The Third Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community met in Ocho Rios, Jamaica from 16-18 November, 1982. Twelve States were represented by their Heads of Government: Hon. Vere Bird, Antigua and Barbuda; Rt Hon. Lynden Pindling, The Bahamas; Rt. Hon. J.M.G.M. Adams, Barbados; Hon. George Price, Belize; Hon. Mary Eugenia Charles, Dominica; Hon. Maurice Bishop, Grenada; President Forbes Burnham, Guyana; Rt. Hon. Edward Seaga, Jamaica; Hon. John Osborne, Montserrat; Hon. Dr. Kennedy Simmonds, St. Kitts-Nevis; Hon. John Compton, Saint Lucia; Hon. George Chambers, Trinidad and Tobago. In the unavoidable absence of the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, that State was represented by its Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Hudson Tannis.
The Meeting was declared open by the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Rt. Hon. Edward Seaga. In his address of welcome, Mr Seaga emphasised that “In CARICOM our Community has the vehicle through which we can work make our future fulfill the hopes and aspirations of our peoples”.
Addresses were given in response to Prime Minister Seaga’s opening address by Mr Vere Bird, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Mr George Chambers, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms Mary Eugenia Charles, Prime Minister of Dominica and Cde. L.F.S. Burnham, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
The Heads of Government Conference elected as its Chairman the Prime Minister of Jamaica. The Conference conducted its business through Plenary Sessions, a Caucus of Heads of Government and an Economic and General Committee. Prior to the Conference, the Eight Meeting of the Standing Committee of Ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs was held on 15 November to consider and make recommendations to the Conference on foreign policy issues.
Heads of Government noted with particular satisfaction that since they had last met, Do minica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize and Antigua and Barbuda had achieved independence and that St. Kitts-Nevis is now taking steps towards the achievement of Independence.
In reviewing international political developments, the Conference of Heads of Government expressed deep concern that the situation was one in which small States were increasingly subject to stresses and unbearable pressures. The major objectives of the international community to create better levels of living for all the world’s peoples and to maintain peace and security have suffered grave reverses in recent years. The failure to agree on global negotiations despite prolonged and wide ranging negotiating efforts culminating in the Cancun Summit has been the result of the sharp deterioration in international relations. In the case of the maintenance of peace, the period has been characterised by increasing resort to violence, devastating regional wars and threats, pressures and aggression against small States.
The Conference considered that the international system was increasingly characterised by the use of force, either directly through military means, or economic aggression, or by subtle and indirect measures of coercion, the endless rapidly escalating arms race which increasingly involves countries of the developing world and by the assertion by the great powers of spheres of interest.
As on previous occasions, the Conference affirmed the inadmissibility of the use of force in international relations, and of interference in the internal affairs of States, and stressed the need to resolve conflicts by peaceful means based on respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The Heads of Government in noting that the Second UN Special Session on Disarmament had earlier this year ended without significant agreement, expressed their deep dismay that a vast and increasing portion of the world’s resources is devoted to the procurement of sophisticated armaments at the expense of social and economic development of the world’s peoples.
The Heads of Government were deeply disturbed at the eruption of regional conflicts in a number of areas.
In examining the situation in Southern Africa, the Conference deplored the abhorrent apartheid policies of the Government of South Africa and expressed the gravest concern that the people of Namibia were still being prevented from exercising their right to independence.
The Conference also deplored the continued acts of aggression perpetrated by South Africa against neighbouring African States.
The Conference of Heads of Government condemned the recent massacre in Lebanon. They affirmed their support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to a homeland and for the right of all states in the Middle East to exist within secure internationally recognised borders.
The Heads of Government viewed with particular concern the protracted conflict between Iraq and Iran, both members of the Non-Aligned Movement. They called upon these States as a matter of urgency to cease hostilities, to observe the relevant resolutions adopted by the United Nations, and to adopt the peaceful procedures available for the settlement of disputes.
In this context, the Heads of Government commended the mediation efforts of the Organisation of African Unity, Conference of Islamic States, and the Non-Aligned Movement to bring about a settlement of this and other international disputes.
The Heads of Government noted that the conflicts in Central America were in large part due to past failures to correct deep-seated social and economic wrongs and expressed the hope that advantage would be taken of the various peace proposals to bring these conflicts to an end.
In considering the threats to peace and security to Member States in recent years, the Heads of Government paid particular attention to the threats of direct aggression which had been made against certain Member States in pursuit of territorial claims, the threat of incursions by mercenaries and intensified military activities of major powers in the Region.
They identified the need for coordinated action at the national, regional and international levels on the question of mercenaries. They also decided that the Community would adopt a unified approach in dealing with the phenomenon of economic aggression and called on all States to refrain from interference and/or intervention by economic means in the internal and external affairs of another State thereby preventing people from determining freely their own path of political, economic and social development.
In this context, the Conference adopted a resolution which –
| “Welcomed the fact that Belize’s independence was supported by the overwhelming majority of States – members of the United Nations;
Reaffirmed its support for the territorial integrity of Belize; Regretted that Gautemala has reneged on its agreement to abandon its claim to all the territory of Belize and refuses to accept the status of Belize as an independent State; Agreed that efforts should be intensified bilaterally and multilaterally to guarantee the security of Belize; Noted that, where any Member State considers that its nationals are being trained without its consent for the purpose of pursuing acts of aggression or destabilisation against it, it may consult with other Member States with a view to deciding what coordinated diplomatic action may be taken by them”. |
In recalling the resolution passed at the Eighth Meeting of the Heads of Government held in Georgetown in April 1973, which, in dealing with mutual assistance against external aggression, declared inter alia that political independence and territorial integrity of Member States are essential prerequisites for the achievement of the economic objectives of the Community, the Conference discussed developments in the relations between Guyana and Venezuela in the light of the controversy which had arisen as a result of the Venezuelan contention that the 1899 Arbitral Award, on the basis of which the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela was settled, was null and void.
Recalling its concern for the sanctity of treaties and for defined and demarcated boundaries, the Conference noted the grave effect that this controversy is having on the relations between CARICOM States and Venezuela and took note of the unqualified undertaking given by the Venezuelan Government to eschew the use of force as a means of settling the controversy. The Conference also called upon Venezuela to desist from further action or threats of action likely to affect the economic development of Guyana.
The Conference urged Guyana and Venezuela to continue their pursuit of a peaceful settlement of the controversy in accordance with the terms of the Geneva Agreement of 1966 so as to arrive at a final decision as promptly as possible.
The Heads of Government took particular note of recent developments in connection with the Law of the Sea Convention and their importance for the Caribbean. They urged all Member States to sign the Convention when it is opened for signature at the signing session in Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 and to work for its early ratification so that it may come into force as early as possible. Adequate resources should be provided for the effective operations of the Preparatory Commission for the International Seabed Authority which is scheduled to meet in Jamaica next March, and for the very early establishment of the Secretariat of the Preparatory Commission in Jamaica.
Heads of Government expressed deep concern over the current world economic crisis which is reminiscent of the era of the depressed conditions of the 1930s. They noted that the economic policies being pursued by the industralised countries, including the resort to protectionism are the main causes of the present economic malaise.
In reviewing the situation of the developing countries, the Heads of Government noted the deleterious effects of declining terms of trade, high interest rates, dwindling officials development assistance and private investment flows.
Heads of Government exhorted the international community, in particular the developed countries, to desist from the practice of protectionism and to institute new measures to stimulate financial flows as a means of restoring global economic activity and to ensure that the pace of economic and social development becomes more consistent with the objective of international peace and security.
They noted further the need for CARICOM countries to take full cognisance of ongoing developments in science and technology and their impact on development prospects. They agreed that it was necessary to incorporate this in their development strategies and called upon the international community to assist them in this effort.
Heads of Government considered the various developments which have taken place in the context of the Caribbean Basin Initiative. In respect of the US proposals, they expressed the hope that the legislative processes would soon be completed. In this connection, they also requested the United States Government, in addition to its evolving bilateral aid programmes to give consideration to contributing on a grant basis to the Unified Special development Fund of the Caribbean Development Bank.
The Heads of Government reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining and strengthening the Caribbean Community and to the deepening of the integration process. They reiterated their conviction that the Community is a symbol of hope and a practical mechanism for the improvement of the quality of life for all their peoples.
They noted in respect of trade that instances of quantitative restrictions and alleged violations of the Rules of Origin have emerged.
They also noted the continued adverse foreign exchange situation facing the Governments of the Region and the effect this was having on the operations of the CARICOM Multilateral Clearing Facility (CMCF). They commended the new initiatives taken by the Board of the CMCF to strengthen the Facility with a view to revitalising the flow of intraregional trade.
