–says new CARICOM Chairman
–calls for timeline to strengthen, reform secretariat

By Navendra Seoraj in St Lucia

AS Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states prepare to meet over the next two days, new Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Allen Chastanet, has reminded them that in order to succeed every stakeholder must be involved.

Heads of Government will be engaged in caucus and plenary during the 40th Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government in Saint Lucia.
From climate change concerns to fighting for tax justice and fiscal sovereignty, CARICOM has had to let the world know that it is here and will be heard, said Chastanet during his remarks at the opening ceremony of the meeting at the Royalton Hotel on Wednesday.
He said those and other issues require CARICOM and Small Island Developing States to make some bold choices to secure mere existence.

“We must be all in…the meeting is taking place in a critical time in the life of the region…a time when we could show the strength in our united front on key international issues, a time when we can inspire the people of the region and remind them of the necessity of CARICOM,” said Chastanet, adding that it is also a time to reflect on each other’s individual successes and collective achievements.

He believes that CARICOM is at a stage where some “serious introspection” is required on their part. “Our individual size requires us to act as one yet we only talk, holding on to our individual sovereignty…our survival and obligations to our citizens require that we take the necessary action,” said the chairman of CARICOM.

To achieve this, he said the community must set a timeline to complete the reform and strengthening of its secretariat. This will, however, not happen if CARICOM is dependent on a chairperson who is only in the seat for six months. “We need to seek professional assistance and appoint a select committee to oversee this critically important transition,” Chastanet suggested, adding that a strong secretariat is necessary if the community is to strengthen its regional approach.

In addition, part of the process includes ensuring that the budget of the secretariat reflects the mandate, which they set out. While reforming the secretariat should be high on the agenda, Chastanet said the impact of major global shocks, recession and natural disasters have left the region scarred, weakened and vulnerable.

More urgently, the community is losing competiveness to other regions due to the high cost of inefficiency of national governance and because the community is not maximising the opportunities in areas such as the creative industries, sports, tourism and the blue economy.

These difficult times, he said, require CARICOM to follow the footsteps of its forefathers and to also take bold, innovative and courageous steps. “We must remember and recognise the genius in our region that resulted in the establishment of UWI, CDB, OECS, and so forth, said Chastanet.

He said it is clear that the community has lost momentum but, he is optimistic that it will regain the confidence of the Caribbean people. Outgoing Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Timothy Harris also said it has been recognised that CARICOM has not been perfect but, has been improving. “Yes there has been progress but it has been incremental while challenges have exponentially increased,” he said.

The inherent vulnerabilities compounded by the growing existential threats do not allow CARICOM the luxury of time. “If we are to survive we must accelerate our processes of common action, if we are to thrive we must be transformational and not incremental,” said Harris, adding that the region must leap frog and not just keep up.