4. CARIFTA
• CARIFTA means “ The Caribbean Free Trade Area or Association” was
formed in 1968-1973.
• In 1973, CARIFTA became the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
• CARIFTA is an example of a multi lateral agreement in the Caribbean.
A multilateral
agreement is one which
involves 2 or more
countries or states.
5. HISTORY
• The origins of CARIFTA lay in a meeting on July 4, 1965 between the
Prime Ministers of Barbados and British Guiana (Errol Barrow and Forbes
Burnham respectively) to discuss the possibility of establishing a free
trade area between the two territories, which at the time were moving
towards independence from the United Kingdom. The discussions
revolved around establish a free trade area between only those two
countries initially and then extending it to the rest of the Caribbean when
the other countries in the Commonwealth Caribbean were ready to join.
CON’T OF HISTORY ON THE NEXT SLIDE
6. These bilateral discussions between Barrow and Burnham were later expanded to
include V. C. Bird of Antigua and the three leaders ultimately signed the initial CARIFTA
Agreement (the Agreement of Dickenson Bay in Antigua) on December 15, 1965.
The original date envisioned for the Caribbean Free Trade Area to come into existence,
according the Dickenson Bay Agreement, was May 15, 1967. However as a result of
shuttle diplomacy engaged by Dr. Eric Williams, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago,
(through one of his minister, Kamaluddin Mohammed) this was postponed as in order to
allow Trinidad and Tobago to be included in the agreement and to generally make the
agreement region-wide from the beginning.
Dr. Williams had for years been advocating the establishment of a Caribbean Economic
Community and was now fearful that Barbados, Antigua and Guyana were planning to
form a free trade area between themselves to the exclusion of Trinidad and Tobago.
As a result of this a supplementary agreement to the original Carifta Agreement was
signed in Georgetown, Guyana on March 15, 1968, and in St John’s, Antigua on March 18,
1968 with Carifta Day set for May 1, 1968.
HISTORY CON’T
CON’T OF HISTORY ON THE NEXT SLIDE
7. 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 a few months later 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
11. AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF CARIFTA
• To foster economic and social development by encouraging free trade
among member states. This involved the removal of customs duties, taxes
and licensing arrangements which previously stifled a greater volume of
trade among the islands.
CON’T OF FUNCTIONS ON THE NEXT SLIDE
12. CARIFTA was intended to encourage balanced
development of the Region by:
• Increasing trade - buying and selling more goods among the Member
States
• Diversifying Trade - expanding the variety of goods and services available
for trade
• Liberalising Trade - removing tariffs and quotas on goods produced and
traded within the area
• Ensuring Fair Competition - setting up rules for all members to follow to
protect the smaller enterprises
CON’T OF FUNCTIONS / PURPOSE
13. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FOR FREE TRADE, THE
AGREEMENT SOUGHT TO:
• Ensure that the benefits of free trade were equitably distributed
• Promote industrial development in the LDCs
• Promote the development of the coconut industry (through an Oils and
Fats Agreement) which was significant in many of the LDCs
• Rationalize agricultural production but in the interim, facilitate the
marketing of selected agricultural products of particular interest to the
LDCs (through the Agricultural Marketing Protocol)
• Provide a longer period to phase out customs duty on certain products
which were more important for the revenue of the LDCs
A country that is
considered lacking in
terms of its economy,
infrastructure and
industrial base
14. TRANSFORMATION AND LEGACY
• In 1973, CARIFTA became superseded by the Caribbean Community CARICOM) following
a decision, at the Seventh Heads of Government Conference in October 1972, to
transform CARIFTA into a Common Market and establish the Caribbean Community of
which the Common Market would be an integral part. The Treaty of
Chaguaramas declared that CARIFTA would cease to exist on 1 May 1974 when the
remaining CARIFTA members all acceded to CARICOM.
• The regional co-operation under the CARIFTA agreement also led to the foundation of
several common institutions. The Commonwealth Caribbean Regional Secretariat was set
up in Georgetown (Guyana) and the Caribbean Development Bank was established in
Bridgetown, Barbados.
