Caribbean integration movement – Part 2

HELLO AGAIN, everyone. As stated last week, we will be continuing this lesson by first looking at the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean State (OECS), which is actually the fourth process of the Caribbean integration movement. Let us dive into the lesson to see what we can gather for the external exam.

Succinctly, it may be posited that the OECS is an international inter-governmental body dedicated to economic harmonisation, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. By means of introducing a brief history of this organisation, the OECS came into being on June 18, 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate with each other and promote unity and solidarity among the members. The treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city of St Kitts and Nevis where it was signed. Below is an image of the Eastern Caribbean so that you all may further acquaint yourself with countries in that section of the region.

The OECS is now a 10-member grouping comprising the full member states of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, with the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Martinique as associate members of the OECS. Some of the predominant objectives of the OECS are:

To promote regional cooperation, unity and solidarity.

To assist member states with obligations with respect to international law.

To engage in joint overseas representation.

To promote economic integration. To establish common institutions and take actions as one entity. In preparing the region for an era of heightened integration, on June 18, 2010, which marked the 29th anniversary of the OECS, the prime ministers of the six independent member states of the OECS signed the Revised Treaty of Basseterre establishing the OECS Economic Union. In the spirit of deepening integration among member states, this revised treaty has aided the region to provide for the establishment and implementation of a free-movement regime within a single economic and financial space.

ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STATES

The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) was formed with the aim of promoting consultation, cooperation and concerted action among all the countries of the Caribbean. It was established by a convention on July 24, 1994, in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. It comprises 25 member states and four associate members. The secretariat of the organisation is located in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The objectives of the ACS are the strengthening of the regional cooperation and integration process, with a view to creating an enhanced economic space in the region; preserving the environmental integrity of the Caribbean Sea, which is regarded as the common patrimony of the peoples of the region; and promoting the sustainable development of the greater Caribbean.

CARIBBEAN SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY

It is important to note that a precursor to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy was the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA). This CARICOM entity, however, came to fruition on February 4, 2002. The CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) is an enlarged market which offers more and better opportunities to produce and sell goods and services and to attract investment; greater economies of scale; increased competitiveness; full employment and improved standards of living for the people of the Caribbean Community.

The ultimate goal of the CSME is to provide the foundation for growth and development through the creation of a single economic space for the production of competitive goods and services. The CSME is at the heart of CARICOM’s economic integration, and economic integration is one of four pillars on which CARICOM rests in pursuit of its objectives. Already, the CSME has had an impact on the lives of citizens and business. Several categories of persons seeking employment move freely. This has been achieved through:

The abolition of the work-permit system.

The introduction of the Certificate of CARICOM Skills Qualification. Definite entry for six months. Indefinite leave to stay in a member state.

The right to transfer social-security benefits from one CARICOM state to another.

That is it for this week. I hope that this concise lesson has been of great help to you all. Please practise the past-paper question below so that you may feel more comfortable with this topic. Blessings.

2004 PAST-PAPER QUESTION

Discuss the view that a major challenge to the integration movement in the Caribbean is the wide disparity in levels of development among member countries of CARICOM. (30 marks)