CARICOM Chairman calls for ‘real leadership’ in light of Brexit

CARICOM Heads at the beginning of the meeting in Guyana
CARICOM Heads at the beginning of the meeting in Guyana

Chairman of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, has called for real leadership in the region following a vote by Britain to leave the European Union, commonly known as Brexit, after 43 years of membership.

Speaking at the 37th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Governments in Guyana on Monday, he said the world is still in a state of shock and the regional bloc must seriously consider its effect.

“This Conference gives us a wonderful opportunity to seriously consider the effect that Britain’s exit from the European Union will have on CARICOM, and to demonstrate real leadership by showing the way forward,” he stated.

He noted that at a time when the rest of the word was “moving towards regional integration in order to carve out an economic space in the global marketplace and to balance the might of the emerging superpowers, Britain has chosen to retreat to insular nationalism.”

“Already the political, economic and social fallout from this decision to go it alone is causing considerable concern within Britain, Europe and the rest of the world,” he stated.

He said the region has a long and deep relationship with Britain.

“Britain remains one of our most important trading partners, the largest source market for our primary industry, and a vital source of assistance on legal and financial matters,” Skerrit said.

He said CARICOM must respond urgently to the matter.

“So in my capacity as Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, I must make clear my position on the exit of the UK from the EU; and to suggest what CARICOM needs to do urgently in response to this seismic eruption in the European Union and the consequent inevitable shift in international relationships,” he remarked. “Let me begin by reminding us, especially the CARICOM skeptics, that the circumstances in the EU are completely different to those in CARICOM. There are two main reasons why the United Kingdom would want to leave the European Union at this point. The first is the historical fear of losing their sovereignty. From the British point of view nearly every nation in Europe has over the years, tried to conquer and rule Britain.”

He said the other reason why Britain opted to leave the EU was due to the fact that EU citizenship brings with it free movement and automatic access to welfare and other benefits.

“This created anxieties in Britain where the average English voter saw membership of the EU as opening the floodgates for countless Europeans and refugees from Syria, Iraq and wherever there is conflict, to pour into their country through any of the EU ports of entry. This is something which Britain, still hamstrung by austerity measures, could not afford indefinitely,” Skerrit stated.

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21 Comments

  1. Dominican
    July 5, 2016

    Is Roosevelt Skerrit implying that there has been no real leadership of Caricom up till now, with him in the chair? That is arrogant and dismissive of the other leaders to say the least. He should compare his country’s performance with the others before he opens his big mouth.

  2. Batman
    July 5, 2016

    SKerrit are you sure of what you are talking about or are you making points based on assumption…smh

  3. andyaug
    July 5, 2016

    Well predicted Mr Skeritt .However that/s not the only 2 Reasons But 10 More you have failed to realized. I suggest you look into your own affairs rather than ours in Britain.

  4. viewsexpressed
    July 5, 2016

    These Prime Ministers all lok in doubt and lost…maybe Skerrit`s lecture, or whatever??…..insert picture all look sick and bewildered. I guess from the message by Dominica`s questionable leader Skerrit, on the what is expected of leaders, good leadership. This is a Brixit statement warranting a big LOL. Skerrit has no decency, nor reputation to lecture to anyone about leadership and its decency and merits in high office. Skerrit go clean your back yard first before you open your mouth and raise all doubts.

    And Skerrit in 2016, this is a false statement
    “From the British point of view nearly every nation in Europe has over the years, tried to conquer and rule Britain.”
    Whoever gave this to you did not wish you well —Disgusting

  5. July 5, 2016

    Calm Down! Calm Down. Do not believe the hype, fear not, and let not our Heart go beating @ 360 miles per hour. take for instance when our small country decided it wanted to attain independence from great Britian, the skeptics as they were raised fear and panic as we are witnessing today, and if we did not know better contary to certain beliefs, we seems unable to shake off that Colonial Mentality, after so many years after attaining our independence we are told to “Suck Salt”. therefore lets not remain fearful, Change is never an easy transsition, especially in our present
    day of news flash as easy as we have come accustom to the sensationalization of News. Everthing is gonna be alright. one one door closes, many more will spring open.

  6. Plato
    July 5, 2016

    I am confused Mr pm. You mentioned at the opening of the forum that Dominica was unable to host the event because of Erika. Wouldn’t that bring money into the economy?

    • on your deng deng
      July 7, 2016

      no it wouldnt.

