The event was opened by the country's President and temporary Union leader Irfaan Ali with a call to use bilateral contacts to forge new alliances that will lead to greater prosperity and common development.
Ali welcomed the presence of representatives from Ghana, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States and announced plans to establish permanent Caricom offices in some of these areas.
He reiterated that the current summit's agenda includes debates on addressing climate change, food security, energy and the situation in Haiti, in order to find consensus and possible solutions.
Regarding the instability in the French-speaking country, Ali reported on a previous meeting with the delegation from Port-au-Prince and stressed the need to focus on long-term initiatives that will help address the current challenges there.
The forum will continue throughout the day and on Wednesday those present will develop another forum to explore the potential of the Caribbean in the business world.
The 46th Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom will take place from yesterday to the day after tomorrow and has among the special guests the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
According to the bloc's secretary general, Carla Barnett, the high-level event will focus on deepening regional integration and better promoting the interests of Caribbean people on the international stage.
The Caricom Conference of Heads of Government sets the group's policy guidelines, concludes interest agreements and forges relationships with other international organizations and countries around the world.
ro/ymr