According to the Treaty of Chaguaramas, of the Caribbean Community shall be open to any other State or Territory of the Caribbean Region that is, in the opinion of The Conference, able and willing to exercise the rights and assume the obligations of.
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12 September 2019 / 4043
(The Nassau Guardian, 12 September 2019) Abaco, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama and New Providence are all under a tropical storm warning after it was announced that an area of disturbance in the central Bahamas is expected to develop.In its 5 p.m. update, the National Hurricane Center said, “The system is expected to move toward the northwest near eight miles per hour (mph), and this motion is forecast to continue during the next two days. On this track, the system...
11 September 2019 / 3804
(The Nassau Guardian, 11 September 2019) Approximately 2,500 people are registered as missing on the government’s register in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesperson Carl Smith advised today.“At this point there are approximately 2,500 registered on the Bahamian government register,” Smith said during a NEMA press conference.“This list has not yet been checked against government records of who is staying in shelters or...
11 September 2019 / 3436
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, September 6, 2019. CCRIF will pay The Bahamas approximately eleven million United States dollars (US$10,936,103) following the passage of Hurricane Dorian that caused widespread devastation in the northern part of the 700-island archipelago. The Bahamas has 3 tropical cyclone policies with CCRIF, each one covering a section or zone of the archipelago – North West, South East and Central. It is the tropical cyclone policy for the North West Zone –...
09 September 2019 / 2474
(The Nassau Guardian, 9 September 2019) The government has deployed more than 900 law enforcement officers to Abaco and Grand Bahama in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said in a statement yesterday.“The government of The Bahamas is providing the necessary resources to ensure safety and security on the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian,” the statement said.“As of Saturday, 7 September, a total of 274...
06 September 2019 / 2183
2 September 2019 (St Phillip, Antigua) – Official contact points of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and agricultural experts from 14 Caribbean countries will meet for a regional workshop in St Phillip, Antigua from 10 to 12 September 2019. During the session, participants will prepare regional positions on international standards, build phytosanitary capacity for the prevention of entry and establishment of exotic and invasive plant pests; and share best practices in...
05 September 2019 / 1601
(Barbados Nation, September, 5, 2019) PRIME MINISTER MIA MOTTLEY is calling on Barbadians to donate generously to hurricane-ravaged islands of The Bahamas through a telethon on Sunday. “However difficult our circumstances are, we are blessed and we are capable. However much we have, we have the ability to share. However much we are in an IMF [International Monetary Fund] programme, we have the ability to cut and contrive and to share, because in less than 24 hours people have lost life,...
04 September 2019 / 1706
(The Nassau Guardian, Sept. 4, 2019) The death toll from Hurricane Dorian has risen to 20, Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands confirmed today.The monster storm made its exit from The Bahamas last night, after terrorizing Grand Bahama and Abaco over the past three days.“At this point we are starting to get a more vivid picture of the loss of life, at least in Abaco, and the loss of life in Grand Bahama,” Dr. Sands said on The Hit Back with Nahaja Black on Star 106.5 FM...
04 September 2019 / 1849
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, September 03, 2019 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, has extended his heartfelt sympathy to the Government and people of the Bahamas in light of the death and destruction left in the path of Hurricane Dorian, and again gave the assurance that St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as the wider Caribbean region, stands in solidarity with them. Authorities in the...
03 September 2019 / 1807
The world recently lost a key advocate in the fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Dr Jacques Diouf, former Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), died in Paris on Saturday 17 August 2019. Dr Diouf served as Director General of the FAO for three consecutive terms, from 1994 to 2011.Prior to his tenure at FAO he had an illustrious career, serving his home country of Senegal, as well as regionally in Africa and internationally as a...
03 September 2019 / 1761
NASSAU, The Bahamas (CMC) — The Bahamas Government yesterday confirmed five people had been killed in the Abacos as the virtually standstill, but weakening, Hurricane Dorian continued to pound The Bahamas.Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis told a news conference that the Royal Bahamas Police Force “has confirmed that there are five deaths in Abaco”, adding that teams would travel to Abaco as soon as possible for “full and proper assessments and identification”.He...
02 September 2019 / 1188
Port Saint Lucie (United States) (AFP) - Monster storm Dorian stalked across the Bahamas Monday as surging seawaters and ferocious winds sowed chaos in low-lying island communities, claiming at least one life and spurring mass evacuations on the US east coast.Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said the devastation was "unprecedented" in the Abaco Islands, which received the full brunt of Dorian as it came ashore Sunday as the most powerful storm ever to hit the archipelago."Our focus...
02 September 2019 / 2378
Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister Allen Chastanet of Saint Lucia was among the regional leaders who expressed concern and support to The Bahamas, devastated by category five hurricane Dorian which struck on Sunday 1 September. It left extensive damage across the islands of Abaco and is currently pounding Grand Bahama.Prime Minister Chastanet, whose island was spared the wrath of Dorian when it made its passage through the Lesser Antilles early last...
