CARICOM's vision should be more realistic
-- says President Jagdeo

by Michelle Elphage
Guyana Chronicle
October 30, 1999

PRESIDENT Bharratt Jagdeo yesterday urged that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) should make its vision more realistic, and he expressed strong reservations about the political commitment of Community Governments to implement the Single Market and Economy (SM&E).

Addressing reporters following his maiden attendance at the Special Heads of Government Summit in Trinidad and Tobago (TT&T) earlier this week, President Jagdeo said he told the Region's leaders that it was critical for authority to be devolved from the Heads of Governments to community bodies.

While expressing optimism that the legal frame-work will be in place to set up the Single Market and Economy, President Jagdeo voiced concerns as to whether Governments will speedily implement the necessary mechanisms in their respective countries.

"To implement a Single Market and Economy, there are some tough decisions that would have to be made. (That is) the willingness of the leaders across CARICOM to devolve authority to community bodies. Because a single market and economy cannot be managed by the Heads of Government or even a committee of Ministers," the President warned.

"If we do not have the political will to devolve the authority then we cannot hope for an early establishment of the Single Market and Economy."

But he added he hoped he could be proven wrong.

Mr Jagdeo told the press conference, which was conducted in the Credentials Room of the President Secretariat, that Guyana remains committed to the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). He refuted reports that the country had changed its position in that regard.

The 26-year old Community is due to bring on stream the CCJ by October next year, but Heads at the Special Summit expressed doubts as to whether this deadline could be met.

However, the CCJ is important before the SM&E could come on stream.

Guyana, T&T, Barbados and Jamaica will form the initial membership of the Court to be based in the twin-island state.

"Given the importance of this development for our Community, we have agreed that member states should intensify their public awareness campaigns to sensitise the people of the Region on the role and function of the Court," Mr Jagdeo explained.

The President said the two-day conference, Chaired by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Mr Basdeo Panday, covered a variety of issues including the vision for the Community with the approach of the new century.

"There was much concern over the need to ensure that the Caribbean identity was maintained. Issues such as the breakdown in family life, increasing crime, male under-achievement, and the negative influence of foreign television on our societies were highlighted as areas which should be addressed in striving to attain a better standard of life in the Caribbean Community," Jagdeo said.

"We took cognisance of the fact that as Heads of Government, we are charged with the responsibility of the future of our Region to cope with the political, economic, social and technological challenges of a new century."

But he said, Governments recognised that they alone could not propel the integration process.

According to the President, there is need for the involvement of civil society and the media in this process.

He also reiterated the Heads' endorsement of a resolution from the Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana, desiring a peaceful settlement to the more than three-decade-old border controversy with Venezuela.

On the issue of external trade negotiations, President Jagdeo said the CARICOM leaders endorsed the position that the Region must place maximum importance on special and differential treatment for smaller economies.

"The upcoming third WTO (World Trade Organisation) Ministerial conference to be held in Seattle at the beginning of December was seen as an opportunity to initiate a process of `review, repair and reform' of the Uruguay Round Agreement and the current WTO framework," the Guyanese leader stated.

"The Seattle Ministerial meeting must ensure that the development concerns of its lesser developed members are properly addressed, particularly in relation to implementation of the various commitments made under the Uruguay Round Agreement."

Heads, while pleased with the recent trade negotiations for the Post Lome IV Agreement, took the position that CARICOM should insist on a "real commitment" to the concerns of smaller economies in the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) process.

"CARICOM will not be prepared to engage in those negotiations unless these concerns were addressed and special provisions are made for the integration of the smaller economies in the process," President Jagdeo emphasised.

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