BELMOPAN, Thurs. Dec. 30, 2021– Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño will be sworn in as the acting chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) next month. On Thursday, he issued his first statement as incoming chairman in the form of a New Year’s Day address. In it, he noted that 2022 is being ushered in with hope and optimism, but he also pointed out the importance of recovering from the social and economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years. The PM especially stressed the importance of increased vaccinations, as the vaccination rate across the Caribbean remains low.
He went on to note the importance of regional cooperation in creating a prosperous Caribbean Community, stating that “notwithstanding the immense challenges ahead and the inherent risks and vulnerabilities that have always accompanied our existence, the Community possesses the requisite capacities, strategies and plans, and the will and courage to forge a resilient and prosperous Caribbean Community.”
According to the PM’s address, at the forefront of CARICOM’s 2022 agenda are advancements in food production and security, further integration of digital technology into our community, formation of strategic alliances with other countries—including those in Africa and Central America—and greater relief for the disaster-stricken Haiti.
“The work of the Community’s Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security will be critically important in the coming year, advancing actions to stimulate economic growth and fortifying our food systems against supply chain disruptions,” said the Prime Minister.
Regarding efforts to digitally transform the Caribbean, PM Briceño spoke on advancing CARICOM’s Regional Digital Development Strategy. And in regards to forming strategic alliances, he made mention of several potential allies.
“We will be seeking to build on the successful first CARICOM-Africa Summit which identified several areas for common action, including climate change and the application of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index to allow for the inclusion of more than just income-based criteria to assess eligibility for concessionary finance.
“We welcome the approaches by our friends in the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, and look forward to consolidating our partnership with them, as we make common cause with fellow SIDS through AOSIS,” said the PM.
He also brought attention to sustainable development and to confronting the “catastrophic, immediate and slow-onset impacts of climate change occurring in our Small Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States.”
PM Briceño will be replacing outgoing CARICOM chairman, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne. Hon. Briceño ended his address on a positive note — commending the former chairman on his leadership over the past six months and reminding the community of our “enduring Caribbean resilience.”