CubaPLUS Magazine

With various activities, the 50th anniversary of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) was celebrated on July 4, when, with the signing of the Chaguaramas treaty, the organization was founded with the aim of raising the standard of living and work of the nations of the region, end unemployment, accelerate, coordinate and sustain economic development.

The Cuban president, Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez, began the day with a message on his Twitter account, where he sent a warm and fraternal hug from the Cuban people and government to the 15 nations of the organization and highlighted that Caricom has been a solid example of integration, and that contributes to the preservation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

In turn, the foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, congratulated the sister Caribbean nations that reached half a century of life on the path of solidarity and cooperation in that bloc of political and economic agreement. The central act of commemoration took place in the Park of the Caribbean Heroes, in the capital municipality of Playa, with the presence of personalities from the Cuban government, as well as members of the diplomatic corps of the region accredited in Cuba.

During the activity, the importance of Caricom for the countries of the region was highlighted, and how, during these five decades, it has worked in favor of improving the standard of living of the Caribbean peoples, the promotion of trade, and the economic development of the nations. Also at the event, a brief review of the banner of the Caribbean community was shared and the flags of the member countries were presented.

The act was presided over by Salvador Valdés Mesa, Vice President of Cuba, Josefina Vidal, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Fernando González Llort, President of the Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, among other Cuban officials, as well as His Excellency Mr. Halim Majeed, Ambassador of Guyana to the island, His Excellency Mr. Franz Nicholas Hali, Ambassador of Jamaica, and His Excellency Mr. Phillip H. St. Hill, Ambassador of Barbados, among other diplomats.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) was created on this day 50 years ago to transform the Caribbean Free Trade Association into a Common Market. Its members are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia (Country), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago and partners: Anguilla (Country), Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands.