KIGNSTON, Jamaica – THE bureau of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at its recent meeting, decried disparaging comments by foreign financial and economic commentators. Why is CARICOM not getting respect for its economic policy? Nobody is obliged to assist anyone else, but the willingness to help is usually stimulated by sympathy with someone who cannot help himself because of circumstances beyond his control. This may be due to a deformity, which may require permanent assistance, or to tragic events, such as natural disasters or sudden job loss, which may require temporary assistance. Assistance is necessary to enable the person to regain the capacity to take care of his own needs. How long is temporary and how much assistance is required invariably depend on evidence that the needy is making an effort to help himself, ie finding some form of employment or economic activity.
