Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr Carla Barnett, welcomed Saint Lucia’s new Ambassador to CARICOM, Her Excellency Dr Janet Caroo, during an accreditation ceremony at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana on Friday, 2 October.
Dr Barnett noted that Ambassador Caroo’s appointment comes at a time when Saint Lucia is serving as Chair of CARICOM, under the leadership of Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, who has placed emphasis on ensuring that regional integration delivers tangible benefits to the people of the Community.
Highlighting Ambassador Caroo’s role as Head of Saint Lucia’s Regional Integration Unit, the Secretary-General said the appointment places her in a critical role in Saint Lucia’s engagement with the regional integration process
“Saint Lucia has long been an active member of CARICOM and consistently demonstrated its commitment to regional integration and collective action,” Dr Barnett said.
She added that Saint Lucia’s active engagement and its leadership in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet for Sustainable Development remain important as the Region addresses the impacts of climate change, food and energy insecurity, economic vulnerabilities and geopolitical uncertainty.
In her inaugural remarks, Ambassador Caroo said she assumed the role at a time that calls for “sustained commitment, deeper cooperation and, above all, even greater deliverables for all our people.”
“I come to CARICOM with a deeply felt conviction: regional integration must be measured by the opportunities it creates and the difference it makes in people’s lives,” she stated.
The Ambassador said her work would focus on four priorities: promoting opportunities for movement, education, skills development and employment across the Community; strengthening trade linkages for Saint Lucian producers and service providers; deepening institutional, digital and people-to-people connections; and showcasing Saint Lucian culture, creativity, talent and ideas throughout the Region.
She also highlighted encouraging greater youth engagement in regional development as a priority and underscored the importance of citizen participation in advancing regional integration.
“As we know, the regional integration movement is not driven only by governments; it requires public and popular participation by our citizens,” Ambassador Caroo stated.