CARICOM DAY MESSAGE

BY SENATOR THE HONOURABLE KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN TRADE

As we celebrate the 46th Anniversary of the establishment of CARICOM, we take
this opportunity to extend warm greetings to all CARICOM nationals who reside
in Jamaica and across the Caribbean region, as well as those who are part of
the Diaspora.
Over the years, CARICOM’s raison d’ȇtre has been built on the importance of all
of us working in unity to achieve the main objectives of the CARICOM
Treaty. These objectives include improving our living and work standards;
coordinated and sustained economic development goals; the expansion of
trade and economic relations with Third States; enhanced levels of international
competitiveness; organization for increased production and productivity; the
enhanced co-ordination of foreign policies as well as consistently improving the
framework for functional co-operation.

Even as we celebrate CARICOM Day, we are cognisant of the fact that much
more needs to be done, and how important it is that we do not again lose
momentum. Among other matters, as captured in the key elements of the
development of the 2020 Community Strategic Plan, it is imperative that we
move to operationalize formal inclusion of the private sector, and to establish
National Consultative Working Groups across the region to collaborate with all
segments of our respective societies so that hassle-free movement of goods
capital and people will become a reality and “all ideas can contend”.
As we recommit to the rationalizing and strengthening of our regional institutions,
we know that this will, in the long term, help us to effectively confront the various
global challenges and build our economic resilience, our social resilience
and create a more sustainable environmental context in which to grow and
prosper.

Notwithstanding differences of opinion from time to time we can choose to
focus on that which binds us together. It is my hope that we will continue to
build and collaborate as one Community, and to have an impact and a
positive influence on the global Community in every possible sphere.

Happy CARICOM Day!