In her message Dr. Barnett described the election outcome as a testament to the trust and confidence the people of Suriname have placed in the leadership of Dr. Geerlings-Simons.
“We particularly note the historic significance of your election as the first female President of Suriname,” Dr. Barnett stated.
She expressed her anticipation in welcoming Dr. Geerlings-Simons to the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM and collaborating on initiatives that promote the welfare and prosperity of both the Surinamese people and the wider Caribbean Community.
“As we collectively navigate the complex challenges facing our Region, including climate change, economic resilience, and sustainable development, your leadership will be crucial,” Dr. Barnett stated.
The full message reads as follows:
]]>“Your Excellency,
On behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), I extend my warm congratulations on your election as President of the Republic of Suriname. Your assumption of this high office reflects the democratic will of the People of Suriname and is a testament to their trust in your leadership.
We particularly note the historic significance of your election as the first female President of Suriname.
Suriname plays a vital role in advancing the goals of regional integration, through significant contributions to the Community’s cultural richness, robust environmental advocacy, and multilateral diplomacy.We welcome Suriname’s continued commitment to the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet for Community Development and Cultural Cooperation, encompassing the critical portfolios of Culture, Gender, Youth and Sport, and Industrial Policy.
As we collectively navigate the complex challenges facing our Region, including climate change, economic resilience, and sustainable development, your leadership will be crucial. We look forward to welcoming you to the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, and to working with you and your government on initiatives and opportunities that advance the welfare and prosperity of the Surinamese People, and the wider Caribbean Community.”
Ends.
“There can be no sustained prosperity without security,” the Prime Minister said, pointing out that urgent action is required to confront the growing problem.
“We must dismantle the influence of gangs in our communities, disrupt their financing, and cut off access to weapons,” Dr. Holness said during his address at the opening of the Forty-ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, which ended on 8 July in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
He quoted a 2024 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime which highlighted the worrying combination of risk factors including surging drug production in South America, the proliferation and competition of transnational and local gangs, and high availability and use of firearms [that] have contributed to soaring homicide rates.
“If the situation in Haiti is an indicator, these are not ordinary times and they require urgent action,” the Prime Minister said.
Acknowledging that the problem cannot be solved overnight, the Prime Minister said it will require “significant investment and unified public support”.
“I am on record as saying that we need to launch a war on gangs of a similar magnitude and nature to the war on terror. Aside from climate change, the threat that poses an existential threat in the near term for many of our states would be the growth of gangs. Many Caribbean states, by virtue of our history and the kind of civilisation we wish to develop, would seem to categorise gangs as a social problem; a problem caused by the alienation of youth, poverty, breakdown of social mores and values, and therefore the policy response must be or should be a social response, one that treats crime and violence as a public health crisis – and basically so, there is no question that it is a social problem why 90 per cent of persons involved in crime are males, and speaking for Jamaica, 90 per cent of those who are victims of homicide are males, so yes, there is that strong social component.
“But I believe that our society, and the way that we think about crime and violence needs to evolve to accept and understand the evolved nature of the challenge we face, and the truth is that what we are now facing is the organisation of violence. It is the organisation of violence for profit. It is not merely street level, dispossessed, socially excluded youngsters. There is a level of intelligence, a level of resources, a level of organisation that has been brought to crime, and violence is being used to support a profit motive and my own view is that policy and jurisprudence needs to evolve to address this matter,” the Prime Minister said.
Underlining the importance of security to the Community’s progress, Heads of Government invited the Secretary General of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), Mr. Valdecy Urquiza, as a special guest to the Meeting.
Jamaica also mounted a security exposition at the Meeting. Prime Minister Holness said the exposition is intended to spotlight “our shared commitment to building a safer, more resilient Region by exchanging ideas, innovations and best practices. It is also an opportunity for you to see how the significant investments made by the Government of Jamaica in national security over the past nine years are yielding results in crime reduction and public safety.”
]]>“Allow me to take a moment to honour the memory of Rickey Singh, the esteemed Guyana-born journalist whose fearless, incisive reporting shaped Caribbean discourse for over six decades.
“Mr. Singh passed away recently in Barbados, leaving behind a legacy of courage, integrity, and unwavering commitment to regional unity and press freedom. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in Caribbean journalism,” Prime Minister Holness said.
Dr Holness paid tribute to Mr. Singh at the press conference, which marked the end of the Forty-ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The CARICOM Secretariat had issued a Message of Condolence on the passing of Mr. Singh. Please read the message here.
]]>“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.
]]>The Meeting convenes 6-8 July, in Montego Bay, Jamaica, with Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, as the Chair. Prime Minister Holness assumes the six-month rotating Chairmanship of the Community on 1 July 2025.
Discussions will be held under the theme: ‘People, Partnerships, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Sustainable Future’, which Secretary-General Barnett said reflects CARICOM’s strategic focus on working collaboratively to ensure that “future generations of our Region will be resilient, and safe, and will thrive.”
