Delivering the annual Dame Eugenia Charles Memorial Lecture, Gonsalves, one of the region’s longest serving head of government, spoke on the topic “Our Caribbean Civilization and its Political Prospects”.

   “The necessity and desirability for an independent Caribbean united is more urgent than ever,” he told the audience, saying “I know there are problems in getting there, but we have to cooperate and do things more together.

“As Prime Minister, you have so many domestic challenges, but you really can’t deal with the serious ones unless you work together across the Caribbean.”

   He said issues such as climate change, climate financing, the issue of war and peace and the ongoing war in Ukraine are matters where the region needs a united position.

   Gonsalves said he has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, United States President Joe Biden, the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio  Guterres “making a plea for peace” and that he intends to send the letter to every head of state in the world.

   He said with the threat of nuclear weapons being used, it is important “for all of us to be in solidarity on certain questions even when we disagree with each other politically.

“There are some things which we must at least, for the good of the nation, and for our civilization regionally, work together,” he added.