the following remarks were made by St. Maarten’s governor Franklyn Richards, at an official ceremony marking commemoration of World Aids Day 2008, on St. Maarten:

The theme for World AIDS Day 2008 is “leadership” with the slogan, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”Leadership was selected as the theme for World AIDS Day to encourage leaders at all levels to stop AIDS.

Building on the 2006 theme of accountability, leadership highlights the discrepancy between the commitments that have been made to halt the spread of AIDS, and actions taken to follow them through. The theme empowers everyone from individuals to organisations to governments to lead in the response to AIDS.

Why are this year’s observances so important?

2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Since 1988, the face and response to AIDS has greatly changed. While many of these changes are positive, this anniversary offers us an opportunity to highlight how much more still needs to be done.

For example:

· Leaders in most countries from around the world now acknowledge the threat of AIDS, and many have committed to do something about it. As of 2007, nearly all countries have national policies on HIV. However, despite these policies, most have not been fully implemented and many lack funding allocations, as is the case with the island territory of St. Maarten.

· While treatment for HIV and AIDS has improved and become more widespread since 1988, many still do not have access to it – in 2007 only 31% of those in low- to middle-income countries who need treatment received it.

· Despite HIV awareness now reaching nearly all areas of the globe, infection rates are still happening 2.7 times faster than the increase in number of people receiving treatment.

· While the number of countries protecting people living with HIV continues to increase, one third of countries still lack legal protections and stigma and discrimination continues to be a major threat to universal access.

The number of people living with HIV is continuing to rise in every part of the world. There are now 33 million people living with HIV worldwide.

Last year, between 230,000 to 270,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, while 20,000 to 25,000 were newly infected.

At the end of 2007, an estimated 30,000 people with the disease were receiving antiretroviral treatment in the region – a 50 percent increase over 2006.

We should take keen note that 38 people in the region die from AIDS-related causes daily and that 55 new HIV cases occur each day in the Caribbean.According to the Caribbean Media Corporation, the Caribbean has the second highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate worldwide after sub-Saharan Africa (Caribbean Media Corporation, 10/22).

We are reminded that we have only two years to go for “the goal of universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support by 2010”. To achieve this goal, leadership and action is needed now! Individuals must be empowered to access treatment, to know their rights and take action against stigma and discrimination, and to know and use methods of prevention against receiving and transmitting HIV!

Communities must demand and encourage leadership of its members!

Now, more than ever is the time to lead – empower – deliver!

And so, we have no more time to waste about reaching the youth. Today’s young people are tomorrow’s journalists, politicians, teachers, scientists and employers. Schools have a vital role to play in getting their students talking about HIV so that they can safeguard their own sexual health and help to break down stigma and discrimination around HIV.

Finally, May this year’s activities serve to highlight the need for our collective response to curbing the spread of HIV/Aids, first of all, in our community, and by extension, the wider Caribbean and world communities.