Jamaica’s prime minister reaffirms CARICOM’s value during visit to regional secretariat

Jamaican Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has underscored the vital role of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Jamaica’s development, describing the regional bloc as an essential platform for cooperation and engagement on issues affecting the region.

According to a CARICOM press release, Prime Minister Holness made the remarks while visiting the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana, during his official trip to the country.

Addressing members of the Secretariat’s staff, the Jamaican leader said CARICOM remains central to Jamaica’s national progress despite an increasingly uncertain global environment and the emergence of what many describe as a “new world order.”

“We see CARICOM as absolutely important to our own national development.”

He also described the Community as “an important instrument of multilateral engagement.” and noted that it continues to serve as “an important instrument of foreign policy.”

Prime Minister Holness acknowledged that while CARICOM Member States do not always share identical foreign policies, they are able to pursue common foreign policy objectives through the regional integration movement.

During his visit to Guyana, the Prime Minister also addressed the opening ceremony of the four-day International Building Expo 2026 on Thursday, June 25, where he pointed to the significant potential for deeper economic partnerships across the Caribbean.

“The opportunities for economic collaboration are very wide and very deep,” he said, adding, “For that to happen, it is not just a bilateral pursuit. We need standardisation of rules; we need to be able to take advantage of common opportunities.”

He stressed that many of the challenges confronting Caribbean countries require a collective regional response.

“There are common challenges that we need to pursue as a Region, and the best institution to do that is CARICOM,” Prime Minister Holness stated.

The Jamaican leader also highlighted the important work carried out by the CARICOM Secretariat, saying its technical experts and administrators play a critical role in helping regional governments understand and respond to rapidly changing international developments.

“Your job as regional administrators and technocrats is to help us, the political leaders, understand the dynamics and the changes that are happening globally and regionally,” he said.

He continued, “We rely on you to make sense of the changing and complex global situation, and our regional situation as well.”

Reportedly, Prime Minister Holness also emphasized the Secretariat’s responsibility for administering the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and ensuring that the Community’s legal and operational systems function effectively.

“At the heart of it is that if the legal framework and the Treaty are not perfected, then bilateral and multilateral relationships can become very difficult,” Prime Minister Holness stated.

The release said he added that CARICOM’s success ultimately depends on citizens experiencing tangible benefits from regional integration, including the free movement of labour, the movement of capital, expanded education and training opportunities, and other initiatives that improve everyday life throughout the Community.

Prime Minister Holness also expressed confidence in CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and the Secretariat’s staff, saying they are “making the best effort” to provide Member States with the guidance needed to respond to global developments and seize emerging opportunities while advancing the objectives of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.