– in Barbados and Caricom
Comment by Rickey Singh
LIKE Barbados’ Finance and Economic Affairs Minister, Chris Sinckler, the new Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, ambassador Irwin LaRocque, has a hard row to hoe in generating public confidence as they cope with respective challenges—one national, the other regional. They both need much cooperation and public goodwill to succeed.
Following tough tax measures imposed in his 2010 national budget—his first—and against the backdrop of last June’s downgrading of Barbados’ currency rating by Moody’s Investors Service—(described, by him, as “unjustified”)—Sinckler was anxious to project optimism when he unveiled his second budget in parliament on Tuesday and confidently signalled that the economy was “on the rebound…”
The jury would be out for some time in determining the extent of success of Sinckler’s appeal to  investors, the business sector in general and, of course, the Barbadian public to keep faith with the government’s policies and programmes. At present, Barbados is revealing increasing interest in a new general election that is still some 17 months away.
Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister Owen Arthur, on the other hand, is determined to establish that Sinckler’s analyses and optimism are misplaced—such is the nature of the beast that’s parliamentary politics. At the time of writing, Arthur was delivering his response to the Finance Minister’s budget. He had earlier remarked to the media that “the serious issues” facing the country had not been addressed, and was to end basically on that note.
The annual political cockfight over a national budget is, therefore, well underway as the governing Democratic Labour Party prepares for its convention this weekend and the opposition Barbados Labour Party continues to strategise on internal unity ahead of its convention, perhaps over the next two months.
And what of  ambassador LaRocque? Last Monday he assumed the role of new CARICOM Secretary General, having served since 2005 as one of three Assistant Secretaries General (his portfolio being Trade and Economic Integration and much to do with arrangements for the Community’s ‘flagship’ project, CSME)
In assuming leadership at the Community Secretariat, previously held for some 18 years by Edwin Carrington, LaRocque bravely declared that he had “no illusions” about the way forward, and quite conscious of the fact that “it cannot be business as usual” for the region’s economic integration movement.
Good to learn of such realism by the new SG, given the serious challenges confronting CARICOM, whose political directorate—comprising 15 Heads of Government—have voluntarily placed on “pause” major segments for the realisation of a seamless regional economy as they await yet another commissioned report on revamping of the Secretariat to be more relevant and effective in responding to mandated policies and programmes. That report is not expected before year end.
By that time, arrangements would be underway for the next half-yearly meeting of Heads of Government who must endorse the recommendations. Before then there could be a meeting of the CARICOM Bureau—a non-empowered mechanism that usually meets between conferences of the Community’s leaders. The stage is, therefore, set for a further period of  “marking time” before  LaRoque gets the opportunity to confirm his welcome public assurance that from the mandate received, it “cannot be business as usual…”
Good wishes to both Secretary General LaRocque as well as Finance Minister Sinckler, as they seek to do their best in the hoeing of hard rows to secure public confidence.