Bermuda senator lauds island's relationship with Caricom

Monday, October 13, 2003

HAMILTON, Bermuda: Building relationships with Caricom and Cuba present win-win situations for Bermuda, says newly appointed Progressive Labour Party Senator, Mr. Walter Roban.

The Bermuda Sun recently quoted Senator Roban, a close ally of former Premier Ms. Jennifer Smith, as saying that while there have been many vociferous opponents to formal links with the colony's southern neighbours, Bermuda had already reaped tangible rewards in the aftermath of Hurricane Fabian.

"I think it's been proven (beneficial) and we've had people come up here and help us out in our time of need, which is really what counts, that you can you get that assistance when you need it," said Sen. Roban during a wide ranging interview with the Bermuda Sun. 

"And vice versa, our people have gone down during similar times of crisis and given assistance to them and this extends under the CARICOM relationship, so I think it's been proven to be beneficial to us and beneficial to members of CARICOM in general." 

The new senator, according to the paper, also stressed that the connections with CARICOM as well as Cuba were not along economic lines but rather they were more cultural by nature, which could only serve to enhance and not detract from Bermuda's strong economic base. 

"The terms upon which the Government has chosen to engage CARICOM are areas that are genuinely of merit for our Island," he said. 

"These are islands like us, with similar historical connections as well as cultural connections. The engagement is basically on a social and cultural level with CARICOM, we're not signing on to any of the economic protocols and we have historically had a strong connection with most of these islands anyway, through Government, through trade union connections, through financial connections …."  

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