Former Guyanese Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Rudy Insanally believes that the Caribbean Community (Caricom) needs to establish an institution that would monitor the implementation of decisions made by heads of government.
Former Guyanese Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Rudy Insanally
This comment came as heads concluded another conference, outlining new decisions even as many old ones remain unimplemented. Dr Insanally referred to this situation as “implementing deficit”, and he noted that it has been responsible for the “diminishing confidence” in Caricom by the people of the region. “We have been somewhat lax,” he lamented, while suggesting that the Caricom Secretariat could look at models employed by larger regional groupings, such as the European Union, where institutions are set up to deal specifically with monitoring the implementation of decisions taken by the EU.
Monday, 4th July marked 38 years since the establishment of the community, and there has been much talk about reforming Caricom to ensure relevance and effectiveness. Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo was one who recently commented on the issue. Speaking on the fringes of the conference in St Kitts and Nevis, Jagdeo said he would be pushing for a restructuring of the Caricom Secretariat. This was supported by Dr Insanally, who insisted, however, that any reform should be given careful consideration.
“We do not need to change the Treaty of Chaguaramas… but there could be a few necessary changes,” the career diplomat outlined. According to him, if certain institutions are found to be ineffective after review, these could be ‘unwound’ and a new, better functioning facility established. He insisted that any change must put the secretariat in a better position to respond to the challenges facing the region.
Dr Insanally also endorsed the position that there should be a permanent committee of ambassadors to ensure a greater connection between the secretariat and the citizenry on the ground. He pointed to the ongoing reform at the United Nations which is aimed at ensuring that group is more suited to the current times.
As heads of governments wrapped up their two- day conference on the eve of Caricom Day, the retired diplomat divulged to Guyana Times International what he thinks are better outcomes of such an important meeting. He believes the heads should look at measures to ensure that economies of the member states are stabilised, pointing to the now receding global financial crisis. According to him, while Guyana has not been badly affected, the economies of many other Caricom states were subjected to the harsh realities of the crisis.
“As a community, we have to see how we can stabilise our economies and continue integration into the global economy,” Dr Insanally declared.
Free Movement
The Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) was intended to benefit the people of the region by providing them with more and better opportunities to produce and sell their goods and services, and to attract investment. It will create one large market among the participating member states.
The main objectives of the CSME are: (a) full use of labour (full employment) and full exploitation of the other factors of production (natural resources and capital); and (b) competitive production leading to greater variety and quantity of products and services to trade with other countries. It is expected that these objectives would consequently provide improved standards of living and employment, and sustained economic development for the people of the region.
But some of these objectives, particularly the free movement of people, have been challenged by some member states for various reasons. Dr Insanally believes that the free movement of people is the best way to ensure true integration. This can be achieved through an infusion of cultures, with citizens from the 14 member countries being better able to relate to each other.
With some countries looking after national priorities and placing regionalism second, some of the goals have been compromised. Dr Insanally explained, but it is best if members function as a community.
“We have gone past the stage where unilateral policy making is successful,” the former Guyana foreign minister declared. “We live in a world where we function as economic groupings or blocs.”
The diplomat added that the world would never pay attention to a single country as it would to a community. As such, he sees it imperative that the region works on a common and harmonised policy. As it relates to the free movement of labour, Dr Insanally acknowledged that many countries may be fearful of the strain this could have on their economies, but he insisted that heads of governments need to come up with ways to address these issues to ensure that that goal is truly achieved. “…the principle has to be strengthened rather than abandoned.”
