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In today’s world of globalization, do efforts at Caribbean integration still have any relevance for Caribbean development, or should we aspire to be citizens of the global village?

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In today’s world of globalization, do efforts at Caribbean integration still have any relevance for Caribbean development, or should we aspire to be citizens of the global village?

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Globalization is the word used to describe the growing interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures and populations, brought about by cross border trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people and information.

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To appreciate the efforts being made towards Caribbean integration, it is important to first understand what Caribbean integration is. Caribbean integration or regional integration is the process by which two or more nation-states agree to co-operate and work closely together to achieve peace, stability and wealth. Usually integration involves one or more written agreements that describe the areas of cooperation in detail, as well as some coordinating bodies representing the countries involved.

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What efforts are being made/have been made toward Caribbean Integration?

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What efforts are being made/have been made toward Caribbean Integration?

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In seeking to achieve Caribbean integration, the following organizations/associations emerged:

West Indies Federation – Established in January of 1958 by the British Caribbean Federation Act, the West Indies Federation comprised 10 Caribbean territories with a common aim; that being the aim of establishing a political union among its members. The expressed long term goal of this federation was to become independent from Britain as a single state. However, before this goal could be realized, Jamaica, the largest island, withdrew from the federation and declared itself independent in 1962. This occurrence bred the famous saying, “One from ten leaves naught” and thus, the federation collapsed.

CARIFTA – The Caribbean Free Trade Association was established in December of 1965 with the signing of the Dickenson Bay Agreement. The Caribbean countries that formed part of this Association had recently become independent and CARIFTA was intended to unite their economies and to give them a joint presence on the international scene. Specifically, CARIFTA was intended to encourage balanced development of the Region by increasing trade, diversifying trade, liberalizing trade and ensuring fair competition. It was decided during a Heads of Government Conference in 1972 that CARIFTA should be transformed into a Common Market and establish the Caribbean Community of which the Common Market would be an integral part. The following year, CARIFTA would become what we know today as CARICOM.

CARICOM - The Caribbean Community is an organization of fifteen Caribbean nations and dependencies whose main objective is to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy. CARICOM is the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world and has made great strides in education, health, culture, security and foreign policy.

OECS - The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States is an inter-governmental organization, established in 1981 with the signing of the Treaty of Basseterre, dedicated to economic harmonization and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance between countries and territories in the Eastern Caribbean.

CSME – The CARICOM Single Market and Economy or the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, established in 1989, is an arrangement among the CARICOM States for the creation of a single enlarged economic space through the removal of restrictions resulting in the free movement of goods, services, people, capital and technology. This is an attempt to deepen the integration movement so as to better respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by globalization. The main objectives of the CSME are: full use of labour; full exploitation of the other factors of production; competitive production leading to greater variety; quality and quantity of goods and services, thereby providing greater capacity to trade with other countries.

CCJ - The Caribbean Court of Justice, established in 2001 and based in the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, is the judicial institution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The CCJ replaces or seeks to replace the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which, in addition to being a constant reminder of the Caribbean’s colonial past, is seen as disconnected from Caribbean reality.

CARIWA - The Caribbean Women’s Association was created to foster alliances and linkages among women’s organizations at the local, regional and international levels; and promote democratic participation and unity among Caribbean Women. Founded in 1970, CARIWA is a non-profit organization that represents and advocates for the grassroots women of the Caribbean and as a result, enhances regional integration among Caribbean islands.

UWI – Established in 1948, the University of the West Indies now comprises four campuses across the Caribbean region; St. Augustine, Trinidad: Cave Hill, Barbados: Mona, Jamaica as well as the Open Campus. UWI is considered to be the greatest contributor to Caribbean development and integration. Its focal areas are linked closely to CARICOM’s development priorities and they take into account region-wide areas of concern such as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation.

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Does Caribbean integration contribute to Caribbean development?

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Does Caribbean integration contribute to Caribbean development?

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Before answering such a question, it is important to address what exactly is meant by Caribbean development.

Caribbean development refers to improving the standard and quality of life of the people of the region. It is related to economic, environmental, political and social factors across the Caribbean.

Understanding this, the question is asked whether Caribbean integration or regionalism is still relevant to Caribbean development. And the answer to this is yes. Caribbean integration, even in present day, is still a fundamental aspect of propelling development across the Caribbean.

