Sep 15
Presentation at the ECLAC Caribbean Development Round Table held in Port of Spain on September 13, 2011
Proposals now on the table suggest the evolution of a kind of hybrid model of economic integration; in which elements of ‘industrial policy’ (selective interventions by means of common policies, functional cooperation and investment) are combined with elements of orthodox ‘open regionalism’ (selective implementation of single economy elements). But if Caricom is to move in this direction, there are at least three hurdles are to be overcome…
Dear Dr. Girvan
In addition to everything that you have said in this piece, the major failure to date of Caricom, and of the member countries has been lack of recognition that what is needed are joint development projects that would bring industrialisation, jobs, wealth and infrastructure to the region. Perhaps the failure to think big have to do with the underdeveloped nature of our institutions, and really the underevelopment of our democracy and the institutions on which we rely – we suffer from our failure as a region to create indigenous system. We continue to accept and behave as though our only path forward is the role assigned to us by the European Powers. We have to look beyond Europe. We have to create new partnerships based on respect with China, Brazil, India, and new players on the world stage. What we need now is a critique on the value of Caricom, and what is needed to recreate and recalibrate the institutions of CARICOM into the vehicle needed to propel regional integration away from subservience to European and American Capital, and open new vistas for development based on people to people partnerships.