Dangers for small West Indian States
Dickson Igwe - Saturday, November 24th, 2012 at 11:38 PM
Dickson Igwe
Regional and global integration are no longer options for Caribbean states.
Sir Ronald Sanders, Caribbean Diplomat and Journalist, made a crucial assertion in a November 16, 2012, Op ED piece, in the social news media, Caribdirect. The story was titled: ‘’CARIBBEAN IN GREATEST CRISIS SINCE INDEPENDENCE.’’
Sanders, stated that there was a danger that small Caribbean states could begin to stagnate and regress, some even becoming failed states, if they continued to swim the world’s treacherous seas and oceans by themselves. In other words, playing lone ranger by Caribbean leaders and politicians, in a world where convergence and integration were the order of the day, was a recipe for national economic disaster.
Sanders, in his story and commentary, quoted St Lucian Prime Minister, Dr. Kenny Anthony, who described a contemporary Caribbean Community, CARICOM, that is today caught in a, ‘’ vortex of persistent low growth, crippling debt, huge fiscal deficits, and high unemployment.’’ Fortunately, these Virgin Islands are not in that category of near failed state as described by the Diplomat; the result of a relatively robust financial services sector, and an international sailing and diving product second to none. Nonetheless, the Prime Minister’s words should be viewed as a warning.
The St. Lucian Leader, at a meeting of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry of October 31, 2012, proffered a grave warning. CARICOM was in crisis. And a prolonged recession would be made worse by increased emigration of skilled persons from the Caribbean. Add a shrinking of local investment; and a malaise in productivity; and all of these negatives could exacerbate recession in the region, even bringing about a long term economic contraction, also known as DEPRESSION.
Anthony asserted that Caribbean institutions had not kept up with the times, and he further stated that post the 2007-2009 financial crisis, Caribbean economies were still insular, that small island societies were not, ‘’ charting an outward response to LOOMING GLOBAL REALITIES.’’
Anthony gave examples of the disadvantages small island communities faced by failing to integrate with a wider regional and global economy: one, was a food import bill running into the billions of dollars that is expected to escalate; two, was the fragility of regional air transportation to support tourism; and three, the absence of region wide sea transportation to facilitate trade in goods. All these were geopolitical limitations. And they were tantamount to a region hopping along on one leg, but in a world where the possession four robust limbs were crucial for survival.
Anthony ended his talk to the Chamber with a warning, that, ‘’ apart from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and perhaps Guyana,’’ all countries that possessed natural resources, ‘’ none of the remaining Caribbean countries can survive, let alone prosper, without the economies of scale and bargaining strength that comes from deeper integration.’’ And that includes these Virgin Islands.
This should not be surprising news. Most Caribbean nationals recognize today, that regional and global economic integration are the way forward for Caribbean countries. The discussion on globalism and free trade is a Caribbean wide debate. It is a dialectic, and even polemic, not just being thrashed out in these Virgin Islands.
Two West Indian leaders: one a distinguished ambassador, and the other, a national leader. And both these men are a microcosm of a much larger idea resting in the minds of governments and the governed throughout the region: that the Caribbean is going to have to become a much more integrated region, if it is to survive in a new world ruled by a revolution in learning, advanced science, technology, and Math, and the free flow of financial, physical, and human capital between communities, societies, countries, and continents.
Geographically, politically, socially, and culturally, the West Indies appear well placed to benefit from globalization. These islands sit in a relatively secure region of a very violent world, and possess a universally attractive social culture. Most Caribbean countries are democracies, and West Indians enjoy personal freedoms comparable with free societies anywhere.
However, political leaders have got to step out of the box, stop the navel searching, the small mindedness, the narrow politics, and think big: begin to think international, to think global. That is the only way this country and the wider region is going to grow and prosper.
National development is not going to come from native tax payers, struggling Caribbean consumers already crushed by debt and stagnating economies alone. No. Prosperity and growth this day and age, for these lesser and Greater Antilles is only going to be achieved through active engagement with global commerce, through free and international trade.
In a world ruled by digital technology, the speed of light transfer of financial capital across borders, and savvy billionaire entrepreneurs, governments may act only as watchdogs and regulators of a swiftly changing global narrative and mural. Yes, governments possess the power of coercion, and governments remain mighty organizations, near omnipotent. But the more governments interfere in the free trading process negatively, through unnecessary restrictions on international trade, and an inward looking culture, the worse it is for the consumer, resident, and citizen.
Conversely, when governments act as enablers of globalism through good governance, regional and international cooperation, and optimum prioritization in the management of scarce resources, the stronger economically and socially are the societies they rule.
