CARICOM 18th Special Summit: St. Ann’s Declaration on CSME

WE, the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), meeting at Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago 3-4 December, 2018 on the occasion of the 18thSpecial Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM;

Recalling the 1989 Declaration of Grand Anse which initiated the process towards the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the signing of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas in 2001, which established the CSME and the launch of the CSME in 2006;

Convinced that the CSME continues to be the most viable platform for supporting growth and development in the Member States of CARICOM;  

Recognising the need to make it more closely attuned to the needs and priorities of Member States and contributing more visibly to growth and development and to the welfare of the people of the Community;

Having reviewed its progress and acknowledged that it should have been further advanced;
Having considered the “Report of the Commission to Review Jamaica’s Relations within the CARICOM and CARIFORUM Frameworks”;

Having also considered the perspectives of the Member States of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS);

Underscoring the critical role of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) in supporting the CSME;
Having exchanged views with the representatives of the private sector and labour and encouraged by their commitment to the regional integration project and their recommendations for the enhancement of the CSME; 

Recognising that the goal of our regional integration process is to enhance the well-being of all of the citizens of our Community;

DECLARE:

We are committed to take action at the national level to advance the regional integration agenda;

We are determined to ensure the equitable distribution among the peoples of the Community of the gains realised through the regional integration process;

We have agreed on a formalised, structured mechanism to facilitate dialogue between the Councils of the Community and the private sector and labour;

We have also agreed to amend the Treaty to include as Associate Institutions representative bodies of Private Sector and Labour;

We have agreed that in accordance with Article 50 of the Revised Treaty which deals with the principle of accelerated implementation, that the principle will be applied to any initiative which is consistent with the Revised Treaty;

We agreed that that those Member States so willing would move towards full free movement within the next three (3) years;

We have mandated that steps be taken to deepen cooperation and collaboration between the Secretariats of CARICOM and the OECS to avoid duplication and maximise the utility of scarce resources;

We will reinforce the operation of our security mechanisms to ensure the integrity of the regime allowing the free movement of CARICOM nationals;

We will examine the re-introduction of the single domestic space for passengers in the Region;

We have agreed to work towards having a single security check for direct transit passengers on multi-stop intra-Community flights;

We will conduct a special session on Air and Maritime Transportation at the Intersessional meeting of the Conference in February 2019 to focus on this critical aspect of integration as a whole and the CSME in particular;

We will include Agricultural Workers, Beauty Service Practitioners, Barbers and Security Guards to the agreed categories of skilled nationals who are entitled to move freely and seek employment within the Community;

We reiterate that that a skills certificate issued by one Member State would be recognised by all Member States;

We will complete legislative and other arrangements in all Member States for all categories of Free Movement of Skilled Persons;

We will finalise the regime that permits citizens and companies of the Community to participate in the Public Procurement processes in Member States by the year 2019;

We will take all necessary steps to allow for mutual recognition of companies incorporated in a CARICOM Member State;

We have mandated the Community Council to develop appropriate recommendations on the proposal for the introduction of a regime of sanctions for the consideration of the Conference;

We welcome Haiti’s commitment to full integration into the CSME by 2020;

We have appointed Professor Avinash Persaud to lead a restructured Commission on the Economy to advise Member States on a Growth Agenda for the Community

Other Members of the Commission on the Economy (CCE) –

  • Mr. Chester Humphrey
  • Dr. Damien King
  • Mr Georgy McGuire
  • Mr Roger McLean
  • Dr. Wendell Samuel
  • Mr. P. B. Scott
  • Ms. Therese Turner-Jones
  • Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
  • Mr. Pascal Lamy

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

6 Comments

  1. UKDominican
    December 5, 2018

    I don’t see our own P.M. Roosevelt Skerrit in that line up of Caricom leaders. Typically he appears to be presented by his trusted side-kick, the ubiquitou Francine Barron. I just hope he has avery valid excuse for his absence from this very important gathering because if not this could be very embarrassing.

    • Kingman
      December 5, 2018

      I guess you saw Gaston, Ralph, David and Timothy in the picture. You people look for every little thing to create some ridiculously foolish theory just for confusion and controversy.
      God with you all man.

      • UKDominican
        December 5, 2018

        I am a Dominican first and foremost and concerned about the Prime Minister of my country, his behaviour and his actions because, for better or worse he represents Dominican, myself included. The other CARICOM countries have their own issues to deal with, which their own citizens have a right criticize if they wish.

      • Joseph John
        December 5, 2018

        Kingman, I too am confused. DNO posted the PM speech at the closing of this ceremony above. This person is just one of opposition forces agent trying to create dis-unity and confusion. They try to make a political issue of everything, and slant it against the PM.
        Can you imagine that people are trying to save Dr Christian’s life, and opposition forces forgot about the sanctity of life and are now trying to make an other big political issue, again. They are so transparent you ca see right through their motives.

      • Kingman
        December 6, 2018

        These people are ridiculous at best, that’s why their support is so small and defeat is certain for them again. The masses are seeing right through their dishonest and misleading rhetoric.

    • Ras
      December 6, 2018

      I guess that you didn’t hear PM Skerrit’s comments made at the summit when he took issue with lack of implementation of decisions taken by the body! Check earlier items appearing on DNO and I dom yourself

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available