Bridgetown—Speaking at the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Barbados, Dr. Carla Barnett, the secretary general of CARICOM, has called upon the member states of the Caribbean community to enhance efforts towards meaningful integration for all.
Dr. Barnett said that the Caribbean Community Secretariat office was engaging with all the member states to ensure that the integration process, which was presently being undertaken by the Caribbean community, progressed smoothly and was concluded effectively.
Dr. Carla also spoke about the role that CARICOM citizens, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, indigenous people, and diaspora can play in the effective integration of all Caribbean states so that collective efforts can be made for the economic and social progress of the entire Caribbean region.
She said that all Caribbean Nations must join hands to achieve the collective goals that have been set to ensure a prosperous and growth-oriented Caribbean region.
She also highlighted that the Caribbean diaspora settled across the world also had an important role to play in the growth and development of their native nations.
The secretary-general said that efforts were being made to connect with more and more stakeholders so that the integration process could be pushed further toward completion.
Regular interactions are being held with youth ambassadors, members of civil society, religious groups, and political leaders to ensure that the efforts towards integration are met with success as early as possible.
Dr. Barnett said that efforts were also being made to listen to the young people and include their suggestions while formulating the policies to ensure smooth integration of the Caribbean Nations.
She expressed hope that the discussions that were taking place during the 48th Regular Meeting of the conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean community were based on the commitment to regional integration and collaboration.
She said that through integration, the Caribbean community was trying to address various disparities in the socioeconomic structure among the Caribbean nations while empowering the citizens and protecting the vulnerable population.
Besides, through integration, the Caribbean community aimed to create more opportunities for the youth so that they could grow and prosper in their lives. She said that while the Caribbean nations have come a long way since the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas in the early 1970’s, still a lot needs to be done.
She said that regional integration could only become a success if it provided more opportunities for growth to the Caribbean citizens.
