**CARICOM Day; July 4th**
- A (should be) regional holiday

...a thread
What is CARICOM?

The name 'CARICOM' itself is a portmanteau of 'Caribbean Community.'

The community is an intergovernmental organization comprised primarily of sovereign states in the geopolitical area referred to as the Caribbean and/or West Indies.
Today, July 4th, is an important today for member states as it is CARICOM Day.

This day marks the establishment of the organisation with the signing the Treaty of Chaguaramas (Chag), Trinidad & Tobago's most populous city, having taken place on this date in 1973.
CARICOM was born out of a desire to strengthen political & economic integration throughout the region, especially in the face of the dissolution (failure) of the West Indies Federation.

The Treaty of Chag was signed by four sovereign Caribbean countries.
Those countries were:
i) Barbados
ii) Guyana
iii) Jamaica
iv) Trinidad & Tobago

All of which, save Guyana, were members of the failed West Indies Federation. CARICOM replaced the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA). The annual Caribbean sporting meet owes its name to it.
After Caribbean leaders decided to transform CARIFTA and establish CARICOM the chief objectives were to establish a Common Market and to facilitate the advancement of both the economic and political integration and cooperation of the member states of the organisation.
Today, the organisation has 15 full members. They are (in order of year joined):
1973: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago
1974: Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Sts. Kitts & Nevis, Lucia & Vincent
1983: The Bahamas
1995: Suriname
2002: Haiti
In addition to the 15 full members, there are 5 members with 'Associate' status.

These are all:
1991: British Virgin Islands & Turks & Caicos Islands
1999: Anguilla
2002: Cayman Islands
2003: Bermuda

Lastly, 8 territories enjoy 'Observer' status.

They are:
Aruba & Curacao...
...Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten (which is the Dutch side, in case you're uncertain) and Venezuela.

CARICOM's Secretariat (HQ) is located in Guyana's capital, Georgetown. The Secretary-General, since 2011, is Dominican (Dominica) Irwin LaRocque
The Chairman of the organisation is rotated between the heads of government of member states every 6 months. The current chairman is the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves.

Gonsalves assumed the position of chairman just a few days ago.
Today, CARICOM Day, is the official day assigned to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973 which brought this organisation into existence.

This year, throughout each member state, we celebrate 47 years of the organisation's existence.
While the date is significant for the region entirely, today only the countries of Antigua & Barbuda and Guyana commemorate CARICOM Day with an official public holiday.

In both of the countries, the day is observed on the first Monday of July every year.
Though not a member of CARICOM, Cuba enjoys a number of agreements w/ CARICOM and their first agreement was signed in December of 1972, prior to the official establishment of CARICOM itself.

As such, Cuba celebrates CARICOM-Cuba day in December, though not an official holiday.
CARICOM still has a ways to go as it relates to the overall advancement in regards to regional advancement.

Though, I feel, its importance should not be discredited, especially in the face of dangerously nationalistic governments throughout a number of CARICOM states.
Happy 47th CARICOM Day!
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