The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) exemplifies the spirit of togetherness that is the hallmark of family and community.
This pronouncement was made by the Chairman of the CARICOM, Allen Chastanet who is also the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia as part of his end-of-year statement to the Community.
Chastanet spoke of celebrating with the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines as they recorded an overwhelming vote at the United Nations to sit on the Security Council in the coming year. It engendered, he said, “great pride in both the country and CARICOM, demonstrating that there is still space at the highest global forum for us as small states.”
He also spoke to the memory of standing “solidly” in solidarity with the people of Grand Bahama and Abaco in The Bahamas as they were ravaged by Hurricane Dorian. “It was heart-wrenching for me to witness first-hand the aftermath of that catastrophe which claimed many lives and demolished property and infrastructure. However, it was heart-lifting to see the response, as once again, the other members of the Community, both individually and regionally, rallied to the support of a sister state in distress under the direction of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency [CDEMA].”
According to the Chairman, the catastrophe was another reminder of the effects of climate change which the Region continues to experience with “devastating” consequences. He added that it has highlighted the relevance of the Castries Call for Collective Commitment and Action on Sustainable Development which was adopted by Heads of Government and is indicative of the Community’s support for continued international cooperation and collaboration to address global climate change and provide adequate resources to assist in the achievement of sustainable development.
Chastanet urged the Community, that even in the midst of the seasonal merriment, not to neglect its collective responsibility to maintain the environment. “Let us, for example, take heed of the global anti-plastic campaign which includes avoiding the use of plastic bags, single-use plastics and Styrofoam. Taking care of the environment is one element in building our resilience to mitigate the threats posed by climate change and other issues which threaten to derail our development efforts.”
He assured that as the Community continues to build its resilience with the CARICOM Single Market & Economy (CSME) as its cornerstone, it would seek at all times to ensure that its benefits are enjoyed by all the people, adding, “Steps that we have taken will benefit families and businesses.”
The Chairman made reference to the fact that skilled nationals who move with their families to take up jobs in other Member States now have access to social services such as primary health care and education up to secondary school level on the same basis as nationals. He also spoke of the agreement that allows for open bidding on government contracts among all participating CSME countries and which opens up a market estimated to be close to one billion US dollars for the private sector including small and medium enterprises.
Mention was also made of the move to institutionalise the relationship between the Councils of the Community, the private sector and labour, with the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) being designated as Associate Institutions of the Community. It is critical, he said, for these two organisations to work in harmony for there to be sustained progress in advancing the CSME.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that the strengthening of CARICOM’s internal arrangements and the Community’s actions in concert have been critical in its attempts to minimise threats to the viability of the region’s economies and financial sector , such as those posed by blacklisting and the denial of correspondent banking. “The disruption to daily life and commercial transactions by those actions is a significant fetter to stability and prosperity.”
He also expressed appreciation for the assistance rendered by Romania with respect to the issue of blacklisting and the assistance of Maxine Waters of the United States Congress in regard to correspondent banking
On the subject of international relations, the Chairman stated, “Our outreach to the international community is an important element as we seek to win friends and influence outcomes in global fora that would advance our interests.” He went on to name the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg; the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid; and the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, as among those who were willing to engage with the Community on the issue of climate change, the difficulty in accessing development financing and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), in particular.
Chairman Chastanet expressed thanks to his colleague Heads of Government along with the Secretary-General and his staff for their support during his tenure. He also assured his successor, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, of his fullest support.
