In this time of a global crisis, brought about first by the COVID-19 pandemic and now compounded by the war between Russia and Ukraine, it is incumbent on the leaders of sovereign countries to exercise prudent leadership anchored on principles that promote the improvement of the lives of their citizens.

At no time in the recent past has the prevailing economic conditions laid more bare the vulnerabilities of the poor and marginalised. There is no silver bullet that would put an instant end to the inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, downturn in production and uptick in health issues that currently undermine life and living. Despite this, we cannot lay down arms and surrender. Clearly, a critical step in the process of climbing out of the quagmire is the cooperation of and dialogue among all sovereign nations of the world.

Today, Friday June 10 marks the fifth and final day of the 9th Summit of the Americas being hosted by the United States in Los Angeles, California, under the theme: “Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future.” The Summit of the Americas brings together leaders from the countries of North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean. It is an ideal forum at which to devise strategies to tackle the very serious challenges being faced by the hemisphere and the world. And for optimum solutions to be arrived at, the voices of all the hemisphere’s peoples should be heard. A summit where only some nations are included is an opportunity lost.

This is definitely not the time for exclusion and for the flames of old fires to be fanned. Ideological differences hatched in the last century should not be the factor that undermines the inclusion of all sovereign nations in the region. The Summit of the Americas should be exactly what it is called.

SEARCHLIGHT supports Prime Minister Gonsalves’ principled position not to attend this Summit because of the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. The exclusion of these nations plays into the old and present narrative of the United States that these countries do not have democratically elected governments or that they violate human rights and therefore must be marginalised. There may be merits to that narrative but the position taken by the US surely reeks of inconsistencies when one considers some other countries with which the US has ongoing and close dialogue.

The Summit of the Americas should not be used as a platform to flex a country’s might, but as a platform to have meaningful dialogue to resolve the issues that hinder sustainable life and development for all peoples of the Americas.