We have come to the end of an interesting and impactful year for our Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
2016 has seen studied and deliberate progress in our integration movement. We continue to work to ensure that the people of the Community realise the benefit of our co-ordinated actions. The advancement of our reform process is a key element towards achieving that goal and I applaud the headway being made in that regard.
The joyous celebrations marking the 50th Independence Anniversary of both Barbados and Guyana in November and May respectively allowed us to reflect on an era when such co-operation was manifested by the two countries having a joint diplomatic mission in London. It was a fine example of the spirit and substance of unity that, today, we must embrace in order to advance our interests domestically and globally.
It is becoming more and more evident that the social, political and economic challenges that we all face are best overcome by our collective actions. It is why my colleague Heads of Government and I have taken steps to strengthen our co-operation including in security, in human resource development, in health and in the area of foreign policy. The concern that we all have for the security of our Region and the safety of our people has motivated us to reinforce the regional security architecture. We have moved to improve the arrangements under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) to make it more efficient so that our private sector and other stakeholders could more easily benefit from the provisions.
Joint action is also proving to be critical as we address the troubling issue of correspondent banking which threatens our economic, financial and trading stability. This includes its effect on remittances from our relatives abroad. Having brought all the stakeholders together last October, they engaged in constructive dialogue towards a permanent solution.
We demonstrated once again the strength and value of our togetherness when Hurricane Matthew wrought severe devastation, with Haiti and The Bahamas particularly hard hit, and other countries such as Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines being affected. The outpouring of assistance from the Governments and peoples of the Community certainly brought comfort to those in distress.
These continuous climatic events highlight the need for the implementation of the measures contained in the Paris Agreement which 10 of our Member States have already ratified after signing at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in April.
As the year came to a close, it was with great sadness that the Community learnt of the passing of the former President of Cuba, His Excellency Fidel Castro Ruz OCC. His contribution to the development of our Region can never be forgotten. This iconic global figure never forgot the role that CARICOM played in breaking his country’s diplomatic isolation and was instrumental in providing the tremendous assistance from Cuba to our Community. He was truly a valued friend.
The consistently proven advantage and success of acting in concert will stand us in good stead as we assess the implications of global events on our Community. These happenings should merely serve to emphasise the importance of deepening the CARICOM integration movement.
My fellow CARICOM citizens, in this season of sharing and goodwill to all, we must continue to demonstrate the care for each other that strengthens our Community in spirit and substance. We must all work together to achieve our goal of a prosperous, healthy and safe Community for All. Let us therefore recommit ourselves in the coming year to the pursuit of that goal.
May you all have a very Merry Christmas and Holiday Season and a bright and Happy New Year.
Stop your nonsense and pay Tommy Lee his money, damn hypocrite!
“We have come to the end of an interesting and impactful year for our Caribbean Community (CARICOM).” (Roosevelt Skerrit).
The words of Roosevelt Skerrit, which has no value as the breath, and efforts he in put into talking that useless bit of hogwash! Roosevelt; do not include the rest of the Caribbean into your crap talk, your focus should not be on the rest of the Caribbean, which economies are much better than Dominica’s spiraling downwards economy! We would much prefer you to come out and say what you have accomplished in Dominica economically for the year ending 2016, in comparisons to what you have accomplished over the twenty-years it took you to screw up the economy of the country.
Dominica reaps no benefits form the successes and progress made on any of the islands in the Caribbean. You need not even mention “progress in our integration movement” because that progress has cost Dominica big time money; which you paid to a Jamaican thug who broke the immigration…
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You need not even mention “progress in our integration movement” because that progress has cost Dominica big time money; which you paid to a Jamaican thug who broke the immigration laws in our country, and when he was deported, you find yourself powerless to defend the country against him and the Jamaica government.
You came with some sad story crying crocodile tears that you have no alternative than to pay this guy for breaking our immigration laws. To this day you have not disclosed to the nation, how many millions of our taxpayers money you gave to that guy in secrete!