In a video message ahead of the Meeting, the Secretary-General said the Heads of Government will also focus on emerging geopolitical issues, including the impact of US tariffs on the Region, and how the provisions of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) can contribute to national and regional growth and sustainable development.
“Our expectation is that this Meeting of the Conference will engender those discussions and decisions that will lead to meaningful outcomes for the Caribbean Community,” she said in the message.
Listen to the message below:
6-8 July 2025 | Montego Bay, Jamaica
Jamaica will host 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, Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Media partners joining us in Jamaica to cover the Meeting need to be accredited. Please see the link here: https://register.caricom.org/view.php?id=46900
The deadline for accreditation is Monday, 23 June 2025.
]]>The Prime Minister and the Hon. David Burt, Premier of Bermuda, will support the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and Chair of CARICOM, to review the sector’s environment, with a view to creating a competitive environment where customers and providers are treated fairly.
Addressing the media at the end of the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, Prime Minister Mottley referred to the annual billion-dollar earnings of some communications platforms and services from which the Region does not benefit economically.
“We were informed that (these entities) earn as much as $11.6B a year and they pay no taxes. There is no contribution in any way to the regional economy, and at the same time, the absence of revenue to the telecommunications firms means that at the very time that we need to be looking at re-investment to make our telecommunications infrastructure sturdier, it is not there,” the Chair stated.
“We are at the stage of exploration, but Premier Burt and Prime Minister Mitchell will work with me to be able to put the Community in a position to be able to better level the playing field to ensure that there is fairness to the consumer, fairness to the provider and a competitive environment. We are conscious that the Caribbean, as a region of small states, has higher telecommunication costs than we would normally like to see as compared to other regions,” Prime Minister Mottley said.
]]>The 25 by 2025 Initiative, which targeted the reduction of the Region’s more than $6B food import bill by 25 percent by yearend, has now been extended to 2030. New goals have also been added to the Initiative.
H.E. Dr. Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana and Lead Head of Government with responsibility for agriculture and food security in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, made the announcement on Friday, 21 February 2025, at the end of the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Barbados.
While acknowledging the significant progress that was made to date under the Initiative, the President pointed to the devastating consequences of Hurricane Beryl on the agriculture sector and continuing global supply chain disruptions.
“In relation to our 25 by 2025 programme…we have made significant progress. If you look at 2022 to the end of October/November 2024, we have had about a 24 percent increase in food production across the Region. We have had major investments in infrastructure to support food production, whether it’s cold storage, farm-to-market access roads, solar dryer facilities, loan approval, establishment of dairy facilities. We have seen significant increase in private sector investment and lending in the agriculture sector and the food production chain within the Region,” the President told the media.
Given the current situation, he said the Region has established a “holistic framework” to build a resilient, sustainable, and competitive industry and food system that will encourage participation, particularly, of young people and women.
I am very pleased to add my welcome to everyone here and online for the Opening Ceremony of our Forty-Eighth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government being held here in Beautiful Barbados.
I thank the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and CARICOM Chair, and all Barbadians, for the gracious hospitality and affection which have been extended to Heads of Government, their delegations, and all guests.
We look forward to benefitting from Prime Minister Mottley’s vast experience during her Chairmanship. The Region will recall her expert guidance of CARICOM affairs through the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, during her previous chairmanship in the first half of 2020. We have every confidence in her leadership, especially amidst the current global uncertainties.
I am especially pleased to welcome our Special Guests to this 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference. His Excellency Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, with whom we’ve had several productive exchanges in different forums, including at previous CARICOM Heads of Government Meetings. Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, joins us for her first exchange with the Conference of Heads of Government in the Caribbean. We are very happy to share our signature Caribbean hospitality with you both, and we look forward to hearing from you later this evening.
It is no accident that, as we gather to craft decisions that will advance integration and improve the quality of life of our people, our first official gathering is being held in the national edifice named in honour of the late Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, former Prime Minister of Barbados and former member of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government. Sir Lloyd is remembered as a staunch proponent of regional integration and cooperation, and one of the architects of our integrated development strategy, the CARICOM Single Market and the Economy (CSME).
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Mottley, who has responsibility for the CSME in CARICOM, CSME operations continue to be based in the Secretariat’s Office in Bridgetown. The Community is also strengthened through the work of several of our Associate and Regional Institutions which are also located here.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the focus of this 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference is Strength in Unity: Forging Caribbean Resilience, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development, highlights the need for renewed and expanded partnerships, and collaboration, as we grapple with existing and emerging uncertainties. The simultaneous global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution; crime and violence; ongoing military and trade wars, and other global shocks, pose real and present threats to CARICOM countries. It is at times like this that CARICOM’s continuous call for international cooperation, multilateralism, and respect for international law, takes on special significance.
