s the Caribbean Communi- ty (CARICOM) celebrates the fortieth anniversary of its birth, there is much that the Region can look back on with a sense of achievement. We can begin with the simple fact that the Caribbean Community remains the oldest and one of the most viable integration movements in the Region. And although it has en- countered a number of difficulties on the way to realising the dream and vision of the Founding Fathers, it has shown both maturity and the capacity to stay the course over the last forty years. This is not, however, an attempt to deny the real- ity of certain difficulties facing the Com- munity as an organisation.