GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has described 2023 as a pivotal year for the regional integration movement, CARICOM, praising the “unwavering spirit and collective action” that helped the region deal with the myriad of challenges it faced.
“Time and time again, we rose to the occasion,” Skerrit told the opening ceremony of the 46th regular summit of CARICOM leaders on Sunday night, as he acknowledged the “significant progress made across various fronts.
Skerrit, the outgoing chairman of the 15-member grouping, said that over the past year, CARICOM took concrete steps towards self-sufficiency through the continued implementation of the Community Agricultural Policy (CAP), fostering innovation and collaboration among our farmers.
He said these include increased budgetary allocations to agriculture in member states, the introduction of new crops, improved cross-border investments and collaborations, development and implementation of new agriculture trade policies and guidelines, and identification and agreement on possible insurance products to benefit farmers in the region.
“It means that we remain on course to meet our 25 by 2025 Food Security Initiative targets, with the most critical being to reduce our food import bill and advance food and nutrition security for the Community.”
Skerrit told the opening ceremony that with a double taxation agreement easing trade and investment within the region, CARICOM fortified its economic resilience and “almost immediately saw positive signs of recovery in our respective tourism sectors, a vital pillar of our economies.
“As a collective, our continued calls toward raising climate change awareness reverberated globally. We advocated for ambitious climate action, championing the Caribbean Climate Action Plan, which will safeguard our future from the devastating effects of climate change.
“With this upcoming Hurricane season being projected to be extremely active, I want us to continue emphasizing the vulnerabilities of our region and the need to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund.”
Skerrit said he was looking forward to the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Conference in Antigua and Barbuda in May, “where we can continue to highlight CARICOM’s unique needs and concerns and advance collective action.”
He said internationally, CARICOM deepened engagement with international partners and secured crucial support for its development priorities, particularly mentioning the “ success” of the first CARICOM-Saudi Arabia Summit held in Riyadh in November last year.
He said the summit focused heavily on investment opportunities, with Saudi Arabia pledging to bolster the region’s infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, and agriculture sectors.
A senior official from Saudi Arabia, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubier, is attending the four-day summit here. He said his presence is “a demonstration of his country’s commitment to enhancing ties with CARICOM.”
The Dominican Prime Minister said that he is particularly proud of the role played by CARICOM in the border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, resulting in the meeting held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines last December between President Dr. Irfaan Ali and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro.
The two countries have an ongoing territorial dispute over the ownership of the Essequibo region, which makes up about two-thirds of Guyana and is home to 125,000 of the country’s 800,000 citizens.
Both Guyana and Venezuela have made presentations to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) relating to the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the border between Venezuela and the then-British Guiana and confirmed as legally enforceable.
“Our shared belief in collaboration guided us to remain peaceful when other regions in the world crumbled and resorted to unrest. Every family faces friction. However, strong families navigate disagreements with respect and understanding. They prioritize open communication, active listening, and compromise, remembering the love and shared values that bind them.
“We made the international news, not for unrest, war or violence, but for our hosting of mature, proactive deliberations that created a template that others in the world would do well to follow,” Skerrit said, adding that he was passing the baton of CARICOM chairman to President Ali assuring him “of my unstinting support and cooperation.
“I have full faith that the Caribbean spirit of unity and determination will continue to guide us. We have the talent, the resources, and the collective will to overcome any obstacle. So let us continue to work together, hand in hand, to build a brighter future for our beloved Caribbean, a future where every country thrives and every voice is heard,” Skerrit said.
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