02 September 2019 / 1404
(From CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton) Numerous casualties have been reported on the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian.“From all accounts, we have received catastrophic damage” to Abaco, according to Darren Henfield, Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs. “We have reports of casualties. We have reports of bodies being seen. We cannot confirm those reports until we go out and see for ourselves."First responders are traveling to Abaco, where citizens have...
01 September 2019 / 1486
(BBC) Hurricane Dorian has made landfall in the north-west Bahamas as a powerful category five storm with sustained winds of up to 180mph (285km/h).The "extremely dangerous" storm is the strongest hurricane on modern record in the area, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) says.Grand Bahama residents have been evacuating from its predicted path.A storm surge could be life-threatening and as high as 23ft (7m) in places, officials warn.At 11:00 local time (15:00 GMT) the NHC reported...
01 September 2019 / 1598
CDEMA, with the financial support of the Government of the United Kingdom through the Department for International Development (DFID) and on behalf of the Caribbean Development Partners Group on Disaster Management, today deployed two (2) Rapid Needs Assessment Teams to Nassau, Bahamas.Four members of the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies will be pre-deployed to the Bahamas to provide Technical support as part of the Regional Response Mechanism.Dr Virginia Clerveaux,...
30 August 2019 / 1772
A new permanent logo to be used for subsequent CARIFESTAs was unveiled at the closing of CARIFESTA XIV. The ceremony was held at the Queens Park Savannah in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday.The logo was approved at a meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) with the CARICOM Ministers of Culture in June 2019. The logo reflects the vibrancy, rhythm and creativity of the people of the Caribbean, represented by a reveler, a masquerader, a performer, celebrating...
30 August 2019 / 1420
That was the sentiment shared by Assistant Secretary General for Human and Social Development at the CARICOM Secretariat Dr. Douglas Slater at the Closing Ceremony for the fourteenth staging of the Caribbean Festival of Arts. The ceremony was held at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Sunday August 25 to close the curtains on the culturally iconic ten-day mega festival.Dr. Slater said this CARIFESTA has been a vibrant exciting experience of sharing and showcasing CARICOM’s rich culture...
30 August 2019 / 1341
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has lauded Trinidad and Tobago’s contribution to the Region as the Twin Island Republic celebrates its fifty-seventh Anniversary of Independence on 31 August 2019.In a congratulatory message to the Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, the Secretary-General said the significant role the country continues to play in the Community was exemplified by its “very...
30 August 2019 / 1581
NASSAU, The Bahamas, BIS –- Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis and members of his Cabinet today met with members of the National Disaster Consultative Committee, which makes up the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to map out plans to steer the country through Hurricane Dorian.Also present at Cabinet Office were Secretary to the Cabinet Camille Johnson, Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon. Darren Henfield, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development the Hon....
29 August 2019 / 1161
Dorian, which passed the Eastern Caribbean earlier this week as a Tropical Storm was Wednesday upgraded to a hurricane near the British and US Virgin Islands.Forecasters on Wednesday afternoon placed it at latitude 18.3 North, longitude 65.0 West or directly over St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. It is expected to impact the British and US Virgin Islands this afternoon and then move over open waters east of the south-eastern Bahamas. A hurricane watch has been issued for Puerto...27 August 2019 / 1498
No major incidents, damage or injuries were reported across Barbados following the passage of Tropical Storm Dorian last night and early this morning.And, the public service is set to resume operations at 10:00 a.m., while the Transport Board will resume a staggered service from 8:00 a.m. In addition, all polyclinics and 24-hour services in the health care sector will resume at 11:00 a.m.During an early morning press briefing at the National Emergency Operations Centre, Prime Minister...
23 August 2019 / 1879
OPM, Trinidad and Tobago – Prime Minister Dr the Hon Keith Rowley departed for Barbados this morning where he will participate in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.The agreement, which will be signed tomorrow (Saturday 24 August, 2019), is related to cooperation in energy development for hydrocarbons that extend across the maritime boundary of both territories.The Prime Minister will be joined by the Hon. Franklin Khan, Minister of...
22 August 2019 / 1659
CARICOM Culture Ministers and Officials took some time away from enjoying the festivities of CARIFESTA XIV to discuss the business of the cultural sector. They met on Sunday 18 August at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port of Spain. Among the topics discussed was the hosting of CARIFESTA XIV and the economic value of culture in the region. Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Culture Hon. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly was elated that CARIFESTA XIV was finally...
