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• *LECTURE*
BY THE RT. HON. P.J. PATTERSON, P.C., Q.C, M.P.
PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA
AT THE
MATIAS RCJttERO INSTITUTE DIPLc»tATIC STUDIES
SEPTEMBER 2, 1993
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DEPUTY SECRETARY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS,
SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF THE SECRETARIAT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS
MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS
STUDENTS - MATIAS ROMERJINSTITUTE OF DIPLOMATIC STUDIES
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
LET ME SAY HOW HAPPY I AM TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO PAST AND PRESENT MEMBERS
OF THE INSTITUTE. WHEN I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK, I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH
YOU SOME THOUGHTS ON THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM), ITS RELATION WITH
ITS NEIGHBOURS AND FROM WHERE I STAND, THE GENERAL PERSPECTIVE OF CARICOM
INTEGRATION AS WE APPROACH THE 21ST CENTURY. THE CENTRAL THEME IN MY DISCOURSE
TODAY, IS THEREFORE 11 CARICOM TOWARDS THE 21ST CENTURY AND BEYOND. 11
CARICOM, AS YOU KNOW, IS THE ACRONYM FOR THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY AND
COMMON MARKET. THE COMMON MARKET IS NOT ONLY ABOUT TRADE, BUT COORDINATED
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
EFFORTS TO FORM A COMMUNITY BEGAN EARLY IN THE 1960 1S FOLLOWING THE
COLLAPSE OF THE WEST INDIAN FEDERATION OF 1958 - 1962. THIS TIME, GREATER
EMPHASIS WA5.,PLACED ON SECURING ECONOMIC LINKAGES AND IN BUILDING ON NATURAL;/
AREAS OF COOPERATION. THE FORMATION OF CARIFTA IN 1968, WHICH LATER
DEVELOPED INTO CARICOM THROUGH THE TREATY OF CHAGUARAMAS IN 1973, WAS BASED
ON A PHILOSOPHY, WHICH SAW ECONOMIC AND FUNCTIONAL COOPERATION BETWEEN
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NEWLY INDEPENDENT SMALL STATES AS THE MOST VIABLE PATH TOWARDS INDUSTRIALIZATION
AND PROVIDING IMPROVED STANDARD OF LIVING OF THEIR PEOPLES.
CARICOM WAS CREATED WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC RELATIONS,
INCLUDING COORDINATING FOREIGN POLICIES AND PROVIDING FOR COMMON SERVICES AND
FUNCTIONAL COOPERATION AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF THE CARIBBEAN.
THE OBJECTIVES OF CARICOM AS SET OUT IN THE TREATY OF CHAGUARAMAS ARE:
A) THE ECO OMIC INTEGRATION OF THE MEMBER STATES BY THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF A COMM N MARKET REGIME (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS "THE COMMON
MARKET'') I ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE ANNEX~ TO THIS
TREATY WITH T FOLLOWING AIMS:
i) THE STRENGT NING, COORDINATION AND REGULATION OF THE
ECONOMIC AND DE RELATIONS AMONG MEMBER STATES IN ORDER
TO PROMOTE THE! ACCELERATED HARMONIOUS AND BALANCED
DEVELOPMENT;
ii) THE SUSTAINED EXPANSIO AND CONTINUING INTEGRATION OF
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, THE ENEFITS OF WHICH SHALL BE
EQUITABLY SHARED, TAKING I O ACCOUNT THE NEED TO
PROVIDE SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIE FOR THE LESS DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES;
iii) THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A GREATER MEA
INDEPENDENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF S MEMBER STATES
IN DEALING WITH STATES, GROUPS OF STA ES AND ENTITIES
OF WHATEVER DESCRIPTION;
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METEOROLOGY INFORMATION AND TRAINING;
HEALTH
STATISTICS NCLUDING TRAINING AND POPULATION CENSUS TAKING
DEEEPENING OF THE CARIC(Xtt INTEGRATION PROCESS
PROFOUND CHANGES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, THE MOVEMENT TOWARDS ECONOMIC MEGA-BLOCS
AND THE DEMAND FOR COMPETITIVENESS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADING RELATIONS HAVE
HASTENED THE PACE FOR DEEPENING AND INTENSIFYING THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATION IN
CARICOM. HEADS OF GOVERNMENT HAVE NOW TAKEN DECISIONS AND SET SCHEDULES OR
ARRANGEMENTS FOR:
- THE CREATION OF A SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY
THE CREATION OF A MONETARY UNION
STRENGTHENING ITS EXTERNAL NEGOTIATING CAPACITY
SINGLE MARKET AND ECONcx-tY
THE CREATION OF A CARICOM SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY IS TARGETED FOR 1995.
