KINGSTON, Jamaica — Belizean Dr Carla Barnett has been selected as the first female secretary-general of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), replacing Dominican-born diplomat, Irwin LaRocque, who is due to leave office in August.

The decision was made at the virtual 21st Special Meeting of regional leaders chaired by Caricom Chairman, Dr Keith Rowley.

Barnett is also the first ever woman to have served as deputy secretary-general from 1997 to 2002.

She was educated at the University of the West Indies (UWI) where she read for a PhD in Social Sciences. She also holds a Master of Economics degree from the University of Western Ontario in Canada, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the UWI.

She has extensive experience at the executive level of the public service in Belize and in the Caricom region. Her work experience includes service as financial secretary and deputy governor/acting governor at the Central Bank of Belize. She has also served as a vice president at the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank.

Her tenure as Caricom deputy secretary-general coincided with the re-organisation of the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat, the Community’s administrative body.

The other candidate who was being considered for the post is the current CARICOM deputy Secretary General, Dr Manorma Soeknandan.