Former Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM (Caribbean Community), Belize’s own Dr. Carla Barnett PhD CBE, has now been nominated for the organization’s top post, Secretary General. Should she be selected in this post, Dr. Barnett has said that she would work toward seeing a more unified CARICOM, where the ordinary person will defend the Community because of the very real social and economic benefits afforded to the everyday person under CARICOM. Likewise, she expressed that it is necessary that the Community not be afraid to re-strategize, especially during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic when the quantity of needs versus those of available resources do not align. The pandemic is forcing us to recalibrate as a region in an effort to sustain our economies and the livelihood of our residents.
Her work in Belize as well as across the region is extensive in her role as an economist across the CARICOM 15-state region. She also worked as the Vice President of Operations at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and as a consultant to development agencies working in the Caribbean.
In Belize, where Dr. Barnett is no stranger, her work is also substantial, as she has worked in numerous organizations. Under the Barrow administration, Dr. Barnett worked as vice president of the Senate and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance. Furthermore, she also worked as Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Belize and was the financial secretary during Belize’s first successful debt restructuring in 2007. Aside from these contributions, her work and dedication to the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the wider Belizean population has been exemplary.
As per the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the CARICOM Secretary General shall be appointed by the Conference of Heads of Government on the recommendation of the Community Council of Ministers. This council is expected to go into a Special Meeting to consider the region’s nominations and determine its recommendations to the Conference of Heads by mid-April. As a result, the decision on the appointment of the Community’s next Secretary General is to be determined by early May at the latest.
