The Caribbean Community

In 1972, Commonwealth Caribbean leaders at the Seventh Heads of Government Conference decided to transform the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) into a Common Market and establish the Caribbean Community, of which the Common Market would be an integral part.

The signing of the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community, Chaguaramas, 4th July 1973, was a defining moment in the history of the Commonwealth Caribbean. Although a free-trade area had been established, CARIFTA did not provide for the free movement of labour and capital, or the coordination of agricultural, industrial and foreign policies.

The objectives of the Community, identified in Article 6 of the Revised Treaty, are: to improve standards of living and work; the full employment of labour and other factors of production; accelerated, coordinated and sustained economic development and convergence; expansion of trade and economic relations with third States; enhanced levels of international competitiveness; organisation for increased production and productivity; achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness of Member States in dealing with third States, groups of States and entities of any description and the enhanced co-ordination of Member States' foreign and foreign economic policies and enhanced functional co-operation.

CARICOM MEMBER STATES

1. Antigua and Barbuda
2. The Bahamas
3. Barbados
4. Belize
5. Dominica
6. Grenada
7. Guyana
8. Haiti
9. Jamaica
10. Monserrat
11. Saint Lucia
12. St. Kitts and Nevis
13. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
14. Suriname
15. Trinidad and Tobago

CARICOM ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

1. Anguilla - 4th July 1999
2. Bermuda - 2nd July 2003
3. British Virgin Islands - 2nd July 1991
4. Cayman Islands - 15th May 2002
5. Turks and Caicos Islands - 2nd July 1991