Deputy Secretary General
Manorma Soeknandan
Caricom has appointed Surinamese national Manorma Soeknandan as its new deputy secretary general, the secretariat announced on Wednesday.
Ambassador Soeknandan assumed duties at the Caricom Secretariat on February 1. She succeeds Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite.
A familiar figure in the community, Ambassador Soeknandan served as resident ambassador of the Republic of Suriname to Guyana from 2001 to January 2013. She was accredited as that nation’s ambassador to Caricom and to Jamaica in January 2002. During her tenure as resident ambassador in Guyana, she became the dean of the diplomatic corps. She has represented her country, including as head of delegation, in several meetings of Caricom’s organs and bodies.
Ambassador Soeknandan has extensive diplomatic experience in the international/regional arena, with competencies in managing inter-state relations through diplomatic channels, negotiating cooperation arrangements between states and institutions, and negotiating with international development partners.
The new deputy secretary general also has experience in a wide range of areas, such as managing human and financial resources; strategic leadership and operational management; negotiating treaties, agreements, protocols; public awareness and public education.
Ambassador Soeknandan holds a Bachelor of Laws degree (LL B.) from Anton de Kom University and worked for 27 years as a lawyer with the government of Suriname. She also served as head and manager of several departments with the Justice and Police Ministry, including manager of computerisation projects.
