Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, has kicked off a series of high-level engagements with regional leaders as part of his six-month tenure at the helm of the organisation.
On Tuesday, January 20, Dr. Drew held constructive talks with the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Hon. Dr. Godwin Friday, in a meeting attended by CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and other senior officials. The discussions mark the first in a planned round of bilateral visits with key member states designed to deepen dialogue and build consensus ahead of significant regional meetings later this year.
The engagement reflects Chairman Drew’s interpersonal approach to leadership, aimed at cultivating greater trust, coordination and cooperation among CARICOM members amid ongoing global uncertainty and shifting regional dynamics. Leaders at the meeting underscored the importance of advancing regional integration in practical, meaningful ways that deliver tangible benefits to Caribbean citizens.
Participants highlighted collective action in critical areas such as education, security cooperation, disaster response, economic coordination and institutional collaboration as pillars of regional resilience and stability. The discussions also reaffirmed a shared commitment to addressing challenges through calm, candid and respectful dialogue, with recognition that differences may arise but must be managed in ways that preserve unity and strengthen regional institutions.
Prime Minister Drew reiterated that his chairmanship will be guided by purposeful leadership, people-centred integration, enhanced trade and a renewed focus on outcomes that directly improve lives across the Caribbean.
This first meeting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines sets the stage for a series of bilateral engagements ahead of the fiftieth CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, scheduled to take place in St. Kitts and Nevis from February 24.