CON’T OF TRANFORMATION AND LEGACY ON THE NEXT SLIDE
15. • One of the legacies of CARIFTA is an international youth athletics event for
junior athletes from the member states started in 1972 by the association
and inaugurated (and thought up) by Austin Sealy (then president of the
Amateur Athletic Association of Barbados) to mark the transition from
CARIFTA to CARICOM called the CARIFTA Games . In 1985, a similar set of
games, The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships, started.
CON’T OF TRANFORMATION AND LEGACY
18. EDUCATION
• During colonial times, education in the British West Indies was highly
influenced by the mother country. All major examinations were set by
English Universities which determined the curricula and certification.
Nationals who intended to pursue higher education had to travel abroad,
mainly to universities in England. This was very costly. It also meant that
few locals were able to study abroad. All of this changed with the
formation of the University of the West Indies (UWI) & the Caribbean
Examinations Council (CXC).
20. HISTORY OF UWI
• UWI was established in 1962 with Her Royal Highness, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
as the first Chancellor and Sir Arthur Lewis the first Vice Chancellor.
• UWI comprises three main campuses (located at Mona, Jamaica, St. Augustine, Trinidad
and Tobago and Cave Hill, Barbados) as well as the Centre of Hotel and Tourism
Management in the Bahamas in addition to University Centers/Schools of Continuing
Studies in twelve other Caribbean countries.
• The University has six Faculties offering first degree programmes in agriculture, arts, the
humanities, education, engineering, law, medical sciences, natural and pure and applied
sciences and social sciences. Certificates, diplomas and postgraduate degree programmes
as well as a variety of specialist degrees are also offered.
• The University's central administration is located at the Mona Campus. The University is
Headed by Chancellor.
21. UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES
The University Of The West Indies (UWI), was established in 1948 with 3
campuses:
• St. Augustine in Trinidad
• Mona in Jamaica
• Cave Hill in Barbados
Previously students had to go abroad for higher education. The University
makes a positive impact on al most all facets of life.
Caribbean graduates help to develop their respective countries with their
technical and managerial skills.
22. FUNCTION/ PURPOSE OF UWI
• This institution provides education in many fields or subjects for all, but
particularly for Caribbean people.
• The knowledge, skills and training gained at UWI, contribute to the
attainment of a higher standard of living among the people of the
Caribbean.
• They offer areas in Law, History, Engineering, Medicine, Culture, Music, Art
and Literature.
23. MEMBERS
Main branches of UWI:
• St. Augustine in Trinidad
• Mona in Jamaica
• Cave Hill in Barbados
CON’T OF MEMBERS ON THE NEXT SLIDE
24. The open campuses:
• ANGUILLA
• ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
• BAHAMAS
• BARBADOS
• BELIZE
• BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
• CAYMAN ISLANDS
• DOMINICA
CON’T OF MEMBERS ON NEXT SLIDE
25. • GRENADA
• JAMAICA
• MONTSERRAT
• ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
• ST LUCIA
• ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
• TURKS & CAICOS
• TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
CON’T OF MEMBERS
26. CHANCELLORS & VICE CHANCELLORS
Chancellors:
• HRH Princess Alice of Athlone (Great Britain), 1950 -1971
• Rt Hon Sir Hugh Wooding (Trinidad and Tobago), 1971 -1974
• Sir Allen Lewis (Saint Lucia), 1975 - 1989
• Hon. Sir Shridath Ramphal (Guyana), 1989 - present
CON’T OF CHANCELLORS ON NEXT SLIDE
27. Principals/Vice Chancellors:
• Sir Thomas Taylor (Great Britain), Principal, UCWI - 1947-1953
• Dr Walter Grave (Great Britain, Principal, UCWI, 1953-1958
• Sir Arthur Lewis (Saint Lucia), Vice Chancellor, UCWI, 1960-1963
• Sir Philip Sherlock (Jamaica), 1963-1969
• Sir Roy Marshall (Barbados), 1969 -1974
• Aston Preston (Jamaica), 1974 -1986
• Professor Leslie Robinson (Jamaica), Acting, 1986-1988
• Hon Sir Alister McIntyre (Grenada), 1988-1998
• Hon Rex Nettleford (Jamaica), 1998 - present
CON’T OF CHANCELLORS
29. CXC- CARIBBEAN EXAMINATION COUNCIL
• The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) was established in the late
1970’s as a recognized examining body in the region. Previously,
examining bodies were located abroad, mainly in England, were subject
areas examined were more relevant to Europe than to the West Indies.
