CARICOM — the region’s salvation
Editorial
Kaieteur News
July 6, 2004
Today is CARICOM Day. It marks an event that began in 1971 when Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica decided that the time was right for the small nations in this corner of the world to pool their resources if they were to survive in a world that was becoming increasingly competitive for nations.
The small economies of these nations allowed them to be nothing but primary producers. Further, given their common heritage of slavery and in the case of Guyana, indentureship, they had more in common than they had differences.
The effort at a regional union came more than a decade after a failed attempt at the same thing. The year was 1958 and two leaders whose names will go down in the history of the region decided that a Federation of the countries of the Caribbean needed to form an association that would give them a greater voice on the international scene.
That attempt failed, perhaps because the global economic conditions were not as unfavourable as they are today. Then again, the countries were all colonies of the British Empire.
But by 1971 all these countries had gained their independence. They had become the masters of their own destiny. They knew where they wanted their people to be and they knew what was needed if they were to talk to the major powers.
A lot has been achieved since those days. Of course there was a hiatus of nearly seven years when they seemed to have lost their way. But they managed to get back on track.
At first glance, it would seem that not much has achieved. We are still to get the single market and economy off the ground and we are still to institute the legal framework to make that a reality. However, at this point in the history of the regional movement these things seem much closer. By the time the anniversary comes around next year, these major achievements should become a reality.
Suffice it to say that over the past decade, there was a rapid movement toward consolidating the regional position. They have instituted a regime that allows free movement of skilled people across their borders. It goes without saying that some countries have a surfeit of skills in a certain area while others do not. Guyanese are skilled artisans to the point that their services are being sought in every country in the region.
Guyanese nurses, teachers and technicians abound in the region. We are certain that those other countries have skills from which Guyana could benefit. The regional Heads have also removed the passport restrictions, allowing nationals in the region to travel with only a basic form of identification.
Of course, even before these legal things were put into effect there was the regional cricket team. It would be of interest to ascertain who and how the peoples of the many small countries in the region managed to decide that a cricket team coming out of this part of the world would be truly representative of the region. Whatever the region that set the stage for a recognition that we are all one people with a common destiny. As we celebrate this anniversary of our regional integration, we may consider other regional bodies. There is no reason why the region cannot field a football team, or any other sporting team for that, matter at the international level.
Within weeks the nations of the world would be meeting in Greece for the Summer Olympics. Every small country in this corner of the world is going to be fielding a team. It would have been nice to see a West Indies team since we have some of the better athletes around. Instead of a tally sheet reading Jamaica, two golds, four silvers and the lot, that tally sheet could have easily read “West Indies five or even ten golds”. In some quarters, the relay teams would have been stronger than they could ever be with the teams being composed as they are.
On the economic side, the words of Antigua’s Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer should not be ignored. He has spoken on setting up a Mixed Commission with Guyana, to investigate a number of areas of co-operation. Then he noted that Guyana seems to be enjoying successes in the area of debt write-offs. Prime Minister Spencer said that his country could learn something because it is, like Guyana, heavily indebted, and like Guyana, would like to enjoy the write-offs.
Yet, it goes without saying that CARICOM is here to stay. The new headquarters being erected in Greater Georgetown is testimony to that.