Mottley: CARICOM must prioritise regional unity, improving education

By Halshane Burke    

 

CARICOM Chairman Mia Mottley says some hard decisions are needed to ensure the region is fit for purpose in an ever changing global environment.

 

Ms. Mottley, who is Prime Minister of Barbados, says all member states must prioritise regional unity.

 

She adds that for too long meaningful progress has eluded the region. 

 

"Freedom of movement of Caribbean people is at the centre of who and why we are here. And I trust and pray that we can leave Bridgetown with clarity on this objective. Secondly, the issue of cost of living continues to bedevil too many of our people. And we run the risk that our traditional sources of food may well become more difficult to access because of the climate crisis and because of decisions on the movement of labour. 

 

"And to that extent, while we have spoken at length always about creating new sources for imports while boosting our production regionally, at the same time, our education is in shambles in the region. And the quicker we come together and coordinate the reform that is necessary for it, the better we will be because we cannot build out this region with the old educational systems of the colonial system," she maintained. 

  

Ms. Mottley was addressing the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM underway in Barbados.