Unlike other years, the bloc could not celebrate its birth with the traditional summit of heads of government that always coincides with the date, is established as a space for discussion of the main problems of the region and closes with the transfer of the temporary presidency for six months.
The passage of Beryl forced to postpone until further notice the holding of the conclave, which should be held in Grenada as the next rotating leader of Caricom.
But precisely that country is one of the most devastated by the cyclone with three deaths and a situation of calamity in the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, which received the direct impact of the weather system.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the other devastated territory, reporting one death, and the worst scenario is on Union Island, where 90 percent of the buildings are on the ground.
Jamaica escaped the direct impact of Beryl, but reported one death, one missing person and significant damage mainly in its southern portion.
Barbados, St. Lucia and Dominica are also recovering from minor damage, while Belize and the Cayman Islands are next in line as the storm moves through the Caribbean Sea.
According to Caricom’s official website, this Thursday the bloc will carry out some online activities to commemorate its establishment and the usual statements are expected from the secretary general, Carla Barnett, and the current temporary president and president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali.
Caricom was born on this date in 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established the goals of promoting the equitable and harmonious development of its members, coordinating foreign policy and trade, and strengthening cooperation in the economic, agricultural, industrial, transportation and telecommunications sectors.
The islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Montserrat, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Belize, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and Suriname, Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands are associated members.
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