The webinar is being held to mark International Youth Day, which was observed on 12 August under the theme ‘Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond’.
]]>Nominations for the awards are open until 31 August 2025.
Organised by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), these awards aim to recognise the important roles that women and youth play in the energy sector as professionals, entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and consumers. The awards also seek to highlight the importance of gender diversity to enhance the success of the clean energy transition.
WISE honours women who are committed to the energy transition and have made significant contributions to their communities at national, regional, and international levels in public, private, and civil society sectors. The categories under which those submissions will be judged are: Business/Entrepreneurship; Social Impact, Community and Advocacy; Policy and Regulations; and Utilities and Industry.
SEYA targets persons between the ages of 16 and 35 who exhibit innovation, creativity, and dedication to their communities by advocating for and actively participating in the energy transition at local, national, regional levels across public, private, and civil society sectors.
Nomination forms for Caribbean citizens and residents are available here.
The awards will be presented at the 9th Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF IX), to be held in Grenada from 28-30 October 2025.
]]>Suriname, which holds responsibility for the Industrial Policy in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, is spearheading work towards its completion to present it to a Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in October 2025. The work to be carried out in time for that meeting includes deeper engagements with key stakeholders in the business community.
Already, consultations have been held with stakeholders in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while others are planned for later in August.
Ambassador David Prendergast, Director, Sectoral Programmes at the CARICOM Secretariat, said that there is a strong demand for the Policy from the Region’s private sector. The Policy is grounded in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and is intended to promote the development of entities ranging from micro to large businesses.
“Essentially, [this policy] seeks to boost productivity, to create more opportunities for employment across the Region, to use our resources optimally, and to connect us into global value chains which are critical for production with the ultimate objective of improving the standard of living of our people across the Region,” Amb. Prendergast explained.
Industrial Policy development consultant to the CARICOM Secretariat, Mr. Sandiford Ruel Edwards, said given the current global environment, the CARICOM Industrial Policy and Strategy is well-positioned to make a substantive contribution to renewed economic diversification and cultivating indigenous growth and prosperity by addressing both established industrial sectors and emerging innovative fields and technologies.
“It is important to acknowledge that this industrial policy is not a universal remedy; historical global initiatives have sometimes resulted in notable failures, and there remain valid concerns regarding government intervention in market selection. This strategic framework proposes a collaborative model between regional governments and the private sector, targeting 12 industrial ecosystems alongside five cross-cutting enablers,” he said.
The 12 eco-systems at the foundation of the Policy are: Agri-Food, Fisheries and Processing; Construction; Culture and Creative Industries; Digitalisation; Education and Human Capital Development; Energy; Health and Wellbeing; Mobility and Transportation; Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises; Non-Food Manufacturing; Research, Development and Innovation; and Tourism.
The cross-cutting enablers are Financing, Competition Policy and Consumer Protection, Intellectual Property, Standards and Environmental Stewardship. ]]>
Nationals of CARICOM Member States, 18 and older, can submit entries to the competition, which closes on 5 September 2025. The winner will receive an Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max 16, which will be presented at the 50th Meeting of the SCCS in Curacao in October.
Entries to the competition should be sent to sccs.logocompetition@caricom.org, addressed to the Caribbean Community Secretariat for the attention of Mr. Halim Brizan, Director, Regional Statistics Programme, and copied to Mr. Dike Noel, Manager, Communications at communications@caricom.org
Regional Logo Competition Rules and Guidelines
Regional Logo Competition Entry Form
About the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS)
The Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) was established in 1974 and was endorsed the same year by the inaugural meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the expanded Caribbean Community. The SCCS serves as the highest decision-making body for statistical activities within CARICOM. Its objective is to “foster increased recognition of the importance of adequate statistical services to the countries of the Region; to widen the scope and coverage of statistics data collection; and to improve the quality, comparability, and timeliness of statistics produced.”
The SCCS comprises Directors and Chief Statisticians of CARICOM Member States and Associate Members and plays a pivotal role in advancing statistical development. It is responsible for establishing common frameworks, promoting the adoption of regional statistical standards and harmonising concepts and methodologies across Member countries. Through the implementation of a common Regional Statistics Work Programme (RSWP), the SCCS ensures the production of high-quality, harmonised statistics to support the planning, monitoring and evaluation of development initiatives throughout CARICOM.
