The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2009 officially opened this morning in Port of Spain with a call by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning to ensure that CHOGM reaches some consensus on the issue of climate change.

CHOGM is the last meeting before the Copenhagen climate talks but with very little consensus on the issue up to this point, Mr. Manning urged his fellow leaders not to be “victims of pessimism” on the outcomes of this meeting.

He urged them to do their utmost to engender partnership on the issue, saying the Commonwealth is in a good position to lead the way forward. “Let us in a harmonious environment decide how we would like to proceed,” Mr Manning said.

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon is attending this meeting along with French President Nicholas Sarkozy and Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen.

Touching on other global issues facing the world as he addressed the 60th Anniversary Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, Prime Minister Manning said the Commonwealth must play its part towards global corrective action.

“It is the inescapable responsibility of our meeting to engage in meaningful examinations of these and other issues...”

He said poverty and underdevelopment will continue, as will starvation and malnutrition, even as many millions of children in the Commonwealth die but he said he believes there is hope.

“The Commonwealth must play its part towards the fulfilment of this promise...which must not turn out to be another agonising illusion,” the Prime Minister said, asking his fellow leaders to not fail to discern the new reality which requires collective action.

Mr. Manning felt the theme of the conference, “Partnering for a more Equitable and Sustainable Future” was imperative not just for the Commonwealth but for the entire international community.  

 “Amidst the many challenges over human affairs, a new dawn is still possible, it’s waiting,” he told his audience as he gave the assurance that the Commonwealth is ready and will play its part.