History of the Caribbean Community

History of the Caribbean Community

The establishment  of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) was the result  of a 15-year effort to fulfil the hope of regional integration which  was born with the establishment of the British West Indies Federation in 1958. The West Indies Federation came to an end in 1962 but its end, may be regarded as the real beginning of what is now the Caribbean Community.

         With the end of the Federation, political leaders in the Caribbean  made more serious efforts to strengthen the ties between the islands   and mainland by providing for the continuance and strengthening of  the areas of cooperation that existed during the Federation. Further,  Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago both attained independence in August  that year and with it the power to control their own domestic and external  affairs.       

           In announcing its intention to withdraw from the Federation, the Government   of Trinidad and Tobago proposed the creation of a Caribbean Community,  consisting not only of the 10 members of the Federation, but also of  the three Guianas and all the islands of the Caribbean Sea – both independent  and non-independent.       

           To discuss this concept, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago  convened the first Heads of Government Conference in July 1963, and  attended by the leaders of Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica and Trinidad   and Tobago. At this Conference, the participating leaders of the four(4)   Caribbean Countries all spoke clearly of the need for close cooperation with Europe, Africa and Latin America.       

           In July 1965, talks between the Premiers of Barbados and British Guiana  and the Chief Minister of Antigua on the possible establishment of   a Free Trade Area in the Caribbean resulted in the announcement of   definite plans to establish such a Free Trade Area. In December that  year, Heads of Government of Antigua, Barbados and British Guiana signed  an Agreement at Dickenson Bay, Antigua, to set up the Caribbean Free  Trade Association (CARIFTA).       

           The new CARIFTA agreement came into effect on May 1, 1968, with the participation of Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.   The original idea to permit all territories in the Region to participate   in the Association was achieved later that year with the entry of Dominica,   Grenada, St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent in July  and of Jamaica and Montserrat on August 1, 1968. British Honduras (Belize)  became a member in May 1971.       

           At the Seventh Heads of Government Conference in October 1972, Caribbean Leaders decided to transform CARIFTA into a Common Market and establish  the Caribbean Community of which the Common Market would be an integral part.    

FOUNDING Fathers signing the Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973. From left, PM Errol Barrow, PM Forbes Burnham, PM Eric Williams and PM Michael Manley

At the Eighth Heads of Government Conference of CARIFTA held in April 1973 in Georgetown, Guyana the decision to establish the Caribbean  Community was brought into fruition with the consideration of Heads  of Government of the draft legal instruments and with the signing by  11 members of CARIFTA (the exception being Antigua and Montserrat).       

           The Accord provided for the signature of the Caribbean Community Treaty  on July 4 and its coming into effect in August 1973, among the then  four independent countries: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.     

Original Signatories to the Treaty

The Georgetown Accord also provided that the other eight territories  – Antigua, British Honduras, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Montserrat,  St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla and St. Vincent which signed the Accord would become full members of the Community by May 1, 1974.       

           The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) was established    by the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was signed by Barbados, Jamaica,  Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago and came into effect on August 1,  1973. Subsequently the other eight Caribbean territories joint CARICOM.   The Bahamas became the 13th Member State of the Community on July 4,   1983, but not a member of the Common Market.        

           In July 1991, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos  became Associated Members of CARICOM, followed by Anguilla in July  1999. The Cayman Islands became the fourth Associate Member of the regional grouping on 16 May 2002, and Bermuda the fifth Associate Member  on 2 July 2003.       

           Suriname became the 14th Member State of the Caribbean Community on  July 4, 1995.       

           Haiti secured provisional membership on 4 July 1998 and on 03 July 2002 was the first French-speaking Caribbean State to become a full Member of CARICOM. 

  

Agriculture

Read More

Crime and Security

Read More

Culture

Read More

Education

Read More

Energy

Read More

Environment & Sustainable Development

Read More

Foreign Policy and Community Relations

Read More

Gender

Read More

Health Sector Development

Read More

ICT for Development

Read More

Services

Read More

Statistics

Read More

Tourism

Read More

Trade Negotiations

Read More

Transportation

Read More

Youth Development

Read More

Single ICT Space

Read More

Tax Administration

Read More

Human Development

Read More

Disaster Management

Read More

Standards / Quality

Read More

Fisheries

Read More

Competition

Read More

Food Security

Read More

Private Sector

Read More

Customs and Trade Policy

Read More

Public Procurement

Read More

Social Security

Read More

Climate Change

Read More

Human Resource Development

Read More

Crime / Crime Prevention

Read More

Domestic Violence

Read More

Human Rights

Read More

Security

Read More

Youth

Read More

Information and Communication Technology

Read More

Economic Integration

Read More

Free Movement

Read More

Travel

Read More

CARIFESTA

Read More

Creative Industries

Read More

Sports

Read More

Health

Read More

Renewable Energy

Read More

Gender Issues

Read More

HIV/AIDS

Read More

Sustainable development

Read More

Environment

Read More

Economic Partnership Agreement - EPA

Read More

Customs and Tax Administration

Read More

Finance

Read More

Reform Process in CARICOM

Read More

Legal Affairs

Read More

Regional Integration

Read More

European Union

Read More

Development of the Services Sector

Read More

Substance Abuse (Reduction)

Read More
Heading
Air and Maritime Transport
Sub Heading
efficient, reliable, affordable transport services throughout the Community
Background Image
Web Link

Digital Skills Task Force

Pellentesque ipsum erat, facilisis ut venenatis eu, sodales vel dolor. The most happiest time of the day!. Morbi sagittis, sem quis lacinia faucibus.
Bio

Simone Joseph-Ollivierre

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Bio

Jennifer Britton

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Bio

Michele Smart-Bartley

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Bio

Denise Stoney-James

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Bio

Laurette Bristol, PhD

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Bio

Helen Royer

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Bio

Bevil Wooding

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission

Bio

Cleveland Thomas

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Bio

Shelley-Ann Clarke Hinds

Single ICT Space Working Group COTED ICT and Focal Point, Trinidad and Tobago

Bio
Isabel Viera Bermudez

Isabel Viera Bermudez

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Bio

Dr. Hassan Ndahi

International Labour Organization (ILO)

Bio

Sylvester Cadette

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Bio

Fulgence St. Prix

CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ)

Bio

Shannon James

Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT)

Bio

Donnette O’Neil

Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL)

Bio

Renee Atwell

CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme (CYAP)

Bio

Fidel Captain

University of Guyana (UG)

Bio

Malcom Williams

University of Guyana (UG)

Bio

Professor Lloyd Waller

Mona Campus

University of the West Indies (UWI)

Bio

Dr. Eduardo Ali

Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC)

Bio

Henderson Eastmond

Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies (CANTA)

Bio

Gary Campbell

Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology

Jamaica

Bio

Daisy Hazzard

Ministry of ICT

Grenada

Bio

Lynn Williams

Department of Transformation and Digitization
Office of the Prime Minister
Bahamas

Bio
Wayne Christopher Chen

Wayne Christopher Chen LLB, JP

Caribbean Employers Confederation (CEC)

Bio

Sylvester Cadette

Bio

Steffon Lewis

Bio

Ian John

CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO)

Bio

Shelley-Ann Clarke-Hinds

Single ICT Space Working Group COTED ICT and Focal Point, Trinidad and Tobago

Bio

Gennette Clacken

Bio

Dr Barbara Reynolds

Education, EPR, Human Rights and Gender Consultant

Guyana

Bio

Carlton Samuels

Carlton Samuels & Associates

Jamaica

Bio

Caron David