Association of Caribbean States (ACS) Secretary General Rodolfo Sabonge, Vice President Raquel Peña, Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, and the president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) José Ernesto Marte Piantini, inaugurated the First Meeting of Civil Aviation Authorities and Airlines of the Greater Caribbean in Santo Domingo on 1 August 2024.
Over the two days, airlines and civil aviation authorities throughout the Greater Caribbean met to discuss solutions for increasing and enhancing intra-regional air connections at the convention center at the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Vice President Raquel Peña gave the opening remarks at the inauguration of the First Meeting of Civil Aviation Authorities and Airlines of the Greater Caribbean hosted in Santo Domingo. The event, held under the umbrella of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), took place coinciding with the Dominican Republic announcing it was signing an Open Skies Agreement with the United States. The United States is the main source of travelers for the Caribbean region.
In her landmark address, Vice President Raquel Peña called on the countries of the Greater Caribbean region to leverage aviation technology to enhance air connectivity and create robust communication networks. These efforts, she emphasized, will promote the flourishing of communities in various dimensions, including food security, commerce, social interaction, culture, and intellectual exchange.
Highlighting the region’s deep historical and cultural ties, Vice President Peña noted that the Caribbean identity has been firmly established for many decades. She pointed out the geographical proximity of the territories, which, despite the short distances, face significant challenges due to a lack of direct routes connecting the various destinations. This results in travelers having to make multiple connections for short-distance travel and having to pay high airfares for intra-regional travel.
“This event marks a historic occasion as it is the first time that both government and private sector representatives from across the region are meeting on such a large scale to share not only political ideas but also technical and specific strategies to advance the Caribbean aviation sector,” Peña remarked.
She acknowledged the sector’s immense potential and reiterated the Dominican Republic’s commitment to fostering regional interconnectivity, particularly in civil aviation. “Today’s significant gathering is a testament to our hope for a united and fully integrated Greater Caribbean in the 21st Century and represents a crucial step towards making that vision a reality.”
Vice President Peña emphasized the essential role of international cooperation and collaborative dialogue in achieving this future. She praised the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), where the Dominican Republic holds the Vice Presidency of the Transport Committee, and expressed gratitude to ACS Secretary General Rodolfo Sabonge for his contributions. She highlighted the ACS as the premier forum for advancing these discussions.
“Significant progress is only possible when we unite diverse minds and efforts, producing outcomes that exceed the sum of their parts,” Peña stated. She added that a connected Caribbean region would facilitate transformative encounters, exchanges, partnerships, and friendships.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mirex), the Civil Aviation Board of the Dominican Republic (JAC) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). The discussions aimed to address crucial issues for aviation development and cooperation in the Greater Caribbean region under the theme “Advancing Connectivity, Promoting Development and Integration of Our Region.”
Attending the inaugural were Minister of the Presidency Joel Santos; Presidential Administrative Minister Igor Rodríguez; and Director General of the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC) Héctor Porcella.
The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.
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TYN Magazine
6 August 2024