21 August 2019 / 1613
CARICOM Secretary General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has expressed his delight with the show of regional integration at the fourteenth hosting of CARIFESTA in Trinidad and Tobago. The Secretary General expressed this sentiment in an interview with our CARICOM One on One host Jascene Dunkley-Malcolm after conducting a tour of the Grand Market.The Secretary General said he was particularly pleased with the display that was mounted for the CARICOM Secretariat booth and congratulated the...
19 August 2019 / 1720
The Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain Trinidad and Tobago came alive on Friday night with a spectacular display of elaborate performances paying homage to the culture and customs of each Member State and Associate Member of CARICOM.This was the nucleus of the opening ceremony for the fourteenth staging of the Caribbean Region’s premier cultural festival, the Caribbean Festival of Arts, CARIFESTA.Participants in the parade around the Queen’s Park Savannah...09 August 2019 / 945
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Evidence based policy decisions and a multi-sectoral approach to address youth crime particularly in schools were underscored by Guyana’s Second Vice President and Minister for Public Security, Hon Khemraj Ramjattan, when he addressed the official opening of the crime and violence prevention mitigation training, on 8 August 2019, in Georgetown, Guyana.The consultation is an activity of the...
08 August 2019 / 1557
(Guyana Chronicle) THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Tuesday delivered a judgment which upholds the classification decision of the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (‘COTED’) on cement, known as Rock Hard Cement, imported and/or distributed within CARICOM by Rock Hard Distribution Limited, Mootilal Ramhit and Sons Contracting Limited, and Rock Hard Cement Limited.These proceedings in the CCJ’s Original Jurisdiction mark the finale of complex litigation...
06 August 2019 / 1235
Following a request made by the Government of Dominica jointly to the CARICOM Secretariat (CARICOM), the Commonwealth Secretariat and the General Secretariat of the Organisation of American States (GS/OAS), to assist in the country’s efforts with various aspects of electoral reform, the three organisations have agreed to partner in a Joint Special Mission to Dominica.The Mission will meet with the principal stakeholders in Dominica’s electoral process, including the major...
05 August 2019 / 1798
PAHO, in a message marking International Breastfeeding Week that ends on Wednesday next week, said this includes adequate paid maternity leave and sufficient breastfeeding breaks upon return to work.International Breastfeeding Week is being observed under the theme “Protect breastfeeding in the workplace” and PAHO said this is intended “to raise awareness of the need to support parents and create an enabling environment where mothers can breastfeed optimally”.PAHO...
30 July 2019 / 1881
A meeting of food safety regulators of the 15 CARICOM Member States concluded in Paramaribo recently with a set of key recommendations to enhance coordination of food safety measures among the member countries. The regulators also committed to work together towards harmonised food safety standards for the region.The meeting was organised from 23-25 July 2019, by the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) headquartered in Suriname, in collaboration with the Food and...
30 July 2019 / 1995
CARDI) CARDI Saint Lucia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, hosted a workshop recently on ‘Market Intelligence as a Strategy to Better Manage Climate Change Risks’.Stakeholder agencies including the Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Export St Lucia, Massy Stores, St Lucia Marketing Board and the St Lucia Hotel and Tourism Authority participated in a panel discussion following the...
29 July 2019 / 1512
Preparations for CARIFESTA XIV are in high gear, so much so that members of the organising team from the CARICOM Secretariat went to Trinidad and Tobago to meet with the Host Country Management Committee and observe preparations for the event which is in less than three weeks!This ultimate regional cultural festival will take place in Trinidad and Tobago 16-25 August 2019.Speaking to the current state of preparations, Deputy Programme Manager, Culture, at the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Riane...
23 July 2019 / 2177
Eighteen border control officers from seven Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) are currently undergoing a four-week training course in Fisheries Prosecution and Interdiction, organized by the Barbados-based Regional Security System (RSS) in collaboration with the CRFM Secretariat, the Government of Barbados, and the British Royal Navy’s Fisheries Protection Squadron.The training, being held at the Paragon Base of the Barbados Defense Force, brings...
23 July 2019 / 2286
A CARICOM Secretariat team is in Jamaica this week collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) on a series of CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) engagements with the private and public sectors, labour and other stakeholders.On Tuesday, 23 July 2019, Secretariat representatives will participate in the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Procurement Seminar at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston. This activity will have an address on the...
23 July 2019 / 2043
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is urging Member States to enhance disease surveillance at ports of entry and at health facilities following the categorisation of the current outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease as a Public Health Emergency.On July 17 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the current Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).The declaration followed a...
22 July 2019 / 2513
Interest was sparked by the imminent production of oil and the promotion of Guyana as the potential fastest growing economy in the world(Department of Public Information) The Belize Bank Limited is interested in establishing operations in Guyana. This was highlighted by the bank’s Executive Chairman, Lyndon Guiseppi when he paid a courtesy call on the Hon. Moses Nagamootoo, Prime Minister of Guyana.The Executive Chairman was accompanied by Phillip Osborne, Company Secretary of...
