Integration movement
GOAL
For students to assess the ways in which the integration movement affects development in the region.
OBJECTIVE
Explain the ways in which the evolution of the integration movement in the Caribbean has influenced development in the region.
WHAT IS REGIONAL INTEGRATION?
The idea of integration suggests unity and teamwork. The Caribbean, as a complex, diverse area which is divided by languages and traditions, makes it highly impossible for the region to work together as one. Integration means to bring or come into equal membership. The English-speaking Caribbean has long toyed with the idea of its territories working together as a unit. This has resulted in their experiments of various forms of associations such as the West Indies Federation, CARIFTA and CARICOM. The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) was another attempt made at integration with CARICOM. It was not until 1994 that the Caribbean experienced integration through the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).
WHY WAS IT NECESSARY TO INTEGRATE?
Caribbean countries faced similar political, economic and social problems.
The islands within the region share similar histories, culture and people. The resources on the islands were limited. Due to the size of some islands, it was difficult for them to make their presence felt on the world stage.
The issues faced by the Caribbean countries required common solutions, hence, integration was necessary.
INTEGRATION BEFORE THE 1990S: WEST INDIES FEDERATION, CARIFTA, CARICOM AND OECS
In 1965, three Caribbean nations – Antigua, Barbados and Guyana – initiated the Caribbean trade integration process by signing the Treaty of Dickenson Bay, which established the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA). Three years later, with the Treaty of St John’s, CARIFTA was widened to include nine more members (Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, St Lucia, St Vincent, Jamaica and Montserrat) (Nogueira, 1997).
THE WEST INDIES FEDERATION (1958-1962)
In an attempt to bring British colonies in a political union, all countries, except Belize, Guyana, Bahamas and the Virgin Islands, were federated. Mohammed (2015) explains that federation is a union of self-governing territories which are states or nations in their own rights. The overarching authority for all the states is centralised in the federal government. Federation was established by the British Caribbean Federation Act of 1956 with the aim of establishing a political union among its members.
The federal government was headed by an executive governor general, appointed by Britain and included a prime minister, elected from among and by the members of the House of Representatives; a cabinet, comprising the prime minister and 10 other elected members chosen by him.
A Council of State was presided over by the governor general. The council included the prime minister and members of the cabinet as well as three senators and three civil servants. The senators and civil servants were chosen by the governor general. (The Council of State was the principal policy decision making body at the start of the federation. In 1960, Britain agreed to abolish this council and allow the cabinet to take over the powers of the council).
Federation came to a halt because of Jamaica and Trinidad’s bickering over their own interests. Although the attempt at unifying the British colonies came to an end with a referendum in 1961, there were still organisations integrating various aspects of Caribbean life. These institutions include the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Regional Shipping Service and the Caribbean Meteorological Service.
CARIBBEAN FREE TRADE ASSOCIATION (CARIFTA)
CARIFTA encourages and ensures fair competition among its member states and makes certain that rules are implemented for all members to follow to protect smaller enterprises. It is also responsible for increasing trade through the buying and selling of more goods among the member states. Countries which are members of CARIFTA enjoy a variety of goods and services that are available on the global scale through liberalising trade.
Trade liberalization refers to the removing of tariffs and quotas on goods produced and traded within the region. In addition to providing free trade, the agreement ensures that the benefits of free trade are equitably distributed and promotes industrial development in the least developed countries (LDC).
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM)
CARICOM is a grouping of 20 countries: 15 member states and five associate members. CARICOM came into being on July 4, 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas by prime ministers Errol Barrow for Barbados, Forbes Burnham for Guyana, Michael Manley for Jamaica, and Eric Williams for Trinidad and Tobago. The treaty was later revised in 2002 to allow for the eventual establishment of a single market and a single economy. CARICOM’S main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy.
CARICOM is the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world. Its achievements along the way are many. Great strides have been made, particularly through functional cooperation in education, health, culture and security. Its single market functions and it is a respected voice in international affairs because of a coordinated foreign policy.
ORGANISATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES (OECS)
The OECS as an organisation which harmonises, integrates, protects human and legal rights, and promotes good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. The Treaty of Basseterre in 1981 formalised the economic cooperation among the following islands: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. At present, the OECS is recognised as a subregional group of CARICOM, pooling resources to rationalise developmental projects.
THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATION DURING THE 1990S: THE ACS
ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STATES (ACS)
Having realised the shortcomings of CARICOM, a vigorous debate ensued surrounding inserting the Caribbean economies into the global economy. The Association of Caribbean States was established in 1994 among 25 nations of the Caribbean region. The idea behind the ACS was to widen CARICOM, to include all countries located in the geographic area designated as the Caribbean Basin. The ACS is expected to enhance mutual corporation in economic and trade-related areas such as transportation, tourism, agricultural production, sustainable use of natural resources and cooperation to triumph over natural disasters. The ACS would have a market of about 200 million people, with an estimated combined gross national product of US$500 billion, and a trade volume of about US$180 billion per year. (Nogueira, 1997).