By Caribbean News Global contributor
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The installation ceremony for the new secretary-general of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr Carla Barnett will be held on Monday August 16, 2021, from 10:00 a.m.
The chairman of CARICOM, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, will welcome the new secretary-general with greetings from the conference of heads of government.
Heads of government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) meeting virtually in Special Session on Tuesday, May 11, and unanimously agreed to appoint Dr Carla Natalie Barnett as the 8th CARICOM secretary-general.
Dr Barnett, a national of Belize, is the first woman and the first Belizean to be selected for the post. She will replace ambassador Irwin LaRocque who is completing his second term.
Dr Barnett will address the ceremony and is expected to outline her vision and indicate some matters that will occupy her immediate attention.
The installation ceremony will be live-streamed on CARICOM YouTube Channel – https://youtu.be/PFj4EzWr0vw and CARICOM Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/caricom.org
Meanwhile, prime minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips and outgoing CARICOM secretary-general Irwin LaRocque, on Friday turned the sod on a plot of land at Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara, for the construction of the official residence of the CARICOM secretary-general.
“The intention is to construct the residence for the secretary-general of CARICOM at this location…we’re still in the design stage where the architects will do their work and then the costing will be done and in consultation with the CARICOM Secretariat and the secretary-general; full disclosures will be made at the appropriate time”.
Ambassador LaRocque in his remarks to the media said that the construction of the building represents Guyana’s commitment to CARICOM.
“I think it demonstrates the commitment of the Government of Guyana to CARICOM, this is the seat of the headquarters of the Community… and it gives me great honour to turn the sod. president Ali made that commitment to me not long after he came into office, he said to me that it was going to happen and it’s going to happen”.
CARICOM appoints Dr Carla Natalie Barnett as new secretary-general
