–to foster better regional integration, incoming CARICOM Chair says

AS the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) celebrates its 50th anniversary, the incoming Chairman of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit has said that unfinished tasks must be completed to forge better integration for another 50 years and more.
Skerrit made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the 45th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community held in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday evening.

The Prime Minister indicated that in the past 50 years, CARICOM has seen many achievements and as such, all member states should be proud of the history of being the longest-surviving economic integration movement in the developing world.

He related that even as this landmark is celebrated, all must be mindful that the symbols and the events of celebration do not serve as a distraction from the work that still needed to make the Caribbean Community viable, prosperous, secure and beneficial to all of its people.

“As we set ourselves new targets to ensure that we thrive in this ever-changing global environment, there are unfinished tasks we must complete,” Skerrit said.

Among those tasks set to be completed are the issues of free movement, non-tariff trade barriers and reliable and affordable transportation; those are all fundamental to a truly integrated community.

The Chairman said that CARICOM has the opportunity, on this historic occasion, to resolve key issues as they are expected to deliberate over the next few days on several key matters.
“We have the opportunity on this historic occasion and as we deliberate over the next few days to take some decisions that can be truly transformative for our people and which will shape the future of our community for the next 50 years,” Skerrit remarked.

Against this backdrop, he questioned what is preventing the community from reviving the single domestic space that once allowed citizens to traverse freely across the region.

Skerrit said that an Advanced Passenger Information System has already been tried and tested in the past and could be revived.

He added that it is time to make intraregional travel a joy rather than a hassle, as he indicated that some 16 years ago considerable commitment and political will was used to allow persons to move freely through the 10 member states.

He said: “Similar political will must be brought to bear on the issues of expansion of the categories for free movement of skilled nationals to benefit the growth and expansion of the regional economy and the spirit of our community and what better time than the celebration of our 50th anniversary to say to all of us in the Caribbean how we can move freely within the CARICOM space.”

Further to this, he called on his colleague Heads of Government to pursue creative and affordable partnerships to deliver on the crucial element of integration in the interest of the Caribbean Community, noting that the movement of people and goods is the backbone of a successful integration movement.

Skerrit went on to add that this is a challenge that requires significant investments which may not see an immediate return, but requires confidence that the provision of such a service will boost commercial opportunities and encourage intraregional travel.