Trinidad and Tobago and Prime Minister Patrick Manning received lavish praise yesterday.

This was the unanimous view expressed by attendees at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Port of Spain, as the curtain came down on the event at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Port of Spain.

Climate change dominated the talks, but as Commonwealth leaders bade farewell, the spotlight was favourably placed on the people and Government of Trinidad and Tobago and there was an expression of satisfaction from big and small countries alike.

The conference was deemed to be an unqualified success because: a) the Commonwealth welcomed a new member to its family-Rwanda; b) accord was reached on climate change, which, to quote Manning, would have ’more than a small influence’ on the summit in Copenhagen; c) there was a reaffirmation of the principles and values of the Commonwealth and; d) for the first time the Commonwealth associated itself with non-Commonwealth personalities who came to Port of Spain for the event. These included French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said the conference gave the lie to the claims of the sceptics that the Commonwealth as an institution was no longer relevant.

’This CHOGM has truly answered that...I go home with a feeling that the Commonwealth can meet the global challenges...and that there is so much camaraderie...making this summit hugely successful,’ he said.

Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd agreed, saying that the level of camaraderie, the give and take in the Commonwealth, was not easily replicated in other international organisations. But he noted, ’The challenge is to apply that great spirit, goodwill and preparedness to speak with one single voice and the spirit of collaboration...to the great challenges of global politics, global security...global economic management and financial reform, trade as well as development and the great and overwhelming challenge of climate trade.’

Said Rudd: ’The task is to take this credible institution...and apply it to the global agenda of the day.’

He stressed that that was successfully done with the PoS Climate Change Consensus document.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key noted that the meeting ’was extremely well run, so I want to congratulate you, (Manning)’, though he noted the Commonwealth faced new challenges in relation to countries like Fiji and Zimbabwe.

South African President Jacob Zuma hailed the manner in which the Commonwealth dealt with climate change issues, pointing to the presence of non-Commonwealth leaders at the meeting. Noting that he had been asking what impact the Commonwealth was making (before this meeting held), he said: ’I am very happy... Small, middle and big were able to hammer out views...with a communique that captured our feelings. This CHOGM has responded to issues very correctly. We go home very happy indeed.’

Papua New Guinea President, Sir Michael Thomas Somare, said the meeting was good for island states of the Caribbean, West and East Africa and the Pacific and South East Asia.

’There are nations in the world who may not be serious about what is happening to us. In Papua New Guinea, ...islands are coming under the water ... This conference made it possible for our voice to be heard. So I am going with a very happy mind... PoS will go down in history,’ he said, adding that this was one of the best CHOGMs he had attended.

Manning got kudos from all for his chairmanship of the meeting.

Rudd spoke of the ’quality’ of this chairmanship, while Samoa Prime Minister. Tullaepa Lupesaolal Sallele, thanked him for his ’inspired’ choice of the group of wise men to hammer out a draft text on the climate change issue, for his ’gentle persuasion and appeals to common sense’ and ’when all else failed’, for his ’laying down the law’. He also praised the cultural show at the opening, saying that the ingenious use of the discarded steel drum was a good example of recycling, as well as a good way to help young people develop an appreciation for group involvement.

Manning himself thanked all for their kind sentiments and he expressed his appreciation to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

This is Trinidad and Tobago’s second international conference this year. Though its declaration was signed only by Manning, the chairman, the Fifth Summit of the Americas was hailed by participants for ushering in a new spirit of cooperation among the states of the Americas, particularly the US and Latin America. The Commonwealth meeting was equally hailed for the consensus on climate change.