Caribbean integration must be more ‘people-centred’ –PNCR

The PNCR says the sooner the Caribbean Community recognises that it needs to foster a sense of ownership between the people of the region and the integration process it will assume a greater urgency and movement.

The party said on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Caribbean Community it recalled that its founder leader, and late President LFS Burnham had opined that “the Caribbean either integrate or perish.” In the light of this the party said it is important that the region commits itself to further building a common Caribbean home. The PNCR reaffirms its commitment to the integration process and to restate its “unshakeable” belief that the Caribbean Community will fulfil the mandate and vision set by its founding fathers.

The party said Caricom’s longevity is testament to its durability and resilience and that it has the competence and capacity to overcome the challenges it will inevitably encounter along the path to regional cohesion. The party believes that the challenges, “especially as they occur in the context of the novel problems of the 21st Century, will demand visionary leadership and political will if they are to be overcome and resolved in a manner consistent with the goals and objectives of the integration movement.”

It said too there is urgent need to implement the Single Market and Economy, the Regional Development Fund, free movement within the Caricom states and the reform of governance of the region since these are crucial to the realization of the foregoing objectives. In this context the PNCR said it is confident that the Community will revisit the Report of the Technical Working Group on Gover-nance and the relevant decisions taken thereon to ensure that it is efficient and action-oriented at this critical phase of the integration process.

It also concurred with sentiments expressed by West Indian novelist and thinker George Lamming at the opening of last week’s Caricom Heads of Government conference when he said there was a perceived gap between the political class and the people of the region and this was an impediment to effective integration.

”The PNCR believes that there is merit in this observation and would like to believe that the leaders of the Community as well as its bureaucrats and technicians would understand that the sooner that the people of the region have a sense that the ownership of the integration process belongs to them, there is a likelihood that the rhythm and momentum of the integration process will assume greater urgency and movement. The PNCR believes therefore that the time is nigh when the Caribbean Community must take the required measures to ensure that regional integration becomes people centred and bridges the gap between the political class and the people of the region”, the PNCR said.