CARICOM Secretariat

CARICOM

The CARICOM Secretariat is the principal administrative organ of the Caribbean Community and is headed by a Secretary General, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Community.

The Secretariat's Mission Statement is: "To provide dynamic leadership and service in partnership with Community Institutions and groups, toward the attainment of a viable, internationally competitive and sustainable Community, with improved quality of life for all."

Offices and Directorates:

Offices

Secretary-General
Deputy Secretary-General
General Counsel

Directorates

Foreign and Community Relations
Human and Social Development
Trade and Economic Integration 

Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute

CFNI

The CFNI is a specialised Centre of the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), which was established in 1967 to forge a regional approach to solving the nutrition problems of the Caribbean. It serves a total population of about six (6) million, a third of whom live in Jamaica. The institute aims to attain food security and achieve optimal nutritional health for all the peoples of the Caribbean through collaboration with Caribbean countries to enhance, describe, manage and prevent the key nutritional problems and to increase their capacity to provide effective nutritional services.

Caribbean Health Research Council

CHRC

The CHRC was originally known as the Standing Advisory Committee (SAC) for Medical Research in the British Caribbean. The SAC was formed in 1955 and held its first Council and Scientific Meeting in Jamaica in 1956. Its played an advisory role on the needs for medical research; on the application of research findings into practice; and on fostering inter-territorial collaboration.

University of the West Indies

UWI

The University of the West Indies, established in 1948 initially as an external College of the University of London and made fully independent in 1962, is the oldest fully-egional institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Supported by fifteen countries, all current or former colonies of Great Britain, the UWI is committed to the development of the region through the training of its human resources, conducting research, delivering advisory services to governments as well as to the private sector, and forging links with other institutions in the wider region and the rest of the world.

The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre, (CAREC) is administered on behalf of 21 Member Countries by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Americas. CAREC enjoys an international reputation for its work in support of Public Health in the Caribbean. Under a Multilateral Agreement, CAREC provides laboratory reference and epidemiology services to 21 Member Countries.

The need for such a Caribbean Centre was first recognized in the early 1970's by Dr. Eric Williams, then Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. CAREC came into existence in 1975, following an endorsement by the Caribbean Health Ministers' Conference held in Dominica in 1973. Under a Bilateral Agreement with PAHO, Trinidad and Tobago took up the role of host country because of the existing strength of the Trinidad Regional Virus Laboratory and well established links with research agencies such as the British Medical Research Council. CAREC today occupies a complex of buildings in Federation Park, Port of Spain, the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago. This includes security laboratories and a variety of specialized units such as an experimental mosquito colony. Several epidemiological databases are maintained within a LAN infrastructure. Support facilities include a lecture theatre, a training laboratory, a library, offset print shop, a museum, an audio-visual unit, and an active preventive maintenance unit. Learn more

The CARICOM Youth Ambassadors Programme (CYAP) is an initiative of the CARICOM Heads of Government and was launched in St.Lucia in 1983 as a component of the programme celebrating the 20th. anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.  The programme was suspended in 1995 following an evaluation of the programme by CARICOM, and was reactivated in 2000 in accordance with priorities established by the Third and Fourth Councils for Human and Social Development (COHSOD).

The CYAP is an initiative for leadership development and youth participation. The CYAs are the Community’s focal point for deepening the regional integration and
development process through advocacy and peer education initiatives.

Membership of the network currently stands at thirty-four (34) CYAs from thirteen Full and two Associated States, and are selected from membership of National
Youth Councils or other representative youth organizations and /or experienced youth leaders.

The Caribbean Employers Confederation
The Caribbean Employers Confederation is a regional grouping of employers' organisation in the Caribbean Region founded in 1960.  The CEC is the main stakeholder and advocate for the resolution of labour market issues for Caribbean Employers as well as the co-ordinating body for the development of the "social responsibility" of enterprises in the Caribbean territories through their National Employers' Organisation
The CEC is dedicated to the development and promotion of good industrial relations practices at the enterprise and macro-level towards achieving productivity and prosperity for member countries and the region as a whole.
Our offices were originally based at the Employers' Consultative Association, Old Fort Building, Corner Broadway and South Quay, Port of Spain, Trinidad. We are still housed at the Employers' Consultative Association but at a new location, #23 Chacon Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Learn more

The Caribbean Tourism Organisation
The Caribbean Tourism Organisation is an international development agency and the official body for promoting and developing tourism throughout the Caribbean.

Its members include 34 destination countries and private companies - such as airlines, hotels, cruise operators and travel agencies - who are involved in providing holidays and vacations in the region. Chapters of the CTO exist around the world and promote travel to the Caribbean.

Together, they work to encourage sustainable tourism that is sensitive to the economic, social and cultural interests of the Caribbean people, preserves their natural environment and provides the highest quality of service to their visitors. Learn more

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) was legally established on 2nd July 2011 by an Inter-Governmental Agreement signed by Caribbean Community Member States.

The creation of CARPHA signals a rationalisation of public health arrangments in the Region, combining the functions of five Caribbean Regional Health Insistutes into a single agency.

New public health arrangements

The new arrangements are designed to maximise the benefit and effectiveness of existing public health work, boosting collaborative initiatives, enhance evidence-based public health policy and achieve efficiencies.

The new agency is better placed to provide leadership in public health, work with global, regional and national stakeholders to deliver better public health outcomes for the Caribbean residents and visitors.

The Agency began business on the 1st January 2013 and is being led by Dr. Carl James Hospedales CARPHA's  Director. Learn more