For the first time in its illustrious 53 years of existence, the Caribbean Development Bank/CDB has sincerely reached out to the region’s Indigenous Tribal Nations, to officially invite them to enter into a new and unprecedented phase of the progressive evolution of the bank, it wants to tangibly demonstrate respect for the Caribbean’s first peoples by collaborating more equitably with them to create and shape innovative new policies, that will be a dynamic response by the bank – to the requests and suggestions directly from Indigenous peoples themselves – as to how the bank can become more relevant, and respectfully helpful, in the lives of the Caribbean region’s estimated over 250,000 native peoples – from Jamaica in the north, to Belize in Central America, to the Guianas in North East South America, and the Caribbean island chain in between.  This current 53rd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Development Bank is being held in St Lucia, at the Sandals Grande Resort.

A quote from the Caribbean Development Bank/CDB website:

“The CDB is seeking to deepen engagement with Indigenous Peoples as part of its efforts to, inter-alia, enhance its work methodologies with Indigenous Peoples; ensure cultural relevance of its technical and financial assistance to social services, support culturally relevant infrastructure, and safeguard living cultural heritage. It is also an opportunity for the CDB and its development partners, to hear directly from Indigenous Peoples on areas of importance to them”.

A quote from Mr. Richardo Aiken, Community Development Specialist of the Caribbean Development Bank:

“The Caribbean Development Bank IS living up to its theme for this 53rd Annual Meeting which is: “Learning from our past, to shape our future, and we are very proud to constructively deepen our relationship with the Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean Region. in a way no other institution of this nature has ever done hitherto ”  

A quote from Chief Damon Corrie of the Eagle Clan of the Lokono Arawak Tribal Nation of Barbados & Guyana, Indigenous Media Co-ordinator of the Indigenous Forum at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the CDB – and Co-President of the Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization/CADO:

“Never in my 30+ years of voluntary advocacy work in the Caribbean Indigenous Rights arena, have I ever had the good fortune of encountering a banking institution so interested and committed to partnering with Indigenous Peoples, to create a more prosperous ad equitable future for the often maligned/overlooked first thread of the social fabric of our beautiful Caribbean civilization – as I have found in the Caribbean Development Bank, trust me, great and significant leaps forward are coming in due course for all of us as the first nations of the Caribbean – at long last”.  

A quote from Chief Irvince Auguiste of the Kalinago Tribal Nation of Dominica, Curator of the Indigenous Peoples Exhibit & Event Co-ordinator, and Co-President of the Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization/CADO:

“When I was elected as the youngest Chief of my people at the age of 21 in 1984, 39 years ago, I had a dream of the CDB becoming a partner with Indigenous Peoples one day to advance our development, I thank the Great Spirit that at 60 I have now lived to see my premonition dream come true”. 

On Thursday, June 22nd, 2023, at 8 am, the Indigenous Peoples Forum will go live online, and everyone is invited to log on and follow the event via the link below: