Jul 04, 2026 Editorial, News

(Kaieteur News) – Today marks the 53rd Anniversary of the establishment of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Over the past five decades, the organisation has evolved from a small grouping of states into a 15-member regional bloc. Its journey, however, has been marked as much by frustration and missed opportunities as by genuine achievement.

CARICOM’s history has been one of fits and starts. There were periods when the integration movement virtually ground to a halt. It has also been a divided house. During the 1983 invasion of Grenada, Caribbean leaders stood on opposite sides of history. Prime Ministers Eugenia Charles of Dominica and Tom Adams of Barbados openly supported and facilitated the United States intervention, exposing deep political fractures within the Community. Charles was even prepared to see Forbes Burnham expelled from CARICOM over Guyana’s disputed elections. Such episodes underscored the fragility of regional solidarity.