CARICOM -- `single vision’ for single economy
By Rickey Singh
Guyana Chronicle
February 9, 2007
THE stage is set for endorsement at next week's Inter-Sessional Meeting of Caribbean Community leaders of the framework of a "single development vision" for the implementation process of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) from January 1, 2009.
The philosophical concepts, strategies and implementation schedules are outlined in a comprehensive report by the Jamaica-born economist, Dr. Norman Girvan of the University of the West Indies on "Towards a Single Economy and a Single Development Vision".
Referred to as the "Girvan Paper", the report was discussed at the just-concluded first-ever joint Prime Ministerial sub-committee meetings on trade and economic negotiations in Jamaica.
Chaired by Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, the meetings involved Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur -- who has lead responsibility for CSME-readiness arrangements -- and current CARICOM Chairman and host for next week's three-day Inter-Sessional, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Leading regional technocrats and officials of the community, including the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery were in attendance at the meetings, hailed by Prime Minister Gonsalves as "most productive and setting the mood for substantial areas of agreement when we meet in Kingstown..."
In addition to the "single development vision" for operationalising the CSME, with the private sector playing a "decisive role, along with civil society", another crucial issue for discussion in Kingstown would be "Regional Governance in the Caribbean Community".
Based on a report from a Technical Working Group (TWG) headed by Professor Vaughan Lewis, a major focus of the recommendations is the creation of a CARICOM Commission, empowered with executive authority to enhance effective governance of the community's business with special attention to the functioning of the CSME.
While eschewing details, Prime Minister Gonsalves told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that there was "generally favourable positions" on the Lewis-led working group report and that following further deliberations at next week's Inter-Sessional, "we would be ready to take decisive action to establish the commission when we meet for our regular annual summit in Barbados in July".
The July Heads of Government summit, to be hosted and chaired by Prime Minister Arthur, is expected to lay the essential implementation processes to be pursued in relation to both the "single development vision" and the "managing of mature regionalism", as proposed for effective governance in the "Lewis Report".
The "Girvan Report" on a single development vision outlines basic features that involve an "economic dimension" with the public and private sectors acting together in "entrepreneurial" roles, as well as a "social dimension" that requires "legal entrenchment" of the CARICOM Charter for Civil Society.
Next week's Inter-Sessional in Kingstown will benefit from the deliberations and recommendations of a number of ministerial and technical meetings held in Georgetown, Kingston and Bridgetown, covering substantial issues on trade, finance, economic and agricultural development.