KINGSTON, Jamaica—Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged member states to adopt a more grounded and strategic vision of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to advance regional integration.

Holness, who was speaking at the opening session of the 50th regular conference of Caricom heads of government in St Kitts and Nevis on Tuesday, emphasised that Caricom is not monolithic but is aligned in critical areas that matter most to its people.

“We are not monolithic. We are not always going to be one group. But we are aligned in critical areas that matter most for our people, security, resilience in all forms, economic opportunity, and global relevance,” Holness said.

The prime minister noted that the region’s geography, youthful population, renewable energy potential, creative industries, and democratic traditions place it within the strategic horizon of a rapidly changing world. He therefore called for a renewed vision for Caricom, one focused on competitiveness, institutional readiness, and nuanced diplomacy.

“First, a competitiveness agenda anchored in logistics, connectivity, digital and AI-enabled transformation, and clean energy, allowing our economies to scale within the single market even as each state advances its own development strategy,” Holness outlined.

“Second, institutional readiness. Regional bodies capable of delivering on clear priorities with professionalism and continuity, inspiring confidence among global partners, and these institutions must reduce their bureaucracy and increase their speed,” he added.

Thirdly, Holness said there needs to be a nuanced diplomatic posture, one that recognises diversity among member states as not fragmentation but as a spectrum of strategic options that collectively enhance the region’s leverage.

“Friends, if our economies are to scale, we must scale our ambitions. If our voice is to carry weight, we must speak with coherence, recognising that unity does not require uniformity,” Holness said.

“If we are to secure the future of our people, we must embrace both our shared identity and our sovereign dynamism,” the prime minister continued. “Caricom endures because it adapts. It survives because we remain committed to the idea that small states can achieve big things when we work together.”

Holness reaffirmed Jamaica’s commitment to achieving this strategic vision, emphasising that the country’s national development is inseparable from the region’s success.