Present-day Affinities and Challenges to Political and/or Economic Integration in the Caribbean.
Excerpt‘Guyana boasts a remarkably rich ecology, but also has one of South America's poorest economies.’ (BBC News, 2012,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1211325.stm).
Guyana, a Commonwealth republic state in the Caribbean, is often heard in the media on various accounts. It is a typical representative of the wider Caribbean countries (Will, 1991). Will argued that these countries, despite having many affinities, have in the past faced many challenges on their quest for integration (1991). In the news article by BBC News (2012) cited above, some of the drawbacks still resonate in the modern Caribbean region even though some development has occurred both economically and politically. It is also factual that these countries still stand largely disintegrated. In this paper, the challenges facing these countries’ integration today and the congruity among them are explored. Even in the present-day scenario, it is evident that the Caribbean finds itself in hard-rock conditions as the mainstay challenges like economic inequality and foul politics undermine the positive indicators in trying to realize political and economic integration.
The Caribbean countries are characterized by significant economic imbalances, a factor that has for a long time hindered economic integration. Most of the Caribbean countries are very small and have not had adequate resources and capability to keep up with the pace of development of the relatively larger states like Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, a condition that can be traced down their history (Will, 1991). This poses a big problem to economic integration because all the countries involved will be seeking for mutually beneficial relationships. The more developed countries like Jamaica will not yield easily to calls for integration on the basis that they will be at a disadvantage in a full integration scenario.
The average economic growth in the region has been steady as reported by the BBC News (2012), but the smaller islands continue to experience adverse economic problems. The BBC News (2012) noted that the economic outlook of Guyana, for instance, has been on a positive trend thanks to its booming eco-tourism business and sugarcane farming. However, the country is still one of the poorest economies in South America. Most of the Caribbean countries do not have the ability to cushion their economies against natural disasters, which are commonplace in the region and often hitting global news headlines. Recently, Guyana suffered destruction worth about half of GDP from flooding that engulfed it in 2005, while a similar occurrence reaped Grenada’s economy in 2004 destroying homes of almost the entire population. Larger and more developed economies like Jamaica remain reserved in matters of integration for such reasons. The inequality in economic development within the Caribbean remains a challenge to economic integration. The likely hood for integration is increased if economic capabilities among the countries involved are balanced, and if they have similar or mutual trade interests. This is hardly the case in the Caribbean.
Foul politics in the Caribbean remain a mainstay concern to integration initiatives. The Economist (2012) described the Caribbean politics as ‘centrifugal’. Politicians in the region are supposedly more concerned about their own interests rather than that of the wider Caribbean. The top politicians, according to The Economist (2012), would rather rule over a smaller, isolated island than be representatives of the islands in a larger federal government. Politics has also played down on other unifying factors in the region. Poor policies pursued by political leaders in the Caribbean have often resulted in conflicting regional interests. A more pragmatic approach is necessary to propel integration of the Caribbean. Leaders should act rationally instead of pursuing their selfish interests.
The formation of CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Single Market and Economy in 2005 brought light in the way to integration of the Caribbean, but the achievement of its goals has been derailed by several factors (The Economist, 2012). The agreement implied new government structures be developed with the intent to promote integration through a pooled parliamentary representation from all the member countries. Like any other regional body, CARICOM was determined to achieve its objectives and enhance regional integration by consolidating and strengthening the Caribbean community. Today, the progress of CARICOM has been abysmal due to the overwhelming challenges it is facing (The Economist, 2012). In the news post by The Economist (2012), it was argued that CARICOM was in dire need of fundamental change without which it ‘could slowly expire over the next few years’. It is clear that the progress that has so far been made in integrating the Caribbean is concurrently being retarded by the many challenges affecting the region.
Today, integration of the Caribbean remains almost a nightmare as multiple challenges facing the trend derail the opportunities and strengths possessed by the countries involved. These challenges include unequal development, limited economic ability and persistent economic mishaps, foul politics and ineffective regional bodies. Under such conditions, it is difficult for the Caribbean to achieve the desired integration at least in the foreseeable future unless fundamental changes are adopted in all the countries. Whether this will happen soon remains anyone’s guess.
References
BBC News (2012, August 16). Guyana Country Profile. Retrieved from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1211325.stm
The Economist. (2012). Caribbean Integration; Centrifugal Force. Retrieved from:
http://www.economist.com/node/21556277
Will, M. W. (1991). A Nation Divided: The Quest for Caribbean Integration. Latin American
Research Review, 26 (2): 3-37. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2503626
