Wanneer: jaarlijks, 4 juli.
July 4 is dedicated to cooperation between countries located in the Caribbean and working together under the name CARICOM. CARICOM stands for Caribbean Community. The date was not chosen without coincidence, as the intergovernmental organisation was established on 4 July 1973 with the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
CARIFTA
The Treaty of Chaguaramas was signed by Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago and entered into force on 1 August, replacing the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA).
That the countries started working together was not illogical. They already did so through the West Indies Federation (1958 – 1962). This was an alliance of British colonies. After this, they started cooperating through CARIFTA. Incidentally, this name still exists when it comes to sporting events. Think of the CARIFTA Games. These are athletics competitions.
The composition of CARIFTA was different from CARICOM at the beginning. The original countries participating in 1965 were Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Guyana. In 1968, most of the other countries joined.
- 1 mei 1968: Trinidad en Tobago,
- 1 juli 1968: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts en Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent en de Grenadines.
- 1 augustus 1968: Jamainca en Montserrat.
- 1 mei 1971: Belize.
Separate status for Suriname
Suriname enjoyed a separate status from 1 March 1973, as it was still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at that time. Hence, it was given only Liaison/Observer status. Since Suriname would not gain independence until after CARIFTA was abolished (1975), it has always been a member in that capacity. The same is not true of its successor, CARICOM.
Why CARIFTA?
Why was there something like CARIFTA? That was the answer to something that failed. That was the break-up of the West Indies Federation, the British Antilles. It was a political union of Caribbean countries that started working together between 3 January 1958 and 31 May 1962. The agreement among the participants was that this was all about British colonies. It was supposed to grow into an independent country. That did not happen and so they all became separate states. Hence, today we know the following countries that were thus part of that West Indian Federation: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
Good to know: Saint Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla were divided into two states: Anguilla and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Furthermore, Jamaica ruled over the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The capital of this state was to be Chaguaramas, which is now the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.
The federation received no cooperation from the Bahamas, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Guyana (British Guiana at the time) and Belize (British Honduras at the time). The latter two were observing participants though. Despite that, they had come pretty far with the union. One even had its currency, the West Indies dollar, which was eventually replaced by the East Caribbean dollar. Only in the end, Jamaica did not see it all through. This was mainly due to the small participants’ resistance to the influence of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The influence of these two participants was felt to be too great. Jamaica organised a referendum in 1961 and the people voted to leave. This led to more participants leaving the federation. Still, there was a desire to work together. Therefore, CARIFTA was formed.
More than a collaboration
CARICOM was even more collaborative. Not only that. It is also the recognition of that which binds each other. On the organisation’s website, for example, you read that it is recognised that the past binds. 16 million people are living in the area with diverse backgrounds that include indigenous peoples, and descendants from Africa, India, Europe and Asia. English is the main language, which is supplemented by other languages such as French and Dutch.
CARICOM bestaat uit de volgende deelnemers:
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- Anguilla, associate since 1999.
- Antigua and Barbuda, member since 1974.
- Bahamas, member since 1983.
- Barbados, member since 1973.
- Belize, member since 1974.
- Bermuda, associated since 2003.
- British Virgin Islands, associated 1991.
- Dominica, member since 1974.
- Grenada, member since 1974.
- Guyana, member since 1973.
- Haiti, member since 2002.
- Jamaica, member since 1973.
- Cayman Islands, associated since 2002.
- Montserrat, member since 1974.
- Saint Kitts and Nevis, member since 1974.
- Saint Lucia, member since 1974.
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, member since 1974.
- Suriname, member since 1995.
- Trinidad and Tobago, member since 1973.
- Turkey and Caicos Islands, associated since 1991.
Is CARICOM comparable to the EU?
CARICOM aims to get countries to cooperate economically, to cooperate on foreign affairs, and in the future they would like to see the use of a currency within the region. That’s not all: there is even an own passport for residents of the participating states. That passport may also be used internationally.
That’s not all. CARICOM even has its institutions, spread across the various participating states. You can read more about that via this page.
Finally, it has its own hymn: “Celebrating Caricom.” Better known as the “Caricom Song,” written by Michelle Henderson. Henderson is herself a resident of Dominica.
Is CARICOM comparable to the EU? Actually, yes. Especially when you consider that it is an alliance where English may be the working language, but it is not a unilingual organisation. With the arrival of Suriname and Haiti, this changed. Thanks to the arrival of Haiti, the main language within CARICOM’s area is currently Haitian Creole.
July 4: CARICOM Day
So, 4 July is CARICOM Day. Thanks to the historical connection that the Netherlands has with this area, this is something that should not be easily forgotten!
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