On 4 July 1973, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was established to deepen regional integration. This year, the Region will celebrate 50 years since the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas and the accomplishments of CARICOM, which is revered as the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world.
The milestone will be celebrated with several events under the slogan, “50 Years Strong: A Solid Foundation to Build On”. Last year, the Secretariat launched a Region-wide competition urging CARICOM Nationals to submit a logo design for the 50th Anniversary Celebration with a cash prize to be won.
Hon. Philip Davis, Prime Minister of the Bahamas and CARICOM Chair said the upcoming anniversary, which closely coincides with his island’s own 50th Independence Day, was an opportunity for the Caribbean to “build on and strengthen the foundations of the past 50 years”.
In his New Year statement, the Prime Minister emphasised, “for our Community, this milestone comes at a time when regional cooperation has never been more urgent and necessary. The shock of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic was a stark illustration of the limitations of working alone”.
During a visit to the CARICOM Secretariat in January, Dr the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines said that the 50th Anniversary should be a period of renewal and celebration of the gains made with Regional Integration.
During her address at the Fiftieth Meeting of the Community Council of Ministers of CARICOM, Dr Carla Barnett, Secretary-General, CARICOM, stated that “this is a year to renew our commitment to the Community and enrich this unique legacy for those who will follow us”. She added that the Anniversary celebration would also acknowledge the vision and courage of those who went before us.
The enthusiasm from Heads of Government and other regional leaders continues to be palpable, with calls for the celebration to focus on furthering the integration of the Region’s economies and societies and building a truly resilient Community.
Dr. Barnett outlined that “In the past 50 years, we have functioned as a collaborative mechanism which has established several specialised Regional Institutions, including in the areas of Education, Health, Agriculture, Disaster Management, Climate Change, and Crime and Security, which all work to enhance the benefits of our integration.
“We need to remind ourselves from time to time that, as a Region, we were successful in establishing the Caribbean Development Bank, the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, the Caribbean Examination Council, the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS, and the Caribbean Public Health Agency, among others.
CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla BarnettThe objective of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) is to progressively and ultimately create a single, seamless economic space within our Community that provides a larger scale economic, trading and business environment. It is our platform for economic growth and development within our Region, as well our foundation for international competitiveness and effective insertion in the global economy.
The Revised Treaty created a rules-based Community. The Treaty, the binding decisions of the Conference of Heads of Government and the Ministerial Councils, and the rulings of the CCJ, together constitute an emerging body of Community law.
A security architecture has been put in place, including a CARICOM Arrest Warrant Treaty, an Agreement on the Recovery and Sharing of Assets derived from criminal activity and a Counter Terrorism Strategy.
We have leveraged our votes in the international arena along with sustained advocacy to become a respected voice in global affairs, most recently in climate change and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Our slogan for our 2023 anniversary celebration is most apt, “50 Years Strong: A Solid Foundation to Build On”. (WiredJA)