About the Regional Statistics Programme
The Regional Statistics Programme (RSP) of the CARICOM Secretariat holds responsibility for strengthening the statistical capacity in Member States and at the Secretariat to provide harmonised, high-quality statistical information for decision-making, and to guide, monitor and assess human and economic development in the Community and specifically in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Capacity-building, the promotion of Centres of Excellence, building statistics systems, and developing and reinforcing frameworks to support data collection, including in collaboration with International Development Partners,are key components of the work of the RSP. The work is guided by the Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS), which is the master plan to strategically support the modernisation and transformation of the CARICOM Statistical System (CSS) while ensuring alignment with regional and national priorities.
]]>Jamaica’s coordinating role on behalf of the Community for the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti and the successful hosting and chairing of the Forty-ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Montego Bay also received commendation.
The Secretary-General’s full message to Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, Prime Minister of Jamaica, is below:
“Dear Prime Minister,
On behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), I take great pleasure in congratulating the Government and People of Jamaica on this celebration of the country’s Sixty-Third Anniversary of Independence.
Jamaica has much to celebrate, having made great strides in its economic and social development. The country has also demonstrated exemplary leadership both regionally and internationally, and has blazed a cultural footprint on the global stage, through music, sports, art, cuisine, and other areas of endeavour.
Prime Minister, as a Founding Member of the Caribbean Community, Jamaica continues to play a key role in the regional integration process. As current Chair of the Conference of Heads of Government, Jamaica is in good stead to drive momentum towards achieving many of the Community’s objectives, as demonstrated during your successful hosting and chairing of the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, held in Montego Bay in July. The Community has greatly benefitted also from Jamaica’s coordinating role on behalf of CARICOM for the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, and leadership on external trade negotiations, in keeping with your assigned role in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet.
I look forward to Jamaica’s leadership as the Community seeks to strategically and effectively navigate evolving global dynamics, and preserve the interests of our citizens, who remain the key stakeholders in the regional integration process.
We extend our best regards to the Government and People of Jamaica, trusting that your vibrancy, creativity, and commitment to excellence will continue to foster even greater future growth and development.”
]]>Deputy Programme Manager, Ms. Yvanette Baron-George, represented Ms. Alexis Downes-Amsterdam, Director General of CARIFORUM, at the meetings. She explained that the Support to the Effective Administration of the Criminal Justice Systems in the Caribbean Programme aims to modernise and strengthen court services across the region. The United Nations Development Programme, Center for International Legal Cooperation, the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Court of Justice are implementing partners under the Programme.
Improving access to justice through acquisition of software, hardware, training and capacity development, procedural reforms and community awareness is a key initiative being implemented under the programme.
Through the Law Enforcement and Border Security Programme, the Regional Security System and national security agencies benefited from targeted training and capacity building initiatives to better respond to regional security threats. This Programme aims to improve information and intelligence sharing in the CARIFORUM region for crime prevention and interdiction. Implementation was done by the Regional Security System and CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security on behalf of CARIFORUM.
The launch will feature a keynote address by the Hon. Samal Duggins, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources of St. Kitts and Nevis; remarks by Dr. Wendell Samuel, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General (ag), Economic Integration, Innovation and Development,; Ms. Teesha Mangra, Chair of the CARICOM Youth Advisory Body, and representatives from regional and international organisations which are partnering to hold the CWA.
Representatives of the media are invited to provide coverage of the following:
EVENT: Launch, Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2025
WHEN: 15 July 2025| 10 am AST
The launch will be streamed live via the following CARICOM social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, and X.
ABOUT THE CARIBBEAN WEEK OF AGRICULTURE
The Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) is the premier event on the regional agricultural calendar. It is a roving event hosted by CARICOM Member States and Associate Members and includes seminars, key meetings, a special meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), and an exhibition.
The CWA was conceptualised by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) as a facility to place agriculture and rural life on the front burner of regional integration activities and in doing so enable:
- the key decision-makers in the public and private sectors to better acknowledge the importance of agriculture and rural life to the economic, social, and environmental stability of the region; and
- for the major stakeholders in agriculture and related sectors to have an opportunity to dialogue and forge a common vision for the repositioning of agriculture and the enhancement of rural life.
The CWA is convened under the aegis of the Alliance for Sustainable Development of Agriculture and the Rural Milieu (The Alliance). From the inaugural meeting in 1998, the two main collaborating agencies were IICA and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.
In 2002, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) joined IICA and CARICOM to establish a core group which functions as the Secretariat of The Alliance. Since then, the four agencies have collaborated on the management and logistics necessary for the convening and servicing of meetings of The Alliance as well as the myriad of activities during the CWA. The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) which was a joint international institution of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union (EU) from 1983 – 2020, was a major partner and sponsor of the CWA activities from 2003.
