In an historic decision, CARICOM heads last evening announced they have agreed in principle to the setting up of a CARICOM Commission or other executive mechanism to manage the implementation of decisions and to initiate proposals for community action in any area.

According to the Rose Hall declaration released in Montego Bay, Jamaica where heads of government met for the last four days, the purpose of the Commission “will be to facilitate the deepening of regional integration in the areas of responsibility specified...the Commission’s function will be to exercise full-time executive responsibility for furthering implementation of Community decisions in such areas as well as to initiate proposals for community action.”

The functions of the Commission will relate to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and any other areas of the integration process that the Conference of Heads may from time to time determine.

In discharging its responsibilities, the Commission will be accountable to the heads of government and responsive to other organs of the community “within their areas of competence”. The adoption of the principle of automatic resource transfers for the financing of community institutions - particularly on the establishment of any new tier of governance - was also agreed.

Such an executive commission was envisaged in the 1992 report of the West Indian Commission entitled `A time for action’ but this recommendation had not been accepted by CARICOM. Reports out of this week’s conference in Jamaica said that heads were persuaded in the direction of the Commission amid mounting concerns over the poor implementation of decisions and the grassroots view that the current mechanisms within the community for advancing the integration process were not working. Conference sources say the ceding of some measure of authority by countries to a Commission was a concern for some heads at the meeting but in the end agreement was reached. Several heads are to meet tomorrow in Barbados (see story on page 5) to further dialogue on tighter integration.

Sources say the impetus for the agreement on the Commission was the changing international environment and the dangers posed to the vulnerable economies of the regions and these issues were cited in the declaration. The preamble to the declaration said that heads recognised that the current geopolitical environment is significantly different from that at the inauguration of the community in 1973 and that they were aware that the unravelling of the previous structure of international relations based on the rivalry of superpowers “has given way to a new order that is increasingly characterised by unilateralist tendencies on the part of some members of the international community”. The latter remark was an apparent reference to the United States and the pressure it has recently applied against CARICOM states over the International Criminal Court.

The heads, meeting on the 30th anniversary of CARICOM’s founding, said they recognised that the processes of globalisation and economic liberalisation continue to pose significant challenges for economically fragile member states “as they seek to adjust to a new global trading regime based on reciprocity and open competition”.

In addition to the Commission, heads agreed on the reform of the CARICOM Secretariat “to enhance its effectiveness as the administrative and technocratic arm” of the community. They further recognised that within the framework they had set out, it was both permissible and feasible for groups of regional states to foster closer links among themselves.

Heads also decided that the Expert Group of Heads of Government aided by a technical group would be entrusted with the task of elaborating these proposals for discussion at a special meeting of the conference later this year which will focus on taking decisions on them.

The Rose Hall declaration also encompassed a raft of decisions on integrated development including the acceleration of CSME and in this context the unification of capital and financial markets and the “early unrestricted movement of people” within the region.

To boost economic output and create jobs, heads concurred that a high level expert group drawn from all sectors would be appointed to identify the opportunities and the required institutional and policy measures needed for integrated production particularly through private sector investment.

Heads re-emphasised their commitment to collaborate more effectively to tap the agricultural potential of the region including value added processing of raw materials particularly sugar.

Also sealed were commitments on tourism, protection of the Caribbean Sea, strengthening the sense of common identity, boosting the fight against HIV/AIDS, creating opportunities for the political opposition to play a more active role in the development of the community and using the Cricket World Cup 2007 to showcase Caribbean life and culture.

Under the rubric of the community and the international system, heads declared their commitment to the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, to the principles of international law and to the reform of the UN particularly its Security Council. They also averred to work within the framework of the UN “to promote multilateralism as the guiding principle of international relations”.

A conference communiqué is expected to be released today. During their meeting, heads agreed that all member states would accede to and ratify the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court in what was seen as a stinging rebuke to the United States which is opposed to the international tribunal and had sought to have CARICOM countries sign immunity agreements with it.