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CCNTV6
  • 11 months ago
Caricom leaders on Thursday begin their first day of deliberations as they meet in Barbados for their 48th regular summit.

The meeting began officially Wednesday evening with a regional leader who has returned to office, apparently intending to shake things up.

From Bridgetown, Peter Richards has the details.
Transcript
00:00Montserrat Premier Ruben Mead caught the attention of his fellow leaders
00:04and the full house at the opening ceremony. Mead returned to office in November after a 10-year
00:10hiatus and reminded leaders of the decisions that have yet to be implemented. He was treated
00:16to rapt attention as he opined that some CARICOM institutions no longer provide value for money.
00:23We do need to make decisions and implement them within the agreed timelines. However,
00:31in order for us to be in a position to do so,
00:35it is time for us to examine and review the institutions and organs of CARICOM.
00:43In order for us to make meaningful change, we need to review the CARICOM institutions
00:52and we can do that using local resources. In order for CARICOM to become an agent of change
01:00for the peoples of our region and be efficient in doing so, we need to assess the functionality
01:08and relevance of some of the institutions and organs of CARICOM. We have the capacity
01:15to do those reviews with regional resources without external donor funding. Keep it simple,
01:23I say. I say the time for making such decisions is now. In this economic
01:32annual contributions to CARICOM are becoming increasingly difficult to satisfy many of us
01:41and we are forced to question the value received. I urge us all to revisit the mandate and institutions
01:49and organs of CARICOM and assess whether they are meeting their original objectives.
01:57If they are not, now is the time to rethink those organizations to make them more meaningful.
02:06The ones that are no longer relevant should be amputated now. He noted that CARICOM leaders
02:14have not implemented their decisions on travel documents and driving permits.
02:19We as CARICOM heads decided to enable CARICOM nationals to have the opportunity of using
02:26driver's licenses or other forms of government issued photo identification for travel within
02:34the region. This has still not been put into effect by all of our member states.
02:41In like manner, a decision was taken to allow CARICOM nationals the use of their national
02:49driver's licenses to drive in any member state. This also has not been implemented by all member
02:59states. An unscripted CARICOM chair, host prime minister Mia Motley, seemed to agree with Meade
03:06as regards relooking some CARICOM institutions. We have a responsibility to reform this institution.
03:14We have spoken for too long as to the need for independent funding mechanisms. Whether it is
03:20assessed at the imports, whether it is an issue of a small fee for all border passings, people coming
03:28in and out of our borders, or whether it is the assignment of renewable energy licenses to CARICOM
03:35and our regional institutions, the time is upon us for settling the independent funding of this
03:42Caribbean community. In addition, we need to review the governance mechanisms and to recognize that
03:48there may be a need for a greater political voice alongside the administrative structures of CARICOM
03:55as we have come to know it over the last few decades. The region's most globally recognized
04:01leader urged her colleagues to commit to the actions needed to advance the interests of CARICOM
04:07nationals. I ask us as we come to Bridgetown therefore, to appreciate that we may not
04:15have the luxury of having a heads meeting that follows the usual template.
04:21But if we can at this meeting really expose our hearts and our minds to each other
04:27and agree on a common platform on critical issues, we will not get it all right one time,
04:34but we must have a common vision and we must be prepared to recognize that none of us will get
04:40exactly what we want, but we must all work for what the people of the Caribbean need.
04:46Amid the introspection, Grenada's Prime Minister and outgoing CARICOM Chair,
04:50Deacon Mitchell admitted that he had come to office not as a CARICOM believer.
04:56I will pause a little bit to say as still a newbie and a new kid on the block
05:03that I became a member of CARICOM as a skeptic. I haven't left as yet, but I'm a full convert
05:11and I wouldn't go so fast to say that I've become a bit of a zealot when it comes to CARICOM.
05:25And that is as a result of the unwavering dedication, commitment
05:34and commitment of the leadership of CARICOM to the people of CARICOM.
05:46The opening ceremony was addressed by special guests, the President of the European Commission,
05:52Ursula von der Leyen and Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres.
05:58Guterres gave an insight into his views on supporting security and stability in Haiti.
06:05It is my intention to present to the Security Council a proposal that is very similar
06:11to the one that we have presented for Somalia, in which the UN assumes the responsibility
06:19of the structural and logistical expenditures that are necessary to put the force in place
06:27and the salaries of the force are paid through the trust funds that already exist.
06:36And if the Security Council will accept this proposal, we will have the conditions to finally
06:41have an effective force to defeat the gangs in Haiti and create the conditions for democracy to
06:48thrive. Von der Leyen spoke about the changing global environment and the common values shared
06:57by CARICOM and Europe. We are not in a race against each other. We are in a race against time.
07:08So even in a moment of harsh competition,
07:12we need to join forces. And this is what brings me here today.
07:20In this world, where there is a clear attempt by some to build spheres of influence,
07:32where competing visions of the world order are leading to a more transactional approach
07:40to global affairs, where the disruptive potential of intense competition is rising,
07:51where there is no win-win situation but a win-lose situation is what is the right.
08:00In this world, Europe's offer is clear. Let's have a look for shared values,
08:11for mutual interests and work together. This is the call of today.
08:17The leaders are meeting amidst shifting policies in the United States,
08:21one of CARICOM's largest trading partners and source market for its visitors.
08:27The changes in Washington come as leaders are due to discuss
08:32expanding the categories of people who can move freely among CARICOM nations.
08:41Reporting for CCN TV6 from Barbados, I am Peter Richards.
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