AS CARIBBEAN LEADERS FURTHER DISCUSS STRENGTHENG CSME
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, February 27, 2024 — The strengthening of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) was the subject of frank discussion when regional leaders met on Monday, an indication that this integrated development strategy remains high on their agenda.
Leaders from all 15 CARICOM member states are currently in Georgetown, Guyana, for the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.
On the first day of official business, the inter-governmental organisation’s chairman and Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, disclosed that interventions will be discussed to strengthen the sub-committee to ensure that work is being done.
“At this meeting we will have some mechanism through which the sub-committee and senior legal officers [can] step up and push forward the work of the CSME and this community,” he said.
The CSME unit of the CARICOM Secretariat acts as an implementation office to support member states. It is considered to be the most viable platform to support the region’s growth and development agenda.
At the opening ceremony held on Sunday at the National Cultural Centre, President Ali had disclosed that the subcommittee has been behind in its implementation of initiatives.
“We have 133 pages of decisions under the CSME that are awaiting implementation…we must correct this, we have a responsibility to correct this,” he had said.
The body overseas the implementation of provisions for the removal of trade and professional restrictions.
According to CARICOM, these provisions facilitate the right to establish businesses, to provide regional services, the free movement of capital and the coordination of economic policies.
Some of the major aspects of the CSME include: consumer affairs; competition policy; social security; contingent rights; immigration arrangements for free movement of persons; government procurement and trade and competitiveness in the region.
In 2019, at the 40th Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government held in St Lucia, leaders had highlighted that the CSME was high on the agenda.
At that meeting the Head of Government had put forward several measures for determined action.
Among the measures were a more formalised, structured mechanism for engagement with the region’s private sector and labour; expansion of the categories of skilled nationals entitled to move freely and work within the community, to include agricultural workers, beauty-service practitioners, barbers and security guards; ensuring community-wide recognition of each member state-issued CARICOM Skills Certificate; reinforcing regional security mechanisms; and permitting the region’s citizens and companies to participate in public procurement processes across the community.
Over the next few days, the CARICOM leaders will engage in crucial discussions on a range of issues.
According to CARICOM, there will be discussions on climate change and climate financing; regional security, including the situation in Haiti and border issues; regional transportation; financial matters, including replenishment of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF); global and hemispheric issues.
KEY PRIORITIES OF BAHAMAS DELEGATION AT CARICOM HEADS MEETING
GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Bahamas Prime Minister Philip E. Davis delves into the key priorities of the Bahamas delegation at the 46th Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of CARICOM, emphasizing Food Security, Climate Loss & Damage Fund, and the situation in Haiti.
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