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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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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
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- 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
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Is the Caricom Single Market and Economy as political union?
- The CARICOM Single Market and Economy is not a political union
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- 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.
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- 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
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You may e-mail the webmaster at webmaster@caricom.org
with any questions you may have.
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