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Incoming CARICOM boss plugs accountability
“The people of the Caribbean wanted us to make changes to this Institution… and make the changes immediately”
By Gary Eleazar
On the issue of whether the recently held 23rd Intercessional Meeting of the
CARICOM Chairman, Surinamese President Desi Bouterese engages his predecessor Denzil Douglas of St Kitts and Nevis
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) can be construed as a ‘talk shop’ or not, the incoming Chairman, Dr Kenny Anthony of St Lucia, says “far from it.”
The question was deferred by the current CARICOM Chairman, Desi Bouterse, on Friday last to his incoming counterpart who in turn told the international media that he has had an opportunity to witness first-hand the workings of CARICOM and “there was something different at this meeting.”
The recently concluded meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname, according to Dr Anthony, has provided a platform for him to build on, when he assumes Chairmanship of the Community in June.
“There was a clear sense of purpose,” Dr Anthony said even as he underscored that the various Heads of Government, agreed without reservation that changes have to be made to the institution of CARICOM.
This change, he said, has to be effected to the manner in which CARICOM makes decisions and lamented the way in which the Secretariat has been allowed to operate.
The CARICOM Secretariat is located in Guyana and the Heads did demand an immediate restructuring of the coordinating arm of the alliance of nations.
The incoming Chairman said that the Heads have been so consistent in their approach to dealing with the problems plaguing CARICOM, they dealt in-depth with the specially arraigned report on the state of CARICOM and have taken on board their recommendations.
“Generally speaking we are in agreement with the broad recommendations of the consultants.”
Dr Anthony said that to him, it was instructive that the Heads of Government immediately, during the Conference on Thursday and Friday last in Paramaribo, Suriname, directed the CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque to appoint a ‘Change Facilitator’ at the Secretariat to implement the remedies needed to rescue the Community.
Dr Anthony suggested that the Heads went a step further when they agreed that by the next conference in St Lucia, that a Prime Ministerial Sub Committee will work very closely with La Rocque and the Secretariat to oversee the implementation of the changes.
Incoming CARICOM Chairman Dr Kenny Anthony of St Lucia
“All are agreed that changes are badly needed both in terms of the structure and the agenda…there’s a strong feeling that perhaps far too much reaches the conference for consideration,” said Dr Anthony.
He suggested that maybe it is time for the Heads to consider devolving responsibility, “in accordance with the provision of the treaty.”
He was referring to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramus, which is the legal instrument that has formed the union of Caribbean Nation’s into a trading bloc and is looking for a completely integrated economy.
He did say that the work of CARICOM under Bouterse has progressed, and the Conference provided the opportunity which spawned a “very purposeful meeting.”
Dr Anthony suggested that each of the Heads clearly understood that “the people of the Caribbean wanted us to make changes to this institution and make the changes immediately.”
Dr Anthony stressed that it was clearly understood, that this time around it is not a matter of postponing the changes required to make CARICOM more responsive, responsible and accountable.
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