Caricom at 40

Jul 01, 2013 Editorial

Forty years ago the “big four” leaders of the former British colonies in the Caribbean – Burnham (Guyana), Williams (T&T), Barrow (Barbados) and Manley (Jamaica) – decided that the free trade zone they had created eight years before, CARIFTA, should be taken to a new level. They launched Caricom – the Caribbean Community – on July 4. 1973. Today, we celebrate “Caricom Day” in Guyana as a public holiday but apart from enjoying a “day off”, most citizens would be hard put to say precisely what we are celebrating.
The leaders of Caricom will be meeting from July 3rd to 6th to “re-enact” the original signing. We wonder which among them will fill the shoes of the “big four” in this symbolic event which from all indications will remain “symbolic”. Forty years ago, those pioneering leaders had realised that in sinking the albeit flawed WI Federation in 1962 to pursue “independence” separately, they had possibly thrown out the baby with the bathwater.
In Jan 1973, their former European ruler Britain had belatedly joined the European Common Market, which was explicitly committed to greater integration. It had recognised the benefits of widened linkages generated by the organisation formed in 1957. However twenty years later, (1993) while Europe launched the European Union, Caricom had stagnated as far as becoming a “community” even though it had announced the goal of a “Caribbean Single Market and Economy” (CSME) to be achieved by 2015.
The problem was the same one that had doomed the Federation back in 1962: the unwillingness of the individual leaders of Caricom to devote time on a sustained basis towards implementing the decisions of the organisation. They rather focused in fortifying their political fortunes within their own countries. This never summoned the political will to replicate the Maastricht Treaty undergirding the EU, which called for a strengthened European parliament, the creation of a central European bank and common currency, and a common defense policy.
Today the CSME is officially on “hold” and more than ever, the individual countries are pursuing their separate destinies. Even though as far back as 1969 Professors Thomas and Brewster had outlined a detailed blueprint for greater economic integration – beyond the paper signing focus of the organisation – there had been no successful project they could point to. One symbol of the impotence of Caricom was the meeting earlier this week by the subcommittee formed eight years before to address one of the ten constraints on agriculture for food security identified by the Jagdeo Initiative – “Inadequate Research and Development”. Nothing concrete had been done.
In the meantime, the region has increased its food imports and the territories were still focusing on separate initiatives. One of the “major” items on the agenda of the assembled leaders this weekend will be “transportation” – but without any reference that it is also one of the ten identified “binding” constraints. They might or might not mention that it was also one of the objectives identified in 1973.
Another sign of Caricom’s disarray that will be on display will be the presence of Venezuelan President Maduro as an official guest. Several members of Caricom have accepted the invitation of Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez to become members of a rival regional grouping ALBA. Others have also benefitted from the Venezuelan PetroCaribe initiative in which petroleum is delivered on very expansive concessionary terms. Maduro has emphasised that he sees the PetroCaribe fund as a tool to finance greater regional economic development. All of this, however, will proceed in a fragmented manner since again only some Caricom members are signatories to PetroCaribe.
At this stage of globalisation, when it is even more necessary for Caricom to increase its common approach to social, political and economic matters, one would have to be an extreme optimist to believe that any progress will come out of this weekend’s Heads of Government meeting. Caricom is only spinning wheels as it remains a haven for bureaucrats that enjoy a privileged cocooned existence while the region sinks into disrepair.
Maybe the leaders should declare: Caricom (1973-2013) R.I.P.

Latest News

Caricom at 40

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest tips off today

Twin tons from Anderson, Imlach steer Eagles back...

Race for quarterfinal spots commence today at MoE...

Marsh sets up Lucknow’s comfortable win...

Saints and GTI dominate as YBG Georgetown...

Carty misses ton, Hamilton (80) sets up tense...

Features/Columnists

The One-Man Republic

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

Polls – what they say, where I stand

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Caricom at 40

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]