Government is gearing up to conclude formalities making Bermuda an associate member of the Caribbean Community.

After winning Parliamentary approval for the bid last week, it's all systems go as there are no plans for the motion to be debated in the Senate.

It is now up to the Premier to decide when to finalise the negotiations.

Membership could mean cost savings in a number of areas.

"From my perspective in terms of functional cooperation what I would like to see is some of the negotiations that have been going on for anti-retroviral drugs for the HIV virus, concluded as soon as possible because the funding has already been furnished by the United States," said Health Minister Nelson Bascome who led the commission to investigate Caricom membership.

"We spend top dollar with pharmaceutical companies to provide us with these drugs and the way it's been with the the Caribbean Community is they have negotiated lower costs to better serve the population."

The AIDS drugs cocktail costs at least $175 a month per patient and is often three times higher.