A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) presidential candidate David Granger has contended that Caricom needs very strong leadership to remain relevant, and Guyana can fit the role. Granger, who expressed the view during an interview with Guyana Times International, said the region needs better leadership, and the forging of deeper ties between the heads of government in order to ensure Caricom as an integration movement delivers on its promises of deeper cooperation and regional integration.
APNU presidential candidate David Granger
“My approach is based on very strong leadership and better cordial relationships between the heads of government, and I believe that has broken down. Right now, the Caribbean is like rudderless ship, and it is my view that the president of Guyana has a pivotal role to play in restoring the Caribbean to what it should be, and building up the Caricom Single Market and Economy.”
He said given Guyana’s geographic location and the fact that it has a foot in the Caribbean and South America, it could seek to use its influence to chart and direct more positive developments for the region.
Granger believes that Guyana can also strengthen the bond and ties that exist within the community through various projects and initiatives. Guyana has been playing a lead role in the region and has lobbied governments within the community to work harder towards reaching the goals of the CSME, which relate to free movement of people and skills, deeper cooperation and functional integration, but according to Granger, more aggression and better leadership skills are needed if greater impact is to be made. Granger said that Caricom was close to the heart of APNU, and wants to see the movement work better, but understands the limitations that it will continue to face. These, he said, can be overcome if leaders get their acts together and start pursuing a new path or direction.
He also strongly believes that before Guyana can lead the way to this path or towards deeper integration, it must also address some of the fundamental shortfalls of its own internal foreign policy strategy and thinking. He said: “We must make things right here first before seeking to effect change elsewhere”.
Meanwhile, Granger did explain that there is also a need for the country to work with more fervour towards cementing “strategically necessary” and “stronger bilateral” cooperation with Brazil. Granger said that Guyanese can be assured that an APNU government will leave no stone unturned to seek to learn from the development lessons that could be derived from Brazil’s completed quest to become a world power and leader in this part of the world.
He committed his coalition group towards working closely with the developed country so as to maximise gains in very critical areas related to trade, agriculture and health to name a few. He does not believe that enough is currently being done to exploit the benefits that could be derived from having a neighbour like Brazil.
Granger is of the view that the country’s foreign policy should encompass the cementing of stronger and more genuine ties with its neighbours, including Venezuela and Suriname.
