Revisit vision

THE Prime Minister of Barbados is calling on all officers involved in the development of CARICOM to revisit their personal mission as it relates to regional integration.

Speaking at the official opening of the offices of the CARICOM Secretariat and the CARICOM Development Fund, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart outlined the kind of vision that CARICOM officers should hold.

“As the region conducts its review of existing in-stitutions, I believe it is timely for all officers involved in CARICOM ... to revisit their personal mission,” Stuart suggested.

He explained that all those involved must possess a “vision for regional integration in its broadest and most fundamental sense; a sensitivity to and understanding of issues affecting each member state and its citizens; and motivation to balance those two in the pursuit of regional good”.

Without the careful balance of this vision and a true passion for regionalism, the PM maintained that it will be difficult to sustain the drive needed to press past the many obstacles that face CARICOM and the CSME.

He added that there must also be greater analysis and more thorough research into the
issues that concern Caribbean people. (AN)