Elected at the 24th CARICOM Summit in Montego Bay, Patterson has already quickly responded to a proposal by Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister, Lester Bird, for Prime Minister Patrick Manning to discuss with President George Bush a waiver against countries of the Community having to enter bilateral agreements to exempt American nationals from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, as reported in this column last week.

By mid November, Patterson is to preside at a special meeting of Community Heads of Government in Port-of-Spain that will coincide with the planned inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

In Barbados, Prime Minister Owen Arthur, who has lead responsibility for arrangements for the CSME, is moving ahead, after his latest public-private sector consultation on the CSME last week, for his government to be CSME-ready for 2004, possibly with Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica as well.

In Jamaica, Patterson, undoubtedly the most experienced of current CARICOM leaders in the politics and business of the 15-member Community, may have done himself and his regional counterparts a favour in his articulation of a range of specific issues on "new directions" for the region's economic integration movement now celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Other heads of government have, in various ways, taken the opportunity to share their "perspectives" when assuming the chairmanship of CARICOM, normally for a six-month period.

I cannot, however, recall an incoming chairman of the Community so prepared with a detailed printed document outlining his "perspectives" for CARICOM as Patterson was when he assumed the chairmanship at the July 2--5 summit in Montego Bay.

He has evidently mobilized to his advantage his three decades of experience in CARICOM affairs from the beginning in 1973 as a minister in the cabinet of Michael Manley, one of the architects of the Community, and later in his own right as Prime Minister since 1992.

Stimulate Discussions
The result is the crafting of a document that could serve as a handy reference source to remind not just its author and all heads of government of the work to be done to achieve a shared vision for the region, but to stimulate discussion, as Patterson hopes, among wider audiences.

The 28-page document makes clear that it reflects Patterson's "own thoughts" and is not an "official paper from the Government of Jamaica".

Admitting to benefiting from the work of a "number of persons devoted to the regional cause", and alluding to some of the significant decisions previously taken at summits and inter-session meetings, Patterson noted:

"We have arrived at a point in the history of CARICOM when it is of utmost importance to encourage active debate and discussion about the nature and direction of Caribbean regional integration..."

New forms of political governance to advance the goals of CARICOM, including initiatives to involve parliamentary opposition parties in structured dialogue on issues of importance to regional integration, is addressed.

The context in which this is outlined by Patterson, also invites understanding why encouragement should not be withheld for member states that wish to go beyond economic integration and proceed towards political integration - without, of course, prejudice to CARICOM as a Community of sovereign states.

Patterson's position on what remains a contentious issue in Jamaica's domestic politics - creation of the CCJ - as well as the value of joint external representation in its various dimensions, joint expansion of output and employment and high performance in the region's tourism sector are also succinctly stated.

Some of the issues are discussed in terms of short to medium term and long-term goals.

The short to medium term matters that he considers for sustained collective action would include: Strengthening of communication and information flows; strengthening the Community Secretariat; development of West Indian cricket, including preparation for the 2007 World Cup series; CARICOM's "Good Offices" role in conflict resolutions within the Community; introduction of a common CARICOM passport, enhancing regional security and involving the parliamentary opposition in advancing regional integration.

Political Opposition
So far as CARICOM and the political opposition is concerned, it is an issue previously raised, in various forms at regional meetings. But the freshness Patterson has brought to this topic includes four possible ways to involve political opposition parties, as he sees it:

First, that each member government consider including opposition representatives in their delegations to such CARICOM meetings it "deems suitable for the purpose".

Second, the organizing of regular periodic briefings for national oppositions collectively at a single venue!

Third, the Secretary General of CARICOM should take the opportunity to provide direct individual briefings on Community developments to Opposition Leaders in national parliaments; and

Fourth, the Community Secretariat should ensure that opposition parties are included on its mailing list for the dissemination of information materials.

Aware of the responsibility that opposition parties also have in the process, Patterson accepts that it is "most important" that they themselves should develop their own independent interest in CARICOM matters and CARICOM regional institutions.

On the sensitive matter of political governance and specifically political union, chairman Patterson, who will be presiding at a special summit in Port-of-Spain in November to coincide with the inauguration of the CCJ, concedes that perspectives on political integration vary from member state to member state and from group to group within such states.

Consequently, he thinks that the leadership and people of the region should "explicitly accept that for the foreseeable future the Community will operate as an association of states, exercising sovereignty individually and collectively, and without prejudice to sub-groupings of the membership entering into political integration or other forms of closer association among themselves, if they so desire..."

In his "new directions" vision, Patterson also shares his views on an expanded role of the Caribbean Development Bank in the region's social and economic development; advancing a single economy alongside a single market in the transformation envisaged for CARICOM with the creation and functioning of the CSME.