Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell said Cabinet had agreed to a request from CARICOM for member states to mark the significance of the occasion on July 4. Photo: Loop News

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said Cabinet had agreed to a request from CARICOM for member states to mark the significance of the occasion on July 4. 

“The treaty of Chaguaramas created CARICOM. Dominica is the incoming chair of CARICOM, but Dominica graciously agreed in light of the fact that CARICOM will be celebrating its 50th anniversary to have that occasion marked in Trinidad. 

“So on the third and fourth of July, CARICOM will be gathering in Trinidad to mark the 50th anniversary of CARICOM,” he told television viewers, adding” at the Cabinet level, we discussed, as was proposed by CARICOM that the fourth of July should be made a national holiday in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of CARICCOM. 

“The cabinet of St Kitts-Nevis has already proceeded to do so and we are happy to join with our brothers and sisters and other CARICOM countries in celebrating CARICOM because despite its shortcomings, despite some of the challenges, I think all would agree we are better off together, united and continuing to forge ahead…than trying to go it alone”. 

Mitchell, who was being interviewed on the first anniversary of his government coming to office last June, told viewers that “we certainly want to celebrate and mark the accomplishments of CARICOM. 

“We do recognise the need to continue forging stronger relations within CARCOM, within the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) as well,” Mitchell said, adding that he is very passionate about an economic union within the sub-grouping as well as the wider CARICOM region. 

“We’ve talked about the need to improve the movement of people, the movement of goods and the movement of capital in particular …and as recently as today we were contemplating a policy …to remove the Alien Landing Holding Licence requirement for citizens of the OECS in order for them to acquire land in Grenada. 

“If you are able to work in Grenada as an OECS citizen and you have the funds then you should be able to purchase land, to invest…,” Mitchell said, adding that Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia have already undertaken such reforms. 

“We are very keen on wanting to dismantle some of the artificial restrictions that we cling on to and I think that has hindered the economic development within the OECS,” he said, noting that if it means progressing individually until the union comes into being.