The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica extends congratulations to former Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, who was conferred with the Order of CARICOM (OCC) Award, at the opening ceremony of the 43rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the CARICOM, in Paramaribo, Suriname Ambassador LaRocque was recognized for his services to the Community and was one of four recipients of the 2022 OCC.
The Order of the Caribbean Community is an award given to “Caribbean nationals whose legacy in the economic, political, social and cultural development of Caribbean society is phenomenal.” It was established at the 8th Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in 1987 with the first awardees being: Dr William Demas of Trinidad and Tobago, Sir Shridath Ramphal of Guyana, and Sir Derek Walcott of Saint Lucia.
Ambassador LaRocque has enjoyed an illustrious career, having served locally as the Permanent Secretary in various ministries including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development, Tourism and Foreign Affairs, and at the regional level, as Assistant Secretary-General for Trade and Economic Integration and CARICOM Secretary-General from 2011 to 2021.
In his citation which was delivered at the July 3rd opening ceremony, Ambassador LaRocque was singled out as a regionalist who dedicated his time and effort to realizing the regional integration agenda set by CARICOM Heads of Government.
Evidently, as CARICOM Secretary-General, he demonstrated commitment and tireless efforts towards the strengthening and revitalization of the organization, resulting in notable structural improvements of the Secretariat, the establishment and strengthening of important regional bodies, and the development of initiatives in support of youth advancement and the reengagement of the private sector.
In this role, he also served as a key advocate for all Caribbean states, consistently using the platform of CARICOM to bring to light the complex and multidimensional issues faced by the states of the region. The other recipients were renowned test cricketer Sir Vivian Richards, calypsonian David Rudder and Former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados, Dame Billie Miller.
The Government of Dominica, therefore, salutes Ambassador Irwin LaRocque for having received the Caribbean region’s highest award, and for his unwavering contributions to regional integration and advancement and wished him a happy retirement.