AS Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), President David Granger has said that economic development will feature prominently on his agenda. The President’s announcement was made on Friday – just one week before the the 28th Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM is expected to be held in Guyana.
On Friday, it was also announced by Cabinet Secretary and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, that Cabinet has approved a budget of $39.5M submitted by the Foreign Affairs Ministry for the hosting of the two-day event, which concludes on February 17.
The President earlier this year assumed responsibility as chairman of the Community in accordance with the rotation schedule approved by the Conference of Heads of Government.
And having designed an agenda to focus on economic development and integration in the Region, the chairman said that he is confident that decisions which will be made at the conference will allow the 15 member states to move along the road to a single market and economy much more quickly.
He also noted that the focus on economic development is very important.
“We [CARICOM] have a large import bill, particularly with food. The level of manufacturing is very low and we feel that a combination of the expertise and the capital that is available in the island states, particularly tourism combined with the resources of the larger mainland states, could have faster economic growth; and the people of the Community could enjoy a higher standard of living,” the chairman said.
Mr Granger explained that the question has to do with combining the resources of all 15 member states to ensure that CARICOM has the fullest benefits of the single market.
The President was also of the view that the Region does not benefit fully from the single market and economy.
EXTERNAL MANUFACTURERS
“At present, I don’t think we have benefited fully from the single market. There is still heavy penetration from major external manufacturers and this penetration is undermining local manufacturing capabilities and the very purpose for which the market was established,” President Granger said.
And with CARICOM founded largely as an economic grouping, the chair of the regional body said that it is time for the spotlight to be placed on economic integration.
Last year, Guyana co-hosted the 37th regular meeting of the Heads of Government of CARICOM after Dominica, which was supposed to have hosted the meeting, was unable to do so.
Dominica was severely battered by tropical storm Erika, which resulted in massive losses in that country.
This prompted Guyana to step in for its regional partner, by hosting the meeting held from July 4-6.
Meanwhile, the regional bloc, through its chairman has expressed how “deeply distressed” it is about violence which broke out in Dominica following a public meeting on Tuesday,February 7.
Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit had told Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the leadership of two opposition parties in that country planned to storm his office and “seize the seat of power.”
According to CMC, this would have occurred during Tuesday night’s disturbances that led to demonstrators setting fire to buildings and looting several businesses.
In a radio and television address on Wednesday night, Skerrit said the demonstrators who had been calling for his resignation and that of his Government were being pushed by the ‘militant, irresponsible behaviour of the leadership’ of the main Opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), CMC reported.
CARICOM is contending that while it recognises the right of citizens to engage in peaceful protest, the Community condemns the “vandalism” which resulted in the destruction of private property and businesses.
The Community is urging citizens of that country to act with restraint and maintain the orderly and peaceful society to which Dominicans and the wider Community are accustomed.