The 8th Intersessional Preparatory Meeting held at the Headquarters of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, certainly lived up to expectations of providing the initial boost for the relaunching of the ACS after its 10th Anniversary on 24th July.

Soon after the Independent West Indian Commission of 1992 recommended the widening of functional cooperation of CARICOM States to embrace all the countries of the Wider Caribbean, the Heads of all Members of the ACS, conscious of the need to forge an effective and timely response to the challenges and opportunities presented by globalisation, were signing on to the commitment to initiate a new era wherein both the negative and positive could be jointly addressed, building upon our geographical proximity and historical ties to contribute to the cultural, economic and social development of our peoples, bridging the artificial gulf of the past.

While it is true that the original aspiration of creating a free trade area was moved to the back burner due to some well known realities on the ground, July’s meeting reiterated that the aspiration towards unity continues, in order to make full use of the advantages of regionalism as an efficient response to the need for international cooperation in our struggle for sustainable development and its supreme overarching goal of alleviating and eradicating poverty, not in some utopian future, but within our lifetime. To quote the Chairman of the Ministerial Council the Hon. Delano Franklyn, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica in his address to the Meeting: “The link between poverty and underdevelopment poses dangers that transcend national borders and therefore require a collective response.”

Regionalism facilitates resource mobilisation and mutual understanding and trust among governments and people. In this respect, the ACS is uniquely poised since it does not envision political or ideological disputes, as is the case with other organisations. Although there are differences among some governments, they are played out in other fora that are unrelated to the objectives of an Association which brings together the political will of 28 States, Countries and Territories in the Greater Caribbean. Poignantly, the Meeting also proved the need for refocusing the energies of the ACS and channelling them back on course.

This new stage of the ACS must be based on its positive experiences and on the areas where it has proven to be effective. There must therefore be a shift in the political focus, without straying from the ACS Convention, increasing the scope and effectiveness of the ACS. Instead of continuing to work on projects limited to a diagnostic vision, whose effect is not felt beyond governmental departments or the offices of regional agencies, the ACS must look toward implementing extensive cooperation programmes with medium and long term goals, which are able to reach the grass roots level, having a direct impact on the lives of Caribbean people.

Borrowing from Minister Franklyn again: “The unique character of the ACS as a regional institution and its potential as a Zone of Cooperation for the Caribbean, remains a strategic goal for the organisation, and one on which we should capitalise to pursue our common as well as distinctive interests.” The historical development of our peoples no longer accepts the call for patience. The international context gives our efforts relevance and the social inequality in which our people live must fill us with a sense of urgency. A rich cultural identity that recognises a space in which heterogeneity and similarities are happily married calls upon us to honour the urgent commitment to give a new vision for the Greater Caribbean within the ACS the support it needs to have a fighting chance.

Dr. Rubén Arturo Silié Valdez is the Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States. The views expressed are not necessarily the official views of the ACS. Feedback can be sent to mail@acs-aec.org

(end)

04 Aug, 2004