They emphasised the need to expand intraregional trade as a means of stimulating economic growth in member States and:
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(i) requested the Standing Committee of Ministers Responsible for Finance to re-examine the need for joint measures to deal with the general problem of trade imbalances and balance-of-payments difficulties;
(ii) urged Members States to remove completely by the end of 1983, quantitative restrictions imposed on intraregional trade since the establishment of the Common Market (except those introduced under Article 56 of the Annex to the Treaty); (iii) urged the Common Market Council to discharge its responsibilities as required under the provisions of Article 28 (2) in cases where report is made thereto by Member States; (iv) agreed to the provision by Member States of information on the operations of State Trading Enterprises towards an assessment of the role of these enterprises in the expansion of intraregional trade; (v) agreed to support the present initiative of the CMCF to seek additional resources to permit expansion of its operation; (vi) agreed to support the maintenance and viability of the garment industry; (vii) urged that Member States should strictly observe the provisions of the Rules of Origin of the Caribbean Common Market; (viii) urged Member States to give priority to regionally produced goods of comparable quality over similar goods from Third Countries. |
The Heads of Government agreed to instruct public sector representatives on he Board of Governors of the Caribbean Investment Corporation (CIC) to pursue expeditiously the winding-up of CIC. To ensure that industrial development, particularly in the LDCs, is not constrained by the unavailability of venture capital, heads of Government decided to instruct the CARICOM Members on the Board of Directors of CDB to:
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(i) seek funds from within and outside the Caribbean Common Market for the financing of productive Sector projects;
(ii) further improve its procedures to accelerate the flow of financing for productive sector projects generally and private sector projects in particular; and (iii) seek to create a special fund to provide venture capital for the countries of the Region, paying special regard to the needs of the LDCs |
Having regard to the important role of reliable and adequate air services in the promotion of economic development and the clear need to improve the efficiency and enhance the viability of air transportation services owned by countries of the Region, Heads of Government decided that an inter-governmental agreement on co-operation in air transportation be concluded and to that end, to appoint a high-level Committee to prepare a draft agreement, and in addition, to examine and make recommendations to Governments on all aspects of rationalisation of passenger and freight air transportation in the Region (See note on Regional Transport)
The Committee will also be expected to advise on mechanisms including tour operating companies for improving the flow of tourist traffic to the Region, taking into consideration in particular the need to provide adequate support to the LDCs. The Committee will be required to submit its report within the next six months.
The operations of the West Indies Shipping Corporation (WISCO) and LIAT (1984) Ltd. were reviewed by the Heads of Government.
With regard to WISCO, Heads of Government agreed to support the regional shipping line in its efforts to strengthen and develop its operations against competition from extraregional shipping lines. Note was also taken of the accession of the Belize to WISCO thereby making WISCO a corporation owned by all Member States of CARICOM.
Heads of Government also noted the improvements in the financial performance of LIAT since the mid-1970s and reaffirmed their commitment to the airline’s development.
On the question of joint efforts in industrial development, the Conference of Heads of Government reaffirmed the continued importance of, and urgency of agreeing on, a co-ordinated programme for industrial development in the Common Market to attain the objectives set out in Article 46 of the Annex to the Treaty. In this connection, note was taken of the efforts to resolve the problems identified by certain Governments with respect to industrial programming.
Heads of Government also agreed to accord high priority to the implementation of the proposals under the Regional Food and Nutrition Strategy (RFNS), and that a special meeting of the Standing Committee of Ministers responsible for Agriculture by convened to examine the operations of the Caribbean Food Corporation (CFC) and the Caribbean Research and Development Institute (CARDI).
Heads of Government noted:
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(a) the current global surpluses of petroleum refining capacity, the movement towards restructuring of the world petroleum refining industry and the potentially adverse impact on the petroleum refining industry in the Caribbean, in particular the small refineries based on imported crude.
(ii) that present crude oil production and refining capacity in the Region is capable of supplying the regional demand for petroleum products; (iii) the need for a mutually agreed arrangement between the petroleum importing countries and the petroleum supplying country of the Region which would protect the long-term interest of both groups. |
Conference agreed that Ministers of Energy should, on the basis of adequate and expeditious preparation involving both the CARICOM Secretariat and energy officials within the Region, and as a matter of the utmost priority, meet with a view of agreeing on a comprehensive Regional Energy Plan of Action to:
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(i) promote security of intra-regional supplies and markets for petroleum products; and
(ii) develop feasible alternate sources of energy |
within the Region
The Conference discussed the question of widening the membership of the Community, and in that context, considered applications from Haiti and Suriname for closer relations with the Community. The Conference identified certain formal arrangements towards this end which will be further discussed.
In discussing relations with other countries, the Heads of Government observed that negotiations for a successor arrangement to the current ACP-EEC Convention were imminent and therefore requested the Common Market Council of Ministers to urgently devise a joint strategy for those negotiations.
At the conclusion of their deliberations, the Heads of Government adopted the Ocho Rios Declaration, the text of which is at Attachment II.
At the invitation of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the Conference agreed to hold its Fourth Meeting at Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago on the Tenth Anniversary of the Caribbean Community, 4 July, 1983.
