CARICOM Leaders Address Key Issues at 47th Regular Meeting in Grenada

Grenada is hosting the 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The summit has the participation of regional leaders, addressing pressing issues affecting the bloc.

Outgoing CARICOM Chairman and Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfan Ali, used his address to highlight the media’s failure to report on regional successes, especially regarding the situation in Haiti. “We left our normal duties and sometimes spent six, seven hours in the night working for the people we love, the people of Haiti, to ensure a return to democracy,” Dr. Ali said. He expressed frustration at the negative portrayal of their efforts by various media outlets. “Today, we have a presidential council and a prime minister in Haiti, and we remain committed to ensuring Haiti’s return to full normalcy, democracy, and governance.”

A significant highlight of the ceremony was the admission of Curacao as the sixth associate member of CARICOM. Prime Minister Gilmar Simon Pissers of Curacao assured that this membership would not affect their relationship with the Netherlands. “Our membership and commitments within the Kingdom of the Netherlands will not compromise our regional integration objectives,” he stated.

During the ceremony, former CARICOM Secretary-General Roderick Rainford and former West Indies cricket captain Sir Clive Lloyd were honoured with the region’s highest award, the Order of the Caribbean Community. In his acceptance speech, Lloyd urged the region to prioritise health issues, specifically prostate cancer. “It’s important for men to get tested. You don’t need to die; there are treatments available,” he emphasised.

Although not all leaders were present at the ceremonial opening, they are expected to participate in the formal deliberations starting Monday. The summit, originally scheduled for July 3-5, was postponed due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl. Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada thanked the region for its support in the hurricane’s aftermath and announced that he would champion an ambitious digital transformation agenda as CARICOM’s lead on ICT.

“We have an opportunity in the Caribbean to ensure we are not left behind in this technological revolution. We owe it to the next generation to provide them with the tools and education to apply their skills globally while living in the Caribbean,” Mitchell stated.

The CARICOM leaders will also review progress towards achieving a 25 percent reduction in food imports by 2025, among other key issues. As the summit continues, the focus will be on ensuring sustainable development and regional integration for the benefit of all Caribbean citizens.