UN General Assembly
1996

“The history of the Caribbean is the history of the struggle of empires against the peoples of the region in order to rob them of their rich lands. It is also the history of the struggle of empires against one another to rob the possessions each one had conquered. Lastly, it is the history of the peoples of the Caribbean to free themselves from their imperial masters.” This direct contact with the major Powers over the course of five centuries, a product of these confrontations, 5 has marked the Caribbean, perhaps forever, with a particular stamp of fragmented histories, and different cultures and languages. Yet we are always seeking unity within diversity. Recent years have brought greater understanding and closer bonds between us, based on the understanding that we have a common destiny. As proof of this, our country is a founding member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), an organization bringing together nations that are very different both in ethnic terms and in development levels, and thus reflecting the richness and variety of our region.