From June 29 to July 1 2026, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) headquarters in St Kitts and Nevis played host to a landmark regional gathering: the 2026 Caribbean Public Financial Management (PFM) and Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Roundtable. Representing Grenada at the event was Natika Bain-Charles, the country’s top accounting official who also took on a new leadership role for the pan-Caribbean initiative during the roundtable.
Bringing together accountants general from 19 Caribbean nations alongside seasoned public financial management practitioners, international development partners, leading regional institutions and specialized technical experts, the three-day roundtable was designed to confront shared systemic challenges and unlock collaborative opportunities to reinforce public financial management frameworks across the entire Caribbean region. The centerpiece of the opening day was two high-stakes components: the official Caribbean Accountant General Network Council Meeting and the long-awaited formal in-person launch of the regional network itself.
Bain-Charles, who was formally appointed as Chairperson of the network’s Executive Committee during the gathering, led the council meeting through pivotal discussions that shaped the organization’s vision, core mission and long-term strategic trajectory. The meeting also included a knowledge-sharing exchange with the Forum of Governmental Accounting of Latin America (FOCAL), where representatives shared insights from FOCAL’s decades of work advancing regional cooperation, technical skills development, and cross-border dissemination of best practices across Latin America.
Though the network was formally established during a virtual inaugural assembly held on December 10 2025, following months of iterative discussion among regional accounting leaders, public officials and international development partners, the St Kitts and Nevis launch marked its official entry into operational work. To date, 21 Caribbean countries have formally signed on to membership in the collaborative body.
The network was founded to fill a critical gap in regional governance: it provides a structured, sustained platform for cross-border cooperation, peer-to-peer learning, targeted capacity building, and the exchange of specialized information and technical expertise between accountants general across the Caribbean. Beyond knowledge sharing, the organization also aims to drive greater harmonization of public sector accounting standards, operational practices and standardized terminology across all member states, streamlining regional financial cooperation.
Addressing attendees at the official launch on June 29, Bain-Charles emphasized the historic nature of the moment. “Your presence at today’s historic launch is an indication of a shared commitment among Caribbean Accountant Generals and our Development Partners to build resilient public institutions, strengthen public financial management, and foster a community of practice that will benefit not only our respective countries but all Caribbean Citizens,” she said.
Beyond the network’s founding activities, the full three-day roundtable program also included a dedicated Caribbean Public Financial Management Forum and a two-day intensive PEFA workshop. The workshop is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the PEFA assessment framework, its core methodology, and how it can be leveraged to design and implement impactful public financial management reforms across member states.
In her opening remarks to the PFM Forum, Bain-Charles framed the gathering as a turning point for regional financial governance. “Today marks a defining moment in the evolution of public financial management in the Caribbean, bringing us together as custodians of our region’s financial integrity, united by a common purpose. I encourage you to share your experiences and ideas on how we can further strengthen public financial management for the benefit of all Caribbean citizens,” she noted.
The landmark roundtable and network launch was brought to fruition through a collaborative partnership between the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre and the PEFA Secretariat.
Grenada’s central leadership role in the new network underscores the country’s longstanding commitment to advancing accountability, transparency, institutional capacity and robust financial governance across the Caribbean public sector. In a statement following the launch, Grenada’s Ministry of Finance expressed enthusiasm for the country’s role in the initiative, noting that it welcomes the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to regional dialogue and support the development of stronger, more resilient public financial management systems across the entire Caribbean region.