BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – THE 54-MEMBER Commonwealth of Nations, among which are a dozen independent states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), likes projecting itself as a microcosm of the world’s diverse peoples of various languages, ethnicities and cultures with shared commitment to democratic governance and the rule of law. While this perspective is being sustained, the reality is that over the years, instances of military coups, recurring examples of rigged national elections and political interferences that undermine the independence of the judiciary have weakened, to put it mildly, faith in the Commonwealth’s resolve to maintain commitment to its eloquently articulated goals. Examples of undemocratic developments and gross human rights violations have, at varying periods, been demonstrated in, for instance, Pakistan, Fiji, Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and with President Robert Mugabe’s regime in Zimbabwe continuing to make a mockery of the virtues of good governance.
