In a wide-ranging letter earlier this month to Irwin La Rocque, secretary general of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), St Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, said that CARICOM’s current mode of marking time is mistaken and such a pause is merely a euphemism for standing still.
“CARICOM’s current mode of marking time, at an historical moment of overwhelmingly awesome challenges for our region which compelling demands a more profound integration, is mistaken… ‘pausing’ is but a euphemism for standing still, which in a dynamic world is sliding backwards,” Gonsalves said, referring to the decision by CARICOM leaders at a special conclave in Guyana about a year ago to put the “single economy” process “on pause”.
all of this rhetoric from a man who himself sat in a meeting in guyana , and agreed to put a pause on the caricom single market or economy and then sends a letter to a man who is impotent to do anything , about it , the comrade , aka the mouth of the south
But I am sure that we can together seize the time and follow, in practice, Norman Washington Manley’s inspiring declaration of six decades ago: ‘Our region’s unity is a great cause; and great causes have never been won by doubtful men and women’. I reaffirm that CARICOM has achieved much, but it has accomplished way below its potential or the people’s reasonable expectations,” he said.
“We must make our union in CARICOM more perfect because it is a great cause for our people’s enduring benefit. I know all about the restraints of ‘islandness’, territorial nationalism or even chauvinism, domestic priorities, philosophical differences, different regional emphases, and learned helplessness. Through the mist of all this, we have it in us to overcome these, and other obstacles and limitations, through a deeper and better integration,” he continued.
That sums it up, Mr Gonzalves. It’s time to move on with the coalition of the willing. Long live OECS unity and integration!!
This is the clearest, in-depth and candid analysis of the CARICOM. It is actually a true reflection of what is happening throughout the Caribbean. Bar a fer there no Strategy, Plan therefore no progress, which effectively leave the “door” open for individuals to do what they want or others to influence the decision making process of governments within CARICOM.
The views of our PM is required on this one, so we understand where he stands.
These Caribbean institutions are nothing more than a club for talkers. A complete waste of time.
I could not concur more!!Indeed, i am of the opinion that CARICOM was created to fail for three simple reasons:
1. despite all these years of existence NEVER was an IMPLEMENTATION TIME LINE included in the deliberations; it was always that the heads of govt. took decisions but EACH country was left to implement that decision as it saw fit;
2. the attitude of all governments to do their “OWN TING” as it relates to foreign policy.
3. The the international power brokers are working couvertly and ouvertly to make sure CARICOM fails to their advantage; here the old colonial strategy of dive and rule is alive and the saddest thing is that so many of our leaders in the region are willing to allow entry, via the back door, those same interests formerly kicked out the front door.
And finally, to paraphrase outstanding regional economist of international repute, Professor Norman Givan of the UWI, the current secretary general was given “a basket to carry water.”
Spoken with absolute clarity, sense of purpose and the loudest acclamation for urgent action. Amongst all the leaders of Caricom member states, there is none more fitting to issue such a bold-faced assessment of Caricom than the Comrade.