IT IS ENVISAGED AS HAVING SEVERAL ELEMENTS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN
ACHIEVED AND SOME OF WHICH ARE CURRENTLY BEING NEGOTIATED OR STUDIED.
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THE MAIN ISSUE IS THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE APPROACHED.
HEADS OF GOVERNMENT REQUESTED SPECIFICALLY THAT THE WEST INDIAN COMMISSION
WHICH THEY ESTABLISHED IN 1989 PROVIDE THEM WITH GUIDANCE ON THIS MATTER. THE
COMMISSION, WHOSE REPORT "TIME FOR ACTION" WAS CONSIDERED IN OCTOBER 1992,
RECOMMENDED ESSENTIALLY AN APPROACH FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE BASED ON:
- A CORE GROUPING WITH MEMBERSHIP BASED ON THE EXISTING MEMBERS
AND SURINAMEi
A CLOSER SET OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LARGER CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
AND COUNTRIES IN THE WIDER CARIBBEAN BASIN BASED ON AN ASSOCIATION
OF CARIBBEAN STATES;
CONTINUED PURSUIT OF TRADE, ECONOMIC AND OTHER COOPERATION AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN CARICOM AND KEY COUNTRIES IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA;
A CAREFULLY DEVELOPED SET OF ARRANGEMENTS WITH DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
IN THE HEMISPHERE AND IN THE REST OF THE WORLD;
THE MOST IMPORTANT INSTRUMENT PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN
CARICOM AND THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE HEMISPHERE IS THE ASSOCIATION OF
CARIBBEAN STATES.
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ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION. FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS THIS JOINT GROUP HAS
/
ONLY HAD ONE FORMAL MEETING. IN THE SAME YEAR CARICOM ALSO OFFERED HAITI OBSERVER
STATUS IN MEETINGS OF SEVERAL OF ITS MINISTERIAL INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING AGRICULTURE,
HEALTH AND EDUCATION.
CARICOM/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH ITS OFFER TO HAITI IN 1984, CARICOM ALSO ESTABLISHED A JOINT
I'
TECHNICAL GROUP WITH THE t OMINICAN REPUBLIC AND OFFERED HER OBSERVER STATUS IN THE
SAME LIST OF MINISTERIAL INSTITUTIONS.
CARI COM/MEXICO
MEXICO WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY WITH WHICH CARICOM SIGNED AN AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT,
SIGNED IN 1974, ESTABLISHED THE CARICOM/MEXICO JOINT COMMISSION.
IN JULY 1990 THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO REQUESTED AND WAS GRANTED OBSERVER STATUS
IN A NUMBER OF INSTITUTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. THESE ARE THE SAME INSTITUTIONS
TO WHI CH VENEZUELA WAS GRANTED OBSERVER STATUS.
MEXICO HAS DISPLAYED AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THE CARICOM REGION SINCE THE LATE 1960 1 s.
CURRENTLY CARICOM/MEXICO RELATIONS ARE AFFECTED THROUGH FOUR MAJOR CHANNELS -
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i) CARICOM/MEXICO JOINT COMMISSION AND THE CONCLUSION OF TECHNICAL
COOPEATION AND TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENTS;
ii) MEXICAN LINKAGES WITH INITIATIVES TOWARDS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
TRADING AND OTHER CONTACTS BETWEEN CARICOM AND THE GROUP OF THREE,
AND BETWEEN CARICOM AND THE ANDEAN PACT;
iii) MEXICO'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION WITH VENEZUELA IN THE SAN JOSE
ACCORD AND
iv) MEXICO'S PARTICIPATION AS A MEMBER OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.
