REGIONAL

Regional integration process remains on course, says CARICOM Secretary-General Published on Saturday, December 13, 2008 Email To Friend    Print Version Secretary-General of CARICOM, Dr Edwin Carrington announced that, despite significant challenges that the region has encountered from both internal and external forces, the regional integration process remains on course with the people of the region at its heart. The Secretary-General while speaking at his annual End-of-Year media briefing via video conference from the CARICOM Secretariat, Liliendaal noted that considerable work has been done during 2008 to advance the integration process and to strengthen the economy of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). Secretary-General of CARICOM, Dr Edwin Carrington He said that he had “a certain measure of pride” with the accomplishments of the Community and cited two key establishments that are now operating; the CARICOM Competition Commission which was inaugurated on January 19, 2008 in Paramaribo, Suriname, where seven Commissioners were sworn in and the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) with a start-up fund of US$67M in St. John’s Antigua, in July 2008, at the 29th Heads of Government Conference. Economic Advisor to the Secretary-General, Dr Maurice Odle said that so far, some Member States had made requests to access resources from the fund. He disclosed that those requests were being reviewed, and it was projected that mid 2009 would see the disbursement of funds. Carrington said that in spite of some challenges, work was progressing on the development of a Protocol on Contingent Rights linked to the Free Movement of Skills within the CSME arrangement. This, he noted, is one area that the integration process is judged by therefore, it was important to ensure that this dimension of the Single Market worked well. The Secretary-General stated, however, that the issue of contingent right has been posing a challenge and a group has been set up to ‘iron’ out this issue and will work as a facilitating agent. This year was earmarked for the establishment of the CSME and the Secretary-General said that regional stakeholders were looking at fiscal policy of harmonization which he described as “crucial” to the convergence of regional economies. He disclosed that the Committee of Central Bank Governments was engaged in fine-tuning an approach for monetary cooperation and integration, another critical pillar in building the Single Economy. Further, the Secretary-General added that the CARICOM Investment Code and the CARICOM Financial Services had been drafted and were before the CARICOM Heads of Government for their consideration and approval. “In order to gave concerted expression to the Single Economy and a single development vision, the process continued for a strategic plan for regional development,” Carrington said. Addressing the impact of agriculture, he noted that the Region’s capacity to develop this sector is vital to its development of the CSME and this is being aided by the “Jagdeo initiative”. As the development of tourism continues in the sector it has gained much interest among the CARICOM Heads of Government, the Secretary-General noted. At their 29th Meeting in July 2008, he said that they agreed to a Regional Marketing Plan to prepare a brand that would advance the Regional Tourism package to be viable against a prevailing global economic downturn. The Secretary-General also noted that with the recent signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) the region is currently preparing for its implementation and this process “rests” heavily on the resources of the CARICOM Secretariat. Other matters addressed by the Secretary-General were the global economic recession and how the region can work to “escape its impact”, the advancement of the Region’s Climate Change Agenda, achievements in the area of Human and Social Development, including the establishment of Universal Compulsory Education for children aged four and efforts for the establishment of the Caribbean Public Health Agency in 2010.   Reads : 362 Back... Comments: No comments on this topic yet. Be the first one to submit a comment. Back... Send us your comments!   Send us your comments on this article for publication in our Readers' Forum or as a Letter to the Editor. 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