The Premier Honourable Charles Washington Misick attended CARICOM’s 42nd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government on 5-6 July 2021 hosted via videoconference and chaired by the incoming CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda.
The two-day meeting addressed several critical economic development matters including:
- Regional food production and nutrition security
- Enhancement of the ICT sector
- CARICOM Tourism policy
- COVID-19 impact on the region
- Tax transparency, blacklisting and de-risking
- Crime and security issues
- Border issues
- Revival of regional air transportation post COVID-19
Heads of Government also examined issues impacting the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); received updates on regional disasters, including the eruptions of La Soufriere Volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and flooding in Guyana and Suriname; and engaged representatives of the regional private sector, labour and civil society. The Premier was joined by Executive Director for the Office of the Premier and Public Policy Mr. Ronlee James.
CARICOM has 15 Member States – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago; and five Associate Members – Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.