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
18 November 1982
REGIONAL TRANSPORT (AIR TRANSPORTATION)
Having regard to the need to Member States for reliable and adequate air services to promote economic development, including especially tourism and trade,
CONFERENCE:
Noted that –
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(i) there is a clear need to improve the efficiency and enhance the viability of air transportation services owned by countries of the Region;
(ii) small competing airlines carry very high overhead costs; (iii) a vital resource of the Region in the field of air transportation is the route rights inhering in the Region as a whole and owned at present by its several Member States; most of these States do not possess the facilities to enjoy the reciprocal benefits deriving from these rights; (iv) non-regional carriers operating in the Region under separate air services agreements in the absence of any coherent regional policy in many cases give rise to unequal competition which imposes substantial losses upon individual national air carriers of the Region; (v) the continuing requirement of the Region is for reliable uninterrupted air transportation services both intra-regionally and between countries of the Region and countries beyond; (vi) such continuity is best assured by air transportation arrangements within the control of Governments of the Region. |
Agreed –
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(i) that an inter-governmental agreement of co-operation in air transportation among Member States be concluded. such an agreement would, inter alia, provide for one Member State to designate an airline owned by another Member State as its national carrier. In the event of such an agreement, Heads of Government should adopt a resolution calling upon Third Countries to recognise the provisions of such an agreement;
(ii) to direct airlines owned by countries of the Region to explore urgently and implement fully, all feasible areas of co-operation in their respective operations; (iii) to urge the ATLAs of Member States to respond promptly to requests for the approval of schedules and fares made by airlines owned by countries of the Region; (iv) to nominate a high-level committee, to comprise two representatives each from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica Trinidad and Tobago and the OECS, to prepare a draft of the inter-governmental agreement, and in addition, to examine and make recommendations to Governments on:
(v) to direct the committee to submit its report to Governments within the next six months; (vi) that the Secretary-General will convene the high-level committee. *****
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THE OCHO RIOS DECLARATION
18 November 1982
We the Heads of Government of Member States of the Caribbean Community and The Bahamas here assembled –
Deeply aware of our situation as small States, for the most part newly independent, island-developing, prone to natural disasters and with small open economies particularly vulnerable to turbulence and pressures from within the international economic system;
Concerned about the global trend towards the use of force as a means of settling disputes and the assertion of spheres of interest and the hazard to which in consequence small States are increasingly exposed;
Mindful of the fact that external strategic perceptions of the Region can present both special opportunities and difficult problems for the development of our States;
Deeply aware of our common identity and of the need to consolidate and strengthen the bonds which have historically existed among our people;
Recognising nevertheless the reality of the growing heterogeneity in the social, economic and political systems of our States;
(1) Reaffirm our strong conviction that the maintenance and deepening of the Caribbean Community established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas provides the only certain way for the survival of our States as independent, free and developing societies.
(2) Declare our belief that the regional integration movement is the only viable option available for the optimal development of all the human and natural resources of the Region in the contemporary economic and political circumstances in the Region as well as in the world as a whole.
(3) Affirm our commitment to the political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights of the peoples of the Region in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
(4) Assert that while recognising that the emergence of ideological pluralism in the Community responds to internal processes and is an irreversible trend within the international system, we are committed to ensuring that it will not inhibit the processes of integration.
(5) Accordingly affirm our commitment to the interests of the Community as one of the main determinants in the formulation of foreign policy goals in response to regional and global issues.
(6) Reaffirm further that Member States will air at the fullest possible co-ordination of their foreign policies and should seek to adopt as far as possible common positions on major international issues.
(7) Express our profound concern at the heightening of tension in the Region resulting from the recent increase in military activities in the Caribbean area.
(8) Reaffirm and call on all States to respect the principles of non-interference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.
(9) Reiterate the right of self-determination of all peoples, including the right to choose their own path of social, political and economic development, and insist that there can be no justification for any external interference with the exercise of that right.
(10) Assert our commitment to the maintenance of absolute respect for defined borders, and demarcated and traditional lines of jurisdiction of States of the Region.
(11) Insist that while the Member States have an urgent and pressing need for external economic assistance to achieve the goals of rapid social and economic development, the principles of international social justice required that such assistance be given in consultation with and with the fullest respect for the sovereign wishes of the recipient countries.
(12) Consider that aid programmes for the Region should therefore be truly reflective of national goals and priority areas for development.
(13) Affirm that programmes of aid channeled through regional institutions should be supportive of the integrity of such institutions and their autonomous character and should utilise indigenous resources and expertise.
Attaching the highest importance to the principles and objectives asserted herein, declare our common resolve to work together towards their maintenance and fulfilment.
