It may be useful to do so at this time when cynicism persists about how CARICOM Day, July 4, is generally celebrated, since arrangements are currently being advanced in Port-of-Spain this week for next month's Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM leaders starting on February 14.

At present, the scenario suggests that while the commemoration of one, CARICOM Day has gone wrong, there is the promise of a better showing for another special day, Cuba-CARICOM Day.

July 4 was originally designated as CARICOM Day by the "founding fathers" of the Community at its ceremonial inauguration under the chairmanship of then Prime Minister Eric Williams at Chaguaramas in July 1973.

This CARICOM Day observance, preferably, as determined, by a national holiday, was reportedly chosen at the suggestion of Michael Manley, one of the architects of the Community. It coincides with the birth anniversary of his father, Norman Washington Manley, in recognition of his contributions to West Indian political development.

July 4 is also, of course, the Independence Day of the United States of America. And frequent have been the occasions over the years when CARICOM leaders have had to decide how best to share their presence at social functions for both occasions that coincided with the regular annual Heads of Government Summits that normally take place during the first week of July.

For all the inspiration and expressed commitment that led to the decision to involve governments and peoples in the observance of CARICOM Day with appropriate educational, cultural and social activities, the reality has been one of constant decline in official interest and, by extension the public, in a day intended for bonding and reaffirmation among the Caribbean family.

So far have governments moved away from the original promise of CARICOM Day commemoration that today only Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines observe the historic day with a national holiday.

Some governments even fail to issue what used to be an official "message" to mark the day, either in a broadcast from or by a Prime Minister or Minister responsible for CARICOM Affairs.

And while the Community Secretariat itself is normally engrossed in activities involving the conduct of business of a CARICOM Summit in the first week of July, there is hardly any event or development of significance in any state of the now 15-member, 30-year-old economic integration movement focusing on what CARICOM means to the region's peoples

Neither Jamaica nor T&T
Not even, that is, in Trinidad and Tobago, birthplace of CARICOM, spawned by a pan-Caribbean vision of the author of "Capitalism and Slavery".Or, in Jamaica, native land of Norman Manley, whose birth anniversary was linked to the decision to commemorate CARICOM on July 4 every year.

The general lack of official interest that has evidently had a negative impact on commemoration of CARICOM Day in any serious, organised manner, by any social, political or cultural group, or the private sector that benefits from intra-regional trade relations, sharply contrasts with the annual observance of, for instance, `European Union Day’ on September 9 to mark the birth of the EU some 52 years ago.

The token advertisements in the media and uninspiring official statements -whenever and wherever issued - serve to only underscore the insipid public education programme of the Community to generate people's awareness about what CARICOM means for them as 'one people' of a Community of sovereign states.

Unsupported by national events or official initiatives to inspire public interest and involvement, CARICOM Day might well not exist, passing as it often does, unnoticed in most countries of the Community

Now, therefore, that they have come up with the otherwise praiseworthy decision to commemorate December 8 of every year as CARICOM-Cuba Day, in recognition of the historic relationship forged between this region and Cuba 30 years ago on December 8, 1972, the question of relevance is how will the Community's governments proceed to "observe" this landmark development within CARICOM?

Jamaica, whose Prime Minister, P. J. Patterson, has lead responsibility within the Community for CARICOM'S external trade and economic negotiations, has been first to proudly announce cabinet approval of December 8 each year to be observed as CARICOM-Cuba Day.

Similar announcements can be expected, in due course, from other member governments of the Community. The real issue, however, is "observe" how?

What form will the commemoration take in the member states and in Cuba other than when, once every three years, there is to be a CARICOM-Cuba Summit?

More than some possible official statements and activities - which have been absent for CARICOM Day - can we really expect that creative imagination for which the region's peoples are recognised, to be summoned by officialdom as from 2003 to celebrate both CARICOM Day and Cuba-CARICOM Day?

This would be very much up to the Community's governments and, in the case of CARICOM-Cuba day, the administration of President Fidel Castro.

There are good ideas; and both occasions, both of these special "days" can well serve to stimulate a level of awareness that seems necessary to help us know more about who we are, and of the architecture of our Caribbean home to better find strength in our diversity rather than wasting time, energy and resources to highlight our divisions.

Perhaps when the coming February 14-15 CARICOM Inter-Sessional Meeting concludes in Port-of-Spain, either Secretary General Edwin Carrington, host Prime Minister Patrick Manning, or current Community Chairman Prime Minister Pierre Charles, may have something to say to the region's public about plans to revive wider interest in the commemoration of CARICOM Day and, now also, Cuba-CARICOM Day.