Barbados’ ambassador to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) David Comissiong said on Tuesday the raising of the CARICOM flag over Government Headquarters was an “act that is full of profound symbolism” but was also done to raise the community’s profile globally.
He said the decision augurs well for the future development of Caricom, particularly to achieving a “collected and coordinated Caricom foreign policy”.
Comissiong said the Caricom flag was raised over Government Headquarters at Bay Street, St Michael, as agreed at a meeting of the Caricom Council of Foreign amd Community Relations, May 7 and 8.
He said Barbados proposed that from July 4, 2020, every embassy, high commission or diplomatic mission of Caricom member states should fly, over their buildings, their national flag and the Caricom flag.
July 4, Caricom Day, was decided upon as it is the anniversary of the founding of Caricom.
Comissiong said there are 208 diplomatic missions of the 14 independent members of Caricom to be found in 55 countries. Therefore, by flying the flag, “we will be projecting Caricom’s presence and image all across the world”.
The ceremony was witnessed by a number of ambassadors and representatives of Caribbean associations, including Cuban Ambassador Sergio Pastrana; Venezuela’s Ambassador Alvaro Sanchez Cordero; president of the Guyanese Association of Barbados, Dr Nicole Moore; president of the Jamaican Association of Barbados, André Coore; president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Barbados, Noel Adams; CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Chad Monerville; and chairman of the Pan African Coalition of Pan Africanists, Omkphra Wells.
June 30 was the last day in the tenure of Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley as CARICOM Chairman. On Friday, she will hand over to Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who will assume chairmanship for the next six months in the rotation cycle. (KG)
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