(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) While the current global economic climate does not augur well for growth and development in the short term, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

These sentiments were expressed by Ambassador Robert Morris during his remarks at the ceremony for presentation of his credentials to Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, CARICOM Secretary-General. The ceremony took place on Tuesday 31 January, 2012 at the headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana.

Ambassador Morris said in times of difficulties, banding together was the greatest defence.

“It is always in a crisis that families pull together to increase their capacities. Adversity has its place and could teach us that if unity can be contemplated and achieved in the worst of times, we can strive for even more in the best of times,” he stated.

He cited the Honourable Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados’s inaugural address at the 32nd Conference of Heads of Government of the Community, in which he said: “The Government of Barbados remained unequivocally committed to the pursuit of Caribbean integration.”

Ambassador Morris said his personal commitment to the ideals and objectives of the Caribbean Community was assured.

In the current global environment, Ambassador Morris said that heavy reliance on donor resources was not a sustainable situation and one for which the Caribbean Community should seek a solution in the short term.

He reminded the ceremony of Prime Minister Stuart’s emphasis, at the 32nd CARICOM Summit, on the need to strengthen and resource the CARICOM Secretariat so that it could become less reliant on external donors. In this context, he stated that the Community’s foreign policy coordination, if used effectively, could serve the Region well in the long term.

“We all must realise the enormity of our unity when we choose to employ it fully,” Ambassador Morris stated.

Within the Community, he said, many achievements can be pointed to with pride, singling out functional cooperation. At the same time, he cautioned that there was still a “long way to go” before the Region could register the type of success that will “quell the voices of the naysayers.”

Implementation both nationally and at the level of the Secretariat will be critical in this regard, he stated.

Referencing Prime Minister Stuart’s address in expounding on the critical importance of implementation within the Community, he relayed: “The implementation challenges will be even greater in the next decade, and the governance structures of our Community are already inadequate for the task. Finding an effective and sustainable solution that can command consensus will remain our most urgent priority.”