CARICOM leaders ended their three-day summit in Grenada last night describing the deliberations as “very successful” and announcing the approval of a plan to implement outstanding measures with respect to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
In addition, the regional leaders have issued a “unified” statement on the situation in Venezuela urging “all parties to commit to engage in renewed dialogue and negotiations leading to a comprehensive political agreement with established timetables, concrete actions and guarantees to ensure its implementation for the wellbeing of the nation”.
Host Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, who is also the CARICOM chairman, told reporters at the end of summit news conference that the regional leaders “could not sit around and not deal with it” a reference to the situation in Venezuela where opposition forces are seeking to overthrow the government of President Nicolas Maduro by staging street protests resulting in the deaths of more than 60 people.
Mitchell told reporters that the leaders had “approved an implementation plan for the outstanding measures with respect to the CSME after identifying the roadblocks which have hindered progress”.
The CSME, approved by regional leaders as part of the Grand Anse Declaration of 1989, allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and people across the region, but it has been hampered by bureaucratic red tape.
