The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) is the regional integration movement grounded in the philosophy to harness the political will, cultural, economic and human resources within the region to be exploited for the benefit of the region and its peoples.
The movement has its genesis in the meeting of minds of Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Vere Bird Sr of Antigua and Barbuda, and Errol Barrow of Barbados in Dicken’s Bay, Antigua in December 1965, which led to the establishment of the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA). The initiators of this meeting took their respective countries into independence, with full understanding of the historical development of the region, from the time Christopher Columbus arrived in the West Indies to internal self-government.
Whilst the Dicken’s Bay Agreement gave birth to the Chaguaramas Treaty that led to establishment of CARICOM on 4th July 1973, it was not about an institution but embracing a philosophy that bodes well for the region’s development. It was about holding hands, walking and working together, regardless of territory. It was about liberating and empowering the people culturally, economically, socially and politically.
50 years hence to the establishment of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, whilst many may think we have come a far way, this golden anniversary presents an opportunity for reflection and evaluation whether we have lived up to or departed from the ideals of CARICOM.
The peoples of the region are steps ahead of the political leaders who are more caught up in personal aggrandizement, covering for and collaborating with others in wrongdoings, rather than holding themselves and each other accountable to the CARICOM Charters and the peoples’ welfare.
Whilst there is commendation for the performance of the Secretariat, the failure of CARICOM in not meeting the dreams and aspirations of our Founding Fathers- Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Michael Manley of Jamaica, Errol. Barrow of Barbados and Dr. Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago- rests squarely at the feet of the political leadership. They lack the will, interest and commitment to implement decisions made through recommendations from the Secretariat. The political leadership is more preoccupied in protecting turf and attacking the technicians rather than executing the task to realise the integration of the region.
The Heads of Government need to focus more on the people of the country, not themselves. We are witnessing a situation where the leaders have become the peoples’ worst enemy due to corruption, greed and personal self-interest that have taken over the political class. In the case of Guyana, in the most vulnerable time when the oil and wealth of the country would have been sufficient to help keep CARICOM buoyant, the political leaders failed the people and allowed for a few Guyanese and their cohorts in the region to create an oligarch and shut out the peoples of the region from benefiting from this resource.
The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) calls for greater and genuine representation of the ordinary peoples. As some CARICOM leaders set themselves up to enjoy the good life there is growing insecurity among the people.
On CARICOM’s 50th anniversary the GTUC calls on the political leadership to clean up their act; address the outstanding goals and objectives set for the region; the deepening of integration, and strengthening of democracy not just using it for convenience. The Heads of Government need to pay genuine concerns to the people and get their act together.