To date, there have been 18 successful editions of the CWA. The first CWA was held in Trinidad and Tobago in 1999. Last year, St. Vincent and the Grenadines hosted the event. Close to 500 visitors joined Vincentians for the week of activities that focused on ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture for a Sustainable Future’.
Click here to listen as Ms. Deborah Daniel, Agriculture Planning Officer, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, reflects on the 2024 edition of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture and shares advice for hosting the event.
]]>The European Parliament on Wednesday delisted the two CARICOM Member States and several other countries. The European Commission had updated its list of jurisdictions last month. The list takes the legal form of a delegated regulation upon the imprimatur of the European Parliament.
“We have been actively advocating for such a decision. One which reflects the reality of the hard work we have undertaken to strengthen our financial systems. This is yet another demonstration of the strength of our partnership with the EU, a partnership I am committed to deepening even further as Chair of CARICOM,” Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica said on X (formerly Twitter) in response to the development.
At the closing press conference of the Forty-ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM on Tuesday, 8 July in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Prime Minister Holness had referred to the global architecture for money laundering and the slowness in the full materialisation of the decision of the European Commission.
He placed the Heads of Government Meetings in the context of working collectively towards the solution to challenges such as those related to the fulfilment of the commitments under the global financial architecture.
]]>“Sometimes it’s very difficult for the public to relate with this exercise of bringing regional heads together because it all looks so officious and so way above every everybody’s grasp and understanding of the issues because the issues can often times seem so remote. It doesn’t seem as if it deals with the bread-and-butter issues. But take for example the bread-and-butter issue of being able to conduct banking transactions with ease and convenience.
“For the average person the overbearing regulations are a great frustration and they could easily conclude it is just the inefficiency of government why we have to fill out so many documents and provide so many forms of identification and answer so many questions to transfer $100, not understanding that there is a global architecture for anti-money laundering and other requirements imposed on states by various global entities and it affects not just Jamaica; it affects an entire Region. This is a problem that is right across the Region and therefore governments have to come together regionally to interface with these global bodies and lobby on your behalf so that the regulation requirements can be much more efficient and simpler for the average person to be able to interface with the financial system,” he said.
“As small states, we are vulnerable not just to global economic shocks and natural hazards, but to being marginalised in a world where power and influence often outweigh genuine need. That is why we must think strategically, act collaboratively, and remain focused on the values and interests that unite us,” Prime Minister Holness said.
He was delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony of the Forty-ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Montego Bay, Jamaica, 6 July 2025. The two-day Heads of Government meeting is being convened under the theme, ‘People, Partnerships, and Prosperity – Promoting a Secure and Sustainable Future’ which Prime Minister Holness said, “captures the essence of our regional purpose.”
Focus on people
Geopolitical developments, and the security and resilience of the Region require a focus on people “because human development must be the centre of our integration,” Prime Minister Holness said.
He added that ensuring food security, access to decent work, climate protection, and opportunities for the youth who make up 60 per cent of the Region’s populace, were also key areas of people-centred attention.
Zeroing in on youth engagement in his address, the Prime Minister stressed that young people must have a voice in shaping the decisions that affect their future.
“Youth across the Region have thoughts and ideas about what we are trying to put in place for them and future generations. As key drivers and consumers of technological advancement, they hold immense potential to contribute meaningfully to our development goals. It is important that we engage them in a deliberate, sustained, and meaningful way. Let this meeting send a clear signal—that we view their inclusion not as symbolic, but as a strategic investment in our future,” he said.
Partnerships
The focus on partnerships takes account of the “network of trust” on which global progress is built.
“We need stronger ties within CARICOM and with strategic global partners in Africa, North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East; stronger ties within CARICOM and within strategic global partners in Africa, Europe, North and South America, the Pacific and the Middle East,” Dr. Holness said.
Prosperity
Inclusive and sustainable economic growth, the CARICOM Chair said, must remain “our shared ambition—one that lifts every citizen, especially the most vulnerable.”
“Jamaica will continue to champion initiatives that make these three pillars not just aspirations, but enduring features of Caribbean life, he pledged.
During their meeting, the Heads of Government will hold discussions on a wide range of matters including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), transportation, telecommunications, industrial progress, climate change and climate finance, security, and the situation in Haiti.
“We have much ground to cover over the next few days. While our agenda is undoubtedly ambitious, it reflects a clear and purposeful vision for our Region—one grounded in our shared realities and guided by the need to ensure that our actions are responsive to the people we serve, especially our youth,” the CARICOM Chair said.
