KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, says Jamaica will continue to “work constructively” within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the best interest of the country and region.
Speaking at the CARICOM 50 Flag Raising Ceremony at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in downtown Kingston on Thursday, Johnson Smith said CARICOM is the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world.
“Fifty years of life in any shape or form is a golden occasion that merits celebration. It is a time for both reflection and renewal. Despite the challenges and obstacles in pursuing regional integration, tremendous progress has been made. Many of our CARICOM citizens, daily, contribute to the ideals of integration through their exploits in public service, sports, music, business, and other facets of Caribbean society,” she said.
Johnson Smith further noted that as the current Chair of the Community of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), she is committed to ensuring that Member States work towards strengthening the regional integration movement.
Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago were the four founding CARICOM Member States that signed the historic Treaty of Chaguaramas on July 4, 1973.
“Our membership and engagement with CARICOM continue to be an important part of our foreign policy, and over the years, through its four pillars of economic integration, human and social development, foreign policy coordination, and security cooperation, CARICOM has aimed to improve the lives of the people of the region, particularly through functional cooperation in health, education, and security, among others,” Johnson Smith said.
In his address, CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Odane Brooks, pointed out that the Caribbean organization has played a critical role in fostering regional cooperation and sustainable development.
“We continue to witness the positive strides in expanded education, entrepreneurship, and skills training for our young people. With the institutionalization of programs like the CARICOM Youth Ambassador, young people have been given a platform to engage in the policy dialogues and get a platform to amplify their dreams and aspirations,” he said.
Brooks implored CARICOM to strengthen employment opportunities for youth, nurture their entrepreneurial spirit and build sustainable physical and economic infrastructure to safeguard against the impact of climate change.
Jamaica Combined Cadet Force members raised the Jamaican Flag and CARICOM Standard. After that, Jamaica’s National Anthem and the CARICOM Song were played.
The flag-raising ceremony was a delayed observance of CARICOM Day, celebrated on July 4.
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