ASSEMBLY OF CARIBBEAN PEOPLE

FINAL DECLARATION AND PLAN OF ACTION

AUGUST 7TH, 2010

We,  the delegates of the Fifth Assembly of Caribbean People, meeting in Barbados at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of West Indies between the 3rd and the 7th August,  2010,  and representing many of the Caribbean’s social movements of farmers, workers, women,  artistes,  students, scholars,  youth, political parties, trade unions and non-governmental and community-based organizations, in our pursuit of a united Caribbean region,  rooted in solidarity and dedicated to the eradication of colonialism,  the termination of the illegal blockade of Cuba,  and the repudiation of all neo-imperialist economic models that inhibit the freedom and development of our people,  hereby ADOPT the several reports and resolutions attached and appended hereto under the headings of:

1)        International Economic and Debt Crisis

2)        Colonialism, Militarization and the Blockade against Cuba

3)        Agriculture, Agrarian Reform & Food Sovereignty

4)        Integration, Political Union & Governance

5)         Industrial Development, Trade & Transportation

6)        Drugs, Crime, Cultural degeneration and Racism

7)        The Environment

8)         Education

9)        Health

10)      Farmers Caucus

11)      Women’s Caucus

12)      Youth Caucus

The principles expressed and the several commitments to concrete action recorded in these reports and resolutions are consistent with the rights and duty of the Caribbean people to fully appropriate the power, self-determination and sovereignty that belong to them, and to demand just compensation and redress for the 500 years of colonialism, neo-colonialism and imperialist looting and plunder of the Caribbean’s wealth, environment and human and natural resources. 

In addition to the specific undertakings made in these reports and resolutions, we further commit our Assembly of Caribbean People to the fostering of constructive and mutually developmental relationships with such regional entities as the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),  Petro Caribe and the Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America and the Caribbean (ALBA), and to support and participate in the following events,  mobilizations and commemorations:-

YEAR 2010

AUGUST

-           11th -15th - IV Social Forum of the America, Asunción, Paraguay

-           4th - Day of Diversity and Caribbean Cultural Identity approved at the                                                      

4th Assembly of Caribbean People

-           27th to 29th - Biennial Convention of the Pan African Movement: The                                

Guyana Branch, “Examining the past, planning for the future”, Georgetown, Guyana

SEPTEMBER

-           12th - International Journey of Solidarity with the Cuban Five imprisoned in the United State since 1998.

-           21st – International Day of Peace

-           23rd - International Day of Solidarity with the struggle against colonialism in the Caribbean within the international journey of solidarity with Puerto Rico.

-           29th - October 4th. International Journey in Solidarity with Haiti

OCTOBER

-           4th - World HABITAT Day

-           12th to 19th - Continental Mobilisation of the ”Cry of the Excluded” in support of migrant communities in the United States and to denounce the Arizona Act

-           16th - World Day of Food Sovereignty

NOVEMBER

-           17th - International Students’ Day

-           15th - Day of Non-violence against Women.

DECEMBER

-           3rd - Day of Latin American and Caribbean Medicine

-           16th – 21st XVII World Festival of Youth and Students, South Africa

YEAR 2011

FEBRUARY

-           6th -11th - World Social Forum, Dakar, Senegal

-           6th -11th - World Assembly of Inhabitants in the framework of the World

                Social Forum, Dakar, Senegal

JULY

-           5^th - Day of Caribbean Unity adopted in the 1st Caribbean Social Forum,

held in Martinique in 2006

It has also been agreed that the 6th Assembly of Caribbean People will be held in Suriname in 2012.

APPENDIX

a.                  Number of delegates attending the V Assembly inclusive of Barbadian volunteers who simultaneously worked at the Assembly and attended the sessions: 120 persons

b.     List of participating countries

1.         Anguilla

2.         Barbados

3.         Canada

4.         Cuba

5.         Dominica

6.         Dominican Republic

7.         Grenada

8.         Guadeloupe

9.         Guyana

10.       Martinique

11.       Nigeria

12.       St. Lucia

13.       St Vincent and the Grenadines

14.       Suriname 

15.       Trinidad &Tobago

16.       Venezuela