PM tells regional leaders: Caricom is making a difference

THE Prime Minister invited listeners to consider how wonderful the region could have been if it had united into one nation. However, he said Caricom, as a bloc of nations, has still achieved much for its populations.

Addressing the launch of the 45th Regular Meeting of Caricom heads at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on Monday evening, Dr Rowley noted Caricom's 50th anniversary, saying children should be taught its relevance and history.

He said this regional family of nations can be proud of its 50 years of achievements.

"We have faced challenges and have risen to overcome them, despite the difficulties, through our cooperation, our shared goals and, above all else, through our friendship within Caricom.

"Our regional integration movement has not only survived but it has thrived, expanded and flourished."

Alluding to Caricom co-operation against covid19, he said in this post-pandemic era, regional bonds were now more important than ever.

"None of us will ever forget those long, dark days and nights, when, over the last few years, the lives and livelihoods of our people hung in the balance under the threat of what was then a very novel death-dealing virus."

Trade, tourism, manufacturing, culture, services, GDP and lifestyles had sharply declined across Caricom during the pandemic, he related.

"The resilience of our community endured this test and survived, in large part due to the determination of our people and the strength bestowed upon us by our ancestors, due to the strength of our regional organs such as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (Carpha), and due to a calibre of leadership right across this Caribbean that joined in solidarity to advocate when needed, to remonstrate when necessary, to share when required, and through it all to stand together through thick and thin." Rowley said the past year has seen the region still facing challenges, head on.

"From rising regional debt, to growing trade deficits, we as a community have been buffeted by the ravages of an international financial system designed to disempower us.

"As serious as the world’s problems are and having been shut out of many of the markets through trade restrictions like the sugar and banana industries we can hardly be excited by the ongoing prospects of being escorted out of the world’s financial system through de-risking and loss of correspondent banking not to mention being encouraged to hastily abandon our hydrocarbon resources even as others expand their natural gas production, open up nuclear power and fire up their coal-burning plants."

He said since Caricom's founding in 1973, leaders had met such as in 2001 to sign the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas for the Caricom Single Market and Economy and in 2018 the St Ann's Accord. Rowley recalled Caricom engaging with world leaders to spell out its perspectives and priorities, some attending this event.

"We did this when we held landmark events such as the Agri-Investment Forum in Guyana, the second of which was hosted by Trinidad and Tobago, the Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum in Barbados, the Regional Symposium to Address Crime as a Public Health Issue in Port of Spain, and most recently key stakeholder meetings to help address the crisis in our fellow member state of Haiti."

He said these were just a few of Caricom initiatives to boost sustainable development and tackle poverty, crime, and insecurity in the region.

"I say all of this to highlight that, beyond the doubts, Caricom is working diligently to serve the people of the region.

"While at times, the going may be slow or the outcome may not have been readily apparent, we all continue to build on the strong foundation laid 50 years ago."