During a brief handing-over ceremony, the Vincentian envoy received the gavel from Saint Lucia’s Ambassador, Sonia Johnny, outgoing Permanent Council Chair. Trinidad and Tobago’s Ambassador, Marina Valere, is the Vice Chair of the Permanent Council.

Describing the development agenda situation as urgent, Ambassador John stressed the need for more focus and emphasis in this direction.

“We have to seriously think of where we want to go and how we want to successfully implement the development agenda that will cause long-term sustainable development in our region,” he said.

Ambassador John also noted among other pressing issues at hand the task of preparing for the upcoming General Assembly session scheduled to be held in the Dominican Republic in early June.

He also commended the three-month stint of his predecessor in the rotating Permanent Council chairmanship.

For her part, the outgoing Council Chair pledged her continuing support to her successor, and reviewed her own period at the helm of the Organization’s second highest decision-making body, which is made up of the member states representatives.

She noted developments such as the commitment by member states to increase their quotas so the OAS can be in a better financial position to implement mandates from the member states.

Among those on hand for the ceremony at OAS headquarters were Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin and several member state ambassadors, as well as a number of OAS General Secretariat officials.