Caricom aiming to build on past successes – Secretary-General

Caricom Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque says the Community’s accomplishments in 2013 are a testimony of its “determination and commitment to forge a common destiny as small unified States” even as he revealed that a Five-Year Strategic Plan to chart the way forward for the Region is almost completed.

In his end-of-year message, LaRocque said 2013 was a “reflective and celebratory” year which saw the Community observing its 40th anniversary under the theme ‘Celebration and Renewal’, which he says remains relevant as it basks in its “Caribbean-ness, rekindle the spirit of Community and continue our integration quest with an outlook that is shaped by new thinking and different approaches.”

The outlook will be influenced by the need for appropriate responses to the current global environment

Irwin LaRocque
Irwin LaRocque

which has created challenging circumstances in member states, “stymieing growth and development and denying us the wherewithal to create a better standard of living for the people of the Community.” LaRocque said the Region remains particularly vulnerable and its capacity for resilience came into stark relief last week in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Dominica, when severe weather caused several deaths and destruction, causing a setback to development there.

The new outlook will also be shaped by the Review and Reform that the Community has undertaken, at the behest of the Heads of Government, the secretary-general said in a press statement. He noted too that the Caribbean Community is on schedule to achieve, early in the new year, one of its key milestones – the completion of the draft Five-Year Strategic Plan.

The plan was crafted following consultations with stakeholders across member states and associate members. It will set out a common vision, identify priority areas of focus over the period and address issues of implementation including the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the Community architecture.

Sustainable economic growth and development are also listed as priority areas of concern for stakeholders across the spectrum with whom the Change Team interacted over the past year.

The Community intends, through the efforts of the recently- established Caricom Com-mission on the Economy to explore possible avenues to put them on a sustainable path. The Commission will provide advice on implementable solutions based particularly on the priority areas set out in its Growth Agenda.

“For the Caribbean Community therefore, 2014 dawns with the promise of new directions, prioritization on the critical areas that will deliver more immediate and tangible benefits to our peoples, more strategic approaches and the continued emphasis on our youth and empowerment of our citizens,” La Rocque said.