CXC is an institution of, by and for the Caribbean people.
• CXC is still in function.
• The Caribbean Examinations council (CXC) was established in 1972 by an
Agreement among 15 English speaking Commonwealth Caribbean
Countries and Territories. It has its headquarters in Barbados.
MORE ABOUT CXC IN THE NEXT SLIDE
30. • CXC, whose first examinations were held in 1979, tests students in both academic and
technical/vocational subjects. Some of the subject areas are Agricultural Science, Biology,
Chemistry, English Language and English Literature, Metal Work, Physics, Mathematics,
Principles of Accounts, Visual Arts, Caribbean History, Electronics, French and Spanish. In
the technical field the subjects include Building Technology, Electrical and
Mechanical Engineering Technology and Information Technology. The Council admits
external entries from St Maarten and Saba from the Netherlands Antilles.
• In 1998, CXC offered the first Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in a
range of subjects. The CAPE scheme is intended to satisfy requirements for entry into
regional and extra regional universities as well as other professional courses.
31. • The operations of CXC are funded chiefly by contributions from participatory governments
and examinations fees while funds for special projects are obtained from donor agencies. CXC
is governed by a Council comprising representatives from each participating country. The day
to day operations of the Council are managed by a Registrar.
• The examinations provided by CXC replace the UK- based General Certificate of Education
(GCE) examinations previously taken by students at the secondary level. These examinations
based on common regional curricula, have been an important force for fostering awareness
and understanding among students, of the importance of the Caribbean in the increasing
global arena.
• The CXC method of assessment, which combines school based assessment by classroom
teachers with traditional examinations, has now been adopted as a model by other examining
bodies, notably in the UK.
• CXC has also contributed to the professional development of teachers in the region
through training workshops and marking exercises that permit teachers from various
countries to continuously network and contribute to improving the system.
32. FUNCTION OR PURPOSE OF CXC
• The main objective for its establishment was the development of curricula
in the various subject areas, with a Caribbean focus.
• CXC’s objectives are to: provide regionally and internationally recognized
secondary school leaving examinations relevant to the needs of the
Region; assist in Common Entrance and other types of examinations;
produce teaching materials and train teachers to use the CXC syllabi; and
advise regional governments on Education matters.
33. MEMBERS
The members of the CXC are:
• Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands,
Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts
and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and
Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands.
34. CHAIR PERSONS
Chairpersons of CXC:
Prof Roy Marshall (Barbados), 1973
Dr Dennis Ivrine (Jamaica), 1974-1979
Mr Aston Preston (Jamaica) 1980-1986
Sir Roy Augier (Saint Lucia), 1986-1996
Sir Keith Hunte (Barbados), 1996-2002
Dr Kenneth Hall (Jamaica), 2002 to present
CON’T OF CHAIR PERSONS ON THE NEXT SLIDE
The chairman , also known
as the chairperson or simply
the chair, is the highest
officer of an organized group
such as a board, a committee,
or a deliberative assembly.
35. Registrars of the CXC:
Major Herbert Daniel (Barbados), 1973 – 1977
Mr Wilfred Beckles (Barbados), 1978 – 1993
Ms Irene Walter (Jamaica), 1994 – 1995 (Acting Registrar)
Ms Irene Walter (Jamaica), 1996 – 1998
Dr Lucy Steward (Trinidad and Tobago), 1998 – 2008
Dr. Didacus Jules (Saint Lucia) - 2008 - Present
CON’T OF CHAIR PERSONS
37. CARIFESTA
• The acronym CARIFESTA means Caribbean Festival of Arts.
• The people of the Caribbean have forged a unique culture which was born
out of the experiences of colonialism, slavery & indentureship. Calypso,
Carnival, Reggae, Parang, Soca and Chutney have all gained international
recognition. Our writers, musicians, dancers, painters, sculptors,
photographers, entertainers and performers cross ethnic, religious and
social barriers. It was as a result of their cultural background that
CARIFESTA was born.
