to replace what has been consumed(bc) things are bad in the region. We suck all the salt we had.

  7. AAGabriel
    March 29, 2016

    Stay in London don’t bother to come here. Wheren’t you charged by Skerrit to coordinate relief donations after Erika? Have you got anything positive to tell us? I guess not. You and the Doctor are one of a kind!

  8. Yinka
    March 29, 2016

    B.E.B. the meeting is for PRESIDENTS AND GOVERNOR GENERALS….tbeu wrte not left out…next meeting….lawd you people always…..

  9. Caretaker
    March 29, 2016

    Who are you addressing as woman, after the money spent on education still learn nothing. welcome Baroness you are well loved in high places that’s all that matters to me.

    • Me
      March 29, 2016

      Caretaker, is she not a woman, and if not what is she? She gave birth to two sons. Show some respect. Baronesses are first and foremost women.

    • Floridian diaspora
      March 29, 2016

      You are one of the most well lubricated RED baboons on this website that has been preprogramed to talk rubbish. Check the timing valve on your bird beak before you speak

  10. d-a born
    March 29, 2016

    That woman again?

    stupes

  11. B.E.B
    March 29, 2016

    I see no mention of Prime Ministers. Will they be keeping them away from the meeting?

  12. March 29, 2016

    Go girl get in there and do your thing.There will be obstacles like angry, wicked people ie Dominicans. just do your best.
    You are covered by his blood.

    • Floridian diaspora
      March 29, 2016

      Maybe you all sucking salt where you be there. RED idiots!!! Hurricane season approaching and Erika’s aftermath still hasn’t been cleared. Do the math!!!

  13. Aliko
    March 29, 2016

    Congratulations Patricia and thanks for your assistance. I hope I can call on your services also, should the need arise for me to acquire a diplomatic passport with the help of your close friend in Dominica. You will not find me ungrateful. Your friend and colleague Aliko.

  14. cameron
    March 29, 2016

    Big waste she has prefrences,she needs to be a real woman and not a politician.

  15. megso
    March 29, 2016

    Hope She doesn’t try out Her patois again & put Her foot any deeper into Her mouth!!!!

    ‘souse sel ‘ indeed !

  16. Shaka Zulu
    March 29, 2016

    This should be tittled “The House Slave to address the field Slaves” the Commonwealth is one big slave plantation where the slaves were given freedom but they cannot go anywhere and still cling to the master for help. The fact that the Secretary general was selected because of her position as a house slave tells that the field slaves still believe they cannot get anywhere on there own because they are not good enough. Fielders fight the privvy council but yet hire a houser. Only thing that will help the Caribbean is to get rid of the mental chains and see ourselves as equal to any and all, empower our people to achieve better, innovation and get rid of inferior mentality and dependency.

  17. Love the pm
    March 29, 2016

    Suck salt!!!! Labour power reigns forever. Wether lightening funder sun or rain it mus be labour again.

  18. wisewoman
    March 29, 2016

    Where is the Disaster Rehabilitation Centre located? Will the Baroness present funds to the Centre which she raised in her position as Dominica’s International Relief Coordinator or have those funds been used to build this Centre? There was an architect and her sister with her last time. Did the architect design this centre? We’d really like to know.

  19. Gwo Jel
    March 29, 2016

    stupse

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