PM: Caricom to amend Treaty of Chaguaramas

Caricom intends to amend the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to allow the regional bloc to action policies without a unanimous vote from members.

Originally signed in 1973 and revised in 2001, the treaty established Caricom.

Speaking at the sod-turning for a Nutrimix $150 million animal and pet feed plant in Pt Lisas on February 25, the Prime Minister said the decision was made because holdouts were hindering progress to a regional single market and economy (CSME).

"Not to destroy the treaty, not to expose ourselves to capricious action, but to say that on matters where some countries are ready to go forward and others are not ready, that that small subgroup that is ready to go forward must be allowed to go forward within the ambit of the revised treaty."

Without naming the country, Dr Rowley said there was one territory whose vote in the negative has been holding up the CSME.

"There's a territory in the Caribbean, a very well-known one, where the whole question of freedom of movement of Caricom people is an issue for that country, because notwithstanding there being no freedom of movement, as we all hunger after, already in that country, there are almost as many people from outside their territory, from Caricom, than their locals, and it has become a political issue as to whether they could do more of that through freedom of movement, where the outcome will be that there'll be more outsiders than there are native islanders in that territory."

Looking back on the covid19 pandemic, Rowley said the region was adversely affected by supply chain disruptions and found great difficulty in importing food items- something it heavily relies on doing. This is why he said a single market and economy would prove beneficial, especially in meeting Caricom's target of producing 25 per cent of its food needs within the region by 2030.

He pointed to a new roadway being constructed in Guyana that reaches the Brazilian border. He said with TT being just a few hours away from Guyana, it could leverage this with the CSME.

"That would open up to us an area of food supply that has never been open to us before."

Referencing the Nutrimix venture, Rowley said industries like agriculture cannot limit their focus on the local market which has a population of about 1.3 million people. He said free trade with the CSME could lend to higher profits.

For example, he said while working in Chile years ago, the best fillet mignon steak cost just $2 as they could not export it due to concerns about hand, foot and mouth disease. Now that those barriers have been lifted and the meat could be exported, Rowley said it commands a price of $25.

Now that the amendment is before Caricom, the Prime Minister said TT voices must be the loudest champions of it.

"The voices demanding change must come from TT, because we are among the greatest beneficiaries of Caricom, and we must be in the forefront of bringing about the change that could put us in a stronger and better position."