The CLGF Board has backed the development of enhanced local government capacity-building programmes in all regions of the Commonwealth, including the Caribbean.

Board members made the commitment in their final statement – the Belize statement on the promotion of local democracy, good governance and local economic development - issued at the end of the CLGF Board meeting in Belize last week. They also pledged to continue to work with other key Commonwealth organisations in defence of Commonwealth values, particularly in promoting and supporting the Aberdeen principles on local democracy throughout the countries of the Commonwealth, and to take forward work on promoting localism, sustainable development and economic growth including the implementation of the Cardiff Consensus on Local Economic Development , highlighting the importance of the new CARILED programme in the Caribbean in helping to implement this.

The CLGF Board held its annual meeting at the Princess Hotel, Belize on 17-18 May 2012, with representatives from Bahamas, Belize, Botswana, Canada, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Mauritius, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda and the United Kingdom. The meeting was hosted by the Belize Ministry of Local Government, the Belize Mayors Association and Belize City Council and was chaired by CLGF Chairperson Zenaida Moya, former Mayor of Belize City. Board members were also joined by Commonwealth Secretary-General HE Kamalesh Sharma.

At the conclusion of the meeting Ms Zenaida Moya stepped down as Chairperson of CLGF. Vice chairperson Mayor Lawrence Yule (New Zealand) has now taken over as Chairperson.

Speaking after the meeting, Ms Moya said, “It has been a privilege and an honour to be elected as chairperson of CLGF two terms and to work on behalf of not only my city and region but the whole Commonwealth. I am pleased that I have been able to steer the organisation through a time of review and into greater recognition of Heads of Government for our work and into growth with stronger capacity-building programmes in all the regions. This includes in the Caribbean where this has already begun through CLGF-led initiatives such as the ARIAL programme on strengthening local government associations and the CARILED programme on local economic development which CLGF patron Hon Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, launched yesterday.”

CLGF Secretary-General Carl Wright added, “We are grateful to our hosts in Belize for the hospitality and excellent arrangements that have facilitated all our meeting here this week. The outcomes will have an impact not only for citizens in the Caribbean but throughout the Commonwealth.”