The current global challenges cannot be effectively addressed in splendid isolation. In our Region, which accounts for less than one percent of the global population, we know that if we are to decisively counter and surmount the combined effects of adverse developments, we must redouble collective efforts, pool our combined wisdom, and act on the basis of our fundamental, intrinsic principles.
Collective action, based on those principles, guided our Member States to be among the first to offer assistance and support to those impacted by the record-breaking Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Regional commitment, strength and resilience were clearly visible by Grenada, as they hosted the 47th Meeting of the Conference within weeks after Hurricane Beryl caused catastrophic damage, not only to Carriacou and Petit Martinique in Grenada, but also to the Grenadines Islands of St. Vincent and several other Member States, as it trekked across the Caribbean.
In this regard, the Community extends its gratitude to our Immediate Past Chairman, the Prime Minister of Grenada, Honourable Dickon Mitchell, whose determined leadership of CARICOM remained strong, even as he dealt with the crisis of recovery and rebuilding in his own country.
We continue a unified advocacy, and unwavering support and assistance to our sister Member State, Haiti, in the struggle to obtain peace and security. Millions of Haitians are unable to live free from rampant violence, which stands in the way of economic development, and of access to education and health, especially impacting women and children.
Our collective stand for territorial integrity and the rule of law is demonstrated in respect of our Member States, Guyana and Belize, and the State of Palestine, which all 14 of our independent Member States now recognise.
Internally, we are seeking to make our Single Market work more efficiently, by simplifying the process of amendment of the Community’s Rules of Origin, to allow us to more effectively respond in a rapidly changing trade environment. This Meeting is expected to give approval for the changes necessary.
This Meeting will also take account of notable advances in regional food production under the 25 by 2025 strategy, even with the destruction by Hurricane Beryl of agricultural production in several Member States, especially Jamaica. As we move toward 2030, we expect the work begun under the 25 by 2025 initiative to continue, as the food and nutrition security strategy is renewed and revised.
CARICOM’s exemplary and enviable tradition of democracy will be in full evidence throughout this year, when at least eight of our Member States and Associate Member States are expected to go to the polls for general elections.
In that vein, I recognise the Honourable Reuben Meade, Premier of our Member State, Montserrat, who was successful in elections in October 2024; the Honourable Washington Misick, Premier of our Associate Member State, the Turks and Caicos Islands, who was successful earlier this month; and the Honourable David Burt, who won yesterday’s elections in Bermuda. Elections will take place in Belize on March 12, in Suriname on May 25 and in Curacao, our newest Associate Member, on March 21.
This exercise of democracy, and peaceful transfer of power is integral to the tradition and principles of strong governance, and the rule of law, by which CARICOM Member States firmly stand. Where this is threatened, CARICOM’s Good Offices processes are available to assist, and ensure that good governance practices prevail. The CARICOM Secretariat organises electoral observation missions when these are requested, as has already happened for some of the elections to be held this year.
Esteemed colleagues, distinguished guests, we are counting on the active involvement of all CARICOM citizens – our entrepreneurs, our civic leaders, our youth, our indigenous peoples, from The Bahamas in the north, to Belize in the west, to Guyana and Suriname in the south, as well as from the diaspora, regardless of age, colour or creed. The Secretariat has redoubled its efforts to engage with various Community stakeholders and involve them in our work. We have a vibrant group of CARICOM Youth Ambassadors who meet regularly and interact with the Secretariat in a structured way. We are also deepening the engagement with the Caribbean Congress of Labour and civil society groups. We will hear from our young people and some regional stakeholders during this Meeting. These are deliberate steps towards a more inclusive and meaningful integration process.
Ladies and gentlemen, this Meeting is being held against the backdrop of global shifts in priorities. We cannot rely on promises made, nor on traditional assumptions. To meaningfully address economic disparities, empower our citizens, protect the vulnerable, and create worthwhile opportunities for our young people, requires purpose and action.
There is much work to be done as the Region continues to build out the integration process enshrined in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. We anticipate that deliberations and decisions at this Meeting will be driven by commitment and collaboration, grounded in the desire to make our regional integration work for all our citizens.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
Transportation is one of the key items on the Heads’ agenda which also includes the CARICOM Single Market and Economy for which Prime Minister Mottley holds lead responsibility in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet; CARICOM agri-food systems and regional food and nutrition security, climate change and climate finance; the Digital Skills Commission; and reparations.
Dr. Pauline Yearwood, Deputy Programme Manager, Transportation, at the CARICOM Secretariat, said the Heads of Government will place emphasis on the movement of aviation personnel, and developments under the MASA.
The MASA, she explained, is the most important air transport reform policy initiative of CARICOM that establishes a single market for air transport services within the Community and creates a liberalised environment consistent with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and emerging World Trade Organization (WTO) aviation policies. The Agreement is in force among 12 Member States. In addition, eight air carriers of the Community and one helicopter service have been designated pursuant to Article 6(1) of the Agreement.
Dr. Yearwood explains the background to the discussion of Heads: