The CARICOM Commission: Towards a Mature Regionalism

• Author: Shridath Ramphal
• Pages: 71-77

The CARICOM Commission 71

I am grateful to the Chairman for having introduced the Panel’s

discussion in the context of the decisions taken at last July’s Montego Bay

Summit. When I chaired the first Panel this morning, I used some words

which I would like to repeat as the very foundation of any discussion we

have about the possible ‘structures and functions of a CARICOM Commission

or other executive mechanism’ — which is the formal title of this discussion.

I said then that we are not in limbo wondering what to do and how to do

it. We are poised to go forward on the basis of a political process that is well

prepared and far advanced. Indeed, ‘Carrying the Process Forward’ is the

title the Expert Group of Heads gave to their Report. I was referring, of

course, to the whole political process since February 2003 namely:

- the important Manning initiative that led to a landmark

Consultation on Options for Governance to Deepen the Integration

Process held in Port of Spain on February 13, 2003;

- the Expert Group of Heads, five Heads of Government, under the

Chairmanship of Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, that was

appointed by that meeting — five Prime Ministers charged by

their colleagues to come forward with recommendations on those

options for governance in the context of the decisions already

taken by the Community on the Single Market and Economy.

- the Initial Report prepared by the five Heads and presented to

their colleagues;

- the acceptance ‘in principle’ by the Montego Bay Summit of the

Report’s recommendations and their embodiment in specific terms

in the Rose Hall Declaration and the Summary and Conclusions

of the Summit.

So we are considering the idea of the Commission, not as an abstraction,

but in the context of decisions that have been taken at the Region’s highest

political level that there should be a Commission ‘or other executive

THE CARICOM COMMISSION:THE CARICOM COMMISSION:

THE CARICOM COMMISSION:THE CARICOM COMMISSION:

THE CARICOM COMMISSION:

TOWARDS A MATURE REGIONALISMTOWARDS A MATURE REGIONALISM

TOWARDS A MATURE REGIONALISMTOWARDS A MATURE REGIONALISM

TOWARDS A MATURE REGIONALISM

Shridath Ramphal

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