(Kaieteur News) – Against a backdrop of shifting global dynamics and accelerating climate challenges, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett delivered a compelling opening address at the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, issuing a direct call to deepen public engagement and accelerate regional integration.

Speaking to an audience that included CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of St. Lucia, the Hon. Philip J. Pierre, alongside other regional heads on Sunday, Dr. Barnett emphasised that the future of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) relies heavily on the inclusion of everyday citizens.

“The voices of a wider range of people in the community, including civil society organisations, must be more meaningfully incorporated in regional discussions,” Dr. Barnett stated. “Greater public participation will foster deeper understanding of how decisions shape everyday experiences.” Reflecting on the foundations of the Caribbean community, Dr. Barnett noted that the architects of the Revised Treaty of Chaguarmas were driven by pragmatic economic necessity rather than mere sentimentality.