Frequently Asked Questions

Questions



Answers

What is the Treaty of Chaguaramas?
The Treaty of Chaguaramas is the Treaty which established the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It was signed at Chaguaramas, Trinidad, on 4 July 1973

Back to Questions

When did the Treaty of Chaguaramas enter into force?
The Treaty of Chaguaramas which established the Caribbean Community came into force on 1 August 1973

Back to Questions

Which countries are members of CARICOM?
The CARICOM member states are: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Back to Questions

What are the specific objectives of CARICOM?
The Community has the following objectives: (a)improved standards of living and work; (b)full employment of labour and other factors of production; (c)accelerated, co-ordinated and sustained economic development and convergence; (d)expansion of trade and economic relations with third States; (e) enhanced levels of international competitiveness; (f)organisation for increased production and productivity; (g)the achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness of Member States in dealing with third States, groups of States and entities of any description; (h)enhanced co-ordination of Member States' foreign and [foreign] economic policies; and (i)enhanced functional co-operation, including - (i)more efficient operation of common services and activities for the benefit of its peoples; (ii)accelerated promotion of greater understanding among its peoples and the advancement of their social, cultural and technological development; (iii)intensified activities in areas such as health, education, ransportation, telecommunications.

Back to Questions

How does CARICOM work?
The meetings of the Heads of Government and of the ministerial Councils, also known as institutions, represent the main means of achieving consensus on regional issues and policies. The Conference of Heads of Government is the highest decision-making forum and the final authority of the Community. It is made up of the Heads of Government of the Member States. Because of the increasing number of issues to be decided and implemented, a subset of the Conference, called the Bureau, was instituted in 1992. The Bureau meets as necessary and reports to the Conference. The Community Council of Ministers is the second highest organ of CARICOM, and consists of Ministers responsible for Community Affairs and any other Minister designated by Member States in their absolute discretion. The Community Council has primary responsibility for the development of Community strategic planning and co-ordination in the areas of economic integration, functional co-operation and external relations. The Community Council also has the responsibility for establishing a system of regional/ national consultations in order to ensure the effectiveness of the decision-making and implementation processes in the Community.

The following Ministerial Councils were also established to streamline the functioning of the Community and increase the smooth functioning of the different sectors:

The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which has been charged with the responsibility for the promotion of trade and economic development of the Community;

The Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), which has been charged with responsibility for determining relations between the Community, and international organisations and Third States;

The Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP), which has been charged with primary responsibility for economic policy coordination and financial and monetary integration of Member States.

The Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), which is responsible for human and social development in the Community especially in the areas of health, education, labour and industrial relations, youth, women, and sports.

The following Subsidiary Bodies have also been established:

(a) the Legal Affairs Committee composed of Ministers responsible for Legal Affairs and/or Attorneys-General of Member States;

(b) the Committee of Central Bank Governors consisting of the Governors and Heads of Central Banks of Member States or their nominees;

(c) the Budget Committee consisting of senior officials of Member States.

Back to Questions

What is the relationship between the community organs and bodies?
Click here to see the functional relationship of the organs and bodies of the Community.

Back to Questions

What are associate regional institutions?
These are institutions which enjoy a special relationship with the Community and are so recognised because of the integral role they play in the Region

Back to Questions

What is the Order of the Caribbean Community?
It is one of two awards with which the Community recognises and honours the outstanding work done by persons in helping to build the organisation and for the Region.

The second award is the CARICOM Award for Women, and is presented every three years. Through this award, the CARICOM Secretariat honours Caribbean women who have contributed to the socio-economic and socio-cultural development of women in the region.

Back to Questions

What is a CARICOM Single Market?
It is an arrangement which allows CARICOM goods, services, people and capital to move throughout the Caribbean Community without tariffs and without restrictions to achieve a single large economic space, and to provide for a common Economic and Trade Policy.

Back to Questions

What is a CARICOM Single Economy?
A CARICOM Single Economy is an arrangement which further harmonises economic, monetary and fiscal policies and measures across all Member States of the Caribbean Community to underpin the sustainable development of the Region. This would mean the coordination of foreign exchange and interest rate policies, the harmonisation of tax regimes and of laws and the convergence of economic performance among other measures

Back to Questions

Why the Single Market?
There is more economic and political strength from a grouping of 15 countries as against the strength of a single country.

The small states of the Caribbean face better prospects within the CARICOM grouping than they do if they face megablocs and superpowers across the negotiating tables individually.

The Single Market and economy creates more opportunities for employment, investment, production and trade for the inhabitants of the Caribbean Community.

Back to Questions

How will the CARICOM Single Market and Economy be implemented?
(a) By amending the Treaty which established the Caribbean Community (the Treaty of Chaguaramas)

(b) By modification of the national laws, policies and programmes of Member States to accommodate these and other decisions made at the regional level

(c) By active interest in and participation of the Region’s people in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

The Treaty is being amended by way of Protocols. There are nine Protocols:

Protocol I addresses Organs, Institutions, Procedures of the Community

Protocol II addresses Right of Establishment. The Right to provide Services and the Right to move Capital by any CARICOM national in the Community, which has been defined to include the Single Market and Economy

Protocol III address the Community Industrial Policy

Protocol IV addresses Trade Liberalisation

Protocol V addresses the Community Agricultural Policy

Protocol VI addresses the Community Transport Policy

Protocol VII addresses Disadvantaged Countries, Regions and Sectors

Protocol VIII addresses Disputes Settlement

Protocol IX addresses Rules of Competition

These Protocols are now Chapters within the Revised Treaty.

Back to Questions

Is the Caricom Single Market and Economy as political union?
The CARICOM Single Market and Economy is not a political union

Back to Questions

Does the Caricom Single Market and Economy replace national identity and sovereignty?
The CARICOM Single Market and Economy is not a replacement for national identity and sovereignty.

Back to Questions

What are some of the benefits of the Caricom Single Market and Economy?
Some benefits of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy are:

Increased production and trade in goods and services in a combined market of over 6 million persons and for the world beyond.

Competitive products of better quality and prices

Improved services provided by enterprises and individuals, including transportation and communication

Greater opportunity for travel

Opportunities for nationals to study and work in CARICOM countries of their choice

Increased employment and improved standards of living

Back to Questions

You may e-mail the webmaster at webmaster@caricom.org with any questions you may have.

  CARICOM : Information Services