…outgoing chairman, member states to make full use of new initiative

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC)— Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have been urged to respond “positively” to a United States initiative that would allow regional countries to access funding from a number of international financial institutions as they recover from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, the outgoing CARICOM chair, told the 20th special virtual meeting of CARICOM leaders on Friday that she had received correspondence late Thursday in her capacity as CARICOM chair from Washington on the issue.

She said that the letter, signed by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and the Secretary of Treasury, Steven Terner Mnuchin, provides for the “first time… a significant and bold initiative and opportunity to be able to work together with our partners within the hemisphere to see how best we can blunt the instruments or blunt the consequences of COVID-19 as we go forward.”

She said in the letter, it was made “absolutely clear” that Washington had committed itself and had developed a multifaceted framework that it believes will help the region address the immediate humanitarian needs as well as the long term recovery.

“Indeed, in the letter, it goes on to state specifically, first if requested, the United States would support temporary access to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development just for COVID-19-related assistance for the Bahamas and Barbados, the two Caribbean graduates from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.”

“Let me say that we have been making and arguing this case for over two years and we have made it more recently again in all of our correspondence to the heads of the international financial institutions and to the heads of governments across the entire global community in the Americas, in Europe, in Asia.” Mottley said the region had been saying that at the very least, those countries in the Caribbean that have been graduated from access to concessional funding from the World Bank, ought to be given access now, largely because the needs in a pandemic or the needs coming out of a hurricane “require that they have access to concessional funding that will allow us to meet the most urgent demands of survival first, and then thereafter, to begin the journey of transformation”.

Meanwhile, Mottley commended the work of CARICOM Secretary-General, all members of the Secretariat and of the regional institutions. She also thanked CARICOM agencies such as IMPACS and CARPHA while encouraging financial assistance for the institutions which she said served the region well. “Without the Secretariat, my brothers and sisters, we would not be here,” she said. “The important point, my brothers and sisters, is that these regional institutions have stood the test of time, but are also playing a value, an invaluable role for us at a time when individual countries do not have the capacity on their own to meet the demands of their nations’ imperatives or the people within the context of CARICOM at this point.” Mottley said that CARICOM has not yet passed the worse and must remain engaged on matters such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic difficulties and areas for regional support.

Secretary-General of CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, also made opening remarks speaking to Mottley performance and his confidence in Dr. Gonsalves moving forward.
He said that the last four months have been one of the most exceptional periods for the CARICOM Region as it has had to deal with the pandemic; the economic fall-out arising from it and the electoral crisis in Guyana; and the denial of most Member States of access to concessional financing during the critical time of need. Speaking to the latter, he said: “…so-called friendly countries continue to blacklist some of us, thereby exacerbating an already difficult situation.”

Even so, he said that CARICOM Members have done “fairly well” in containing the virus though the development of protocols by Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the CARICOM Secretariat, for managing the virus and re-opening our borders. Throughout this period, he said that Prime Minister Mottley has provided “astute and decisive leadership” and overall “dynamic leadership” over the period of her tenure.

He expressed: “You were always available to provide guidance. It would be remiss of me not to convey deep appreciation for the support that you have provided to the Secretariat. You have also persuasively argued the Region’s economic, financial and public health case, whether by written communication or your virtual presence at international events. You have led us through an unprecedented number of meetings as the Conference of Heads of Government took charge in addressing this pandemic and its effects.”

He hailed successes such as five formal meetings and several informal consultations and engagements health, food security, education, Information and Communications Technology, regional security, trade and external relations. LaRocque also noted the visit of five Prime Ministers to assist in the Guyana situation and the work of the independent CARICOM Observer Team. In welcoming Prime Minister Gonsalves, the CARICOM Secretary-General said that the new Chair is “admirably suited” to lead the Community as the longest serving Member of the Conference. “I look forward to working with you Mr. Chairman, once again, as we have always worked well together. It is noteworthy that you are the only Prime Minister who has been in the Chair twice during my tenure,” LaRocque said.