The PPP has called for all the peoples of Caricom to rededicate themselves to promoting the unity and solidarity of the Caribbean.
The PPP in its Caricom Day message said, “it is clear that we in Caricom have better conditions to promote unity than other regions. We have a common history and our peoples share a fraternity with each other more profound than in most other regions. Yet today we are observing this anniversary with some tension in the community.”
According to the message, this stems from migration policy adopted by some territories in the region, mainly Barbados. What is important to point out the party said, is that the overwhelming majority of migrants play a positive part in the development of the societies which they go to.
It is no different with Guyanese who have toiled hard in any country that they reside in, either temporality or permanently.
The message said further, that it is therefore distressing to note how many Caricom nationals are being treated in some member states.
The midnight raids, the picking up and deportation without giving the opportunity for them to conclude businesses and the maximum administrative delays in processing their documents for extension leading to expulsion, goes against the spirit of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
Many have also noted and commented on the difference in the treatment of Caricom nationals and visitors from outside the region. The differences in treatment do not promote solidarity, the PPP said.
“This Caricom day is also taking place at a time when the international financial crisis is creating great havoc. The regional leaders cannot respond to this by adopting narrow nationalist positions. This must make us even more regionalists and internationalists,” the message said.
The PPP said the Caricom Single Market and Economy and the further strengthening of the integration process depends greatly on the political will of Caribbean leaders.
