Those of their critics, this writer among them, who often knock the CARICOM leaders for failing to blend action with rhetoric and for so often falling short on implementation of decisions, must be ready to monitor the new momentum being generated for progress.

True, as was to be expected, there was no advance on that tortuous, elusive issue - a taboo for some governments - of political union, in any form.

But the `Consultation on Options for Governance to accelerate Regional Integration’ did point to some new thinking and approaches that could, for instance, see a significant change in the structure and functioning of the CARICOM Secretariat following the forthcoming 24th regular Community Summit in Jamaica in July.

They should have by then considered the wide-ranging recommendations of a mandated "review" by a five-member committee of technocrats of the structure and functioning of the Georgetown-based Community Secretariat. The Secretariat needs to be urgently empowered and provided with increased financial and higher quality human resources.

The Prime Ministers of Jamaica (P.J. Patterson) and Antigua and Barbuda (Lester Bird) actually suggested, separately, that it was perhaps time to revisit a core recommendation of The West Indian Commission - creation of a high-level CARICOM Commission, or some such mechanism, to supervise the affairs of the Community, similar perhaps to the European Commission.

The leaders met for two days, starting on Valentine's Day, at the conclusion of a series of pre-inter-sessional meetings of regional technocrats, Central Bank Governors, ministers with wide-ranging responsibilities including trade, finance, foreign relations, legal affairs and two prime ministerial sub-committees on external trade and economic negotiations and the single market and economy.

Their inter-sessional conferencing was preceded by the `Consultation on Options for Governance’, an initiative of host Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

When they finally rose from the conference room of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, at the close of their 14th inter-sessional conference, presided over by Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo, the leaders were evidently pleased with themselves.

People-focused
They had a right to be - even if, as their detractors would point out, there remains the challenge to expedite resolutions to protracted people-focused issues.

These would certainly include freedom of movement to live and work within the Community; repositioning of immigration and customs services to be more productive and friendly; as well as the need to inspire a greater sense of Community "oneness", or "belonging" among the peoples of the region about what's being done in their name for the Caribbean.

In this context, the role of the media cannot be minimised, nor should the media be uptight and go on the defensive about criticisms from either officials of the Community Secretariat or the political directorate when they call for more cooperation and meaningful coverage of regional events and developments.

With the hemispheric-wide Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) scheduled to enter into force in 2005, CARICOM is anxious to secure "bankable assurances" on special and differential treatment for small and disadvantaged economies.

Consequently, the leaders had little choice but to put their shoulders to the wheel to hasten the process of bringing on board some of the important issues that could distinguish a Community on the move from one stuck in the sand.

Both Secretary General of the Community, Edwin Carrington, and President Jagdeo, immediate past CARICOM chairman - thrust in the chairmanship role again due to the sudden illness of current chairman of the Community, Dominica's Prime Minister Pierre Charles - have pointed to the 14th Inter-Sessional as being "unique".

Unique in the range of issues addressed and resolved and in virtually assuming the character of a regular CARICOM Summit with major decisions taken in an atmosphere of cordiality and evident commitment to "make things happen".

Perhaps the psychological factor of this being the 30th anniversary of the Community and wanting to show the difference between the 14th and previous inter-sessionals, may have had something to do with the new mood to hasten the process of implementation of decisions.

Secretary General Carrington also commended the "work mood" of President Jagdeo as conference chairman.

For his part, Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados appeared more anxious than ever that the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) move from its completed "legal profile" to a "lived experience" by the people.

A `lived experience’
An idea on the regional agenda since 1989, the CSME - as a "lived experience" - would entail very broad, active involvement of all sectors of the Community -governments, opposition parties, private sector, labour movement, media, non-government organisations. This is not now the experience.

The decision in Port-of-Spain last weekend to launch the CSME with at least three of the 15 Community countries by December 2004 - Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago that should be ready to do so - was a most welcome development. The other member states have been challenged to be in CSME-readiness not later than December 2005.

*Integrally related to that decision is the inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the regional appellate institution that is to finally replace the Privy Council as the court of last resort for CARICOM countries.

Designed to have original jurisdiction on interpretation of the new CARICOM Treaty, the court is, finally, to come on stream in the second half of 2003.

It will be headquartered in Port-of-Spain, served by an independent panel of jurists and funded from a special Trust Fund for which the Caribbean Development Bank is confident of raising some US$100 million to ensure a solid foundation for its financial viability.

Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines finally came to terms with earlier expressed reservations and signed the relevant instrument during the inter-sessional to make it possible for 13 countries of the English-speaking Caribbean to be party to the CCJ's original jurisdiction. That was another indicator of progress.

Considering that some 450 pieces of legislation, an exceedingly enormous legal agenda, are required to effectively implement the CSME, the leaders accepted the challenge to recruit, from wherever possible, skilled draftsmen.

They stressed that the private sector has to become actively involved in this partnership process, as well as the regional institutions, undoubtedly including the University of the West Indies and the CDB.

*On the issue of stabilisation and transformation of the regional economy, the leaders focused on getting off the ground proposals for the creation of a Regional Stabilisation Fund, initially with a capital of US$50 million in the first year and rising to US$180 million within five years.

But they delayed a final decision pending the outcome of a meeting this Friday, (February 28) of the Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).

*They also took a number of new decisions on crime and security that would impact on the roles of the Regional Security System (RSS) and the Association of Caribbean Police Commissioners. The "action plan" also includes the convening of a high-level meeting between CARICOM and the international community to review drug control policies.