• It is a means of encouraging performances in the arts.
38. HISTORY
• The first Caribbean Festival of Arts took place in Guyana in 1972. This event
was organized by Guyana's then President Forbes Burnham, based on a
similar event that took place in Puerto Rico in 1952. He held a number of
conferences with Caribbean artists and writers that eventually led to the first
CARIFESTA. CARIFESTA was conceived out of an appeal from a regional
gathering of artists who were at the time participating in a Writers and
Artists Convention in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1970 and which coincided with
Guyana’s move to Republican status.
CON’T OF HISTORY ON THE NEXT SLIDE
39. The three main considerations with regard to the staging of CARIFESTA were:
• The Festival should be inspirational and should provide artists with the
opportunity to discuss among themselves techniques and motivations
• It should be educational in that the people of the Caribbean would be exposed to
the values emerging from the various art forms and it should relate to people
and be entertaining on a scale and in a fashion that would commend itself to the
Caribbean people
• The regional creative festival was first held in Georgetown, Guyana in 1972,
attracting creative artistes from over 30 Caribbean and Latin American
countries.
• It is a celebration of the ethnic and racial diversity which separately and
collectively created cultural expressions that are wonderfully unique to the
Caribbean.
• The cultural village life of CARIFESTA is intended to be a mixture of the States of
the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); the wider Caribbean, Latin America; and
a representation of Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.
CON’T OF HISTORY ON THE NEXT SLIDE
40. It is a vision of the peoples with roots deep in Asia, Europe and Africa,
coming together to perform their art forms and embracing literature
inspired by the Caribbean’s own peculiar temperament; paintings drawn
from the awe inspiring tropical ecology; and the visionary inheritance of
our forefathers
CON’T OF HISTORY
41. FUNCTIONS
• depict the life of the people of the region - their heroes, morale, myth, traditions, beliefs,
creativeness, ways of expression.
• show the similarities and the differences of the people of the Caribbean and Latin America
• create a climate in which art can flourish so that artists would be encouraged to return to
their homeland.
• awaken a regional identity in Literature.
• stimulate and unite the cultural movement throughout the region
• Unites the diverse cultural traits of the Caribbean people.
• Creates an identity for the Caribbean people.
• Promotes the importance of culture as a means of entertainment.
CON’T OF FUNCTIONS ON THE NEXT SLIDE
42. • Educate and inform about the cultural traditions of the various Caribbean
countries.
• Provides recognition of people of the Caribbean as being creative and
innovative.
• Preserves cultural and historical heritage.
• Provides employment for the artists and people who provide support
services.
CON’T OF FUNCTIONS
43. DATE LOCATION THEME
CARIFESTA
I
1972
August 25-September 15
Guyana The Artist in Society with Special Reference to
the Third World
CARIFESTA
II
1976
July 23 - August 2
Jamaica A Hallmark of Cultural Extravagance
CARIFESTA
III
1979 Cuba A Rainbow of Peoples Under One Caribbean
Sun
CARIFESTA
IV
1981
July 19-August 3
Barbados Living Images of the Sun
CARIFESTA
V
1992
August 22-28
Trinidad and Tobago Together is Strength
CARIFESTA
VI
1995
August
Trinidad and Tobago The World's Best Cultural Mix
CARIFESTA
VII
2000
August 17-26
St. Kitts and Nevis Caribbean Arts and Culture ... Reflecting,
Consolidating, Moving On
CARIFESTA
VIII
2003
August 25-30
Suriname Many Cultures: The Essence of Togetherness,
The Spirit of the Caribbean
CARIFESTA
IX
2006
September 22-October 1
Trinidad and Tobago Celebrating Our People, Contesting the World
Stage
CARIFESTA
X
2008
August 22-31
Guyana One Caribbean, One Purpose - Our Culture Our
Life
44. MEMBERS
To date, CARIFESTA has been successfully staged in:
• GUYANA (1972)
• JAMAICA (1976)
• CUBA (1979)
• BARABDOS (1981)
• TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (1992 AND 1995)
• ST KITTS AND NEVIS ( 2000)
• SURINAME (2003)
46. CDERA
• The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA)
• It is an inter-regional supportive network of independent emergency units
throughout the Caribbean region. Formed on September 1, 2005 as
the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) it under-went a
name change to CDEMA in September 2009.
