&aOO fRr µurJent¶ reneZed unit\ in &aricRP

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, has reportedly called for ur gent renewed unity among Caricom members states. 30 Browne addressed the repre sentatives of other Caricom members states at the th 0eeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom on :ednesday evening in 0ontego Bay, -amaica. He said no single Caricom country had the capacity to face the present or future challenges alone, and noted that there was an unavoidable interdependence of CAR,C20 countries, as geographical neighbours that compelled co operation, col laboration and integration to meet development needs. 3rime 0inister Browne also suggested that after 5 years, since Carifta was establis hed, the region should have been further along the road to economic integration. Using the example of the European Union, he said others started the process before Caricom and were much further along. He pointed out that the people of the region were no longer as hopeful as they once were regarding regional integration and suggested that the leaders had a chance at the summit to restore trust and confidence that they could make ± and implement ± joint decisions. According to 3rime 0inister Browne the solution to the dif ficult economic circumstan ces resulting from challenges such as natural disasters and ineligibility for concessional financing, was the deepening and widening of the regional integration process. He said the realisation of the Caricom Single 0arket and Economy CS0E was part of the so lution for the Region¶s chal lenging economic circums tances.

He added that the realisation of the CS0E would be good for all of Caricom, as long as provisions were made within it for balance in everyone¶s interest. He pledged his sup port to 3rime 0inister of Barbados, the 0ia 0ottley in working on the issue. According to Loop -amaica, Caricom Secretary General Ambassador ,rwin LaRocTue expressed disappointment with the level of achievement under the CS0E regime. “Since the CS0E was inau gurated here in -amaica 2 years ago, we all agree that much has been accomplished. But we have not achieved as much as we should have by now,” LaRocTue complained. Among the thorny issues he bemoaned is the lengthy negotiation process that ac companies major policy de cisions and adoption of legal instruments, adding that more must be done post haste. “The success of the CS0E is being judged, by the public, on the basis of our implementation of the measures agreed to, that allow our citizens and businesses to benefit,” the Caricom secretary general pointed out. (St Lucia Times/ Loop Jamaica)