St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Forty-four years ago , the leaders of Caribbean nations joined together to sign the critical Treaty of Chaguaramas, the founding document of the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, in Guyana.

In 1973, CARICOM was formed by Prime Ministers Errol Barrow of Barbados, Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Michael Manley of Jamaica and Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago who signed the treaty.

St. Kitts and Nevis, however, did not join CARICOM until July of 1974.

The signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas is celebrated as a holiday on the first Monday of July in Guyana, as CARICOM Day. It marks the day the treaty was signed, July 4th.

Today, CARICOM has fifteen member states and five associate members, with a combined population of sixteen million, according to CARICOM’s website.

With sixty percent of CARICOM’s population being under the age of thirty, St. Kitts and Nevis CARICOM Youth Ambassador,  Joy Napier, says that young people across the region are working together to help the wider Caribbean Community.

“Happy CARICOM Day to everyone. Today is July 4th and annually the day is observed as CARICOM Day. It is the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty Chaguaramas which bound all of the CARICOM member states together as a common Caribbean community. As the CARICOM Youth Ambassador for St. Kitts and Nevis, I am very happy to extend warm wishes to all my brothers and sisters across the region in CARICOM, as CARICOM Youth Ambassadors we are dedicated to addressing many of the social issues that affect Caribbean youth today across the region. On this day, CARICOM Day and every day, young people across the region are working together to try and solve some of our issues. Happy CARICOM Day to everyone.”

SOURCE:
https://www.winnfm.com/news/local/22779-caricom-celebrates-forty-four-years-since-its-inception