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He acknowledged that CARICOM has had several accomplishments despite people constantly castigating it as having achieved nothing worthwhile.
Mr. Patterson said, had that been the case, it would, like several other regional groupings, have collapsed long ago by virtue of its own inertia.
He cited a few of the things CARICOM has accomplished, including the areas of functional cooperation, such as education, health, response to natural disasters and the establishment of the Single Market concept.
“Both in the fields of international diplomacy and the arenas of global trade and commerce, the CARICOM voice has been loud and unequivocal, even if it has not always elicited the positive responses we seek from the industrialised nations,” he noted.
INCREASINGLY VOCIFEROUS
However, he said that, notwithstanding what has been achieved, the voices who question the relevance and endurance of CARICOM are becoming increasingly vociferous.
The former Jamaican PM stated that there should be no need to elaborate on the weaknesses which have plagued CARICOM since they have been repeatedly mentioned in many expert studies.
He did cite, though, those considered the most serious among them is the failure of the Community to tackle the burning issues of concern to its people – like transportation within the region, energy, food and climate change.
Additionally, he mentioned CARICOM’s slow movement in advancing the protocol on the Contingent Rights of its professionals to permit greater freedom of movement.
“What purpose does the CARICOM Passport serve if travelling within the Region is still like an obstacle race?” he questioned.
Patterson advised that CARICOM should now be formulating a common strategic approach for the new global construct before time runs out.
“We need, urgently, a new framework for CARICOM Economic Cooperation and Development with China – which has manifested its Caribbean thrust by a range of investments in our physical infrastructure, and with Brazil – the powerhouse which borders both Guyana and Suriname,” he maintained.
He observed that the advent of globalisation, the rapid changes in technology and the factors which drive a competitive market economy all combine to dictate that the Caribbean is compelled to select and prioritise those areas in which it enjoys a comparative advantage.
SECURE WAY
Patterson emphasised that the building and accumulation of human capital is the only secure way forward for the Caribbean.
“It demands a paradigm shift from reliance on physical resources to engendering human resources as the catalyst for our development. As we plan for the future, greater emphasis must be placed on human capital formation so that development is more knowledge based and oriented to services,” he posited.
In addition, he said, that, in speaking of the Caribbean as a centre for knowledge creation, a knowledge management centre should be established to support projects and enterprises, public and private, throughout the Region.
According to him, this knowledge management initiative would enable contributors and users to leverage past success stories, experiences, insights and lessons to create strategic advantage and inform, facilitate and trigger investments and growth handles.
He said the CARICOM Secretariat has been mandated to prepare and be guided by a five-year Community Strategic Plan. But this process of change and reform cannot be limited to the Secretariat.
“The Organs of the Community must also be put under the microscope. The role and functions of the institutions in our integration architecture must be scrutinised to ensure that we are all heading in the same direction and with the same expedition,” he suggested.
Patterson also insisted that the entire Region, from Heads of Government to ordinary citizens, from institutions to non-governmental organisations and universities must turn attention to these urgent imperatives.
