AMID many challenges, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) exemplified the spirit of togetherness by paving the way for greater regional integration, economic resilience and, in times of distress, much needed support, its Chairman, Allen Chastanet said, in his address to the regional bloc.

Chastanet, the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, said the Community, in 2019, continued to build economic resilience with the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) as its cornerstone.

CSME is an enlarged market which offers: more and better opportunities to produce and sell goods and services and to attract investment; greater economies of scale; increased competitiveness; full employment and improved standards of living for the people of the community. Ultimately, it is intended to provide a foundation for growth and development through the creation of a single economic space for the production of competitive goods and services.

Already, the CSME has resulted in the abolition of the work-permit system; the introduction of the Certificate of CARICOM Skills Qualification; definite entry for six months; indefinite leave to stay in a Member State; and the right to transfer social-security benefits from one CARICOM state to another. Chastanet said CARICOM was working to ensure the benefits of CSME are enjoyed by all the people. “Steps that we have taken will benefit families and businesses,” the Chairman said while adding that “families that move with skilled nationals taking up jobs in other Member States can have access to social services such as primary health care and education up to secondary school level on the same basis as nationals.”
He pointed out that the agreement that allows for open bidding on government contracts among all participating CSME countries opens a market estimated to be close to one billion US dollars for the private sector, including small and medium enterprises.

“We have also moved to institutionalise the relationship between the Councils of our Community, the private sector and labour with the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) being designated as Associate Institutions of the Community,” Chastanet further pointed out, while noting that it was critical for the two organisations to work in harmony if there is to be sustained progress in advancing the CSME.

“The strengthening of our internal arrangements and our actions in concert have been critical in our attempts to minimise threats to the viability of our economies and financial sector, such as those posed by blacklisting and denial of correspondent banking. The disruption to daily life and commercial transactions by those actions is a significant fetter to stability and prosperity,” he further stated.

In defense of its people, Chastanet said CARICOM took on the challenge “head-on” with the help of Romania in the European Union (EU) with respect to blacklisting and with the assistance of Congresswoman Maxine Waters in the United States, in regard to correspondent banking.

“Our outreach to the international community is an important element as we seek to win friends and influence outcomes in global fora that would advance our interests. The Prime Minister of India, the Honourable Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of Norway, Honourable Erna Solberg; the President of Estonia, Her Excellency Kersti Kaljulaid; and the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), His Excellency António Guterres, all engaged with us on climate change, the difficulty in accessing development financing and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), in particular,” he noted.

That aside, the CARICOM Chairman said the Region celebrated with the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines as they recorded an overwhelming vote at the United Nations to sit on the Security Council in the coming year. He said it engendered great pride in both the country and CARICOM, demonstrating that there was still space at the highest global forum for small states.

Added to that, the Chair recalled that the region stood solidly at the side of the people of Grand Bahama and Abaco in The Bahamas as they were ravaged by Hurricane Dorian. “It was heart-wrenching for me to witness, first-hand, the aftermath of that catastrophe which claimed many lives and demolished property and infrastructure. However, it was heart-lifting to see the response, as once again, the other Members of the Community, both individually and regionally, rallied to the support of a sister state in distress, under the direction of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA),” the Saint Lucian Prime Minister recalled.

Hurricane Dorian, he posited, was another reminder of the effects of climate change which the Region continues to experience with devastating consequences. According to him, it made all the more relevant the Castries Call for Collective Commitment and Action on Sustainable Development, adopted by Heads of Government, which signalled the Community’s support for continued international cooperation and collaboration to address global climate change, while simultaneously providing adequate resources to assist in the achievement of sustainable development.

“As we enjoy ourselves over the season, let us not neglect our responsibility to maintain the environment. Let us, for example, take heed of the global anti-plastic campaign which includes avoiding the use of plastic bags, single-use plastics and Styrofoam. Taking care of the environment is one element in building our resilience to mitigate the threats posed by climate change and other issues which threaten to derail our development efforts,” he admonished.

Chastanet also used the opportunity to extend gratitude the other Heads of Government, and the Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin La Rocque and his staff for their support during his tenure as Chair of the Community. He will be succeeded by Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.