17 July 2019 / 2037
Experts from the Caribbean and Latin America will examine Standards for the Teaching Profession at a consultation this week.The sessions will involve approximately 100 participants comprising teachers, representatives from teacher organisations, Ministry of Education representatives, academics, Parent-Teacher Association representatives, pre-service teachers, Teacher Trainees and Teacher Task Force regional focal points.The consultation begins on Wednesday, 17 July 2019, at the...
17 July 2019 / 2391
The CARIFESTA App is now live and could be downloaded here. The app offers the ultimate access to all things CARIFESTA XIV, from the exciting performances and artistes to a detailed schedule of events and live updatess in multi-media formats.Download the CARIFESTA XIV App NOW and Celebrate the Arts! .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object,...
17 July 2019 / 2022
(Barbados Today) CARICOM has re-established a CARICOM Commission on the Economy, with Special Envoy to the Prime Minister of Barbados on Investment and Financial Services, Professor Avinash Persaud, returning as its chairman.This announcement came from Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, David Comissiong, at a press conference, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade on Thursday, about issues pertaining to the just concluded CARICOM Heads of Government meeting.He said that...
16 July 2019 / 1658
Inter-sectoral collaboration, commitment and action have been touted as crucial to strengthening regional diagnostic capacity to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) detection and surveillance in the Caribbean.This is the objective of a Cooperation among Countries for Health Development (CCHD) project between the Government of Argentina, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).At the formal launch of the project at the Best-Dos Santos Laboratory in...
16 July 2019 / 2257
Barbados Government Information Service) It will be full steam ahead for implementing policies related to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), but with some revised timelines.Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, David Comissiong, made this clear, as he spoke with members of the media during a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, on Thursday, to outline some of the key points coming out of the 40th Regular Conference of Heads of Government of the...
16 July 2019 / 1226
(Barbados Today) While Europe is experiencing heatwaves, North America, Central America and the Caribbean are also at risk. The situation could worsen between July and August, with adverse impact on human health.In view of the current heatwaves in Europe and predictions that this phenomenon will hit various parts of the Americas, the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) is urging countries in the region to be prepared, due to the impact that this could have...
11 July 2019 / 1335
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has embarked on a series of exercises across the Region as it steps up its efforts to build capacity in statistics. The Community is working towards providing robust, quality statistics to inform and advance its development thrust.Over the past months, the Regional Statistics Programme of the CARICOM Secretariat with support from international development partners, led the exercises which saw missions to some Member States.Mid-June, the Secretariat and the...
10 July 2019 / 1867
The Bahamas observes its 46th Independence anniversary today.See footage of the celebrations:
09 July 2019 / 1691
(Antigua News Room) Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne Wednesday called for the establishment of a Caribbean bank that would allow the region to counteract the position of international banks regarding corresponding banking.Caribbean countries have been arguing that the threat by banks in developed countries to withdraw correspondent banking services would exclude the region from the global finance and trading system with grave consequences for maintenance of financial...
08 July 2019 / 1903
GOFAD is pleased to post this special blog by Ms. Myrna Bernard, one of its Advisors. The piece was submitted as a comment on the June 6 blog, "CARICOM HRD Strategy as Investing in Human Capital". The Strategy was endorsed at the 38th Conference of Heads of Government Meeting in Grenada in July 2017. A CARICOM Commission on HRD was established in March 2018 to shape the Regional Educational and Human Resource Development Strategy. This blog will hopefully keep the issues...
08 July 2019 / 2149
On the margins of the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Saint Lucia, the CARICOM Secretariat and the Jamaica Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding through which Jamaica will provide support for Operationalising and Institutionalising the CARICOM Results-Based Management (RBM) System.The CARICOM RBM system is being developed to serve as a mechanism to engender a more results oriented culture within the CARICOM Secretariat, Regional Institutions and Member States....
30 June 2019 / 1916
28 June 2019: English–speaking Caribbean States were well represented at the Eighteenth World Meteorological Congress (Cg18) which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 03 to 14 June 2019. The Congress is the Supreme body of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – the Geneva-based United Nations Specialized Agency that coordinates global activity in weather, climate, water, and related aspects of the environment.Directors of Meteorological Services and...__300x195.jpg "Throwback: A group shot of CARICOM 10k participants in Jamaica in 2018")
30 June 2019 / 1755
Long distance runners from across the CARICOM Region will compete in the annual CARICOM 10-K Road Race in Saint Lucia, on Sunday, 30 June 2019.The race takes place ahead of the Fortieth Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, scheduled for the 3-5 July 2019, at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Hotel.The 10-K in male and female categories will begin at Rodney Bay and culminate at the park across from the Castries Waterfront. There will be an...
