The 44th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is being held in Nassau, Bahamas, Feb. 15-17, under the chairmanship of Bahamas Prime Minister Philip E. Davis, who assumed the chairmanship for six months on Jan. 1.
The meeting is being held in The Bahamas as the country prepares to celebrate two key dates in its history within days of each other. The Bahamas will attain its 40th year as a member state of CARICOM on July 4, and will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence July 10.
The CARICOM heads were scheduled to address several recurring and new issues, such as the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, Climate Change, Climate Finance, Agriculture and Food Security, Regional Security, and Health. They were also scheduled to be engaged by several foreign guests to discuss political, economic and financial matters relevant to the Caribbean Community.
CARICOM comprises 15 full members and five associate members. The full members are Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Kitt Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands are associate members.
The Conference of Heads of Government of the CARICOM meets twice a year at Regular and Inter-Sessional meetings, in summer and winter, respectively.