Representatives of Guyana’s private sector, employers organisations and trade unions came together Wednesday for a two day sensitisation workshop on Free Movement within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy CSME.

The workshop is expected to build awareness among the participants about the provisions of some key CSME regimes, including free movement of skills/labour and the facilitation of travel generally; the right of establishment; and the free movement of services.

 The Monetary Council has appointed Mr Timothy Antoine as Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). Mr Antoine, a Grenadian national, succee ds Sir K Dwight Venner who retired on 30 November, 2015. He is the holder of a BSc degree in Economics with Management from the University of the West Indies and a MSc in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics.

CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque met the new Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow of Belize, at the Prime Minister’s Belize City Office, on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Barrow assumed the CARICOM Chairmanship on 1 January 2016, taking over from the Prime Minister of Barbados, Rt. Hon Freundel Stuart whose six-month tenure ended on December 31.

Belize is scheduled to hold the 27th Inter-sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government in February.

Although it was established 40 years ago, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) is still relevant today says secretary general Dr Patrick Ignatius Gomes.

Guyanese-born Dr Gomes, who is in T&T for a few days before flying back on Tuesday to Brussels, Belgium, where the ACP headquarters is located, said the ACP was trying to shift from a dependency syndrome. 

Now ten months into his five-year term at the ACP, Dr Gomes said his experience as secretary-general has so far been encouraging, demanding, challenging and interesting. 

With the firm resolution to strengthen CARICOM to provide greater benefits for its peoples, the Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize assumes chairmanship from 1 January 2016.

He takes the reins for a period of six months from the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados.

In a message to usher in the New Year, he placed the citizens of the Caribbean Community at the heart of the matter, stating: “We will continue our quest to improve our standard of living through providing a safe, viable and prosperous Caribbean Community.”