Dear Editor,
Regional organisations are created to foster political and economic cooperation among states within a particular geographical boundary. Therefore, in order to achieve their goals and objectives these organisations will need transformational leaders whose strategic vision and capable leadership will facilitate development.
Caricom was created to facilitate the development of the region, but during the last 30 years a serious implementation deficit has plagued the organisation. This deficit has not only hindered the development of the region, it has also rendered most of its institutions useless. Further, innumerable reports have been commissioned to examine the reasons for the lacklustre performance of Caricom, these include: The West Indian Commission and the recently concluded Landell Mills report -- both reports alluded to the inherent weaknesses of Caricom's governance structure.
Since, regional leaders know the problems affecting Caricom, it is their responsibility to chart the course for the region's development, however due to the culture of insularity and parochialism of various islands this will be unlikely. Most member states are not willing to put regional interest above national interest.
For example, Mrs Persad-Bissessar stated three years ago that Trinidad will only provide assistance to disaster-affected countries if Trinidad benefits. So, if these countries require houses Trinidadians must be employed as builders. In addition, successive secretary generals have often complained about the lack of support which the Secretariat receives from heads of government, but nothing will be done to create a stronger Secretariat, because this will infringe on the autonomy of individual states.
Furthermore, free trade is an integral aspect of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, but Trinidad and Barbados have violated this agreement on countless occasions in order to protect their domestic market. Additionally, the free movement of skill workers is a policy of Caricom, but over 1,420 Jamaicans have been refused entry into Barbados over the past five years. The Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) is also a cause for concern. Originally the CSME was expected to come on stream in 2008, but the date was changed to 2015. According to Caricom's Secretary General Mr Irwin Larocque that deadline is too ambition, so the 2015 target will not be met. So, Caricom can be described as an organisation which sets lofty goals and never achieves them.
Any organisation which does not adhere to the rules which it created will never survive. Conversely, the Bajans know that it does not suit them to sign onto the CSME agreement, because most members states are relatively poor and the Jamaican dollar, in particular, has depreciated over the years. Caricom will never be successful because, regional leaders are too short-sighted and insular in their thinking and since most countries are not committed to regionalism, the organisation should be dissolved.
Caricom does not benefit Jamaica and we should not allow the current administration to keep Jamaica in Caricom because it members are in love with idea of regionalism. Any institution which finds it hard to play by its own rules, is a like a pariah state waiting to be destroyed. Jamaica should seriously re-evalaute its relationship with Caricom
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Caricom can't even play but its own rules
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Regional organisations are created to foster political and economic cooperation among states within a particular geographical boundary. Therefore, in order to achieve their goals and objectives these organisations will need transformational leaders whose strategic vision and capable leadership will facilitate development.
Caricom was created to facilitate the development of the region, but during the last 30 years a serious implementation deficit has plagued the organisation. This deficit has not only hindered the development of the region, it has also rendered most of its institutions useless. Further, innumerable reports have been commissioned to examine the reasons for the lacklustre performance of Caricom, these include: The West Indian Commission and the recently concluded Landell Mills report -- both reports alluded to the inherent weaknesses of Caricom's governance structure.
Since, regional leaders know the problems affecting Caricom, it is their responsibility to chart the course for the region's development, however due to the culture of insularity and parochialism of various islands this will be unlikely. Most member states are not willing to put regional interest above national interest.
For example, Mrs Persad-Bissessar stated three years ago that Trinidad will only provide assistance to disaster-affected countries if Trinidad benefits. So, if these countries require houses Trinidadians must be employed as builders. In addition, successive secretary generals have often complained about the lack of support which the Secretariat receives from heads of government, but nothing will be done to create a stronger Secretariat, because this will infringe on the autonomy of individual states.
Furthermore, free trade is an integral aspect of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, but Trinidad and Barbados have violated this agreement on countless occasions in order to protect their domestic market. Additionally, the free movement of skill workers is a policy of Caricom, but over 1,420 Jamaicans have been refused entry into Barbados over the past five years. The Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) is also a cause for concern. Originally the CSME was expected to come on stream in 2008, but the date was changed to 2015. According to Caricom's Secretary General Mr Irwin Larocque that deadline is too ambition, so the 2015 target will not be met. So, Caricom can be described as an organisation which sets lofty goals and never achieves them.
Any organisation which does not adhere to the rules which it created will never survive. Conversely, the Bajans know that it does not suit them to sign onto the CSME agreement, because most members states are relatively poor and the Jamaican dollar, in particular, has depreciated over the years. Caricom will never be successful because, regional leaders are too short-sighted and insular in their thinking and since most countries are not committed to regionalism, the organisation should be dissolved.
Caricom does not benefit Jamaica and we should not allow the current administration to keep Jamaica in Caricom because it members are in love with idea of regionalism. Any institution which finds it hard to play by its own rules, is a like a pariah state waiting to be destroyed. Jamaica should seriously re-evalaute its relationship with Caricom
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Caricom can't even play but its own rules
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