(Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown) – A group of young women who played the role of diplomats in commemoration of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy on Tuesday, June 24, 2024, were welcomed for a courtesy call to the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.
General Counsel Lisa Shoman received the group, who was accompanied by high level diplomatic chaperones from the High Commissions of Belize; Trinidad and Tobago; Embassy of Mexico; Suriname and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, based in Guyana.
“We were honoured to host these young women as “Diplomats for A Day” on this special occasion, International Day of Women in Diplomacy. This visit forms part of our commitment to young leaders in the Caribbean, by involving and including them in the work of the Secretariat. We hope that by learning about our responsibilities, they will become more active partners in the regional integration process,” the General Counsel stated.
During their engagement at the CARICOM Secretariat, the young ladies (Kyra Adams, Natassia Ashby, Amelie Burnham, Adanna Dorrick and Chanecia LaRose) delved deeper into the structure of CARICOM and its flagship programme, the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Assistant General-Counsel, Ms. Glayds Young, shared highlights on the role of the Council for Trade and Economic Development and the operations of the CSME’s core regimes: the right to establish a business, provision of services, and the free movement of skills, labor, goods, and capital.
Programme Manager for Youth Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Michele Small-Bartley, highlighted CARICOM’s efforts to foster enhanced opportunities for young people to thrive as CARICOM nationals.
She also shared information on the CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan, which identifies several priority areas, including education access; health and wellness focusing on mental and sexual reproductive health; leadership, governance, and youth participation; digitalisation and technology; human rights protection and safety; environmental sustainability; and cultural protection and identity.
The role of the CARICOM Young Professionals Programme and several initiatives to equip young people with business skills for their economic development were key focal points during Ms. Small- Bartley’s interaction with the young ‘diplomats’.
An interesting moment of the engagement was a presentation by Director of Foreign and Community Relations, Ms. Angella Prendergast, which showed that globally, just under 30 countries have a woman as Head of State or Government. She also highlighted the extent to which women are involved in diplomacy in our Region.
The young ladies’ visit to the Secretariat culminated with a tour and discussions on the document and records management processes as well as the building’s energy efficiency systems.
The “Diplomat for a Day” initiative, organised by the Imperial House in Guyana in partnership with the High Commission of Belize in Guyana, allowed young Guyanese women to shadow a Head of Mission.
High Commissioner of Belize, H.E. Gale Garnett; Acting High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago, H.E. Candace Shade; Ambassador of Suriname to CARICOM, H.E. Liselle Blankerdal; Ambassador of Mexico to CARICOM, H.E. Mauricio Viscaino Crespo; and Head of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture in Guyana, Mr. Wilmot Garnett, accompanied the group.
