The Caricom Secretariat says it has been operating under severe financial constraints but described recent media reports stating that the Secretariat is laying off staff due to cost cutting measures as having “no basis in fact.”
An Associated Press report had quoted Assistant Secretary-General Trade and Economic Integration Ambassador Irwin LaRocque as saying that several Caricom staffers may be laid off as the bloc considered cost-cutting measures. Travel cuts were also identified as another cost-cutting measure being explored.
In a release issued last evening, the Georgetown-headquartered Secretariat said that at no time during a brief interview with a journalist did the Assistant Secretary-General mention any specific option with respect to the proposed cost-cutting measures to be put forward to the Community Council.
The release said that due to the effects of the global economic and financial crises on Caricom Member States and Associate Members, the Secretariat has been operating in an environment of severe financial constraints.
“In recognition of the realities of the situation, the Secretariat has frozen its budget over the last three years and implemented cost containment measures while continuing to provide the level of service expected by Member States,” the statement said. “Some of the measures are quite similar to those implemented by some Member States themselves,” the release added.
The Secretariat’s Work Programme and Budget have not been approved as yet. According to the release, the 27th Meeting of the Community Council, (the entity responsible for approving the Secretariat Work Programme and Budget), deferred approval of this year’s budget requesting the Secretariat to undertake further cost-cutting measures and to resubmit a further reduced budget. This reduced budget will be considered at the Sixth Special Meeting of the Community Council to be held in Grenada from February 25-26.
Meanwhile, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Guyana Geert Heikens said yesterday that his body will continue to support CARICOM financially. He made this disclosure during a luncheon for media personnel. Indicating that the EU supports CARICOM’s various initiatives, Heikens also disclosed that the EU pays the salaries of 70 persons working within CARICOM, since there is a recognition of the need to build capacity. He indicated that the EU is willing to offer even more support in this area.
