We expect much from CARICOM summit
Editorial
Guyana Chronicle
July 2, 2003
THE CARIBBEAN Community (CARICOM) leaders begin another of their regular annual summit meetings this afternoon, this time in Montego Bay, Jamaica, under the chairmanship of host Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
And, once again, their packed work agenda suggests that they are yet to come to terms with prioritizing the more pressing issues they feel they could efficiently and decisively deal with during four days of conferencing.
The format for today’s ceremonial opening of the summit, which marks the 30th anniversary of CARICOM, is very much in the mould of so many previous heads of government conferences with addresses from four prime ministers plus that of the CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington.
Surely the time has come for a critical review of both the agenda for a summit and the format of the opening ceremony. A more manageable agenda could ensure higher productivity in decisions/recommendations.
A change in format could bring a reduction in the number of speeches by political leaders and the inclusion of at least one of the leading icons of the Caribbean, chosen on a yearly basis, from the fields of culture, sports, health, business, finance, education or else!
Of immediate importance, however, for this week’s summit is that CARICOM leaders will strive to be in a position to announce specific dates for the inauguration of major regional issues that have been at the core of their deliberations for a pretty long time.
These would, of course, be the Caribbean Single Market and the Economy (CSME) and the related new institution - Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
While it is expected that all full-fledged members of CARICOM will be on board for the CSME between the latter part of 2003 and the end of 2005, the leaders can hardly avoid being able to also announce this week the precise date and number of countries involved for the historic launch of that single economic space so long promised.
Similarly, since there are now sufficient countries firmly committed in writing for the creation of the CCJ with original jurisdiction for the CSME, in addition to those also prepared to have it as their final appellate court, the expectation is that a date will be disclosed for the inauguration this year of the regional court.