St. Kitts and Nevis joins other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) members in celebrating today, July 4, as CARICOM day. The holiday is in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, to formalize the creation of CARICOM.
CARICOM consists of 20 states throughout the Caribbean, of which 15 are member states and five associate members.
The four founding members who established CARICOM by signing the Treaty of Chaguaramas were Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The signatories were Prime Ministers Errol Barrow for Barbados, Forbes Burnham for Guyana, Michael Manley for Jamaica, and Eric Williams for Trinidad and Tobago.
CARICOM superseded the Caribbean Free Trade Association.
The body is a recognized platform for the region to push for social, economic and political development.
A number of high ranking global officials are expected to join CARICOM heads in the 50th anniversary celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago. These include United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland. Twelve of the 15 CARICOM member states are also members of Commonwealth.
Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is the incoming Chairman of CARCIOM.
CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett says that the 50th anniversary celebrations also ‘provide an opportunity to make long-lasting decisions for Caribbean people for the next 50 years and beyond.’
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