– says President Jagdeo

PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has spoken out amidst speculation in some quarters that the CARICOM integration system is falling apart, proclaiming it “strong as ever before”.

“In spite of the challenges we face, and the challenges are unprecedented, challenges to our societies induced by the recent economic crisis which affected the whole world with devastating consequences, and which have affected our region too, that many people may think that the regional integration movement is under strain. I think it is as strong as ever before”.

The President was speaking at a press briefing at the CARICOM Secretariat, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, yesterday, attended too by CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Edwin Carrington; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; and Deputy Secretary-General, Lolita Applewaite.

Mr. Jagdeo observed that in his interactions with colleagues throughout the region, he sensed ‘a deep desire” on their part to work together to achieve the objectives of the integration movement, which are to create a better life for Caribbean people.

“What bothers me sometimes is that inevitably there are going to be differences between Caribbean countries”.

“In any integration movement you have that, even in a home you have that, within a country you have differences of opinion; but those differences of opinion on various specific issues are elevated to the level of disintegration of the integration movement, and that is a contention that I cannot agree with”, he posited.

He noted that everyone chose to focus on Jamaica Prime Minister, Bruce Golding’s statement of CARICOM being at risk, rather than on other points that he made during that address.

President Jagdeo said the Jamaican PM also mentioned that it is “better to swim together than alone”, which he was very strong about.

The other two contentions, the President added, were that PM Golding pointed to his commitment to working together to ensure that the integration movement succeeds and that Jamaica fulfills all the obligations to the regional integration process.

“So here is someone who may be concerned about CARICOM’s future, but who is saying that we have to make it work because it serves our best interest; and I feel that all of the Heads whom I have spoken to, and who are a part of CARICOM, they share this view”, the President remarked.

“Would it not be better for us to approach the Climate Change negotiations in Copenhagen together as fifteen countries speaking with the same voice, has it not been better and have we not gotten more because we have collectively approached trade negotiations or we have pursued our foreign policy collectively…these are solid benefits, isn’t there economic justification to produce for a larger market than to produce for individual territories”, he added.

Mr. Jagdeo stressed that these are solid reasons for integration, also pointing to the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), established since 1972, and which Caribbean countries could not have pulled off on their own.

He noted that the CXC was an opportunity for the region to work together and it is a successful attempt at integration.

The President also pointed out that the upcoming United Nations (UN) conference is another occasion for the region to work together in fashioning a regional advocacy plan on the reform of the new global architecture.

He reiterated that there will be concerns, but that CARICOM has a number of bilateral mechanisms in place with which to deal with these, mentioning the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which is there to interpret the laws and adjudicate where there are disputes.

“We all need to recommit ourselves to strengthening the integration movement; that is not to say that I don’t have concerns about individual issues; I have been on the record as saying that countries can pick and choose elements of the integration process that benefit them and then deny or frustrate those aspects that they may create some problems for them.

The President stated that the treatment of Guyanese and some other nationals in member states leaves much to be desired, but that does not mean that the integration movement is not working.

He added that the fact that Caribbean people can travel to live or work within the region is because of the integration movement to some extent.

He also observed that many times the politicians take the heat.

“I am sure Prime Minister Manning does want to stop Jamaican patties from coming into Trinidad and Tobago, I know Prime Minister Manning, I know he’s an integrationist at heart; he has been very supportive of the integration movement…”, Mr. Jagdeo said.

The tensions that emerge are often seen as tensions created by politicians, and this is an unfair characterisation, he said.

He added: “In Guyana, at least, we have a different view of the Community and its strengths and its weaknesses; and we feel Guyana will always be committed to this Community”.

Secretary-General of CARICOM, Dr Edwin Carrington, in endorsing the views expressed by President Jagdeo, said that he finds it strange that as soon as there is an issue, the conclusion is that the integration system is breaking up.

He recalled that at the 6th meeting of the CARICOM Common Market Council in 1975, which was supposed to be the last meeting of CARICOM, according to commentators; and he assured that the integration process is not ending.