Currently the Douglas boy saw the pot of gold, and has sued the nation, for more than three million dollars: well that’s the way the ball bounces, he is the one who brought the Jamaican thug to the country to disrespect our nation laws, and get paid for doing so.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander, all because of your incompetence Skerrit!
By the same token the Caribbean…
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By the same token the Caribbean integration laws were in effect when Lennox Linton was deported from Antigua.
If you Skerrit, were a man, and not a Mountain Chicken Carpaud (crapo) Mentality Sly Eye Sir Knight Indian doctor of nothing, in spite of your political hate, and dislike for Lennox Linton you would have seen to it the Antigua government compensated him for the victimization he suffered at the hands of Baldwin Spencer, and the Antigua immigration policies.
You are less than a humming (foofoo) in my sight, you are pitiful!
If the goal is regional integration under Caricom, why do we need a separate OECS, which hampers true free movement of goods to the detriment of consumers?
S.M.H. The Jamaican Artist, might have something to say about that! But its better to try than never try at all. The New World order. We talk on both sides of our Mouth.
Skerrit you and your ministers get your salary this Christmas? Well three months now some people working on the road with no pay. Christmas message cannot go in people stomach neither parents cannot even buy a little toy for their children. This is reality. nonsense! Stop playing political games to stay in power and create sustainable emploment for people.
Critical to a success other than nice words and platitudes is the message of good governance and democracy, which I read no mention of. I do not just like sweeteners in messages and as Dr. Francis Severin puts it, our people in Dominica and the Caribbean, OECS are subjected to corrupt and devious practices in their respective countries. This speech should address the anomalies within the our region leaders and the serious concerns of obvious corruption the lack of sustainability develop and accountability that our people cry for. The existence of autocratic leaders visible to all in islands like Dominica that appears to lead on this is being ingnored and the technocrats continue to motion as usual. Dr. Severin’s speech should be presented to the OECS Secretariat for serious consideration in protecting and addressing the best interest of our poor people and poverty stricken islands like Dominica and Haiti, both witnessed questionable leaders in office. Bring to account our leaders,
Very well structured Message/Speech the PM & CARICOM Chair. I was very encouraged by its tone, its content, its emphasis on togetherness and Integration and the outlook into the future. I pray that we will have more working together within the region and on the home front. I pray that we fight among ourselves less and work together more for the collective good of our Beloved Nature Isle.
I would request of the Prime Minister with his Cabinet and I request of the Opposition Leader with his colleagues that they hold a joint summit on collaborating for development.
All the bickering and nonsensical peacock display by both sides in and out of the house will not help our development. Dominica is not short on very good developmental initiatives but it takes a unified country to get it done. Since I believe both leaders love Dominica then such a Summit should materialize early next year for the Common good of the country. I TRUST THEM TO GET IT RIGHT.
Mr Cadette, the Parliament is the best and most obvious place where any sitting Prime Mininister should use and practice the spirit of democracy. Skerrit does not act on his own and is unable to do so with some level of decency, decorum and vision. You talk to Skerrit today, tomorrow he is with his loose and wayward most visible docile cabinet, Tony Astaphan, Mills & the ex Director of Audit. They feed on their plan to be in office and with dirty schemes and poor reputation of bin Bobol they will protect themselves in office not to be brought to account for this thievery. This must be addressed and cleaned or else it is stained forever.
So Cadette, you are preaching for a practice that Skerrit is unable to practice and the lecture of Dr. Severin has pointed out why people like Skerrit has abused his office and wish to be in office for long with inept followers creating this corrupt scenario. Dominica is not in a developmental mood, it is stalled in handouts and personal favours. Bad.
Rubbish, only that you are not capable of identifying the garbage this man has spewed!
Chups, boy do the last honourable thing and resign, you are a failure
Looks like the whole Caribbean LEED-AS are corrupt.