GRADE SIX SOCIAL STUDIES

Hello Boys and Girls, This week we will learn about CARICOM and co-operation in the Caribbean.

CARICOM and Co-operation in the Caribbean

Perhaps, you may have heard or read about CARICOM. Why not share whatever you know about CARICOM with your classmates or friends? Now read the following.

All English-speaking countries in the Caribbean Region, Guyana and Suriname in South America and Belize in Central America share common bonds which served to unify or keep then together over the years. Today, these countries and some other countries in the Caribbean that are not English-speaking are joined together by an organisation known as CARICOM. Through CARICOM these countries do trade; they import and export goods and services not only among themselves but with other countries outside of the Caribbean Region, too. They also cooperate in dealing with issues that affect the Region; for example drug and human trafficking, crime, climate change and money laundering.

CARICOM

mean? Let’s read to find out.

means Caribbean Community. At the beginning, was Caribbean Community and Common Market. This organisation was formed by the signing of an agreement called the Treaty of Chaguaramas on 4th July, 1973 in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago. It was signed by the Heads of Government of the four More Developed Countries (MDCs) – Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Why do you think the Treaty was called the Treaty of Chaguaramas? Yes, it was so called because it was signed in a place named Chaguaramas in the country, Trinidad and Tobago.

CARICOM

Activity *

Collect pictures or draw maps and flags of the countries which were the first signatories to the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Give the names of the Heads of Government who signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas on July 4, 1973.

Why CARICOM?

The countries that signed the Agreement or contract were of the opinion that the major purposes of CARICOM could be achieved if the countries in the Caribbean Region unite and strengthen the bonds which in the past existed among them. What are the major purposes of CARICOM? Let’s look at them.

1) To bring about economic integration and co-operation among participating countries.

2) To ensure that the benefits of integration are shared in a fair and reasonable way, that gives equal share to every participating country.

Let us examine the word integration for a moment. What does it suggest? Yes, integration suggests:

a) Unity

b) Teamwork (Working well together)

Unity and teamwork are “buddies”. They work together for the good of all. So, if CARICOM’s objectives as set out in the Treaty of Chaguaramas are to be successfully achieved, unity and teamwork must be present and demonstrated among countries that are members of the organisation, CARICOM. What are the objectives of CARICOM? Read to find out.

Objectives of CARICOM

1)

What does

CARICOM

Economic Integration: - To encourage economic integration and co-operation among its members through trade

2) Functional co-operation: - To encourage and develop the spread of common services and co-operation in functional matters such as health, education, culture, youth, sports, communications, disaster relief, agriculture, finance and industrial relations

3) Political Integration: - To organise the foreign policies of member states.

What are some benefits of integration? Let us read to find out. Benefits of Integration

1) Caribbean islands are small and they have limited resources as well as skills and expertise to develop and utilise their resources. As a result, they depend on the larger countries to supply their needs. These large countries use the situation to exploit these Less Developed Countries (LDCs). Integration will help to prevent exploitation.

2) Each country on its own is too small to deal effectively with the large and powerful countries of the world that have formed trading links with groups of countries with similar aims and interests as their own. However, integration helps to strengthen the bargaining power of these small member states and puts them in a better position to deal with the strong and powerful nations.

3) The pooling of human resources such as qualified educators; agriculturalists could be used for the benefit of the entire Region.

4) As was said before, Caribbean countries share common history and culture. In addition, there are common institutions such as University of the West Indies and the Caribbean Meteorological Service which serve to meet the needs of the Region.

Exercise

1) Do you think integration is essential for the development of the Caribbean Region? Explain.

Let us now go back in history to find out how the Caribbean Community was formed.

History of CARICOM

CARICOM came into being after fifteen years of effort to fulfill the dream of integration in the Caribbean Region by Caribbean political leaders. This dream came into existence with the formation of the British West Indies Federation in 1958. The Federation consisted of the following ten countries:

Antigua and Barbuda .................................. Barbados

Dominica ...................................................... Grenada Jamaica .......................................................... Montserrat St. Kitts-Nevis ............................................... St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines ..................... Trinidad and Tobago These countries are among the current members of CARICOM.

The Federation was a political union with a Federal Government. The economic aspect of the Federation was ignored and not even Free Trade was introduced among the member countries. This led to frequent disagreements and then to the break-up of the organisation in 1962.

The end of the Federation prompted more serious efforts by a small group of political leaders in the Caribbean to maintain and strengthen areas of co-operation that existed. At a Services Conference in mid-1962 these leaders took decision on these major services:

University of the West Indies founded in 1948

The Regional Shipping Services formed during the Federation to control the operation of the two ships – the Federal Palm and the Federal Maple donated in 1962 by Government of Canada.

The Caribbean Meteorological Service which was established one year after the end of the Federation.

Find out what other decisions Caribbean leaders took after the failure of the West Indies Federation.

We shall continue next week. Goodbye boys and girls!