The signing of the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community and Common Market, commonly called the Treaty of Chaguaramas, on 4 July 1973, marked the culmination of years of talks among Caribbean visionaries for a deepened integration among the then independent countries of the Commonwealth Caribbean and the British dependent territories. This event, almost 32 years ago, was considered a milestone as the regional integration movement recorded its genesis in the formation of the Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA), the predecessor of CARICOM.
One of the signatories to the 1973 Treaty, the then President of Guyana negotiated for the establishment of a permanent Secretariat for the Caribbean Community to be headquartered in Georgetown and hosted by the Government of Guyana. This negotiation would lead to the maneuvering of staff of the CARICOM Secretariat in a number of buildings across Georgetown. On February 19 2005, a new chapter in the integration movement commenced with the inauguration of the Secretariat's spanking new Headquarters Building at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. However, before we bask in this achievement, it is fitting to walk down memory lane to reflect on the early beginnings of the Secretariat and its growth over time.
In 1968, when the CARIFTA Secretariat was launched under Secretary-General Mr. Fred Cozier, it was housed at the Colgrain House, which is located in Georgetown. In May 1969, Colgrain House became the official residence of the CARIFTA Secretary-General. It is now the official residence of the CARICOM Secretary-General. The Community's longest serving Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Edwin Carrington currently resides in the magnificent colonial structure.
During his short term in office from 1968-1969, Secretary-General Cozier occupied the northern half of the building, while the Secretariat staff of four at that time occupied the southern half of the Colgrain House.
It was in 1969 that the Secretariat was moved to the Third Floor of The Bank of Guyana Building, home of the Central Bank of Guyana located in the heart of Georgetown.
With the steady growth of the Community and the increased mandates of the Secretariat, the fourth floor of the Bank of Guyana Building was soon retained to accommodate additional offices and staff of the Secretariat. Over the years, as CARIFTA moved on to become CARICOM and the staff complement almost doubled, the Secretariat expanded to five annexes across Georgetown with the Bank of Guyana Building being retained as the head Office.
At the inauguration ceremony to mark the opening of the new Headquarters Building, Secretary-General Carrington had reason to radiate with pleasure as he received the keys to the spanking new building from Guyana's President, His Excellency Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo. Mr. Carrington said, “As Secretary-General of the Community, I perceive myself as having a special and historical responsibility, to convey to His Excellency the President of Guyana, his government and the entire Guyanese nation, the grateful thanks and appreciation of the Caribbean Community.”
Noting that he was present in 1976, when the original promise was made to provide the Secretariat with its own custom-built headquarters, the Secretary-General mused that he has kept in focus the completion of the building as one of his highest priorities.
Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honorable Percival J Patterson commended the staff of the Secretariat for their resilience despite the prevailing decentralisation of the Secretariat's offices. He said, “That we have made such considerable strides while functioning without a permanent headquarters site, adequately tooled to allow the Secretariat to execute its mandate at its optimum, and to meet the growing demands of the deepening process of integration, is a tribute to the greatest asset of our community – the resourceful, talented and dedicated people whose highest values and commitments have been reflected in the men and women who have served the Community in the Secretariat.”
Prime Minister Patterson in hailing Secretary-General Carrington and his staff for their “unswerving dedication to the work of the people of the Caribbean” said they have all contributed in a “selfless manner” to serving the people of the Caribbean.
One of the longest serving staff members of the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Myrtle Chuck-A-Sang, whose entrance to the Secretariat and tenure with the integration movement spans three decades, reflected on the small batch of twenty staff who worked with Mr. Cozier's successor, Secretary-General, Mr. William Demas.
” We worked tirelessly as a family until our tasks were completed at the end of the day. The family unit has now expanded into a corporate body,” said Ms Chuck-A-Sang, currently the Project Manager with the CARICOM/UWI Project.
Administrative Officer with the Legal and Institutional Development programme of the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Amrita Hall, who has walked the halls of the main office of the Secretariat for the last 32 years, describes the new building as “fantastic.” She said, “Being under one roof would certainly provide for improved communication and efficiency among staff.” Ms Hall further stated, “The pace of work and focus of the Secretariat staff in meeting the demands of Member States have maintained steady momentum.”
Noteworthy are the words of commendation by Ms Sheila Chan who is a fitting example of institutional memory of the integration movement, having grown with the CARICOM Secretariat for the last 37 years. Now serving in the capacity of Administrative Officer of the Technical Action Services Unit (TASU), Ms Chan offered, “CARICOM has waited a long time – three decades – for this magnificent structure we will now call HOME, but we know from experience all good things come to those who wait.”
Beaming with enthusiasm over what she deems as a superb structure to house the Secretariat's growing staff now recorded at 291, Human Resource Adviser Ms. Sandra Myers said she felt a sense of “pride, hope and achievement” with the inauguration of the new Headquarters Building, which bodes well for frequent and regular interaction among staff who were separated in six buildings. Ms Myers further commented that the inauguration symbolises a new chapter, which will have transition challenges that must be taken in stride.
The task of delivering on the promise to provide the CARICOM Secretariat with its own home started with the Guyana Government's acquisition of land from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO). In 1998, a sod-turning ceremony took place and this was followed by the commencement of construction of the Headquarters Building in May 2001. The inauguration ceremony for the building took place on 19 February 2005 in the presence of just over 600 persons, including Heads of Government and State of the Community, representatives of regional institutions, other dignitaries and staff of the CARICOM Secretariat.
It is anticipated that the opening of the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters Building will be the centre of a new development thrust for the environs of Greater Georgetown. In this context, the upgrading of the nearby Ogle Airstrip is regarded as being of significant importance to the thrust. The expansion of the Ogle Airstrip would in no small way lead to the fostering of closer ties between the Community and South America with Guyana as the gateway. In this The Year of The Single Market, the CARICOM Secretariat can stand as a single structure representing the diversity of the Community, and the vision of its leaders to forge integration among the people of the Region.
