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The buzz has yet to pick up in Belize but the Fifth Summit of the Americas is being hailed as one of the biggest regional news events of the decade. The leaders of thirty four heads of states in the Western Hemisphere including President of the United States Barack Obama and Belize's own Prime Minister Dean Barrow will meet in Port of Spain Trinidad later this month under the theme "Securing our Citizens Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental Stability".
Earlier this week, negotiators representing all thirty-four countries met in Washington DC where consensus was reached on the "Draft Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain", a 97 paragraph document which National Coordinator of the Summit's Secretariat Ambassador Luis Alberto Rodriguez has described as "inclusive, people-centered, relevant and responsive to the needs and real concerns of citizens".
 
But while discussions have been talking place in the boardrooms, organizers have also been working at fever-pitch to finalize security for the event. To cope with the unprecedented influx of visitors expected to descend on the island, police officers from across the Caribbean Community have been dispatched to Port of Spain. The Belizean contingent of cops arrived in Trinidad at the end of March. Belize's Honorary Consul Thomas Chanona hosted a welcome luncheon for the thirty officers who are part of the Caricom regional security team. ASP Roy Joseph is the senior officer. The conference will officially open on April 17th with closing ceremonies set for Sunday, April 19th. 7News will be in Port of Spain bringing you daily reports from the Summit.