CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett underscored the need for renewed and expanded partnerships and collaboration as CARICOM seeks to grapple with existing and emerging uncertainties. “If we are to decisively counter and surmount the combined effects of adverse developments, we must redouble collective efforts, pool our combined wisdom and act on the basis of our fundamental principles,” she said as she addressed the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which was held in Barbados last week under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.
In a communique released today, it stated that Prime Minister of Grenada and Outgoing Chair, Honourable Dickon Mitchell, noted that following the passage of Hurricane Beryl, Grenada had rebounded more determined to advocate on climate issues. He also noted CARICOM’s history of collective action, including on the sovereignty of the State of Palestine and the former apartheid regime of South Africa. “We must not de-emphasise the role of our unity and advocacy,” he observed. The Prime Minister also recalled the urgent need to advance the issue of reparatory justice.
Special Guests, H.E. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations and Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission also pointed to the region’s unity in advocacy for necessary bold and decisive actions, especially given changing global political realities.
The new Chair of CARICOM Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said that, having regard to shifting global priorities, it cannot be ‘business as usual’. She urged her colleague Heads of Government to ‘find common ground and common purpose” to ensure that as things fall apart, CARICOM can hold the centre, “recognising that we will always be stronger together.”
The Honourable Reuben Meade, Premier of Montserrat, as a newly elected Head of Government, also addressed the gathering, urging the region to act decisively and with unity of purpose.
Members of the Conference in attendance included Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Honourable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas; Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica; Honourable Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada; His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana; His Excellency Laurent Saint-Cyr, Councillor-President, Member of the Transitional Presidential Council, Haiti; Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica; Honourable Reuben Meade, Premier of Montserrat; Honourable Philip Pierre, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia; Honourable Terrance Drew, Prime Minister, St Kitts and Nevis; Dr the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines; His Excellency Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of Suriname; and Dr the Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
Associate Members in attendance were: Honourable E David BurtPremier of Bermuda; Honourable Julian Fraser Deputy Premier of the British Virgin Islands; Honourable Juliana O’ Connor-Connolly Premier of the Cayman Islands, andMr Djurick Comenentia, Secretary-General, Ministry of General Affairs and Foreign Relations, Curaçao. (PR)
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