GEORGETOWN, Guyana - The longtime leader of a Caribbean trade bloc announced his resignation Wednesday, surprising many who had praised the way he dealt with nearly two decades of challenges.

Edwin Carrington is the longest serving secretary general of the Guyana-based Caribbean Community, created in July 1973. He is credited with helping boost the region's sluggish economy and creating a regional appeals court.

"It has been a period of important achievements as well as significant disappointments," Carrington said in a statement. "I leave satisfied and confident however, that Caricom now has a solid platform."

Carrington did not specify the disappointments or say why he decided to give up the post at the end of December, but said he was looking forward to dealing with family issues.

Some Caricom officials said Carrington felt he was losing support among some of the 15 member nations. Critics have said he spent too much time traveling and not enough time supervising staff to ensure projects were carried out properly.

Calls to several representatives of member nations were not returned.

A replacement has not been named.

Carrington, 72, is an economist from Trinidad and Tobago who was appointed Caricom leader in 1992 after serving as secretary-general of the Association of African, Caribbean and Pacific nations.

In 1994, he helped establish the 39-nation Association of Caribbean States and two years later helped find homes for thousands of people displaced by an erupting volcano in Montserrat.

Carrington also reviewed membership requests from Haiti and Suriname while in office. In 2010, Caricom granted Haiti -- the last country to join the organization -- permission to sell goods duty free in the region for three years.

Caricom trade director David Hales called Carrington an inspirational leader.

"I think his shoes will be hard to fill," Hales said. "He generated strong loyalty among staff and people who worked closely with him."

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