Strengthening CARICOM is the antidote for COVID-19: Prime Minister Gonsalves

Solidifying the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is really the best antidote for COVID-19; Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines told the opening of the Thirty-Second Inter-sessional CARICOM Meeting on Thursday, 24 February.

Delivering remarks as Out-going Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, Prime Minister Gonsalves underscored the need to address the strengthening of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, the CARICOM Commission on the Economy, and support initiatives in the tourism and agriculture sectors.

He lauded the work of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for coordinating the Community’s COVID-19 response including supporting Member States’ preparation for vaccination programmes, the Regional Security System (RSS), the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), as well as the Institute of Hydrology and Meteorology, and the University West Indies for supporting Member States which experienced drought spells recently.

Speaking about challenges CARICOM faced at this time, Prime Minister Gonsalves addressed the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, and vaccination against COVID-19. The two fundamental issues in that context are “jabs and jobs,” he said, as he linked the reversal of unemployment levels to successful vaccination programs both within the Community and in tourism source markets. 

Prime Minister Gonsalves expressed deep concern about Dominica being placed on the latest List of Non-Cooperative Tax Jurisdictions by the European Commission.

“There’s no inclusive process with the European Commission and yet they simply use their power to declare another country a non-cooperative jurisdiction, even if that country satisfies all-inclusive processes of the OECD or the FATF,” Prime Minister Gonsalves stated as he bemoaned the timing of the EU’s action.

“For it to be done at the time of the pandemic is just really awful,” he stated.

The two-day Inter-sessional CARICOM Meeting ended on 25 February with an interaction between the Media and members of the Conference of Heads of Government.

Source: CARICOM TODAY