CARICOM AND THE CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES
CARIBBEAN AND THE CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES PARTICIPATE IN THE CARIBBEAN BASIN
INITIATIVE IMPLEMENTED BY THE UNITED STATES. THIS HAS PROVIDED A LOGICAL BASIS
FOR CONSULTATION BETWEEN CARICOM AND CENTRAL AMERICA BUT THIS WAS MAINLY EFFECTED
THROUGH THEIR DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION IN WASHINGTON. IN RECENT YEARS, IT BECAME
CLEAR THAT THESE CONTACTS COULD BE INTENSIFIED AND THEIR SCOPE WIDENED TO THE MUTUAL
ADVANTAGE OF BOTH GROUPS OF COUNTRIES. TO THIS END CARICOM AND CENTRAL AMERICAN
FOREIGN TRADE MINISTERS MET IN HONDURAS IN 1992, AND IN JAMAICA IN 1993. THE
MINISTERS HAVE ESTABLISHED A MECHANISM FOR PERMANENT CONSULTATION AND COOPERATION IN
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IN AREAS OF COMMON INTEREST. ONE OBVIOUS AREA IS THEIR TRADE WITH THE
UNITED STATES UNDER THE CBI WHICH COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE
NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (NAFTA).
CARIC(l,1/RIO GROUP
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RIO GROUP AS A FORUM IN WHICH VIRTUALLY ALL THE COUNTRIES
OF SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN CAN MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS
TO COORDINATE POLITICAL RESPONSES TO EXTERNAL EVENTS WITHIN THE REGION AND TO
BEGIN TO SEEK WAYS OF FORGING ECONOMIC LINKS, REPRESENTS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT
MECHANISM FOR COOPERATION. JAMAICA HAS THE HONOUR TO BE THE PRESENT REPRESENTATIVE
OF CARICOM WITHIN THE RIO GROUP.
EEC/NAFTA/L(l,1E/PACIFIC RIM
THE EEC HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A SINGLE ECONOMIC ENTITY FOR TRADING PURPOSES
AND IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF ECONOMIC AND PERHAPS EVEN
POLITICAL INTEGRATION.
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THESE DEVELOPMENTS REQUIRE THAT CARI ~OVES PURPOSEFULLY TO REDEFINE ITS
PERSPECTIVES
OUR ANALYSIS SO FAR INDICATES THAT CARICOM, AS AN INTEGRATION GROUPING, HAS HAD
SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND HAS BEEN MOVING TO INTENSIFY ITS INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL INTEGRATION AND COOPERATION PROCESSES. THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
IS CHANGING VERY RAPIDLY HOWEVER. THIS PLACES CARICOM IN A POSITION WHERE
IT MUST MOVE EVEN MORE DECISIVELY AND PURPOSELY TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DEEPEN AND
WIDEN BOTH ITS INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PROCESSES.
A NUMBER OF DECISIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THE INTERNAL INTEGRATION.
THE CRITICAL FACTOR NOW RELATES TO IMPLEMENTATION. THE WEST. INDIAN COMMISSION
CONFIRMED IMPLEMENTATION AS ONE OF THE COMMUNITY'S MAJOR AREAS OF WEAKNESS ITS
ACHILLES HEEL. I SUGGEST THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS HEAD ON.
THE DECISIONS TAKEN AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE TO:
"PROCEED WITH THE SETTING UP OF THE ASSEMBLY OF CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY
PARLIAMENTARIANS TO ENCOURAGE DISCUSSIONS ON REGIONAL ISSUES AMONG
PARLIAMENTARIANS IN THE REGION~ AND
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ADOPT A CHARTER OF CIVIL SOCIETY SETTING OUT FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
TO GOVERN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE . 11
SHOULD NOT ONLY BRING THE POPULATION MUCH MORE INTO THE INTEGRATION PROCESS
BUT SHOULD INTENSIFY THE INTERNAL PRESSURES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DECISIONS.
THE SITUATION ON THE EXTERNAL FRONT WILL REQUIRE MUCH MORE BASIC WORK.
THE SCOPE OF THE CHALLENGES IS EXTREMELY WIDE AND OUR HUMAN AND FINANCIAL
RESOURCES CONVERSELY LIMITED. WE THEREFORE NEED TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY AND
AN APPROACH WHICH RECONCILES AND MAXIMISES THE SHORT AND LONG TERM RETURNS
FROM OUR EFFORT. A PROACTIVE RATHER THAN A REACTIVE STRATEGY IS NEEDED.
