JULY 2, 2007

On the occasion of the 34th Anniversary of the Caribbean Community, it gives me great pleasure to celebrate with our sister CARICOM States another milestone in the Community’s journey to the future.

When the idea of establishing the Caribbean Community was conceived in 1973, the initial four signatories to the Treaty of Chaguaramas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago were confident that this integration movement would foster a truly prosperous and integrated region. Since then, the global environment has witnessed changes and we as a Community have had to find innovative ways to adjust to these new realities.

On the whole, the Community has made significant strides in its quest to achieve the goals enshrined in the Treaty of Chaguaramas. We have witnessed successful accomplishments, such as, the inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in 2005, the establishment of the Single Market component of the CSME in 2006, and the imminent institution of its sister constituent, the Single Economy in 2008. These achievements have served to give further credence to our Community.

Over the past year, we have made great efforts and steady progress, especially in the area of human development. Together, we were able to successfully host the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 although many doubted our capability to do so. It shows what we can do collectively to build our Community.

Let us therefore not lose sight of our possibilities, but rather, let us continue “to strive towards the attainment of a viable, internationally competitive and sustainable Community, with improved quality of life for all”.
Happy CARICOM Day to all!