CARIbbean COMmon market (CARICOM)

Integral part of the Caribbean community, it is a trading agreement between region's island and littoral states. CARICOM emerged in 1973 from the breakup of the West Indies Federation (1958-62) and the dissolution of Caribbean free-trade agreement of 1968. Fourteen states (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kits & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago) are its full members. Three states (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Turks & Caicos) are the associate members. And nine states (Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela) have the observer status. The Bahamas is a member of the community but not of the common market. CARICOM headquarters are in Georgetown, Guyana.