Barbados was one of the four founding members in 1973 which then along with Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago moved to establish the organization then known as the Caribbean Community and Common Market.
This new organization became a successor to the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) of which Barbados was also a member.
The former prime minister of Barbados Owen Arthur strongly lobbied the CARICOM heads to push the organization beyond the goal of a mere Common market and instead transform it into a Caribbean one-Single Market and Economy.
Several organizations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) organization are physically based in Barbados including: Barbados also maintains a Cabinet level position to the Caribbean Community.
The seat of Barbadian non-resident accreditation to the other countries of CARICOM is from Bridgetown, and is the same for all members.