Caricom has duty to realise founding leaders’ vision of greater regional cooperation

The People’s National Congress greets the Governments and citizens of the Caribbean Community on the 48th celebration of Caricom Day. We recall that the four visionary Prime Ministers – Errol Barrow of Barbados, Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Michael Manley of Jamaica and Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago – signed the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community on 4th July 1973 in Chaguaramas.
The four founders recognised the need to work together to advance the principles of economic integration, foreign policy coordination and functional cooperation for the benefit of their citizens. They envisaged greater inter-State cooperation for the Region’s development. The Caribbean Community, forty-eight years later, has a duty to work towards the full realisation of that vision and the fortification of that foundation.
The People’s National Congress extends sympathy to persons affected by the damage caused by the recent hurricane in Barbados and the disastrous flood in Guyana and deaths caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The plight of citizens of our sister state – Haiti – is a continuing concern. Caribbean Governments are urged to resist reactionary and revisionist measures and policies aimed at hindering the free movement of Caribbean citizens within the Community by any member State. The freedom, equality and dignity of all citizens matter.