28 June 2019 / 1826
Young people across the Region will once again have an opportunity to raise pertinent issues with the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community in a public Forum.The Secretary-General will be engaging with the youth in the annual “Ask SG” event which is usually held just ahead of the Regular Meeting of the Conference of the CARICOM Heads of Government. This year, “Ask SG’ will be held on 1 July 2019, at the studio of the Saint Lucia Government Information Service....27 June 2019 / 1344
As CARICOM Member States continue to take steps in conformity with international financial requirements, the Community has intensified its advocacy efforts against the European Union’s publication of lists of uncooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.The Community is aiming to craft a credible process that is sensitive to the challenges that the small, highly vulnerable states of the Caribbean face, and to deflect the far-reaching negative impacts of blacklisting on its members that...
21 June 2019 / 1469
Preparations are being finalised for the Fortieth Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government from 3-5 July, 2019 in Castries Saint Lucia, under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Allen Chastenet.He will assume the stewardship of the Community for the next six months beginning 1st July, from outgoing Chair, Prime Minister Timothy Harris of St. Kitts and Nevis. The regional, hemispheric and global environment in which this Summit is cast, is no different from March 2019...
17 June 2019 / 1423
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is deeply concerned about the present unsettled situation in its Member State, Haiti. This has been brought about by the long delay in having a new government installed which, in turn, has deprived the administration of much needed resources promised by its international financial and development partners.The grave deterioration in citizen security and renewed mass demonstrations have once again resulted in violence, loss of life and the destruction of...
14 June 2019 / 2004
Even as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Friday reaffirmed the great value it attaches to ties with Cuba, it reiterated its call for an immediate and unconditional end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba.Speaking at the opening of the Sixth Meeting of Foreign Ministers of CARICOM and Cuba on Friday 14 June in Georgetown, Guyana, CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque said the recent action by the US against Cuba,...
11 June 2019 / 1505
The OECS Commission signed an agreement with Facebook Caribbean on (Wednesday) that will allow access to Facebook’s Disaster Maps, in an effort to improve emergency response for OECS Member States ahead of the 2019 hurricane season.Facebook’s Disaster Maps are dynamic mapping resources with information about where populations are located, how they are moving, and where they are ‘checking in safe’ during a natural disaster. Using this de-identified and aggregated...
10 June 2019 / 1639
Prime Minister of Barbados, the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley last week underscored the power of example and inspiration, and the role governments must play in creating the environment for girls to dare to shine.She was at the time delivering the keynote address at the first FIFA Women’s Football Convention held in Paris, France. The Convention was held ahead of the kick-off of the eighth FIFA Women’s World Cup on June 7.The convention assembled leaders in sports and politics for...
07 June 2019 / 1964
Let’s start with the wins. In a robust effort to tackle marine pollution, 14 Caribbean countries, accounting for one-third of the region’s Small Island States, have banned single-use plastics and/or Styrofoam . This is a critical first step, particularly as the Caribbean moves toward a Blue Economy – increasing growth while ensuring that ocean and marine resources are sustainably managed and used.Just a few decades ago, the Caribbean Sea and its beaches were pristine. Fast...
07 June 2019 / 2106
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was on Friday elected to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, becoming the smallest country to do so.CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque extended congratulations to the Government and People of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on the historic achievement.According to the UN website,"the Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members, and each Member has one...
06 June 2019 / 1992
(Press Secretary, PM St. Kitts and Nevis) St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris, who holds a seat on the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), is attending its 49th Annual Meeting, which is taking place from 5-6 June 2019, at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Financial Secretary for the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mrs. Hilary Hazel, who is the country’s Alternate Governor at the CDB, is also in...
06 June 2019 / 1856
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has underscored the importance of the regional private sector becoming a type of associate institution of CARICOM, saying it would be good for the Caribbean.Ms. Mottley expressed this view recently when she met at Ilaro Court with the Regional Private Sector’s Chief Executive Officers to discuss the establishment of a regional body and implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).The Prime Minister said it was ironic that after more...
06 June 2019 / 1807
The Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) held it’s fourth special meeting on Wednesday ahead of the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) scheduled to begin Thursday 6 June 2019.The meeting was at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana. Its main focus was on a permanent logo for the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA). A new logo representative of the roving mega cultural festival has been designed and was examined and analysed and a...
05 June 2019 / 2010
The Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), will gathehr for its Thirty-Sixth Meeting on Thursday and Friday (June 6-7, 2019) to discuss matters in relation to Culture within CARICOM.The Regional Ministers and Officials will convene at the CARICOM Secretariat located in Georgetown, Guyana. Dr. the Hon. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Trinidad and Tobago will give the feature address at the opening ceremony on Thursday morning. Dr. the...
