Opposition Leader questions effectiveness of Caricom

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has questioned the effectiveness of Caricom in dealing with certain issues during its 50 years of existence.

The Caricom heads of government met in TT from July 3 to 5. This year marked the 50th anniversary of its founding.

In a statement, Persad-Bissessar, a former prime minister, said there should be a reflection on the performance of Caricom as an organisation as it celebrates this landmark.

"While there is much to be proud of, anyone with a clinical eye can observe that the regional movement suffers from an implementation deficit."

She claimed that Caricom has no policy with regard to independent observers for elections, even from within the region.

The Prime Minister has rejected calls from Persad-Bissessar for observers for the August 14 local government elections.

To date, no external organisation has supported those calls.

Persad-Bissessar asked whether the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) has benefitted the region.

On July 5, Caricom leaders announced plans to expand the CSME to include all categories of workers.

The movement of free skilled workers under the CSME is currently limited to 12 categories, including domestic workers, nurses, media workers, university graduates and teachers.

On July 6, Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said, "The UNC is not opposed to the movement of skilled workers throughout the Caribbean community."

While he was aware of the announcement to expand the CSME, Indarsingh did not know the details. But he hoped that "the skills and the criteria (for the proposed expansion) are thoroughly fleshed out."

Persad-Bissessar wondered whether Caricom has addressed food security in the region.

She claimed the UNC was told that the 50th anniversary Caricom celebrations in TT cost $20 million.

No documented evidence was provided to support this claim.

She said, "As a region, we must work towards these costly meetings being more than mere celebrations. We must ensure that the outputs and deliberations benefit our nations and extend to future generations.