The Ramphal Institute takes this opportunity to congratulate Dr Carla Barnett on her appointment as the next Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). When she assumes office in August 2021, Dr Barnett will become the first female Secretary-General of the organisation and the first Belizean to hold that post, replacing Ambassador Irwin LaRoque from Dominica.

Dr Barnett was also the first woman to serve as Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM, a position she held from 1997 to 2002. She served as Vice-President of the Caribbean Development Bank, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Belize, and Financial Secretary of Belize. She was also formerly Vice-President of the Belize Senate.

Dr Barnett holds a PhD in Social Sciences from the University of the West Indies, (UWI) Mona Campus in Jamaica, a Masters of Economics from the University of Western Ontario, and a Bachelors of Economics also from UWI.