1. CARICOM:
THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY

Clay Brand

2. Some history

Founded July 4, 1973: Treaty of
Chaguaramas

Intended to be a follow-up to the
Caribbean Free Trade Association:
CARIFTA.

Original name: Caribbean Community
and Common Market

3. Membership

Four original signatories:
− Barbados
− Guyana
− Jamaica
− Trinidad and Tobago

4. Membership: 1974 expansion

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Lucia

Montserrat

Dominica

Grenada

Belize

Antigua and Barbuda

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Brings total membership to twelve

5. Membership: since 1974

Barbados
− 1983
− Not as a member of the customs union

Suriname
− 1995
− Added Dutch as a language (in addition to English,
English Creole)

Haiti
− 2002
− Added French and French Creole as a language

6. Others

Observers: Venezuela, Sint Maarten (NL), Puerto Rico
(US), Mexico, Dominican Republic, Curaçao (NL),
Colombia, and Aruba (NL).
− Participate in at least one committee

Associates: Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Turks and
Caicos, British Virgin Islands, and Anguilla.
− All British territories
− No established role as yet

7. Organizational structure

Secretariat
− Secretary-General: Foreign/CARICOM relations
− Deputy Secretary-General: Human/Social Dev
− Counsel: Trade/Economic Integration

Chairmanship:
− Head of CARICOM, rotation by heads of state/gov't

Heads of government: Each head of government
has responsibilities for development/integration
in different areas.

8. Organizational structure

Community Councils
− Council for Finance and Planning
− Council for Foreign and Community Relations
− Council for Human and Social Development
− Council for Trade and Economic Development

Institutions (20 total, small sample):
− CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME)

Critical
− Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency
− Caribbean Examinations Council
− Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

9. Decisionmaking

Heads of Government Conference
− Takes decisions on major issues
− Unanimous approval needed
− Meets annually

Lower decisions can be taken at various levels
and implemented without the need for
unanimous voting

10. Approach to evaluation

Analysis of a few different areas of Caribbean
integration
− Single Market
− CARICOM passport
− Infrastructural integration

Analysis of differences between countries and
the effects this has on integration
− Divergent interests
− Differing development levels
− Varying size

11. Single market

Key elements:
− Free movement of goods/services
− Right of establishment
− Common external tariff/free circulation
− Movement of capital
− Common trade policy
− Free movement of labor
Currency union? 15 countries, many differing currencies,
16 million people. Can this function with so many small
currencies? What about if Aruba and other NL Antilles
countries join, considering the changing status of these
countries within Dutch law?

12. CARICOM passport

Symbol of regionalism

Promote hassle-free travel within CARICOM

12 countries issued, all in CSME issuing
What's the point, and what are the greater
implications?

13. Infrastructure

Two significant areas
− Health
− ICT

ICT integration
− A critical aspect of economic integration
− When technology is aligned cooperation is easier

Health
− PANCAP: Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV &
AIDS
− Attempting to integrate certain aspects of healthcare
approaches

14. Interests, development, size

All related

Interests different in various areas
− Especially there are differences in what states want
with regard to the extent of the single market, and
also currency union ideas

Development affects the way interactions occur.
− Haiti is the biggest country but has the lowest GDP
per capita.
− Dominican Republic is comparable in size but much
more secure economically; countries reluctant to
allow DR in.

15. Interests, development, size

Size
− Related to development in terms of effect: big, well
developed country (DR) faces barriers; small,
wealthy country (eg: Bahamas) does not.
− Affects interest in single market and the
benefits/approach desired.
− Can affect flexibility of economies with regard to
integration.

16. Continuing research

Crossing the three aspects of countries with the
three areas of integration

Develop a better understanding of the way size,
development level, and general country interests
affect approaches to regional integration

Draw conclusions about the success of
CARICOM in developing