From the editor.

• Position: Editorial

Between June 19 and 21, the heads of state and government of the CARICOM countries will meet with US President George W. Bush as part of the Conference on the Caribbean to be held in Washington, DC. This is the first time that politicians, international financial institutions, private sector enterprises, representatives of the academic community, and speakers from the Caribbean diaspora will meet in a common forum to explore the growth and development of the Caribbean community from a regional perspective.

Americas salutes this initiative by dedicating its June issue to the people of the Caribbean, who the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and current president of CARICOM, Ralph Gonsalves, describes as "the rhythm of Africa, the melody of Europe, the chords of Asia, and the songs of the Kalinago and the Garifuna."

In an interview with Ian Edwards, Prime Minister Gonsalves also speaks about the achievements of his government in the area of education and poverty reduction, the resistance and sense of independence of the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the advantages and difficulties posed by the establishment of a CARICOM single market economy (CSME).

Two prominent experts of the Caribbean analyze the latter topic in greater depth. Ambassador Richard Bernal, General Director of the Caribbean Regional Negotiation Machinery, recounts the development of CARICOM from the first efforts at regional integration in 1968 to the promising opportunities of the future as the CSME begins to operate. The Honorable Duke Pollard, a judge in the Caribbean Court of Justice, also examines the importance of the Court as a fundamental aspect of the functioning of the CSME, since the "rights and obligations [contained in the CSME] are so important and extensive that there is a clear need to have a permanent, central, regional institution charged with making definitive decisions about them."

The Conference on the Caribbean coincides with the celebration of the month of the Caribbean diaspora in the United States, recognizing the valuable contributions...