Hyatt Regency Trinidad, for the second time in 2009, hosted a conference of world leaders and welcomed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Commonwealth Heads of Government during their biennial meeting from Nov. 27-29 in Port of Spain.
Key attendees included Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, President of South Africa Jacob Zuma, India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Loong and Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Michael Somare.
In addition to 51 leaders of the Commonwealth, the hotel also welcomed non- Commonwealth members Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations; French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Danish Prime Minister Larrs Lokke Rasmussen, all of whom were specially invited for the first time as guests to address the issue of climate change ahead of December’s Climate Change Conference in Denmark.
“After the successful Summit of the Americas earlier this year, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting marks the second major conference of world leaders we have hosted in 2009,” said Russell George, general manager.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting convened Nov. 27 with representatives from 51 countries present. The hotel welcomed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II later that evening for a special dinner Her Majesty hosted for the Commonwealth Leaders and their spouses.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convened every two years to review global, political and economic developments and to conduct a strategic overview of the Commonwealth’s work in support of the interests of member countries.
The objective of this summit is to engage leaders of the Commonwealth in discussing global and Commonwealth issues and to agree upon collective policies and initiatives. All nations, regardless of size, have an equal say and vote at this meeting and all meeting decisions and initiatives are reached only by consensus.
Information about meetings and conventions or reservations at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad in the heart of downtown Port of Spain can be found by visiting the Web site at trinidad.hyatt.com or by calling (800) 233-1234.