]]>“Together, we have nurtured a strong Caribbean identity that transcends borders, that is admired globally, and to which others aspire. As we begin our deliberations for this Forty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference, I encourage of us to retain our focus on the purpose of our partnership, which is the prosperity, security and well-being of all the people of our Region.”
– Dr Carla Barnett | Secretary-General | CARICOMMonday 7 July 2025 (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown): The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) officially commenced the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Sunday, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to regional cooperation, integration, and sustainable development. The Meeting is being held under the theme “People, Partnerships, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Prosperous Future.”
Delivering remarks at the Opening Ceremony, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett extended gratitude to Dr The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Jamaica, and the Government and People of Jamaica for the warm hospitality and for providing an environment conducive to productive deliberations.
“Jamaica features highly in CARICOM’s history,” stated Dr Barnett “This ‘Land of Wood and Water’ was one of the first four nations to signal its commitment to our integration movement by signing the Original Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973. The Rose Hall Declaration, which aimed to deepen integration and strengthen governance in CARICOM, was adopted here at the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in July 2003. Several other pivotal Regular Meetings of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government have also been hosted here.”
Reflecting on over 50 years of regional integration, the Secretary-General acknowledged both the accomplishments and the persistent implementation challenges, particularly in relation to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
“The CARICOM Single Market and Economy, which is designed to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, finances and people, in the interest of increased economic and market efficiency, continues to fall behind expectations. We hope that this Meeting will see a recommitment to strengthening the implementation of the CSME, with a view to ensuring that all aspects of the regimes can be evenly and effectively implemented across the Region, as intended by the framers of theTreaty.”
The CARICOM Secretary-General concluded with a call to action rooted in shared values and mutual responsibility.
“As much as we remain committed to the aims and objectives set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, we must also remain cognisant that moving forward is more difficult for some of us. In the spirit of family, we should seek to address the concerns of all if we are to be a Community that benefits everyone in the Region. As several of our regional statesmen have been known to say, “If CARICOM did not exist, we would have to invent it”.
She added, “And, to borrow from one of Jamaica’s national icons, Honourable Robert Nesta Marley, our guiding principle must continue to be “one love, one heart, one destiny.”
As the Meeting proceeds, CARICOM Heads of Government are expected to engage in substantive discussions and adopt decisions that further the prosperity, security, and sustainable development of the Caribbean Community.
Gratitude to Outgoing CARICOM Chair
The Secretary-General gave special recognition to the Outgoing Chair of the Conference, the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados, for her strategic leadership over the past six months amid evolving geopolitical challenges.
“As we grappled with worrying geopolitical issues over the last six months, CARICOM has been led with decisiveness and foresight by the Outgoing Chair, Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. Prime Minister Mottley, we thank you for your dedication to amplifying the Region’s voice on important issues and to its economic advancement, including through your leadership of the ongoing initiatives to strengthen the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).”
Leaders welcomed to the Conference
Prime Minister Holness was formally welcomed as the Incoming Chair of the Conference. Dr Barnett underscored that as CARICOM’s Lead Head for External Trade Negotiations, he is well-positioned to guide the Community through the complexities of global commerce. His efforts in supporting stability in Haiti were also acknowledged as exemplary of Jamaica’s leadership role in regional affairs.
The CARICOM Secretary-General highlighted that the Meeting also marked the return of several leaders who were re-elected: Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago; Honourable John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize; His Excellency Gilmar Pisas, Prime Minister of Curaçao. She also recognized newly-elected leaders: Honourable Cora Richardson-Hodge, Premier of Anguilla (the first woman to hold this position) and Honourable Andre Ebanks, Premier of the Cayman Islands
CCJ President
She highlighted the inauguration of Honourable Mr Justice Winston Anderson of Jamaica as President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and noted that his elevation was warmly received as a moment of pride for the Region.
“We look forward to the benefit of your experience, intellect and well-known dedication to the rule of law, as we collectively seek to deliver enhanced frameworks for justice within the Community.”
18th CARICOM Road Race
The recently concluded 18th CARICOM Road Race was cited by Dr Barnett as a symbol of Caribbean unity in practice, encouraging healthy lifestyles and advancing the Region’s global advocacy on non-communicable diseases. She shared that CARICOM leaders also reaffirmed support for regional participation in the upcoming Fourth High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
About the Meeting
Jamaica is hosting the Forty-ninth (49th) Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from 6-8 July in Montego Bay, under the chairmanship of Dr The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, Chair, CARICOM and Prime Minister of Jamaica.
The Meeting is being held under the theme “People, Partnerships, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Prosperous Future.”
Read more about the Meeting here: https://caricom.org/49hgc/