CARICOM

What it stands for: CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY

Previous name: CARIFTA (CARIBBEAN FREE TRADE ASSOCIATION)

When it was established: August 1st 1973

Treaty’s name & location: Treaty of Chaguaramas (Trinidad & Tobago)

Headquarters: Turkeyen, Georgetown (Guyana)

Membership: 1. Antigua & Barbuda 9. Jamaica

2. Bahamas 10. Montserrat
3. Barbados 11. Saint Lucia
4. Belize 12. St. Kitts and Nevis
5. Dominica 13. St. Vincent & the
6. Grenada Grenadines
7. Guyana 14. Suriname
8. Haiti 15. Trinidad and Tobago
Associate Members: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands,
Turks & Caicos
Head Organisation: CARICOM SECRETARIAT
Leader: Secretary General (Mr. Irwin LaRocque from Dominica)

Former Secretaries General of CARICOM are:

William Demas (Trinidad and Tobago) 1973 - 1974
Alister McIntyre (Grenada) 1974 - 1977
Dr Kurleigh King (Barbados) 1979 - 1983
Roderick Rainford (Jamaica) 1983 - 1992
Edwin W. Carrington (Trinidad and Tobago) 1992-2010
Objectives a) improved standards of living and working conditions;
(what CARICOM would b) full employment;
like to do): c) increased sustainable economic development;
d) expansion of trade and economic relations with non-members;
e) enhanced levels of international competitiveness;
f) increased production and productivity;
g) having greater control (leverage) when dealing with other
countries regarding economic policies;
h) harmonisation (agreement) of economic policies among
member countries;
i) enhanced functional co-operation, including a focus on
greater understanding of social, cultural & technological
development, improved health, education, transportation &
telecommunications that would benefit all Caribbean
countries involved.

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Functions (what is the  Initiate or develop proposals and policies for consideration
Secretariat’s purpose or and decision by the relevant bodies
what they actually do):  Conduct studies & research important to the region
 Provide services to Member States
 Service meetings & follow-up action on decisions taken
 Collect, save and publish information to Member States
 Help members in implementing plans & programmes
 Gather finances from donors to help in implementing these
programmes
 Prepare the Budget of the Secretariat
 Conduct fact-finding assignments in Member States (i.e. if
there is any controversy the Secretariat serves as a fair,
unbiased & impartial body)

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 CSME

What it stands for: CARICOM SINGLE MARKET & ECONOMY

When it was established: 1989, but was revised & officially established in 2002

Treaty’s name & location: Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (Trinidad & Tobago)

Headquarters: Turkeyen, Georgetown (Guyana)

Note that CSME is an organisation of CARICOM, so the leader,
main organization and Headquarters would be the same.
Membership: 1. Antigua & Barbuda 9. Jamaica
2. Bahamas 10. Montserrat
3. Barbados 11. Saint Lucia
4. Belize 12. St. Kitts and Nevis
5. Dominica 13. St. Vincent & the
6. Grenada Grenadines
7. Guyana 14. Suriname
8. Haiti 15. Trinidad and Tobago
Objectives CSME’s main objectives are trade liberalization (the removal of
(what CSME would like to trade barriers) and allowing people to establish businesses
do): anywhere in the 15 member countries and the free movement of:
a) goods (products);
b) services;
c) capital (money);
d) labour (people).
Their objectives are very similar to CARICOM but the focus is
on economic policies.
Reason for establishment: CSME is a response to the challenges and opportunities of
globalisation and trade liberalisation because of increase in
technology and faster transportation from one country to the next
and free trade for member countries, by working together and
encouraging free movement of goods, services, money and
people, the Caribbean countries would benefit in many ways such
as increased economic development.

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 CARICOM HEADS OF GOVERNMENT
The CARICOM Heads of Government meeting or conference is made up of all Heads of
Government (usually Prime Ministers) of the members of CARICOM.

They come together to decide upon treaties and policies on behalf of CARICOM.

Functions:
a) Take financial decisions of CARICOM
b) Establish organisations or bodies to achieve the objectives of CARICOM
c) Inform these bodies of the policies they must follow
d) Listen to and resolve disagreements or arguments between member countries
e) Consult with other regional or international organisations

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 OECS

What it stands for: ORGANISATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES

When it was established: June 18th 1981

Treaty’s name & location: Treaty of Basseterre (St. Kitts-Nevis)

Headquarters: Morne Fortune, Castries (Saint Lucia)

Membership: 1. Anguilla 6. Montserrat

2. Antigua & Barbuda 7. Saint Lucia
3. British Virgin Islands 8. St. Kitts & Nevis
4. Dominica 9. St. Vincent & the
5. Grenada Grenadines
Head Organisation: CENTRAL SECRETARIAT
Leader: Director General (Dr. Didacus Jules from Saint Lucia)

Objectives a) to promote co-operation among the Member States at the

(what OECS would like to regional and international level;
do): b) to promote unity and solidarity among the Member States
and to defend their sovereignty (independence);
c) to assist the Member States with their relationships to the
international community;
d) to ensure harmonisation of foreign policy among the
Member States;
e) to seek to share common positions on international issues;
f) to promote economic integration among the Member States
Functions (what is the  Oversee the operations of the OECS
Central Secretariat’s  Assist members in dealing with challenges of economic and
purpose or what they social stability caused by a rapidly changing economy
actually do):  Protect human and legal rights
 Encourage good governance of member countries
 Share responsibility in case of natural disasters
 Share a common currency (Eastern Caribbean $)