Development is a continuing notion; a continuing act. Because of this, as much as Caribbean integration and regionalism has been a driving factor and a fundamental aspect of Caribbean development, the fact of the matter remains that the majority, if not all, of the countries in the Caribbean region are developing countries. They are not yet developed. As such, to move from a status of developing t developed, it is imperative that the process of development continues. If this means that Caribbean integration efforts and movements need to be maintained or even furthered, then so be it. At the end of the day, we all want better for ourselves; for our country; for our region, and both Caribbean integration and Caribbean development will help us to achieve this.

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Is Caribbean integration necessary for Caribbean development?

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Is Caribbean integration necessary for Caribbean development?

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While it is not necessary that we be united in order for Caribbean development to take place, the end result of our unity, as seen by Caribbean integration and regionalism, will inevitably be significant Caribbean development.

The question that should be asked is whether Caribbean integration or regionalism is relevant today, given that there is a move toward a global village.

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How does Caribbean Integration Contribute to Caribbean Development?

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How does Caribbean Integration Contribute to Caribbean Development?

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Economics

-          Cost sharing and risk pooling

Small economies, such as exists within and across the Caribbean, often lack the resources to make large public investments. Investing in shared public services, such as a regional transportation infrastructure, would allow cost pooling and improve connectivity across the region.

-          Increased trade opportunities

Due to and acting as a single market economy, countries within the Caribbean are able to trade goods and services without restrictions within the region as well as trade goods and services, as a unit, to countries outside the region; such transactions would come at an accelerated cost to outside consumers, thus benefiting Caribbean islands.

-          Labour mobility

Integration allows for the removal of barriers for all resources being used within and across the Caribbean. One of the major resources so affected is labour. Workers are able to enjoy both occupational mobility and social mobility as a result of integration. Workers are no longer restricted by the borders of their home country and have greater opportunity for work within the region. This has the result of increasing the employment rate across the Caribbean and simultaneously decreasing the unemployment rate.

-          Reduced Income Inequality, Higher Income Tax and Economic Growth

Due to the higher availability of employment opportunities, the employment rate increases across the Caribbean, as previously mentioned. As such, economies that exist under a progressive tax structure are more likely to lower their income inequality gap. Additionally, the more persons that are employed, the higher the income tax earned in a particular economy is. The government is able to use this tax to fund and make strategic developmental investments instead of being burdened by unemployment grants and other such social welfare programs. This paves the way for economic growth within the region.

Social

-          Higher Education and Literacy Rates

The availability of the University of the West Indies campuses across the Caribbean allows for greater access to higher level education for all students across the region. This allows for the Caribbean as a whole to produce the brightest, most holistically and academically developed minds in the region and subsequently allows the education and literacy rate of these islands to improve exponentially; one of the indicators of human development within a country.

-          Improved Health

The removal of barriers across the region allows for increased access to the best doctors, nurses and medical staff that the Caribbean has to offer within the Caribbean. It also allows for said staff to be trained by the best in the field and allows them free movement and employment opportunities when they are so trained, The has the effect of boosting the overall health of the people of the region; one of the indicators of human development within a country.

-          Higher Standard of Living

The increased trade opportunities and access to goods and services from across the Caribbean allows for greater variety of said goods and services to become available to the domestic markets. This mere increase in a variety of goods and services available gives consumers a greater choice with respects to what they purchase. When consumers are able to make such choices and purchase the highest quality goods and services, consumer satisfaction increases. As a result, persons would be able to experience and enjoy a higher standard of living.

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What is it?

The term “global village” describes the phenomenon of the world becoming more inter-connected as a result of the propagation of the media technologies throughout the world.

Should we aspire toward a global village?

It is indisputable that a global village brings with it a plethora of advantages and opportunities for development and improved standard and quality of life. Naturally, one would aspire to this. However, before we can attempt to run, we must first learn to walk. If we really want a global village, we should first start with our own local culture. We should encourage, from within the culture through Caribbean integration and regionalism, the development and fulfilment of these global ideals.

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Regional integration does not contradict the concept of a global village or the notion of aspiring to be citizens of the global village. They both have their own unique purposes and significance and can definitely both be pursued at the same time. Both concept are definitely relevant and achievable.  However, it is important to understand that while Caribbean integration can exist without the aspiration of globalization, we cannot realize the dream of globalization without the economic and political strength that comes from Caribbean integration and regionalism.