GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – The Caribbean Community (Caricom) will convene a meeting to examine issues affecting Rastafarians across the region, the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat announced Tuesday.

It said that the meeting, for which a date or the venue had not been disclosed, will be attended by representatives from member states and other key stakeholders, and comes against the background of persistent discrimination and marginalisation experienced by Rastafarians, both in the region and internationally.

The Secretariat said that the decision to hold the meeting was taken during last month’s  Inter-Sessional Meeting of the regional leaders, where it was “noted that many Rastafarians continue to face exclusion in areas such as education, employment, and public life.

“They reaffirmed the importance of ensuring the full recognition and protection of the rights of Rastafarians as equal members of society.

”They also agreed to establish a committee comprising representatives from Barbados, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, to advance consideration of issues affecting Rastafarians at both the regional and international levels.”

The Caricom Secretariat statement said that the meeting highlighted several positive national initiatives already undertaken by member states to address historical injustices experienced by Rastafarians, including official public apologies, provision of land grants and legislation to protect individuals from discrimination in the workplace.

The statement said that these initiatives are examples of progressive action that could inform a coordinated regional approach.