CARICOM head praises region’s resilience, eyes better future
/ Our Today
administrator
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman Ralph Gonsalves has praised the region for demonstrating its resilience in 2020, a year during which it became one of the most affected by the economic impact of COVID-19.
In an end-of-the-year message, Gonsalves, who is also prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, said the unity of the countries in the area allowed the registration of relatively low numbers of COVID-19 victims while at the same time largely containing the spread of the disease.
He also hailed the scientists, medical personnel and front-line workers who have been persistent in the fight against the pandemic as well as regional and international organisations and friendly countries who assistesd in addressing the crisis.
Gonsalves, noting the development of vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19, as well as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Covax initiative aimed at ensuring equitable global access to vaccines, said he regretted that the quota of product for the Caribbean would only cover 15 per cent of the population.
The CARICOM chairman therefore called for a change in the criteria for access to the programme and urged the adoption of a ‘universal vulnerability index’ as the main criterion for determining the recipients of financing for obtaining vaccines.
“We have reached the end of a year that will not be forgotten.”
Ralph Gonsalves, chairman of CARICOM
Gonsalves also noted the massive blow received by the region’s tourism industry, as well as the resultant hit taken by the countries most dependent on these industries.
“We have reached the end of a year that will not be forgotten,” he said as he pointed to the region’s resilience.
“It is that force that will ensure that we not only survive, but that we prosper and further elevate our Caribbean civilisation.”
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