The Caribbean Public Relations Association

While professional bodies in the USA, UK and Europe, and international associations such as the International Public Relations Association have developed steadily, those in the Caribbean have a different story to tell.

Only two countries, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, have professional associations. The Public Relations Association of Trinidad and Tobago, formed in 1972, and the Public Relations Society of Jamaica, formed in 1981. Both associations have had intermittent periods of development, and continue to strive to create a thriving, supportive network for practitioners. Jamaican practitioners have a double advantage since the 1989 establishment of the Jamaican Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, which offers numerous training opportunities.

To tap into international networks and to access regular information on trends and developments in public relations, some Caribbean practitioners have become members of associations such as the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR – UK), and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).

Practitioners may ask why a Caribbean body when many of the islands do not even have a professional association of their own? One may argue that for a regional body to succeed, it bodes well to build on individual, island networks. True. I say re-establish the Caribbean Public Relations Association, with a branch in each island, even if it starts off with just ten members, and let’s build it from there. Of course the issue of its headquarters would be an issue, considering the various tensions among countries and issues of larger islands seeming to assert themselves as the powerful forces of the Caribbean.

Caribbean integration has always walked a rocky, winding road. After all, look at Caribbean Community (CARICOM). I’d like to hope that dealing with politics of a different kind, after all each organisation has its own politics, perhaps we can try to use the same expertise we use in our jobs to develop and link professionals throughout the Caribbean so that we can learn more about indigenous public relations and share experiences. Being human, we’ll have our fights while taking on such an ambitious project; we may grumble, some may even abandon the ship, but it’s better to try.