— Caribbean Policy Development Centre Director urges regional Gov’t

By Alva Solomon
FAILURE by regional governments to constructively engage civil society undermines the legitimacy of social partnerships.

This was the bold sentiment expressed by Executive Director of the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), Shantal Munro-Knight when regional civil society operatives met on Tuesday morning at the Ramada Georgetown Princess to examine a range of civil society issues, including considerations that not much contention is being paid to the positive contribution the non-governmental sector plays in regional economies.

Speaking to a gathering of approximately 40 civil society advocates from across Caricom, Munro-Knight called on the region’s Governments to resuscitate the civil society charter, which would see improved relations between both parties.

She stressed that the word “partnership” is the “it” word at the moment in the scenario and according to her, the region’s Governments tend to see more “life” in relations with the private sector first and foremost; “Then perhaps with the trade unions and then very rare with organised society”, she said.

She called on the Governments of Caricom to give life to the civil society charter, which she noted on paper, provides one of the best templates for partnership engagements.

That charter, she said, was developed back in 1997. She said failure to develop those relations makes the region devoid of the advancement of the non-governmental sector.

Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, who addressed the participants during the opening session, said Caricom has been working with international partners in the development of key global agreements.

He said civil society will play an important role in such negotiations, noting that crucial links are formed with international non-governmental organisations. He also encouraged international partners to lend their support to the civil society bodies.

According to Ambassador LaRocque, the global initiatives create the environment in which the region can take action within its own spaces. He added that continued efforts will be made towards the establishment of a civil society desk at the Caricom headquarters.

The two-day conference will focus on several aspects of civil society, including the exploration of the current social and economic context in the Caribbean with the aim of determining the landscape of economic and social policy making. In addition, the participants will examine key social development issues facing the region’s economies with focus on poverty, crime and sustainable development.

Today, the Caribbean Policy Development Centre celebrates its 25th anniversary.
The body is a coalition of Caribbean non-governmental organisations. It was established in 1991 with the aim of sensitising NGOs and the general public on key policy issues and the impact policy makes on decisions which put the interests of Caribbean people at the centre of the Caribbean development strategy.