Antigua and Barbuda's Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene is calling on CARICOM leaders to adopt a more unified approach in addressing a growing list of regional challenges, including rising energy costs and United States immigration policies affecting Caribbean nations.
According to Antigua News Room, Greene made the remarks during an appearance on the Browne and Browne Show on Saturday, warning that the region faces mounting external pressure tied to the ongoing Middle East conflict and U.S. requests for Caribbean countries to accept third-country deportees.
Greene urged regional governments to strengthen coordination through the CARICOM Secretariat, arguing that a collective response is essential to tackling problems already affecting Caribbean citizens.
"CARICOM is now at the crossroads," Greene said, emphasising that member governments must work together to confront the issues at hand.
The minister also raised concerns about the uneven treatment of Caribbean nations under U.S. programmes, noting that some states appear to face greater pressure than others.
Greene further highlighted that the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States faces many of the same challenges confronting CARICOM as a whole. He expressed hope that regional leaders would sustain and deepen efforts to coordinate responses on major international issues going forward.
