February 9, 2002

Dear Sir,

A new non-governmental organisation to promote unity and progress in the Caribbean was officially launched on December 1, 2001. The Organisation For Caribbean Unity and Progress (OCUP) will air its views on important matters affecting the Caribbean as a whole.

Jamaican Gracia Whyte, a founding member of OCUP, believes that the organisation will play a very important part in regional integration. She said: "The Caribbean is politically linked via Caricom, but Caricom alone cannot bring us all together."

Whyte, who is pursuing a degree in geography at Oxford Brookes University in England, said: "The people of the Caribbean all share similar histories and even if the fundamentals of our culture differ slightly, no matter which island you visit, you're bound to hear streams of soca, reggae and zouk."

She added: "Through regional integration, we can learn to appreciate and help each other. The larger islands," she said, " will begin to recognise the smaller islands, not just viewing them as smaller and, therefore, of less worth."

The organisation will address issues that affect the lives of people throughout the region. OCUP is soliciting the assistance of Caribbean governments and people so that the organisation can make a positive impact on the region.

Members of the organisation are committed to Caribbean unity and are willing to work together to foster and promote good relations among the people of the region.

Well-known Guyanese social worker Vidyaratha Kissoon believes it is certainly interesting to have a citizens' organisation across the Caribbean. He said it would be interesting to link up people with OCUP, a kind of civil society version of CARICOM. Kissoon stated that many people would no doubt be willing to work with OCUP across the region.

HARRACK BALRAMSINGH

La Romaine, Trinidad