Making Caricom less “at risk”

19.JUNE.09

by Sir Ronald Sanders

(The writer is a consultant and former Caribbean diplomat)

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding says that the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) is “at risk”. He is right and regional leaders should shoulder the blame for this sad development in an area of small countries that need to hold together as the only means of retaining their identity, their culture and some semblance of autonomy.{{more}}

Mr Golding is also right when he says of himself and his fellow leaders: “I do not believe that any of us can believe that we are going to be better off trying to swim in this Caribbean sea on our own, but it is time for us to stop playing games, for us to stop mouthing integration and professing our commitment to this process when the pragmatic demonstration of that commitment is so often not being brought to the fore”.

It would be very helpful indeed if the Heads of Government were to sweep away their usually long agenda for the next Summit meeting in Guyana in July in order to spend a day talking about nothing else except: “Do we want Caricom? And, if so, how do we make it work for the benefit of the people of Caricom?”

If they – or any of them – feel that the 41-year old regional project (the Caribbean Free Trade Agreement started in 1968) is of little or no use to them and they can do better on their own or in alliances with other countries, they should end the relationship now. For, the Caricom undertaking will continue to be frustrated by reluctant participants, and reluctant participants will themselves be frustrated by their nagging belief that they would be better-off elsewhere.

The “elsewhere” should be carefully considered. Caricom is unique because it is largely made up of countries whose people’s culture, history, political development and identity were brewed in the same pot. At the bottom line, while trade within the region is important and must be developed, it is not the most important element in the integration project. More vitally important are: the retention of Caribbean autonomy over the region’s economies; maintaining Caribbean dignity and pride in ownership, management and production; drawing on the qualified strength of the entire region to bargain for countries individually and collectively in a highly competitive world; and keeping the identity that brands us as a people.

These things are not only endangered, they are more likely to disappear if countries “go it alone” or seek alliances with nations that have resources greater than theirs.

In today’s globalised world – and with the ambition of European, North American and Asian firms to have a global reach – it is not beyond possibility that Caribbean indigenous companies, including media, could be swallowed-up. It does not require large Corporations to show an interest. Any medium sized European, North American or Asian Company is larger and better resourced than the largest firms in the region.

The situation might have been better if Caricom had implemented the allocation of industry scheme to which it was committed in its early years, and if it had backed such a scheme by a deliberate policy of integrating production. In other words, using the capital and skilled labour of some countries to develop the natural resources – or competitive advantage – of others for the benefit of all. The companies that emerged from such a process would have had a better chance to survive.

If per chance, regional leaders continue to feel that Caricom Рand the development of a Single Market and Economy Рhas merit, it will not be sufficient for them to issue yet another Communiqu̩ or Declaration espousing the importance of integration.

People all over the region have become unconvinced by Communiqués and Declarations. This is why many of the Caribbean press buried in their inside pages the statements coming from the last Caricom Summit in Trinidad in May. Few made the Summit statements a front-page story.

As Mr Golding said, they will have to “stop mouthing integration” and bring to the fore “the pragmatic demonstration of that commitment”.

How could they do so?

At the level of people, one very important way would be for all immigration and customs officers at border entry points to be instructed to treat Caricom nationals with the same high regard they accord to European and North American tourists. This is not to say that they should not be watchful for violators, but the assumption should not be that the majority are.

Another way would be to cease the use of Police for the expulsion of Caricom nationals who may be suspected of overstaying. This should become the responsibility of the immigration department and, when such people are discovered, they should be subject to due process under the law.

Residence and nationality qualifications should also be applied in a non-discriminatory manner and consistent with the law. They ought not to be denied at the discretion of one or two persons.

At the level of trade, non-tariff barriers should end once and for all subject only to genuine health and safety requirements. Caricom is either a common market moving to a single market or it is not. No Caricom producer should still have to think twice about sending goods to other Caricom countries. And, where a dispute arises, machinery should be in place for swift resolution without the need for Ministerial intervention and media involvement.

The critical problem of transportation of goods within Caricom should also be addressed in a practical manner. For instance, Jamaica might improve its level of exports to other Caricom countries if better transportation existed. Governments might usefully address the incentives that could be given to encourage private entrepreneurs to establish such transportation by sea and air.

On production integration, governments might also consider establishing a Caribbean team to help the private sector to access funds from the multilateral financial institutions to develop Caricom wide businesses on a limited allocation of industries scheme to start with.

And, on governance, a Caribbean Commission, along the lines of the European Commission manned by persons with political-savvy, continues to cry out for establishment, even as individual national sovereignty remains intact.

Caricom might be less “at risk” for actions of this kind.

Responses to: ronaldsanders29@hotmail.com