CARICOM emphasizes vital role of youth in advancing CSME

Caribbean youth stand to gain significantly from the advancements made through regional integration, making their involvement in promoting the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) essential. This perspective was shared by Leo Preville, Director of the CARICOM Single Market at the CARICOM Secretariat.

Preville emphasized the crucial role of youth in the CSME during the launch of the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors-CSME Attachment Programme on Monday, July 8, at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.

Eighteen CARICOM Youth Ambassadors (CYAs) from nine CARICOM Member States – Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago – are participating in the programme.

Throughout the week-long programme, the CYAs will engage in dialogue, panel discussions, and field tours designed to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to educate young people in their respective Member States about the CSME. Activities include discussions on the role of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the CSME, visits to the Guyana Free Movement Committee and the Central Bank of Guyana to discuss the free movement of capital, and an engagement with Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of CARICOM.

Additionally, CYAs will visit the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Customs and Port Authority, and interact with technical experts on CSME-related topics. These topics include coordinating CARICOM’s external trade policy, leveraging Caribbean culture for regional development and global impact, and fostering innovation and technology within the CSME.

Preville highlighted the CSME’s importance to regional development while acknowledging the challenges in implementing the programme. “The CSME remains crucial to the future success of Member States,” he emphasized. “However, significant work is needed to make this relevant to our people. Development is a long-term process, and with today’s access to information, our people see what is available in developed countries and are impatient for the same.”

He also pointed out that the efforts of developed countries to attract the Community’s most skilled individuals add to the challenges. “In facing these challenges, we must ensure that the Region’s people do not lose patience and sight of who we are and what we have,” Preville stated.

The CSME Director urged the CYAs to use their roles to educate other Caribbean youth about the CSME. “You are the future of the Region and are best placed to reach the youth of your countries and communicate what is at stake with the integration project,” he said. “This attachment programme is intended to deepen your understanding of the CSME, positioning you as advocates for the integration project. More importantly, it aims to build a network of like-minded young people. It underscores the need for us to work together on this development journey. Traditional factors that fostered a sense of unity are waning. We need to apply economic logic and create a shared vision to navigate the challenges ahead.”