(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkey, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Dr. the Hon. Kenny Anthony, has called for a “big conversation” on the future of Caribbean economies.
In the face of the challenges currently facing Member States and with the understanding that Caribbean economies needed each other to survive, Prime Minister Anthony suggested that the conversation should take place at the upcoming Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in July this year.
“We need a `big conversation’ about the future of our economies, not just the future of CARICOM. For that reason, I hope we can, at our summit in July, focus on the future of our economies. It would be an opportunity to chart a new paradigm for growth, review the role and performance of our regional institutions to determine how they can help in these times and better assist us to restore growth to our economies,” Dr. Anthony said.
He made the comments while addressing the Opening Ceremony of the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Monday.
“The unvarnished truth”, Prime Minister Anthony said,” is that our economies need each other to survive and prosper. Trinidadian manufacturers cannot prosper if regional economies are anemic with little prospect to return to high levels of growth. Trinidad and Tobago needs regional economies that are strong, vibrant and fully capable of financing demand for goods and services.”
In his address, the immediate past Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government also referred to the “burning issue” of the proposal by the European Union to introduce the concept of “differentiation” to determine aid and support to African Caribbean and Pacific countries.
Describing differentiation as just another word for the “graduation” of states, Prime Minister Anthony said it had to be “fought resolutely, with all the diplomatic will and resources at our disposal.”
“This could not come at a worse time for Caribbean economies, caught in the most debilitating economic crisis since independence,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that there could be no doubt that the Europeans were determined to apply “differentiation.”
“They have made it clear that they may refine the principle, but there will be no retreat from its implementation.
“The truth is that our relationship with Europe is becoming even more and more `one sided’ with Europe seemingly having its way at every turn, on every occasion. Europe had its way with bananas, sugar and the EPA. Now, it is about to have its way with `differentiation’, Prime Minister Anthony said.
He added that Europe as well as CARICOM, had to determine “not just the diplomatic, but also the political value of the existing relationship.”
