Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has taken over as CARICOM’s next rotating chairman, promising to fight for climate justice, reduce gun violence, and improve digital technologies.
Mitchell took over leadership from Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali during a summit in Grenada that had been delayed by Hurricane Beryl, the Atlantic season’s first reported Category 4 storm. He emphasised the importance of climate action, urging rich nations to honour agreements to reduce emissions and provide financial assistance to offset the effects of climate change.
The cost of reconstructing following natural catastrophes frequently leaves Caribbean countries in debt. Mitchell emphasised the existential threat of climate change, saying, “The stark reality is that we may not have a country to pass down to future generations.”
Mitchell also committed to promoting free movement inside the bloc, which just welcomed Curacao as a member.
CARICOM, a regional organisation of small island states, aims to promote economic integration and collaboration. It fights for compensation for slavery and climate change through measures such as debt cancellation and supports a lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers for firearms traded in the Caribbean.
