CARICOM to host special meeting to address discrimination and other issues affecting Rastafarian community

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has announced that it is set to convene a meeting of representatives from Member States and other key stakeholders to examine issues affecting Rastafarians across the Region.

In a statement this afternoon CARICOM said its meeting is coming against the backdrop of persistent reports of discrimination and marginalisation being experienced by Rastafarians, both in the Region and internationally.

CARICOM said the decision was taken at the Forty-second Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government held in May.

The regional body said the Heads of Government meeting held preliminary discussions on the issue and will now be forging ahead with deeper discussions on the issue.

“In the Meeting, Member States noted that many Rastafarians continue to face exclusion in areas such as education, employment, and public life. They reaffirmed the importance of ensuring the full recognition and protection of the rights of Rastafarians as equal members of society,” CARICOM said.

A committee comprising representatives from Barbados, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, will be established to advance consideration of issues affecting Rastafarians at both the regional and international levels.

CARICOM noted that several positive national initiatives have already been undertaken by Member States to address historical injustices experienced by Rastafarians, including official public apologies, provision of land grants and legislation to protect individuals from discrimination in the workplace.

These initiatives, CARICOM said are examples of progressive action that could inform a coordinated regional approach

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