Striving Toward a Reconfiguration of a Rational Community Through Shared Sovereignty

• Author: Edward Greene
• Pages: 3-9

Striving Toward a Reconfiguration of a Rational Community 3

INTRODUCTION

Reconfiguration of the Regional Community must of necessity focus on

some of the conceptual issues that should be resolved in order to place in

perspective the challenges confronting the Region as it attempts to deepen

the integration process. Sir Shridath Ramphal, Chair of the first panel,

outlined the terms of reference and the context of the Rose Hall Declaration

in which the Heads of Government constructed some parameters of

governance that they hoped would point the way forward for a more viable

integration process. This panel will take the spirit of the Rose Hall

Declaration into consideration. Its main aim however is to re-examine some

of the conceptual bases for the elements of that Declaration, especially the

thorny issue of sovereignty and the role of law in the future of the integration

movement.

A cursory examination of the wealth of analyses of individual and

collective sovereignty indicates that there is justification for CARICOM to

strive toward the reconfiguration of a rational community through shared

sovereignty.

BACKGROUND TO THE DISCUSSIONS

The birth and growth of the Caribbean integration movement is a

fascinating history of progress toward and retreat from objectives identified

by respective advocates and practitioners of different concepts or versions

of regionalism. Among them are ‘closer union’, ‘federalism’, ‘free trade area’,

‘common market’, and most recently a ‘single market and economy’. With

the exception of federalism, which was a quantum leap toward achieving

political integration before the functional nature of the movement had

consolidated and taken root both socially and institutionally, the other

concepts may be defined in a logical sequence along a continuum that is

illustrative of the deepening of the process of integration.

STRIVING TOWARD ASTRIVING TOWARD A

STRIVING TOWARD ASTRIVING TOWARD A

STRIVING TOWARD A

RECONFIGURATION OF ARECONFIGURATION OF A

RECONFIGURATION OF ARECONFIGURATION OF A

RECONFIGURATION OF A

RATIONAL COMMUNITY THROUGHRATIONAL COMMUNITY THROUGH

RATIONAL COMMUNITY THROUGHRATIONAL COMMUNITY THROUGH

RATIONAL COMMUNITY THROUGH

SHARED SOVEREIGNTYSHARED SOVEREIGNTY

SHARED SOVEREIGNTYSHARED SOVEREIGNTY

SHARED SOVEREIGNTY

Edward Greene

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