04 June 2019 / 2124
Representatives of the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS) – a Community Institution – met on Monday, 3 June 2019, at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana.The Meeting was geared at determining the way forward following the decisions on regional transportation that CARICOM Heads of Government took at their Meeting held in St. Kitts and Nevis in February this year.The Single Aviation Authority and the implementation...
04 June 2019 / 2093
A new chapter in the growing friendship between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Indonesia was opened on Friday 31 May 2019, as CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque accredited a new envoy of the Southeast Asian country.Secretary-General LaRocque accepted the letters of credence of His Excellency Julang Pujianto, in a simple ceremony at the Headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana. The ceremony highlighted opportunities for deeper collaboration in...
04 June 2019 / 1868
PANCAP convened the Guyana Faith Leaders Consultation, on 3 June 2019, at the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana. The meeting formed part of a series of regional meetings with faith leaders under the PANCAP Justice for All Programme. Bishop Michael E. Perreira, Senior Pastor Eccles Assembly of God and Member, Regional Consultative (Religious) Steering Committee, chaired the meeting with the support of PANCAP Director Dereck Springer and PANCAP Advisor, Dr Edward Greene.Outcomes:Faith...
30 May 2019 / 1827
WASHINGTON, DC, USA (CMC) —Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris of St Kitts-Nevis, says one of the biggest economic and financial challenges facing the 15-member grouping is the practice engaged by the large global commercial banks to terminate their correspondent banking services.Harris, speaking at the National Press Club here, said that the global commercial banks were also offering their services at unconscionable high rates.“The...
30 May 2019 / 1841
Wednesday, 29 May 2019 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), with funding from the CARIFORUM 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Programme of Support for Wider Caribbean Cooperation, collaborated with the Ministry of Peoples Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Barbados and the Barbados National HIV/AIDS Commission to convene a consultation with parliamentarians in Barbados. Dr Jacqueline Wiltshire, Deputy Permanent...
30 May 2019 / 1990
WIRSPA Secretariat, Bridgetown, Barbados – Caribbean rum brands, members of the regional grouping WIRSPA, have appointed a Community Envoy to further support their efforts to promote the industry globally and in keeping with the increasing influence of social media on consumer behaviour. Matt Pietrek, more familiarly known online as the ‘Cocktail Wonk’ or ‘Rum Wonk’, will complement the work of the grouping to raise the profile of Caribbean Rum in the...
29 May 2019 / 2475
(CCJ Press Release) CARICOM citizens have important rights but to exercise these rights clear documentary evidence of their nationality is required.This was the outcome of the case of Bain vs. Trinidad and Tobago, that was decided today by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Mr. Bain, a citizen of both Grenada and the United States of America, had claimed that his right to freedom of movement was infringed when he was denied entry into the twin-island state when arriving from Grenada just...
29 May 2019 / 2176
Jamaica Gleaner – Edward Phillip George Seaga, Jamaica’s fifth Prime Minister and longest-serving Member of Parliament, has died.He died in a Miami hospital today where he had been receiving treatment for cancer and related complications.Seaga was the last surviving framer of the Jamaican constitution.At the age of 29, the former prime minister became the youngest person to be nominated to the Legislative Council (later the Senate) where he served for two years before he...
29 May 2019 / 1599
Representatives of CARICOM Member States last week attended a workshop at the CARICOM Secretariat that was aimed at training national experts to compile data on Government expenditure on agriculture. The training from 22- 24 May, was also geared at getting data for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on agriculture and reporting to the international agencies.The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which is the custodian United Nations (UN) agency for 21 SDG indicators and a contributing...28 May 2019 / 1322
The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Saint Lucia will welcome specially invited participants to a one-day workshop aimed at strengthening capacity in the agricultural sector in Saint Lucia through the examination of market trends linked to climate change, such as rainfall patterns and temperatures.Saint Lucia is presently the pilot country for a project funded by the Japan-CARICOM Friendship and Cooperation Fund, which is aimed at using Information and...
28 May 2019 / 1610
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Bahamas has signed an agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank to advance conch conservation efforts in The Bahamas, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis announced in his national address to the nation on Monday night.His statement echoed the sentiments of Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Michael Pintard, who had expressed on more than one occasion that the government was consulting with stakeholders on the appropriate measures that should be...
24 May 2019 / 1869
The CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors – comprising Ambassadors of Member States accredited to the Caribbean Community – met in Guyana, Tuesday, to discuss matters related to their role in advancing the work of the Community.The Committee of Ambassadors is an important element in the CARICOM governance structure, focusing on advancing the integration movement, and providing strategic advice and recommendations to the Community Council towards achieving that goal.The...24 May 2019 / 1041
(CNN) Grenada and other Small Island Developing States are on the front line in the war against climate change. Although hurricanes are no stranger to the Caribbean, the overwhelming scientific evidence of how extreme weather conditions are worsening due to global warming shows that we need to take the signals that our Earth is sending us seriously. That evidence can be found in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2018 special report on the effects of global warming...
