Three day summit held to mark 50th anniversary of Caricom

Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders opened a three-day summit in Trinidad on Monday coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the regional integration movement

Dominica’s Prime Minister and in-coming Caricom chairman, Roosevelt Skerrit told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the summit provides an opportunity for “introspection and reflection

“I think it is important for us to assess where we are and to see where we will be 50 years down the road,” he said, noting that the summit is taking place in Trinidad and Tobago, the birthplace of CARICOM

The integration movement came into being on July 4, 1973 when the then leaders of Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana signed the treaty of Chaguaramas at the Convention Centre, in Chaguaramas on the country’s west coast

Dominica was originally due to host the summit, but instead allowed for Port of Spain to host the event that will also include a formal flag-raising ceremony at the site where the treaty was signed and the laying of a commemorative plaque

“What a good place to be to have that introspection and reflection,” Skerrit said, noting that the regional leaders will have a “number of critical matters to discuss ”

“I am very excited about the next few days,” he added

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, currently the longest serving regional leader, told CMC that the conference will provide for “ an assessment of the journey we have taken, what we have achieved and what we still have left to achieve and the ways the treaty of Chaguaramas can be made made alive to deepen the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) and strengthen the areas of functional cooperation ”

The CSME allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labor and services across the region and Gonsalves said “there is going to be a review specifically as to how the CSME is going ”

He said there would also be discussions “ on how we interface with the rest of the world concerning financing, issues of debt” as well as interaction with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which St Vincent and the Grenadines had recently elected as its president CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Carla

Caribbean Airlines improves connectivity in EC

Caribbean Airlines unveils its exciting expansion into the Eastern Caribbean Starting July 24, the airline will add new non-stop services between Barbados, St Vincent, and St Lucia

Additionally, there will be increased capacity for Dominica and Grenada, strengthening the carrier’s commitment to the region’s connectivity

The Barbados to St Vincent route has been increased to seven weekly services and four new weekly flights between Barbados and St Lucia Direct St Lucia to St Vincent return flights will operate on Thursdays, making island-hopping a breeze

The airline’s ATR-72 fleet, comprising nine aircraft, will operate these routes With these strategic additions, Caribbean Airlines is bringing more convenience and seamless travel experiences to its valued customers Further, as part of Caribbean Airlines’ ongoing commitment to the Eastern Caribbean, starting from August 23, customers will enjoy new services between Trinidad, Dominica, and Antigua on Wednesdays and Sundays; and even more direct travel options from Barbados to Ogle, Guyana There will also be additional flights from Trinidad to St. Vincent and Grenada, enhancing connectivity across the region CEO, Garvin Medera, expressed his enthusiasm for this expanded schedule, stating, “We are excited to progress our plans for regional connectivity There continues to be a call for increased frequency and capacity between Caribbean destinations, and by adjusting our strategies and route network to connect these destinations, we can provide more sustainable travel options for our customers ” Caribbean Airlines is the leading carrier in the region, and this expansion into the Eastern Caribbean further solidifies its growth trajectory Customers can look forward to more seamless travel and greater convenience, as Caribbean Airlines shapes the future of travel in the region cnweeklynews.com

Barnett, the first woman and the eighth person to be elected to the post, says the summit provides the ideal opportunity for celebration as well as “deep thinking ”

“We expect a lot of deep thinking because 50 is a big birthday and we have to look at what we have done and what we have to do, but it is also a big celebration because we really have to take account of the fact that against all odds, we have managed as a community to get a lot of work done So it is a celebration and it is contemplation ”

Survey shows food security improving in Caribbean, yet challenges remain

A food security and livelihoods survey has found that 3 7 million people or 52 percent of the population of the Englishspeaking Caribbean remain without proper food security

The 2023 Caribbean Food Security and Livelihoods survey, conducted by the World Food Program (WFP) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom), noted that this is a 10 percent decrease when compared to an August 2022 survey

It also underscored that there are growing financial hardships and challenges due to the rising cost of living in the aftermath of the pandemic

In addition, 98 percent of respondents from the English-speaking Caribbean reported high food prices in the three months before the survey, the highest level reported since the first survey in 2020 continues on A7 – Food security

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EMERITUS