Two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders are to pay an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago in August, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced Monday.

He told a news conference that Guyana’s President, Dr Mohammed Irfaan Ali, will pay a state visit on August 18, followed by the Jamaica Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, whose official visit will coincide with his participation in the country’s 60th anniversary of political independence from Britain on August 31.

Rowley told reporters that Ali, who had led the responsibility for Agriculture within the Quasi Cabinet of CARICOM, will also participate in the CARICOM Agri-Investment Forum that begins on August 19.

“It will involve some meetings at venues in Port of Spain and major agricultural exhibitions at the Queen's Park Savannah, and it will involve Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the region on display, indicating what we are doing, what we intend to do, and the meetings hopefully will alert our investors of the possibilities, all in this major CARICOM initiative to bring about increased production in CARICOM,” Rowley told reporters.

He said the agricultural initiatives in the Caribbean are intended to boost regional food security.

He said that Prime Minister Holness has “finally accepted our invitation” to visit Port of Spain that had been extended years ago when he first became Prime Minister in 2015, and had to travel to Kingston to “smooth some feathers concerning a boycott that was brewing against Trinidad and Tobago manufactured products.

“The invitation was extended then, and Prime Minister Holness has now accepted that he will come and visit us as our guest during our independence celebrations. He is due here for independence,” Rowley said.

Prime Minister Rowley also announced that the government will Thursday outline plans, including the budget for the country’s 60th celebration of independence.

“This year, Trinidad and Tobago having attained its independence in 1962…and you do realise it is a milestone that we should pay some attention to. We have been doing so; we had a committee in place …and we think we are in a position to remove some of our (COVID-19) restrictions and therefore our normal independence celebrations will take place,” Rowley said.