#TurksandCaicos, March 1, 2022 – The Premier Honourable Charles Washington Misick is attending the 33^rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on 1 – 2 March 2022 in Belize.

During the two-day conference Heads of Government will discuss a number of matters pertinent to countries in the Caribbean region including the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic, advancing the recovery of regional economies as a result of the pandemic; progressing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy to help improve regional resilience; border and security issues; and advancing the CARICOM Agri-Food Systems Agency, with emphasis on regional food and nutrition security.

Government Heads will also engage with representatives of the private sector, labour and civil society and discuss climate change following the recently concluded COP-26.

The event commenced on Tuesday, 1 March 2022 with an opening ceremony and featured remarks by: CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett, outgoing CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Honourable Gaston Browne and CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister of Belize, Honourable John Antonio Briceño and will close on Wednesday, 2^nd March with a press conference and official closing.

On Thursday, 3^rd March 2022, the Premier, accompanied by the Honourable Arlington Musgrove, Minister for Immigration and Border Services, will attend the 2022 Central American Integration System (SICA) Summit.

The SICA Summit invites Heads of Government from member states and associate member states, from the Central American region to discuss the priority matters including democratic security; prevention and mitigation of natural disasters and the effects of climate change; social integration; economic integration; and institutional strengthening. The Directors of Cooperation of SICA plan to meet with the Directors of Cooperation of CARICOM following inter-sessional meetings, to exchange best practices and experiences.

The TCI delegation consists of the Premier, Honourable Arlington Musgrove, Minister for Immigration and Border Services, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Immigration and Border Services, Mrs. Althea Been, Mr Miquel Swann, Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Premier and Public Policy and Mr Bentley Johnson, Aide De Camp.

The Turks and Caicos Islands Government continues to partner with neighbouring countries and organisations in the region and globally that will aid in the promotion of best practices and improve socio-economic sustainability, development and resilience in the TCI.

The Conference of Heads of Government consists of the Heads of Government of the Member States. CARICOM has 15 Member States – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago; and five Associate Members – Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.