Outgoing CARICOM Chairman makes impassioned plea for closer unity

David Granger is the outgoing Chairman of CARICOM

“The Community, challenged by the constantly changing international situation, must redouble its efforts to ensure a more safe society for its citizens, more stable economies for its countries, deeper solidarity and a more secure hemisphere.”

This impassioned plea for closer unity within CARICOM was issued by outgoing Chairman, His Excellency David Granger, President of Guyana in his address to the opening of the 38th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.

His message Tuesday evening at the Grenada Trade Centre, in Grand Anse, paralleled a similar charge by Heads of Government 28 years ago to deepen the integration process in response to the emerging geo-political order of that time.

Within the current international environment, replete with uncertainty and complexity, President Granger warned that the efficacy of the Community’s international advocacy could be impaired if efforts at coordination among the four pillars of CARICOM were weak.

Underscoring the critical need for unwavering solidarity at this time, he said global and hemispheric uncertainties spawning changes in the policies of the United States, United Kingdom, the European Union and the African Union in relation to the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group, necessitated a state of readiness for the Community to preserve and negotiate its interests.

In the poignant message to his colleagues, he stated: “The Caribbean Community cannot cling to an obsolete model of insularity in light of these international changes.

The Community might be an association of small states but it is larger and stronger when it is united. It must not underestimate the value of its solidarity or its strength when it speaks with a single voice as a Community. Solidarity is a source of strength.

Foreign policy coordination is the sharp instrument, the cutting edge, of our diplomacy, to gain our great advantage. We should not damage it,” President Granger said.

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11 Comments

  1. Scampy
    July 8, 2017

    The same Caricom that tells us that it is us, mankind, that is causing global warming, when the earth is NOT warming and when CO2 has nothing to do with climate change. Here is the proof of Caricom’s lies: Human-made climate change 100% false – new proof: https://youtu.be/vIdTHFujDn .

    See the video, show it to your friends and children and make them aware that we are being taken for fools so that we can be enslaved by a One World Government which will ram down our throats that we need to die to ‘save the planet’.

    • Scampy
      July 10, 2017

      Sadly the videolink in the post above was disabled by YouTube. It shows the testimony of a world- reknown geologist to the US Oversight Committee of the House of Representative. The geologist, just like this one (to the British government) in the link below proves that global warming is a scam of the magnitude we have never seen before. Please take time to view it and share, share, share.

      Thanks in advance DNO!!!

      Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEPW_P7GVB8

  2. done&done
    July 6, 2017

    They “CARICOM” I carry GO. Forgettabout..

  3. done&done
    July 6, 2017

    Kick Caricom in de butt like a donkey! This guy is Guyanese (where corruption never ends) So don’t expect anything new.

  4. July 6, 2017

    Caribbean integration continues to be a major issue that we cannot yet fix after 40 plus years. GEt the ball rolling on that

  5. July 6, 2017

    “United we stand, divided we fall.”

    I’m sure most of us are familiar with this quote. Our leaders need to realize that strengthening the bloc should be of utmost importance at this time. In a world of division, we should be an example for other organizations and countries.

  6. July 6, 2017

    CARICOM needs to do better for its citizens.

  7. Bro
    July 6, 2017

    These guys are a bush of old braying donkeys.you want change? You are in a position to affect the freakimg change you desire!!!
    If we really want to unite then ease of travel is paramount. Do we pay departure tax when we travel from one town to the next within our respective islands? Then y pay departure and all these other taxes which make up damn near 60% of the ticket just to travel next door. That’s a big detourent and these retards can easily affect such changes. Increased travel (demand) will then lead to improved and more available air flights (supply). Is it that hard to figure out?

    These are men with no balls, likely because they are more concerned about re- elections than about leaving a legacy. 2 term limits should be implemented Caribbean wide. Then maybe they’ll take action to be remember among the best Caribbean leaders, and not just how long they can hold on in office.

    • derp
      July 6, 2017

      exactly totally agree 1000%

  8. derp
    July 6, 2017

    Caricom is nonsense all these years and they still fighting like crabs in a bucket, still a hassle to travel to other Caricom islands with all that nonsense filling out forms baguy

  9. Shaka Zulu
    July 6, 2017

    Here is how that could be solved. Within the international groups the Caricom countries should cast one vote. Example in the resolution on Venezuela caricom heads should meet amongst themselves and vote on the issues for or against and whichever direction comes on top that should be carried to the vote in OAS. That way we will see the United front. The same approach could be taken for votes on UN matters and ACP. Caricom should have prior meetings debates and votes on respective international issues prior prior to voting at a UN resolution for example. The problem is we are all independent island nations with slight variations in laws and historically deep differences I ideology. Unity in Caribbean can never be strong when there are few leaders who have autocratic and dictatorship ideology. A chain is as strong as it’s weakest link. Too many weak links in that chain.

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