New CARICOM building opens

Three offices critical to the affairs of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have found a permanent home in the same building.

The new building, located at Mall Internationale, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael, houses the offices of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), and two departments of the CARICOM Secretariat – the Office of Trade Negotiations and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Unit.

Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart cuts the ribbon to
officially open the new CARICOM offices at Mall Internationale
in the south of Barbados as CARICOM Secretary General,
Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (left), and Chairman of the
CDF Board of Directors, Nigel John (right), look on. 

A host of high level individuals, led by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, attended the official opening ceremony on Monday evening.

The Prime Minister spoke to the convenience of having these three critical offices so close to one another, especially as the CDF is one of several institutions identified by the Treaty of Chaguaramas for effective implementation of the CSME.

“It is therefore fitting for this organisation to work very closely with the CSME Unit,” Stuart pointed out.

Also in attendance at the opening and tour of the new offices were Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, CEO of the CARICOM Development Fund; Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary General of CARICOM; and Ambassador Gail Mathurin, Director General of the Office of Trade Negotiations.

There was also a large number of representatives of the Diplomatic Corps in attendance, including British High Commissioner, Paul Brummel; Chinese Ambassador XU Hong; and Brazilian Ambassador Appio Claudio Acquarone, among others. (AN)