The CSME - An Imperative or Fantasy

• Author: Ryland Campbell
• Pages: 401-408

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The CSME – An Imperative or a Fantasy?

I believe that it is more than mere coincidence that we are gathered here

tonight in celebration of the Jamaica Exporters Association’s 40th Anniversary,

under the theme “Building Jamaica Brand we Love, Through Exports.” I

remember very well in 1966 when the decision to leave your parents’ house

was not greeted altogether with unanimity in the manufacturing house, and

even caused some consternation among the antagonists, but those who

promulgated and piloted the maturational separation, saw the future of an

extended family with harmonious co-existence. Your achievements over these

40 years are well chronicled for all to see and appreciate. Life begins at 40,

they say.

It is within the context of these achievements and your theme this week,

as well as the importance of exports to the Jamaican economy that I would

like to explore the matter of our having a CSME. My remarks will be more

from the philosophical and historical than from a recital of statistics. For it is

the philosophy and history of a people as much as it is of an organization

which drives its vision, its strategies and its pragmatic implementation.

More specifically, I’d like you to look at whether there are opportunities

presented by the CARICOM Single Market and the CSME. Are we to consider

new and creative ways of “Building Jamaica Brand we love, through exports”

within the context of a CARICOM region or go it alone? If this is an issue

worthy of discussion, then this naturally would raise the question of whether

Jamaican businesses visualize or envisage any opportunities and advantages

offered - by our region. Is the CSME a mere fantasy or is it an inescapable

journey to our destination of global competitiveness.

To place into context our deliberations, may I invite you to cast your

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28 Ryland Campbell1

THE CSME –

AN IMPERATIVE OR A FANTASY?