Dominican-born Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has been awarded the highest CARICOM honour in Suriname – the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC). The former CARICOM secretary-general and former assistant secretary-general for trade and economic integration at CARICOM secretariat was the 25th recipient of the OCC award.
LaRocque was one of four recipients; the other three are Calypsonian David Rudder, cricketer extraordinaire Sir Vivian Richards, and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados, Dame Billie Miller. The three other Dominican natives who received the OCC award before LaRocque were Justice P. Telford Georges (1994), Dame Mary Eugenia Charles (2002), and Dr. Nicholas Joseph Orville Liverpool (2008).
The award was handed over to the beneficiaries by President Chandrikapersad Santokhi of Suriname at the opening ceremony of the 43rd Regular Meeting of CARICOM heads of government in Paramaribo, Suriname, on Sunday, July 3.
According to CARICOM, the highest regional honour is reserved for Caribbean natives who distinguished themselves in politics, social, economic, and cultural endeavours that establish a legacy for the advancement of the Caribbean society. In presenting the award to LaRocque, President Santokhi said the Dominican national has contributed immensely to the development of the Caribbean Community with a legacy that cannot be wiped out in decades.
After receiving the award, LaRocque said he was speechless – the first time he would be speechless at a CARICOM gathering even though he has addressed the opening ceremonies of the commission on more than 20 occasions. “I’ve addressed these opening ceremonies of this conference more than twenty times, I believe; and tonight I am speechless,” he said. “I think it’s the first time I am really lost for words, so I shall limit my remarks to just saying thank you.”
He then went ahead to thank the conference of CARICOM heads of governments, workers at the CARICOM Secretariat, and the entire Caribbean peoples for the opportunity to serve in a former capacity and to be awarded the highest honour in the region. He served as CARICOM secretary-general from 2011 to 2021.
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