Significant progress made in accelerating CSME during 2022 – Caricom Chair

…focus on agriculture continues to grow

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has made significant steps in advancing the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), its Chairman and Surinamese President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi has penned in his year-end message.
According to the Chairman, Caricom took significant steps in the past year in preparation of the 50th anniversary since the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas. Continued efforts were made to advance the integration movement, he shared, in the interest of improving the lives of citizens.

“In that regard, the movement of skilled workers received a boost as the Heads of Government agreed on definitions of and qualifications for, household domestics, agricultural workers and private security officers. In the case of agricultural workers, it could not be more timely, as we seek to boost production,” the Chair relayed.
Work is being spearheaded by Guyana, Lead Head in the Caricom Quasi Cabinet for Agriculture, who guides the Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security (MTF), in advancing the Caricom Agri-Food Systems Agenda. Cuba will join the Task Force, following the Summit meeting held in December.
“Given the potential to expand production in non-food items that are most heavily imported into the Community, it was decided that a new portfolio of industrial policy be added to the Caricom Quasi-Cabinet of Heads of Government. Suriname was assigned the portfolio, and is in dialogue with the Caricom Secretariat and specialised institutions, in preparing a draft action plan, in respect of industrial development in the Community, for presentation to the Conference of Heads of Government at the earliest opportunity,” Santokhi shared.
A very important decision was taken to amend the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, to provide for enhanced co-operation among Member States. This was for all Member States that are ready to implement decisions to proceed with these, while the others can join when they are able to do so.
However, he added that the protracted challenges of Haiti continue to demand attention. The Caricom Leadership Group on Haiti comprising Suriname, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, has been focused on the issues.
“In pursuit of a resolution, Heads of Government have held discussions with the Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Justin Trudeau, while Ministers and technical teams have been engaged with their counterparts in Haiti, Canada and the United States. A high-level political mission is being organised to meet with Haitian stakeholders.”
Meanwhile, he indicated that the outcomes of the major international conferences were not entirely satisfactory for regional bloc but the agreement to establish a Fund for Loss and Damages at COP27 was a major achievement for Small Island and Low-lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS).
“We have come to the end of a year that has seen us begin to emerge slowly, from the shadows of the adverse social, and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The threat of the virus has not evaporated, and neither has the debt crisis, nor the climate crisis. The attack by Russia on Ukraine has complicated the recovery from the COVID pandemic, and has slowed a return to normalcy in a post-COVID world.”
Santokhi concluded, “However, we have shown that with determination, and the creativity that lies within Caribbean peoples, we can overcome the challenges that confront us. Every incremental gain, no matter how small, is a step on the road to achieving our goal of a resilient, sustainable, safe and viable Community for all.” (G12)