24 May 2019 / 2255
The CCRIF Regional Internship ProgrammeCCRIF is supporting a regional internship programme to provide career-related work experience for CARICOM and/or CCRIF Caribbean member country citizens that enhances the graduates’ academic training and provides a real world introduction to the graduates in the areas of disaster risk management, disaster risk financing, climate change, meteorology, risk transfer and/or risk modelling. CCRIF partners with national disaster management and...
22 May 2019 / 1860
Significant progress has been made towards ensuring a generation free from AIDS and syphilis, and now efforts are also being made to stop children from being born with hepatitis B and Chagas.” – PAHO Director, Carissa F. Etienne(PAHO Press Release)- Countries are moving towards the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and Chagas, but progress has been uneven, according to a new report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).The...
21 May 2019 / 1879
The CARICOM Secretary-General and Heads of Caribbean Community Institutions met in Georgetown, Guyana on Monday, with Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque stressing the importance of building cohesion to ensure benefits accrue to the people of the Community.This ninth Meeting was held as the Region assesses the progress and lessons learnt from its first Community Strategic Plan which comes to an end this year. The Secretary-General, in urging full support by the Institutions, noted...
20 May 2019 / 1636
(Caribbean Court of Justice Press Release) Representatives from around the Region converged (on Friday) at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago for a Ceremonial Sitting to commemorate the retirement of one of its earliest sworn-in judges, the Honourable Mr. Justice David Hayton, who will retire from the Court in July.In his remarks at the event, Mr. Justice Hayton said that it was “an absolute honour, a privilege and a delight working in...
20 May 2019 / 1673
(PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) and The Bahamas Ministry of Health National AIDS Programme coordinated a learning exchange on The Bahamas’s experience in the implementation of Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The capacity-building initiative was held from 6 -10 May 2019 and also focused on “Treat All”, the transition to Dolutegravir, and laboratory support for viral suppression.The initiative...
20 May 2019 / 1978
The revival of the relationship between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Colombia was given a boost with discussions between CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and Colombia’s Foreign Minister His Excellency Carlos Homes Trujillo Garcia. The talks were held on Thursday at the CARICOM Secretariat’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.The discussions were held against the background of the upcoming Ministerial Meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the...
17 May 2019 / 1168
Over thirty representatives from nine Caribbean countries (15 May) met in Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines to better position themselves to access funding for climate change mitigation.Countries in attendance at (the) workshop will use their Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) to develop concept notes which will be presented to development partners, who will also be in attendance. During this workshop, actions and priority areas identified in NAMAs, will be under...
17 May 2019 / 1741
(Caribbean Development Bank) – St. Vincent and the Grenadines took a major step towards a cleaner and more secure energy future on Monday, May 6, launching a multi-million dollar geothermal energy-drilling project made possible with financing mobilised by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).CDB secured US$27M in financing for the project through contributions from partners, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Kingdom’s Department for International...
17 May 2019 / 2031
Today, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat joins with the world in observing World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) – an initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The objective of WTISD is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can bring to an economy and its citizens, and bridge the digital divide.This year marks the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of WTISD, and the Day will be...
14 May 2019 / 1971
Coordinating foreign policy matters to help promote the Region’s development, and ensuring that the Caribbean remains a Zone of Peace are underpinning discussions at a two-day Meeting of CARICOM Foreign Ministers which opened in St Georges, Grenada, on Monday.Grenada’s Foreign Minister, the Hon. Peter David, is chairing this Twenty-Second Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR). The Neeting is also deliberating on CARICOM relations with the European...
10 May 2019 / 1475
CARICOM Triennial Awardee, Ms. Magda Pollard, has died.Ms. Pollard, a national of Guyana, was the first Women’s Affairs Officer at the CARICOM Secretariat where she spearheaded the development of a programme for women in CARICOM. The initiatives and programmes the Women’s Desk produced gave impetus to the process of gender mainstreaming within CARICOM and set the agenda for the integration of actions and policies to benefit women in regional programmes.In addition to the CARICOM...__300x195.jpg)
09 May 2019 / 2171
A Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Election Observation Mission (CEOM) is in Belize for its Wednesday 8 May 2019 Referendum on whether to take the dispute arising from Guatemala’s claim to Belize’s land, insular territories, and the maritime areas pertaining to them, to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final settlement.The CARICOM Secretariat was invited by the Government on Belize to mount the Mission.The Mission had been mounted to monitor the Belize Referendum,...