  7. TS Erika
    July 5, 2016

    Afuss mr san haut

  8. Mein Kampf
    July 5, 2016

    Skerrit remarks at caricom meeting.
    1) Focus more closely on what needs to be done in CARICOM – PM Skerrit – Eh, GarCon u always in Dubai and Macau
    2)Let us work together to build a stronger more vibrant community – PM Skerrit _ GarCon u hardly used to come caricom meetings when Chavez wanted to launch his sucre currency.
    3) PM Skerrit underscores the importance of an effective transportation system in the Region and laments the challenges of moving people and goods-GarCon where is your International Airport

  9. Mein Kampf
    July 5, 2016

    Michele Bachelet is the only real leader at this caricom meeting.

  10. Neverson st jean
    July 5, 2016

    Skerritt u and your administration are the ones destroying unity in the region. If caricom has to look to u for leadership the caribbean is doomed.

  11. on your deng deng
    July 5, 2016

    Them leaders looking like they sleeping or ready to sleep in that picture.

  12. on your deng deng
    July 5, 2016

    Try following and respecting the CARICOM Treaty of Chagauramas first which allows all CARICOM nationals and skilled tradesmen to travel freely within CARICOM nations. then answer to Cabral Douglas why the govt isnt responsible for unjustifiably detaining a Jamaican artiste from Dominica in 2014. Deal with these issues FIRST that are internal, then go outside and talk about that real leadership is. Stop fooling the people who just eating up your crap in the name of “good governance”. Many will not like my comment because they dont like the artist of the music genre, but the treaty was signed by all, we need to respect it, from the Top leaders to the customs officers who stamp passports to the police man who enforces approved law to the citizen who the laws apply to. it is one thing to draw up pretty sounding policies and regulations but it is another thing to implement and respect them for the good of all.

  13. lightbulb
    July 5, 2016

    just say it nuh,
    it is because of racism, and failed socialist experiment.
    the UK thought they could keep people happy, by giving them the dole.
    but people want real work
    and they think foreigners taking their jobs.

    first it was the irish, then the west indians, now it is the poles, and the syrians

    this is no different from the the Guyanese in Barbados, the Jamaicans in Trinidad, the Dominicans in Antigua, the Haitians in Dominca and so forth.

    disgruntled populace can negatively impact the freedom of movement of people throughout CARICOM.

  14. CC
    July 5, 2016

    We need it here in DA as well

  15. no justice, no peace
    July 5, 2016

    what a shame, look at the other leaders sitting with skeritt; they are soooooooooooo disappointed in skeritt talking about leadership and caricom who head is not bent donwards, their faces are vexed, ,they are asking ,when they ask him to come togeather to chose a secretariat , he was not interested in togeatherness , ,all he saw was the british woman baroness and the deal, , now he come talking about togeatherness?
    Shame on dominica,, skeritt, the most uneducated in the mix , and the most corrupt

  16. July 5, 2016

    Well said.
    I would hope that the seniors in caricom could enlighten those who are too young to have known how a small country like Great Brittain/The United kingdom could have ruled the world as the largest kingdom ever. controlling China, india, pakistan, most of the middle east, much of africa, most of the Caribbean basin, central america, most of of north america including canada and what is now usa, guyana, belize even the faukland islands, Phillipines… english is the international language.
    they did not have large cabinets in each colony. but governers who over saw the civil servants who were/are held accountable by law. Governing by the rule of law!
    caricom states can only progress if eacj state cuts down its cabinet & share common ministries of health, education, legal affairs, agriculture, security…run by the caricom secretariat and benefiting from economy of scale.
    takes true statesmen to do what is right for our children.
    Actions speak louder than words

  17. Erasmus B. Black
    July 5, 2016

    “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good leader.” (Aristotle)

    And as the wise King Solomon said in the Book of Proverbs, where there is no vision the people perish. Good leadership is about showing how its done and participating in the process and not just uttering words from a prepared text, with or without a smirk on your face.

  18. Music Producer
    July 5, 2016

    As CARICOM Chairman, RS should be ashamed of his lack of enthusiasm, compassion, and responsibility to uplift his dying country, while the other CARICOM members thrive in comparison.

  19. Shaka Zulu
    July 5, 2016

    I agree with you PM, just that i would not put you on that list. The only record you can boast of is the amount of elections you won. After that nothing else. Caricom would be committing suicide if they were to be taking any advice from you. First of all you were elected by a constituency where half the people have gone away and homes empty. Apart from teachers and dwindling farmers there is nothing else. Villecase have more parro than i ever knew and in the absence of commonsense and an informed populaces idiots rule supreme. Your words dont match your actions and every thing you do or say is about you first, you second, third, and fourth, then people 6th. You had 16 years to make meaningful change, to some thst is a lifetime. It is long enough to turn a baby into a man and idea into reality. You are basically past your political shelf life.

  20. Reasoning
    July 5, 2016

    Scarit,you of all persons talking about leadership? Then again, you have to say something,cause it’s your turn to talk! Every baby knows that talk is cheap! Actions speak louder than words!

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