Social media spells the political and social empowerment of individuals; and of small and large communities and societies. Today, with smart digital devices such as the ever evolving tablet, powerful digital software applications, and imagination, individuals can circumvent many of the barriers to trading and social relationships that big governments create unnecessarily.
And this rule by the microchip is going to give individuals even greater independence and personal power.
The arrival of the global citizen is on the horizon. He and she can no longer be contained by BIG BROTHER. Yes Kenny Anthony has hit the nail on the head. The Caribbean is going to have to get with the GLOBAL PROGRAMME!
To be continued.
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Working cooperatively as a region makes sense. The question is can we get there? The region has not been served well by our seeming inability to celebrate our differences (rather than making them cause for division), our infighting and our propensity for allowing our individual egos, national identities and self-serving ways to blind us to the larger picture.
I submit however, that it is not the government that needs to have the epiphany, but the people themselves. It is no surprise that as a region our governments have been unable to align themselves in a manner that is beneficial to entire the region. The people themselves are unable to do it, both in the Caribbean and in the Caribbean diaspora. Small Island this, Big Island that, Down Island this, Poor Island that etc., etc has prevented us from fully harnessing the assets that we all bring to the table, for the greater advancement of the region and it’s people. In my mind, the government is a subset of the people. And I believe we will have a hard time integrating, until the people realize that we can, and should, respect one another… that we can, and should, all make significant contributions… that our differences, simply make us different -no better or worse… and that we can, and need to, find common ground on which to build for a better future for us all.
Seize the time.
Caribbean integration is hopeless at this time. Even if they integrated they would not be competitive globally. Best if these independent small countries try to set up close economic and cultural ties with a much larger one.
The most suitable potential partner in the western hemisphere is…Brazil. This country has the second largest economy in the region. I believe the OECS and Brazil started diplomatic ties a few years ago? This needs to be aggressively developed and expanded.
These small, poor countries cannot survive in the global environment as discrete entities. Independence does equal progress. Most of the countries in the region have had independence for years but most of them are still floundering.
Their economies are still small, undiversified, fragile and unstable. And they will continue in this floundering state if they continue the unsustainable folly of going it alone.
The West Indies Federation failed due to the personalities, not because the idea or intent was flawed. The region needs to put politics, xenophobia, nationalism…..etc aside and for the survival of the region pursue forming some type of union.
Lack of resources, corruption, poor management, ineffective governance …..is wreaking havoc on the progress of individual countries. Integration may not be popular in some quarters but it is the ray of hope for the region. Without it the region may remain permanently in an “emerging” status.
Mr. Igwe:
It seems like you’re at your best when you are not wearing that big stupid dunce hat; So just stop wearing it and continue to write good stuff. People will always complain, but when they complain, it let you know that they are reading your stuff, and if it was not for your writing there would not be much to challenge ones’ mental.
Actually, the new trend of thought in Commonwealth countries is that economic unions should be formed along Commonwealth lines. The realization has dawned that unions formed along geographic lines often have opposing goals and values between its member states.
This is the thinking of leaders of, you know, ACTUAL states that have the power and the responsibility for such decisions, in case you wanted to know just out of curiosity.
Good thing we are not a Caribbean state. Good thing we did not follow the fools into the independance trap.
Now that the EU experiment has been declared a complete failure and NAFTA has been recognized for what it is, utter nonsense, why are you still pratting on about globalization? Who pays you, Monsanto??
It’s no longer a question if regional integration must happen but what why it did not happen yesterday. It’s the elephant in the region that most people know is in the best interest of the region yet there is no urgency to address it. The region cannot continue to fool itself that small nations with little or no resources to generate hard currency to promote economic development can go it alone.
The greatest hope for these small, single economy countries is to integrate, and pool their limited resources to achieve economy of scale and scope. A Federation was attempted in the 1960′s but it died in its infancy due to *insularity, individualism, shortsightedness ……..etc. If the Federation had been given a chance, the region would have been probably light years ahead economically, socially, politically, culturally…etc. The region cannot survive much less progress without real integration. If integration provides value for the citizens of the US, Canada, Australia…..etc, why cannot it not be of value to people of the region? If not integration what?
Well, after the Federation collapsed, regional countries started pursuing independence, starting with Jamaica on 06 August 1962. Among former Anglophone Caribbean countries, all have independence save for Montserrat, Anguilla, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands and the Virgin Islands. Nonetheless, thus far independence has not serve the region well economically or otherwise. Life is still too much of a daily hustle for too many people in the region. Where does region go from here?
The region’s best hope is integration. Regional integration can promote economic growth and economic development and enhance the standard of living and quality of life. Further, it will allow the region to collectively use its limited resources to cut its import bill and create much needed employment. But integration will only happen if the masses demand it.
reality is often scarey, added by idiocy of some leaders
And then they refer to it as stress!
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