Judging for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Book-Cover Design Competition took place on Wednesday, April, 4, 2001 at the Hotel Normandie, Port-of- Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The three judges, Mr. Ricardo Redman (Chief), CARICOM Secretary-General Mr. Edwin Carrington and leading Caribbean Book Publisher Mr. Ian Randle, studied more than 200 entries from across the Caribbean Community to select a design for the cover of a book "Our Caribbean Community (an Introduction)" now being prepared by the Secretary-General and the staff of the CARICOM Secretariat. The book provides an insight into the history and process of regional integration and caters for ages 14 to 24.

The competition, launched in Barbados last January, was open to Caribbean Community citizens between the ages of 14 and 24, and was advertised throughout the Community in January and February, 2001.

Corporate citizens from the Community including BWIA, Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Banks DIH of Guyana, the Unit Trust Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago, Ian Randle Publishers of Jamaica and Courts Trinidad have donated prizes for the competition.

The winner will receive a notebook computer and portable printer/scanner, a trip to a CARICOM Member State (including accommodation for five days/four nights) and a copy of the book autographed by the Secretary-General.

The second prize is a notebook computer, a five-day visit to the CARICOM Secretariat, a book voucher worth EC $1,000 and a similarly autographed copy of the book while the third prize is a notebook computer, a five-day visit to the CARICOM Secretariat and an autographed copy of the book and the fourth prize is a visit to the Secretariat and an autographed copy of the book.

A visit to the CARICOM Secretariat was added to the second and fourth prizes and a book voucher was also added to the second prize with a notebook computer added to the third prize. The decision to increase the value of the prizes was taken due both to the tremendous response of the corporate community and to the high quality of the entries received.

Chief Judge Redman, an outstanding graphic designer from Barbados said the quality of the entries strengthened his opinion of the depth of talent and creativity in the graphic arts in the Community.  "It was heartening to see the youngsters produce work of such high quality both technically and in terms of creativity," he said.

Secretary-General Carrington said he was very pleased at the response from the Community's young artists.  "What was especially pleasing, was the spread of the entries which came from virtually every Member State of the Community including the Associate Members. This augurs well for the level of interest that there is for such a publication and generally for information about the integration movement," the Secretary-General added.

The winners will be announced publicly after they are notified.