SG posits all-inclusive approach to strengthening CARICOM

Building a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that is hardened to shocks requires an approach that embraces the talents, skills and resources of all actors of society, CARICOM Secretary-General said recently.

Speaking at the just-concluded 31st Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Barbados, the Secretary-General said the confluence of actions to make significant progress on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, to secure the Region’s financial services, and to safeguard its fiscal sovereignty are being done to build a strong Community.

That goal also propelled efforts to enhance the Community’s technological capability and capacity, to protect the health and security of CARICOM people and to expand foreign outreach, he added.

At the Meeting held 18-19 February at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, the SG said actions required the input of the “public and private sectors, labour, civil society, youth and indeed the entire society.”

He emphasised the need for an all-inclusive approach to building a strong Community by asking:

“How can we benefit from the CSME and successfully conduct trade negotiations with third countries without the involvement of the private sector and labour? How can we maximise the use of technology for our development without the innovation and dynamism of the youth? How can we combat the scourge of crime and violence without the input of ideas and actions from civil society?”

Secretary-General LaRocque also noted the importance of the co-operation and assistance from the International Community, adding:

“These combined and co-ordinated efforts will serve us in good stead, as we strive to build that resilience to combat the challenges that we face, most particularly, the existential threat of climate change.”