IN MY BUDGET SPEECH TO THE JAMAICAN PARLIAMENT IN 1992, AND AFTER REVIEWING
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, I CONCLUDED AS FOLLOWS:-
"ALL.. OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BOTH IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM SIGNIFICANCE
FOR ALL SMALL COUNTRIES IN THE CARIBBEAN. WE HAVE TO DECIDE AND DECIDE RAPIDLY,
HOW WE WILL FIT INTO THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND WHAT PLACE WE CAN SECURE FOR OURSELVES
IN A WORLD WHICH IS RAPIDLY RESPONDING TO THE DYNAMICS OF INTEGRATION AND
GLOBALIZATION OF PRODUCTS ...... WE HAVE TO PROCEED WITH CARI COM AS RAPIDLY :~-
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AS POSSIBLE, TO STRENGTHENING AND DEEPENING OUR INTEGRATION PROCESS, BOTH AS
REGARDS TO OUR OWN PRODUCTION CAPACITIES AND OUR INTERNAL TRADING ARRANGEMENTS
AND OUR EXTERNAL LINKS WITH BOTH OUR TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL TRADING
PARTNERS. II
THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT HAVE ALSO RECOGNISED THE URGENCY OF THE MATTER AND
ALSO THE CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PROCESSES. IN ORDER
TO ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL ISSUE IN A FOCUSSED MANNER AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL
ELEMENTS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT IN
JULY 1993 ESTABLISHED A COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF
BARBADOS, JAMAICA, SAINT LUCIA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TO:
- DEVELOP AN IMMEDIATE STRATEGY AND LONG-TERM PROGRAMME FOR
SECURING THE EXTERNAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND INTERESTS OF THE
COMMUN ITV;
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROMOTING THE STRATEGY AND PROGRAMME
IN KEY CENTRES AND FOR ESTABLISHING CONTACTS WITH HEADS OF
GOVERNMENT O~ SELECTED COUNTRIES.
THE PRIME MINISTERS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND WILL MEET
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IN JAMAICA WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO PLAN THEIR OVERALL APPROVAL.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SUGGEST THAT CARICOM MUST ADDRESS URGENT ATTENTION TO
THE NORTH AMERICAN REGION (CANADA, MEXICO AND UNITED STATES) WITH THE ADVENT
TO NAFTA, TO THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINGLE
MARKET AND THE APPROACH OF THE MID-TERM REVIEW OF THE LOME CONVENTION AND TO
LATIN AMERICA. THIS IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE LIST BUT A HIGH PRIORITY LIST.
I ENVISAGE A MUCH GREATER DEGREE OF CONCERTATION OF THE FOREIGN POLICIES
OF CARICOM STATES. THIS WILL EXTEND TO GREATER COOPERATION AND POOLING OF
THE RESOURCES INVOLVED IN OUR EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION. I WOULD EXPECT
THIS PARTICULARLY TO BE THE CASE IN THE CENTRES WHERE OUR DOMINANT PREOCCUPATION
IS WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION.
CONCLUSIONS
CARICOM IS A SMALL AND A RELATIVELY YOUNG COMMUNITY. IT CELEBRATED ITS
20TH ANNIVERSARY ONLY IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. IT IS HOWEVER AN INTEGRAL PART
OF A MOST DYNAMIC INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT WHICH WILL NOT WAIT.
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CARICOM MUST THEREFORE ADAPT ITS STRATEGIES AND RE-ORIENT ITS APPROACH
INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO COPE WITH THE NEW DYNAMICS. CARICOM WILL SURVIVE
INTO THE 21ST CENTURY BUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT WILL MEET THE ASPIRATION OF
THE GENERATIONS OF THAT NEW MILLENIUM WILL DEPEND ON THE RESPONSY,WHICH ARE
MADE AT THIS MOMENT .
JAMAICA IS FULLY COMMITTED TO THE CARICOM INTEGRATION PROCESS AND WILL WORK
WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH ITS PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT THE RESPONSE IS SUFFICIENT TO
ENSURE NOT JUST SURVIVAL, BUT A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
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Percival J. Patterson Collection
