Cabinet concedes: July 4 will be public holiday to celebrate CARICOM’s 50 th anniversary – but not an annual holiday

The Cabinet has finally agreed to make July 4 a one-time public
holiday, specifically to honour the 50th anniversary of CARICOM. 

The decision was taken during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting to
grant the holiday, which marks 50 years since the signing of the
Treaty of Chaguaramas.  The Executive stresses that this date will
not become an annual holiday.

According to the Executive, “the decision is intended to allow for
reflection and examination, for assessment and for future guidance.”

It had been announced in the St. Kitts-Nevis Times, over a week ago,
that CARICOM Day, July 4, would be a national holiday in all
member-states of the OECS.

Apparently, however, the Administration had some reservations
about complying, with Prime Minister Gaston Browne announcing
that his Cabinet would discuss the issue.

If the decision was taken not to grant the public holiday, he said,
then, it should not be viewed as contempt for, or lack of
commitment to, CARICOM.

The business community has been known to complain about such
unscheduled public holidays, given their financial impact. Hence,
Browne had acknowledged that, with so many already on the official
calendar, it would be difficult to add another.

A day ago, before the Administration’s change of heart, a CMC article
had reported that Antigua and Barbuda was the second CARICOM
member to publicly signal its intention not to observe a national
holiday. Dominica reportedly was the first. 

The decision to declare July 4 a public holiday was taken during a
CARICOM-heads meeting in The Bahamas. A series of events is
planned to commemorate the occasion under the theme “50 Years
Strong: A Solid Foundation to Build on.”

Activities will run from July 3-5, with the 45th regular conference of
CARICOM heads being set for July 4.

Coincidentally, the public holiday falls on the United States’
Independence Day, the widely celebrated “Fourth of July.”