National consultation in SKN reviewed CARICOM strategic plan 2020

NATIONAL CONSULTATION IN ST. KITTS AND NEVIS REVIEWED THE CARICOM STRATEGIC PLAN 2020 ALONG WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF "I AM CARICOM" COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN

Tuesday, 17th March 2020

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is supporting the Member States and Associate Members of the CARICOM to convene a broad-based consultation to notify the developments of the2020 CARICOM Strategic Plan, which is results-focused. O March 12, another such national consultation was held at the Department of Technology, in St. Kitts, to evaluate the proposed results based CARICOM Strategic Plan 2020. The national consultation, also introduced the communications campaign named "I am CARICOM". The new strategic plan would serve to define the direction of the Caribbean Community over the plan's horizon, keep implementing partners focused and would also layout the strategies to secure the future in a dynamic and challenging global environment. Stakeholders from all sectors, including the public, non-profit and private, participated in the discussions. Representation had come from senior public officers and policymakers, the business community, religious and faith-based organisations, labour unions, academia, youth ambassadors, citizens of the Community and community-based and civil organisations. They consulted on issues related to the development plan and regional integration. Strategic Management Director of the CARICOM Secretariat, Craig Beresford, said that at the time when the Conference of Heads of Government (CHOG) had mandated the development of the Community Strategic Plan 2015-2019, the Heads had further mandated that, in the future as well, a Community Strategic Plan should always inform the work of the Community. He said that due to this reason, the Community had started the development of the successor strategic plan 2020, and everyone's purpose is to contribute to that process in a meaningful way. Mr Beresford further added that the "I am CARICOM" communications campaign is being spread across the Community to involve all stakeholders, including its citizenry, to welcome and adopt the new community strategic plan for 2020. He said that the plan seeks to strengthen the CARICOM identity and also to strengthen the spirit of the Community and to raise individual awareness that CARICOM is about all the citizens of the Community. Also, it is the responsibility of the members of the Community to chart the course of the Community's future and also to ensure that the region is made better than the communities found it. This should be done for the upcoming generations. He stated that the community strategic plan is a facilitating and guiding tool to promote national progress in all member states and also for the benefit of all citizens of the Community, deliver on regional public goods.