(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)  The global financial crises and its adverse impact on Caribbean economies were still the sticking point on the lips of the Heads of Government who spoke at the Official Opening Ceremony of the 31st Conference of that 15-member Caribbean Community in the Cornwall Room of the Half Moon Village in Montego Bay, Jamaica on Sunday.

Very much concerned about the searing criticisms levelled at the Community and its flag ship programme - the CARICOM Single Market and Economy - CARICOM leaders put things into clear perspective; enumerated the gains made by the Community; ‘dispelled the demons of despair;’ reiterated their commitment to regional unity and asserted their resolve to tackle the challenges wreaked by the global crisis within the context of their national realities.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Hon Orrette Bruce Golding who now holds the Chair of the Conference for the next six months, brought into sharp focus the dilemma faced by CARICOM leaders in reconciling Community goals with national aspirations, emphasising that the issue must be addressed in all its complexities and in a serious and systematic way.

Acknowledging the gains made by the Community in advancing the integration movement, Prime Minister Golding declared that the Community had its fair share of internal problems and as such it still had miles to go in fulfilling the ideals of regional integration, chief of which was improving the quality of life for all Caribbean peoples.

The new CARICOM Chairman was however adamant that notwithstanding the internal issues faced by the Community; the impatience of many to expedite the CSME agenda and the expressed cynicism by some of its peoples, the Community was still the best hope for Member States in countering the deluge of global crises. These he stated had severely dislocated Caribbean economies, made them vulnerable to other social problems such as organised crime and had and rendered them “naked, shivering for warmth in the blizzard of the global crisis.”

He opined that the international community had overlooked the plight of small highly-indebted middle income countries and that unlike some very developed nations CARICOM did not have the fiscal capacity to bolster or rather ‘re-float’ its economies with stimulus packages.

In this regard therefore, he urged CARICOM leaders to stick together in tackling the global recession, which he was convinced was far from over. “We are faced with the stark reality that the world is realigning itself into huge blocs with defined interests that determine how they relate to the rest of the world. None of us especially those as small as we are can or will make it on our own…Our reality check is that we are on our own and we must decide whether in the journey that we must make we will work alone or walk together…,” Prime Minister Golding said.

Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr Denzil Douglas stressed the need for unwavering commitment in the face of the global crises, none of which he asserted was caused by the Caribbean.

He was convinced that the Community had achieved much in the area of free movement of people and capital under the CSME, in health development; institutional strengthening, education and external negotiations; and pointed out that more powerful nations had also had serious difficulty in weathering the financial storms.

Prime Minister Douglas encouraged his colleague Heads and other CARICOM Leaders not to be daunted by the unprecedented challenges but to allow the achievements to prompt them into further action that would advance the Community’s agenda and lift its people out of the global recession. This, he said, would take more sacrifice; greater commitment and courage by all.

The Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica and immediate past Chair of CARICOM joined in expressing satisfaction that the region had achieved all that it could under the present economic circumstances. He remained un-convinced that the Community was in any way ‘less endowed’ with leadership, than it was some thirty years ago.

Expressing great optimism about the future of the Community, the outgoing Chairman of CARICOM who was earlier lauded for his efforts in championing the cause of Haiti was resolute that “going backward was not an option” for the Caribbean Community, yet moving forward would require the cooperation of all its citizens and not just CARICOM Heads, he warned.

He too acknowledged the challenge of aligning national demands with regional goals, but cautioned the Community against succumbing to pressure in meeting time schedules and deadlines and urged his colleagues to take time to strengthen the integration movement in order to get it right.

In his opinion “shouting across the seas and … pointing the accusing finger benefited no one.” On the contrary, he said, it was of critical importance for all to work together and to strengthen relationships with one another. In doing so, he said, he was optimistic that the Community would emerge from this economic malaise even stronger and more aggressive in the pursuit of its objectives.

CARICOM Secretary-General in adding his voice of support said the Community in its 37 years had garnered rich experience on which it could now draw in fighting the global and environment crises it was now facing adding that “in the face of such adversity, our Caribbean Community has however, not allowed the demons of despair to hold full sway…”

He noted that more developed countries were attempting to forge similar ties in order to stave off the crises and asserted what the Caribbean needed was “more and not less regional unity.”

The Opening Ceremony was also addressed for the first time by a United Nations Secretary- General. His Excellency Ban Ki Moon underscored the impact of the global crisis on the region’s socio-economic development, noting that while the region had made much progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) it remained “highly vulnerable to external shocks.”

He appropriately invoked the spirit of Bob Marley in encouraging CARICOM to “get up stand up and don’t give up the fight” in deepening its integration movement.

Nine of 15 Heads of Government in addition to Heads of delegation from three associate members were present at the opening ceremony which was also attended by the Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States, His Excellency Jose Miguel Insulza. The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mr Dominique Strauss-Kahn will join the Heads of Government when they get down to treating with the issues on the agenda on Monday.

Contact:  piu@caricom.org