Caribbean Governance: Solving the St. Kitts-Nevis Dilemma and the Caribbean-Atlantic Wide Participation Conundrum

• Author: Neville C. Duncan
• Pages: 126-132

126 NEW CONCEPTIONS OF REGIONAL GOVERNANCE

INTRODUCTION

This paper attempts an unusual approach in order to promote a solution

for the participation dilemma for many countries in the Caribbean region

which are not parts of CARICOM’s existing governance structure. It takes

as its starting point the challenge posed to the Federation of St. Kitts–Nevis

and proposes a model that can be effective for such states as well as for all

countries, whatever their constitutional status, size and wealth. Indeed,

there are several multi-island states, already within CARICOM, which could

conceivably face similar problems to that being persistently experienced

by the federation of St. Kitts–Nevis. This case then becomes a point of entry

into the wider Caribbean governance challenge.

THE ST. KITTS–NEVIS SOLUTION (?)

It may be true that most of the problems currently besetting the

relationship between St. Kitts and Nevis in the Federation of St. Christopher

and Nevis are a result of very poor constitution-making by the British

government. The British government created a federation that was not a

federation but looked more like a unitary state for the twin islands. It is the

resolution of this problem, without having to create two individual

independent states, that is at the heart of continuing difficulties between

the two islands.

Some general points:

i. In trying to solve the puzzle there is the need to abandon reliance

solely on the traditional notion of the Westminster/Whitehall

system of government. There have been several serious indications

that in micro-states and multi-island states, a much higher degree

CARIBBEAN GOVERNANCE: SOLVINGCARIBBEAN GOVERNANCE: SOLVING

CARIBBEAN GOVERNANCE: SOLVINGCARIBBEAN GOVERNANCE: SOLVING

CARIBBEAN GOVERNANCE: SOLVING

THE ST. KITTS–NEVIS DILEMMA ANDTHE ST. KITTS–NEVIS DILEMMA AND

THE ST. KITTS–NEVIS DILEMMA ANDTHE ST. KITTS–NEVIS DILEMMA AND

THE ST. KITTS–NEVIS DILEMMA AND

THE CARIBBEAN—ATLANTIC WIDETHE CARIBBEAN—ATLANTIC WIDE

THE CARIBBEAN—ATLANTIC WIDETHE CARIBBEAN—ATLANTIC WIDE

THE CARIBBEAN—ATLANTIC WIDE

PARTICIPATION CONUNDRUMPARTICIPATION CONUNDRUM

PARTICIPATION CONUNDRUMPARTICIPATION CONUNDRUM

PARTICIPATION CONUNDRUM

Neville C. Duncan

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