Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar leaves for Australia today where she will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2011 which takes place from October 28-30.

She will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs and Communications Minister Dr Suruj Rambachan, Trade Minister Stephen Cadiz and Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine.

Rambachan, in a statement to the Parliament yesterday, provided details on the Prime Minister's trip.

He said Persad-Bissessar, as sitting chairperson in office of the Commonwealth, will be handing over stewardship to Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister of Australia.

Noting that the theme for CHOGM 2011 was "Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience", Rambachan said participating heads will begin to address challenges of food security, sustainable development and natural resource management.

As outgoing chair in office, Persad-Bissessar is scheduled to deliver remarks at the opening ceremony which will be attended by Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II, said Rambachan.

He said Persad-Bissessar has also been invited to attend and participate in several high-level events and meetings which take place as a forerunner to the heads meeting.

On October 27, she has been invited to speak at a special side event hosted by the Australian Prime Minister.

She has also been invited to deliver the opening address at the Commonwealth Business Forum on October 25.

On October 26, as a participant in the Commonwealth Business Forum "Investing in the Caribbean" discussions, Persad-Bissessar will also deliver an address.

On the evening of October 26, Rambachan said the Prime Minister will speak at two events.

At the first, she will deliver the opening remarks at a panel debate hosted by the Royal Commonwealth Society and the NGO plan titled "Silence is not an option: strengthening the Commonwealth's role in protecting human rights".

The second event is an interactive meeting with the Trinidad and Tobago diaspora and the wider Caribbean diaspora where Persad-Bissessar, as the guest of honour of the Caribbean Australian Association, will deliver an address. —Anna Ramdass