Panday’s Caricom proposal “ridiculous and twisted logic” - APNU

Panday’s Caricom proposal “ridiculous and twisted logic” – APNU

Mar 14, 2014 News

Former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Basdeo Panday, recently proposed that the twin-island Republic, Suriname and Guyana move towards the integration of their own economies and jointly pursue arrangements with Brazil, Venezuela and other Latin American countries.

Basdeo Panday

Panday considered this to be a most beneficial venture. This suggestion was based on his firm opinion that Caricom is not delivering on its economic promises to some of its lesser developed member states and as such, only some member states stand to get a larger cut of the “Caricom Pie.”
But A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge says that Panday’s comments may have been said “without the benefit of intellect”. Greenidge categorically stated that he even rejects the undertones of the former PM’s message.
Greenidge in an invited comment said, “I don’t agree with it and it is driven by unhealthy considerations, and Caribbean states on their own would find it difficult to develop individually rather than collectively. It is important for us to pursue integration and pool our resources.”
The Member of Parliament stressed that the issue Panday is addressing is one that the Caribbean was addressing, even when they were colonies. He said that the colonies were addressing whether they could overcome the challenges of developing economies and infrastructure singularly rather than collectively, hence the birth of Caricom.
“What we need to be cognizant of is that the most obvious challenge is marine transport, and it is a major problem for Guyana. We cannot do this alone and if we were to pursue in such a direction and desert the Caricom movement then we would be confronted by many challenges in this regard.”
The politician expressed that the suggestion on the formation of such a union is quite ridiculous and twisted logic.
“Looking at the natural and human resource allocation, there is no justification for having those three countries by themselves. Guyana and Suriname are heavily under-populated and their growth will largely depend on the mechanization of agriculture, finding new outputs and most importantly, skilled labour which can apply itself to agriculture and any of its branches. Such a move will call for the immediate importation of labour.”
Moreover, Panday had said that the Caribbean governments have failed to pursue the programme of Caribbean integration in any systematic and enthusiastic manner and it has been clear for years that countries have only ‘passing interest’ and it is sad.
However, Greenidge contends that the issue of integration has not failed, simply because governments have failed to commit on the level of implementation of policies.

Carl Greenidge

“Benefits of economic growth require policies that can affect regional growth and the implementation of fiscal policies. Now I wish to make a clarification for those members which the former PM managed to persuade. Guyana has benefitted economically from Caricom. In fact, Guyana would have been worse off without Caricom. The country has benefitted from Barbados, for example, which served as a marketplace for our products, and it has even served Trinidad and Tobago. Guyana has benefitted from the Caricom market, and it has been a major market for its rice and one stage.”
“Let me also state that if anyone of sound mind were to pursue Panday’s preposterous plan or suggestion, the immediate consequence would be political, and it will only serve to intensify political and social tensions in the country.”
Greenidge asserted that Panday’s recommendation is fraught with many flaws, and “that is evident even when one considers the fact that the countries which he chose for his “ideal grouping” lack common institutions.
“You have a problem of a lack of common institutions, and the embrace to the rule of law is not the same and it will most certainly pose more difficulty with a smaller grouping. Also, it is important to note that on the economic front these are labour scare economies.
Even if you are to group countries, you would need to bring into the equation countries that have those things, so that such fundamental resources can be shared. Panday’s recommendation in essence lacks vision and it is quite startling when persons come to make such declarations and they are taken seriously.”