09 May 2019 / 2064
Belmopan, Belize; May 8, 2019 – A five-year multi-million dollar water improvement project that is expected to ease the chronic water woes of more than 190,000 Barbadians will be launched on Friday, May 10, 2019, at the Bowmanston Pumping Station, in St. John, Barbados. The Water Sector Resilience Nexus for Sustainability in Barbados (WSRN S-Barbados) is a $45.2-million investment project that is being implemented by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in collaboration...
08 May 2019 / 2421
The Montserrat Ministry of Communications, Works, Labour and Energy (MCWLE) and Montserrat Utilities Limited (MUL) officially announced the first utility-scale renewable energy project – a rooftop solar project built across several structures in Brades, located on the north side of Montserrat.The solar photovoltaic (PV) project is the first phase of two planned renewable energy projects to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel for power generation on Montserrat.The rooftop solar...
08 May 2019 / 1892
Addressing the International Contact Group (ICG) on Venezuela during a breakfast meeting on Tuesday, May 7th, 2019 held at the headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in San José, Costa Rica, Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, reiterated the Caribbean Community’s keen interest in bringing a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Venezuela.Chairman...
07 May 2019 / 2116
Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Spain, (May 3rd 2019): “Digitisation is going to save us millions. It’s not that we do not have resources, the question is how we are spending those resources.” So said Prime Minister Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada who participated in a fully immersive simulation of a digitally integrated Caribbean at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, as part of the Caribbean...
07 May 2019 / 1339
Helping young people to become self-employed is part of the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) strategy to address high youth unemployment in the Region.Director of Projects at the Bank, Daniel Best outlined the Bank’s pursuit of this objective during the recent launch of a new youth entrepreneurship project ‘Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Spirit of Caribbean Youth’. The launch was held on March 18 at CDB’s Headquarters in Wildey in Barbados.He noted that a...
07 May 2019 / 2065
More than 50 students from the Institut voor de Opleiding van Leraren, Suriname, enjoyed a tour of the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana, on Friday.The students were shown various sections of the CARICOM Secretariat, and Deputy Secretary-General of the CARICOM Secretariat, Amb. Manorma Soeknandan PhD., stopped in and had a discussion with the students about the workings of the Caribbean Community and the CARICOM Secretariat.See photo highlights of the tour below.
07 May 2019 / 2238
The Caribbean Community has noted with concern the turn of events in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the potential they hold for the escalation of the political crisis and further violence to the detriment of the people of the country.CARICOM remains firmly wedded to the view that the solution to the crisis in Venezuela should be a peaceful internal process that avoids the threat or use of force. The Community will continue to monitor the situation and remains convinced that the...
02 May 2019 / 1619
(CARPHA) – The Regional Health Communications Network (RHCN) made up of communications and health promotion specialists from across the English, French and Dutch Caribbean countries and territories, met from 29 to 30 April to develop region-wide public education campaigns to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and wellness.The RHCN was established by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in 2015 to develop, implement, sustain, monitor and evaluate communication responses to...
02 May 2019 / 2331
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Tuesday April 30, 2019 (IPS) – Jamaica and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are embracing renewable energy as part of their plans to become decarbonised in the coming decades.The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, has committed the island nation to transitioning to 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.“I believe that we can do better. Jamaica has sunshine all year round and strong winds in certain parts of the island,” Holness said....
02 May 2019 / 2545
Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 1 May, 2019 (CDEMA) – Five countries: Curacao, Grenada, Jamaica, Sint Marteen and Suriname adhered to the Caribbean Safe School Initiative and adopted the Antigua and Barbuda Declaration on School Safety during the 2nd Caribbean Safe School Ministerial Forum. The forum was held from 29-30 April 2019 in Kingstown and hosted by the Ministry of Education, National Reconciliation, Ecclesiastical Affairs and Information.In 2017, 12...
02 May 2019 / 1857
Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis – OPM: Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris worked the phones today, Tuesday, April 30th, 2019, staying apprised of the situation in Venezuela, which appears to be nearing a boiling point amid ramped up efforts by the opposition to unseat President Nicolás Maduro.CARICOM’s Chairman spent much of the day in consultation with other Caribbean...
30 April 2019 / 1787
On April 30 and May 1, 2019, the United States and the Caribbean Community Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) will co-host a Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting in Barbados to discuss efforts to increase public safety and security in the Caribbean.The Caribbean-United States Security Cooperation Joint Action Statement of November 2017 called for the creation of this Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) funded working group, which is in support of the...
30 April 2019 / 1932
Amb. Irwin LaRocque, CARICOM Secretary-General, in remarks at the opening ceremony of the Forty-Eighth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development underway in Georgetown, Guyana, paid tribute to Sir Alister, and led the Meeting in observing a moment of silence .Sir Alister was the second Secretary-General of CARICOM serving from 1974-77. He was also appointed by Heads of Government as the Chief Technical Adviser to the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery which was the...