The body parts of Caribbean unity and governance realities – Part Two

Aug 03, 2008 Clarence E. Pilgrim, Features / Columnists

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By Clarence E Pilgrim

Wherever you go within the Caribbean community, you are sure to find the trappings of a remarkable history and culture worth capturing for future reference.

The Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) produced a number of decisions, which are critical to the continued forward thrust of its 35 years of existence by treaty.

The seeds of the movement were, however, planted in an earlier form at Dickenson Bay, Antigua 43 years ago.

One of the challenges I analysed in part one of this commentary was the urgency to develop a human resource development plan on the national and regional levels, to address the issues associated with the freedom of movement among CARICOM citizens.

However, other essential actions are necessary factors in developing the right equation to guide the forward thrust of the organisation’s objectives.

The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), a vital component to the whole process of integration has now been launched, with an initial sum of US$60 million towards its target of US$250 million.

This is a significant step despite the criticisms that it is late in coming, and the amount is not enough.

It is my opinion (and I will use an analogy), even before a builder constructs a house, he must first make a suitable foundation upon which to affix it.

I believe that the amount earmarked to date for the fund is suitable material on which to build.
This CDF is clearly quite critical to the equitable distribution of the benefits of the CSME.

I salute all contributing states from both within and outside of the Community for having made the CDF a “start-up” reality.

This fund quite realistically, must go beyond its former limitations which were intended to broadly provide financial and technical assistance to Disadvantaged Countries, Regions and Sectors. It must also include present day realities which were not envisaged at the conception of the fund.

I would like to applaud the Heads for the establishment of the Regional Development Division (RDD) within the CDF. This is essential to the operational processes which will be involved.

The administrators of CDF must put a clear plan of sustainability and accountability in place if it is to work within the context it is was created, and also to accommodate any future expansion of its terms of reference.
The following eleven points are what I suggest are necessary guidelines to its success:

1. The RDD must be adequately staffed with specialist technicians to include individuals with risk management expertise.

2. CDF should be deposited in at least three regional financial institutions which offer preferential rates of interest for diversity.

3. The RDD should prepare quarterly reports on the velocity of the fund’s movement,

4. Clear terms of engagement must be drawn up for the access of Funds. However, they must be detailed, consistent and not buried in red tape

5. The RDD must create an aggressive marketing strategy to attract additional funding

6. The RDD should establish affiliated offices within each member nation. This may be done using existing financial institutions or appropriate regional offices.

7. The RDD need to create a workable and realistic schedule of payment quotas, as approved by the Community heads of government.

8. The head of the RDD should report directly to the Chairman of the CARICOM heads of government, through the Secretary-General of CARICOM.

9. To meet existing demands being placed on CARICOM economies because of the world food crises, the targeted amount for the fund should be increased up to US $400,000,000.

10. A Fund development advisory council should be established and consist of volunteers from a wide cross-section of appropriate stake-holders from within the community. The members should be rotated in a timely and proportional manner.

11. The immediate establishment of a three-member operations oversight committee made up of Permanent Secretaries within the Community, and who are rotated among states in a scheduled manner.

12. Given the importance of the many challenges facing our Caribbean collective on the impact and regional response to global rising prices and the developments in energy and climate change, there can be no doubt that CDF has the unlimited potential of being the fuel for economic stability, at a time when there are direct threats to the Region’s food and nutrition security.

But CDF can only have a realistic purpose if there is a joint understanding and re-focusing of national priorities to support a planned and comprehensive infusion of funds into key areas such as agriculture, climate change and energy security.

In this time of world food crisis which some have described as a “perfect storm”, strong and visionary leadership is critical.

The managers of our economies would be failing in their duty if they did not seize the initiative and rise resolutely to the challenges of this occasion, by finding the solutions where others are unwilling to go.

The creation of the CDF marks a significant milestone for the leadership of the community and the noble history of CARICOM.

Since this has never been done before, it is important that this regional enterprise succeed if the goals of integration are to remain constant and not be continuously defined and redefined.

It is important that we get the architecture and framework right, if this initiative is to create real opportunities for our people through positive entrepreneurship.

The use of this new tool can help to make our Region a viable force in the face of a changing world, once there is a steadfast commitment to its success.

Clarence E Pilgrim, is an environmentalist, advocate for human rights, educator, a senior officer in the Antigua & Barbuda Civil service and volunteer for various non-profit organisations.

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