Fast-track option for CARICOM
Analysis by Rickey Singh
WHEN the heads of government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) gather in Barbados later this week for their 12th Inter-Sessional Meeting, they will be expected to fix some clear guidelines and target dates to make the much-discussed Caribbean Single Market and Economy (SCME) an inauguration reality in January 2003. Using the estimated four decades it took to make the European Union (EU) a reality may not be a good measuring rod for CARICOM's transformation into an ultimate economic union. Placing the SCME process on the fast-track seems the obvious option.
The world has fundamentally changed since the EU came into existence and the imperatives for small states and disadvantaged economies in the post-Soviet Union world of globalisation do not offer the Caribbean region the luxury of leisurely pace in meeting laudable goals like the SCME.
It is, therefore, felt that the extent to which the governments of the Caribbean are resolved to encourage a shared perspective on economic policies will determine the pace and effectiveness of arrangements to inaugurate the SCME.
The latest test to their resolve will come at their three-day Inter-Sessional Meeting which begins in Barbados on Wednesday with a priority agenda item being "intensification of deliberations on strategies for the economic development of the region".
This is an issue of vital concern to all stakeholders in the member states of the region's 27-year-old economic integration movement and not just government.
All are involved -- the private sector, labour movement, the media and non-governmental organisations -- as became more evident at the Second Special Consultation on the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, hosted by Prime Minister Owen Arthur last November.
Warning that lack of a shared perspective had resulted in the collapse of the short-lived West Indies Federation in 1962, Arthur had stressed to participants:
"Equally so, unless we have a shared perspective that can give rise to a consensus out of which can evolve a Plan of Action, we will make no progress with either the Single Market and Economy or with any other matter that confronts us in the region at this time..."
Arthur, who has lead responsibility among CARICOM heads for the SCME, will chair the Inter-Sessional Meeting as the current Chairman of CARICOM.
The leaders would have some hard decisions to make and not just on the SCME and related issues of free movement of capital and labour, or the meaningful involvement of civil society in the formulation and implementation of regional development policies and strategies.
They must also face up to the challenge of giving practical support to sustain the work of the Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), headed by Shridath Ramphal, former chairman of the West Indian Commission and current Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
VALUABLE MECHANISM
Established in April 1997, the RNM has evolved, in a relatively short period, as a valuable mechanism in fulfilling a mandate to "develop and execute an overall negotiating strategy" in trade and economic negotiations with the international community on behalf of the Caribbean.
The foreign donor community, including Britain, Canada, USA and multilateral institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank, have all contributed to some US$8 million to facilitate the work of the RNM.
Most CARICOM governments have been faithful in honouring their financial obligation to the RNM, with Barbados even going the proverbial 'second mile' in meeting an emergency funding problem. But a few, Suriname and the Dominican Republic in particular, have defaulted to a critical level.
The outgoing President of the CDB, Neville Nicholls, said last week he doubted that the region's governments could be serious about thinking of winding up the RNM, "something that we really should strongly support".
He is convinced that the RNM has a positive track record of performance and "we need to avoid sending wrong messages to the international community about its future, particularly at a time of crucial negotiations involving the WTO (World Trade Organisation) and Europe".
It was not the intention at the time of its creation to have the RNM as a permanent mechanism or agency of the Community, and at some stage adjustments would have to be made for its future.
The moreso in view of recent resignations, for different reasons, from the RNM of Alister McIntyre, as Chief Technical Adviser, and Arnold McIntyre from the RNM Barbados Office, to take up an appointment with the International Monetary Fund.
At present, however, at a time of pressing international negotiations, to talk about "the future" of the RNM may only succeed in conveying negative signals when, on the contrary, there is need for a positive stance.
Prime Minister Percival Patterson, as chairman of CARICOM's Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee, who has perhaps the most direct dealings with the RNM than any other head of government, will know of the value of the RNM.
The much revised Agreement to establish the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will be signed at a public ceremony on Wednesday ahead of the first plenary session of the Community leaders.
Another public event will be the conferral of the award of the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC) to three outstanding Caribbean citizens.
The recipients will be George Alleyne, Barbados-born Director of the Pan-American Health Organisation; world famous calypsonian, 'The Mighty Sparrow' and the former Prime Minister of Belize, George Price.
Monitoring by CARICOM of upcoming elections in Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and updates on the territorial disputes between Guyana and Venezuela and Belize and Guatemala are also on the 15-item agenda.
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