• CDEMA is the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. This is the
new name of the regional disaster management body formerly known as CDERA,
the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency.
• September 1, 2009 is the official date of transition to CDEMA.
• All CARICOM and Non-CARICOM Member States of the Caribbean region are
eligible for CDEMA membership.
47. BACKGROUND INFORMATION / HISTORY
• Towards the end of the twentieth century, severe weather had been increasing, especially
in the Caribbean region and the Gulf of Mexico. Being able to control and minimize the
damage caused by these disasters is critical to life in that part of the world. The world
recognized a need to establish an organization to handle natural disasters in that region
and in July 1984 the Pan-Caribbean Disasters Preparedness and Prevention Project
(PCDPPP) was established. The Caribbean has battled with independence from its
mother European countries for centuries and before the PCDPPP came about the
traditional way of handling disasters in the area was though private donors, a method
that was heavily dependent on others and failing to help their cause for independence.
CON’T OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE NEXT SLIDE
48. • The creation of the PCDPPP was a collection of international sponsors
such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
the Canadian International Development Agency, the Government of the
Netherlands, and the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization
(UNDRO). The PCDPPP failed break free from the direct and indirect
dependence the Caribbean had towards Europe and the United States. One
significant failure of the PCDPPP was for its participants to fully take part
in the organization itself and become more involved with civil society.
CON’T OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE NEXT SLIDE
49. • In 1989, with the widespread destruction of Hurricane Hugo, a response
for a more effective form of natural disaster management and
preparedness was recognized. In 1991 the Caribbean Disaster and
Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) was created. The Caribbean was
moving towards the independence it desired. CDERA was formed with 16
participating Caribbean nations. This way the Caribbean countries had
regional support along with international support. Aid from regional
sources was now becoming more of a possibility. CDERA would later take
a name change to encompass their end goal of not only responding to
disasters but managing all types of disasters. Later in the first decade of
the twenty first century CDERA became CDEMA, the Caribbean Disaster
Emergency Management Agency.
• The growth of CDERA is said to have been very slow throughout the
1990s. Things began to improve starting in the twenty first century with
CDERA.
CON’T OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE NEXT SLIDE
50. MEMBERS
Country Organization
Anguilla Department of Disaster Management (DDM)
Antigua and Barbuda National Office of Disaster Services (NODS)
Bahamas Disaster Management Unit
Barbados Department of Emergency Management
Belize National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO)
British Virgin Islands Department of Disaster Management
Dominica Office of Disaster Management (ODM)
Grenada National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA)
Guyana Civil Defense Commission
Haiti Civil Protection Directorate
Jamaica Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM)
Montserrat Disaster Management Coordination Agency
Saint Kitts and Nevis National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Saint Lucia National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO)
Suriname National Coordination Center For Disaster Relief (NCCR)
Trinidad and Tobago Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM)
Turks and Caicos Islands Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies
51. FUNCTIONS/ PURPOSE
• Mobilizing and coordinating disaster relief
• Mitigating or eliminating, as far as practicable, the immediate consequences of
disasters in Participating States.
• providing immediate and coordinated response by means of emergency disaster relief
to any affected Participating State.
• securing, coordinating and providing to interested inter-governmental and non-
governmental organizations reliable and comprehensive information on disasters
affecting any Participating State.
CON’T OF FUNCTIONS/PURPOSE ON NEXT SLIDE
52. • encouraging –
-the adoption of disaster loss reduction and mitigation policies and
practices at the national and regional level;
-cooperative arrangements and mechanisms to facilitate the development of
a culture of disaster loss reduction
• Coordinating the establishment, enhancement and maintenance of
adequate emergency disaster response capabilities among the
Participating States
CON’T OF FUNCTIONS/PURPOSE ON NEXT SLIDE